Department of Ocean Engineering | Indian Institute Of Technology Madras , Chennai
team

Dr. Bithin Ghorai

Assistant Professor

Ph.D., Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay – Mumbai, India, 2021

M.Tech., Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras – Chennai, India, 2014

B.E., Jadavpur University – Kolkata, India, 2012

Phone

+91- 44- [22]-57 [48]-15

Email

bghorai@iitm.ac.in

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  • Dr. Bithin Ghorai is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Ocean Engineering at IIT Madras, specializing in offshore geotechnics with a focus on foundation systems, soil-water-structure interaction, and seabed mobility. His research combines large-deformation numerical analysis with advanced laboratory-scale modeling to improve the understanding and design of offshore anchors, pipelines, and subsea infrastructure in soft marine sediments. With a strong interest in addressing geotechnical challenges for offshore renewables and deep-sea applications, Dr. Ghorai welcomes motivated PhD students and national/international collaborators to join his group in advancing next-generation offshore geotechnical solutions.

  • Marine Geotechnical Engineering
  • Offshore Foundation Systems
  • Large Deformation Numerical Modelling
  • Seabed Interacting Systems - Trawling, Ploughing, Mining

  1. New Faculty Initiative Grant (NFIG): Geotechnics of foundations for offshore energy structures (2024 - 26), 5.0 lakhs, IIT Madras
  2. New Faculty Seed Grant (NFSG), IIT Madras: SAFER – Shared anchors for floating energy renewables (2026 - 29), 50.0 lakhs, IIT Madras
  3. Prime Minister Early Career Research Grant (PMECRG), ANRF: OMNI-RING – Multiline ring anchor networks for omnidirectional mooring of floating offshore system arrays (2026 - 29), 70.0 lakhs, ANRF, DST.

  • DEC 2023 – CURRENT, Assistant Professor - Department of Ocean Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai 600036 INDIA.
  • SEPT 2023 – DEC 2023, Assistant Professor - Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Jodhpur, Jodhpur, India.
  • AUG 2021 – NOV 2022, Postdoc Researcher - Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) - Delft, The Netherlands.
  • DEC 2020 – MAR 2021, Research Associate - Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, Mumbai, India.
  • JUNE 2014 – JULY 2015, Executive Engineer - Larsen & Toubro (L&T) Hydrocarbon Engineering Ltd., Mumbai, India.

Ph.D.

  • Mr. Rohan Deb (Co-Supervisor) - Buried Pipeline-Reverse Fault-Ground Interaction (Completed in 2026)
  • Mrs. Vishalatchi Ramasamy (Supervisor) - Shared Suction Anchors for Offshore Renewables (Ongoing)
  • Ms. Aswathy P.S. (Supervisor) - TBD
  • Mr. Saran Kumar S. (Supervisor) - TBD

M.Tech.

  • Karra Koushik, Pullout Capacity of Suction Anchors in Clay, Graduated in 2025
  • Mubashir Ali Firdaus E A, Response of Submarine Pipelines Buried in Clay Seabed, Graduated in 2025
  • Adhi Vamshi - Pressure-cyclic Installation of Suction Anchors in Clay (Ongoing)
  • N.V.G.C.V. Sivateja - Anchor Impact on Buried Subsea Cables (Ongoing)

  1. Predictive estimation of bending strain and active length in buried pipelines crossing reverse slip faults

    Author: Deb, R., Ghorai, B., and Banerjee, S.

    Journal: Geotechnical and Geological Engineering

    Volume: 44 (1)

    Page: 60

    Year: 2026

  2. Systematic evaluation of soil relative density effects on buried pipeline response to reverse-faulting: Evidence from physical model tests

    Author: Deb, R., Ghorai, B., and Banerjee, S.

    Journal: Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment

    Volume: 85(9)

    Page: 591

    Year: 2026

  3. Analysis of buried pipeline-reverse fault interaction in saturated soil under drained and undrained loading conditions

    Author: Kumar, S., Deb, R., Banerjee, S., and Ghorai, B.

    Journal: ASCE International Journal of Geomechanics

    Year: 2026

  4. Predicting the penetration depth and towing resistance of beam trawl fishing gears in sand

    Author: Ghorai B., Tiano J., Molenaar P., Soetaert K., and Keetels G.

    Journal: Marine Georesources & Geotechnology

    Volume: 43(5)

    Page: 770-783

    Year: 2024

  5. Understanding the soil mechanical response of tickler chain–seabed interaction for beam trawl fishing gears

    Author: Ghorai B., Koorn N. J., and Keetels G. H.

    Journal: In Proceedings of the 5th European Conference on Physical Modelling in Geotechnics (ECPMG 2024)

    Year: 2024

  • Courses taught:
  • B.Tech:
  • OE2024 - Analysis of Structures
  • M.Tech/Ph.D.:
  • OE5545 - Marine Geotechnical Engineering - IIT Madras (India)
  • ZOE5545 - Marine Geotechnical Engineering - IIT Madras Zanzibar Campus (Tanzania)
  • OE6200 - Design of Fixed Offshore Structures - IIT Madras (India) (shared)
  • ZOE6200 - Design of Fixed Offshore Structures - IIT Madras Zanzibar Campus (Tanzania) (shared)
  • OE6905 - Ocean Structures Thesis Project Phase I (shared)
  • OE6906 - Ocean Structures Thesis Project Phase II (shared)