Dr. Brahmananda Pramanik, Ph.D., P.E.
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Associate Professor
Dr. Pramanik is a mechanical engineer specializing in functional materials, additive manufacturing, and impact mechanics. He holds a Professional Engineer License from USA. Dr. Pramanik obtained his Ph.D. from the University of Mississippi and was associated with the Composite Structure and Nano-engineering Research group sponsored by the Office of Naval Research and Army Research Office. He oversees the operations of the Impact Technology Research Laboratory in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Montana Technological University. Dr. Pramanik collaborated with the Army Research Directorate and the University of New Hampshire to investigate the dynamic mechanical phenomena of additively manufactured metal components and disseminated the research findings in multiple peer-reviewed journals.
Dr. Pramanik has over ten years of industrial experience designing machine components for an ordnance factory in India, creating a ship-hull design, inspection, and maintenance database for the American Bureau of Shipping, and processing-characterizing composite materials at the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, India. Dr. Pramanik holds a Professional Engineering License (MT/60613) in Mechanical Engineering with Machine Design and Materials specializations.
Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering, University of Mississippi, USA, 2014
M.S., Mechanical Engineering, University of Mississippi, USA, 2010
B.S., Mechanical Engineering, Institution of Engineers (India), 2006
A.S., Mechanical Engineering, WBSCTE, India, 1997
Licensed Professional Engineer, Registration Number: PE 60613, Montana, USA, 2019
Lawfully Permanent Resident of USA, (E17) Outstanding Professor and Researcher, 2022
2020 - Present Associate Professor, Montana Technological University
2014 - 2020 Assistant Professor, Montana Technological University
2007 - 2014 Research Assistant, University of Mississippi Graduate
2004 - 2007 Project Assistant, IIT-Kharagpur, India
1997 - 2004 Design Engineer, GKW Ltd. India
Research Interests
Dr. Pramanik oversees the Montana Tech Impact Technology Research.
Research Expertise
In the face of extreme dynamic loading, catastrophic failures and severe degradation of mechanical properties pose undeniable challenges to engineering structures. The culprit behind this destructive mechanism lies within complex networks of stress waves that emerge during impact events. From automobiles to aircraft, turbines to armaments, a wide array of crucial components are vulnerable to such catastrophic failures under dynamic loading conditions.
Dr. Pramanik is dedicated to pushing the boundaries of knowledge in this field and spearheading a pioneering approach to control impact damage in engineering materials. With unwavering determination, Dr. Pramanik aims to delve beyond the current understanding of impact dynamics, paving the way for a comprehensive protocol to mitigate damage to engineering materials. By investigating the intricate interplay of forces during impact events, he seeks to uncover innovative solutions that can effectively control the detrimental effects of localized and internal fragmentation. By decoding the mechanisms underlying catastrophic failures, he aims to develop strategies that will significantly enhance the resilience and durability of engineering materials subjected to dynamic loading.
- Faculty Requestor, “Low-velocity Plastic Impact Tester,” $45k, Instrument Grant, 2022-2023, Capital Equipment Grant, School of Mining Engineering, Department Head, Dr. J. Skinner, Mechanical Engineering, Montana Technological University.
- Faculty Investigator, “High strain rate response of Additively Manufactured Titanium Alloy and High Strength Steel,” Summer Research Grant, Army Research Laboratory – Aberdeen Proving Ground (Collaborator: B. McWilliams), and Montana Technological University (Principal Investigator: R. White).
- Principal Investigator, “Determining Damage Location in Two-Dimensional Machine Component Using Vibration Test Technique,” $1.5k, 2019 Spring, Research Assistant Mentorship Program (RAMP), Montana Technological University.
- Faculty Investigator, “High-Speed Camera Instrument Grant, Army Research Laboratory – Aberdeen Proving Ground, and Montana Technological University (Principal Investigator: R. White).
- Principal Investigator, “Developing an Efficient Model-Experiment Strategy for Predicting the Ability of Composite Material in Impact Energy Absorption,” $7k, 2016-2017, Montana Tech Faculty Development Grant Initiative, Montana Technological University.
- Faculty Investigator, “3d-Microscope,” Instrument Grant, Army Research Laboratory – Aberdeen Proving Ground, and Montana Technological University (Principal Investigator: R. White).
- Faculty Investigator, “Innovations in Materials Processing and Additive Manufacturing,” Summer Research Grant, Army Research Laboratory – Aberdeen Proving Ground, and Montana Technological University (Principal Investigator: R. White).
- Faculty Investigator, “Pendulum Impact Tester,” Instrument Grant, Army Research Laboratory – Aberdeen Proving Ground, and Montana Technological University (Principal Investigator: R. White).
- Faculty Investigator, “Split-Hokinson Pressure Bar System,” Instrument Grant, Army Research Laboratory – Aberdeen Proving Ground, and Montana Technological University (Principal Investigator: R. White).
- Faculty Requestor, “Split-Hokinson Pressure Bar System Accessories,” $70k, Instrument Grant, 2015-16, Capital Equipment Grant, School of Mining Engineering, Department Head, Dr. B. Madigan, General Engineering, Montana Technological University.
- Principal Investigator, “High-Strain Rate Mechanical Characterization of Engineering Materials Via Developing Split-Hopkinson Pressure Bar test Facility in Montana Tech,” $5k, 2015-2016, Seed Grant for New Faculty at Montana Tech.
[1] Iftekhar, R. A.; McWilliams, B. A.; Pramanik, B.; Knezevic, M., “Correlated structure viscoplastic self-consistent polycrystal plasticity: Application to modeling strain rate sensitive deformation of Ti-6Al-4V,” International Journal of Plasticity, Vol. 163, Apr. 2023, 103571, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijplas.2023.103571
[2] Pramanik, B.; Mantena, P. R.; Rajendran, A. M., “Axial Deformation Characteristics of GrapheneSonicated Vinyl Ester Nanocomposites Subjected to High Rate of Loading.” In: Singh B., Roy A., Maiti D. (eds) Recent Advances in Theoretical, Applied, Computational and Experimental Mechanics. Lecture Notes in Mechanical Engineering. Springer, Singapore, pp. 325-337, 2020.
[3] Uddin M. S.; Kuelper, K; Pramanik, B., “Characterization of Dynamic Material Property of AlSi10Mg Aluminum Alloy Under High Strain Rate Compressive Loading,” In: Tomsett A. (eds) Light Metals 2020. The Minerals, Metals & Materials Series. Springer, Cham, pp. 440-444, 2020.
[4] McWilliams, B.; Pramanik, B.; Kudzal, A. and Taggart-Scarff, “High strain rate compressive deformation behavior of an additively manufactured stainless steel,” Additive Manufacturing, Vol. 24, pp. 432-439, 2018.
[5] Pramanik, B. Chapter 5: "Dynamic Characterization of Energetic Materials", Title: Advanced Processing Technologies for Next-Generation Energetic Materials, Editors: Mezger, M. J., Pantoya, M., Kalyon, D., Groven, L., Tindle, K., Publisher: CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group, 2018.
[6] Boddu, V.M.; Brenner, M.W.; Patel, J.S.; Kumar, A.; Mantena, P.R.; Tadepalli, T. and Pramanik, B., “Energy Dissipation and High-Strain Rate Dynamic Response of E-Glass Fiber Composites with Anchored Carbon Nanotubes,” Composites Part B: Engineering, Vol. 88, pp. 44-54, 2016.
[7] Pramanik, B.; Mantena, P.R.; Tadepalli, T. and Rajendran, A.M., “Indirect Tensile Characterization of Graphite Platelet Reinforced Vinyl Ester Nanocomposites at High-Strain Rates,” Open Journal of Composite Materials, Vol. 4, 201-214, 2014.
2023 Best Mechanical Engineering Poster, Montana Tech Expo
2019 Best Materials Science Ph.D. Booth, Montana Tech Expo
2013 Dean’s Fellowship, University of Mississippi for exceptional contribution in PhD dissertation
2012 ERDC-CERL Research Assistantship, Vertically Aligned Carbon Nanotube (VACNT) Research
2012 NSF Travel Award for outstanding poster presentation in Micro & Nanotechnology Forum, ASME IMECE2012, Nov. 12-16, 2012
2007 - 2011 ONR Research Assistantship, Composite Structure and Nano-Engineering Research
American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR)
The Minerals, Metals and Materials Society (TMS)
National Energetic Materials Consortium (NEMC)
Institution of Engineers (India) (IEI), Associated Member
Gamma Beta Phi Honors Society (GBPHS), Honored Invitee
Family Time: Spending quality time with my wife and three children is my top priority. I cherish the moments we share, whether it's through family outings, game/movie nights, or simply having conversations and creating lasting memories together.
Photography: My passion for photography allows me to capture moments and express my creativity. I enjoy exploring different subjects, experimenting with techniques, and documenting special moments with my camera.
Composing Audio Stories: Creating audio stories showcases my storytelling abilities and allows me to engage listeners through sound. Whether fiction, non-fiction, or a combination, I use my skills to craft captivating narratives that are entertaining and inspiring.
Gardening: I enjoy tending to my backyard garden, especially during the short warm days, and in-house plantation for the rest of the year. Gardening allows me to connect with nature, nurture plant life, and create a peaceful and serene environment around my home.
Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle: Staying healthy is essential, and I have established habits to support my well-being, including drinking plenty of water, meditating for mental clarity and relaxation, incorporating intense exercise into my routine, and maintaining a disciplined schedule with early bedtimes and mornings.
Balance and Self-Care: I understand the importance of maintaining a work-life balance and caring for myself. In addition to meditation and exercise, I enjoy activities such as reading, listening to music, and practicing hobbies that help me relax and rejuvenate.
Pursuing these interests, I find fulfillment in my personal life and as a professor.
I look forward to speaking with you.
Montana Tech
(406) 496-4449
Bpramanik@mtech.edu