Computational mechanics · Soft robotics · Biomedical devices

We study deformable structures across soft materials, magnetic soft robots, and endovascular implants. Our work combines finite-element modeling, contact mechanics, fluid-structure interaction, nonlinear material models, experiments, and design analysis.

Research

Patient-specific Contour deployment mechanics workflow
01 · Endovascular

Braided aneurysm implants

Selected work: (i) Mechanics-resolved in silico deployment of the Contour device in patient-specific intracranial aneurysms; (ii) A review of contact-driven deployment and flow modeling of braided endovascular implants for intracranial aneurysms.

Publications

2025

Unified rheological modeling using fractal calculus for soft biological matter

V.K. Gopalakrishnan, R. Pramanik, A. Arockiarajan

Materials & Design 258, 114572

DOI

Computational and experimental design of fast and versatile magnetic soft robotic low Re swimmers

R. Pramanik, M. Park, Z. Ren, M. Sitti, R. Verstappen, P.R. Onck

Extreme Mechanics Letters 78, 102358

DOI

Emerging spatiotemporal patterns and collective swimming of magnetically actuated soft robots

R. Pramanik, R.W.C.P. Verstappen, P.R. Onck

Nonlinear Dynamics

DOI

Leveraging Instabilities in Multifunctional Soft Materials: A Cutting Edge Review

P. Narayanan, R. Pramanik, A. Arockiarajan

Advanced Engineering Materials

DOI

Harnessing machine learning algorithms for the prediction and optimization of various properties of polylactic acid in biomedical use: a comprehensive review

J.M. Chandra Hasa, P. Narayanan, R. Pramanik, A. Arockiarajan

Biomedical Materials

DOI
2024

Computational fluid-structure interaction in biology and soft robots: A review

R. Pramanik, R.W.C.P. Verstappen, P.R. Onck

Physics of Fluids 36(10), 101302

DOI

Nature-inspired miniaturized magnetic soft robotic swimmers

R. Pramanik, R.W.C.P. Verstappen, P.R. Onck

Applied Physics Reviews 11(2), 021312

DOI

Hard magnetics and soft materials — a synergy

P. Narayanan, R. Pramanik, A. Arockiarajan

Smart Materials and Structures 33, 043001

DOI
2023

Micromechanics-based constitutive modeling of hard-magnetic soft materials

P. Narayanan, R. Pramanik, A. Arockiarajan

Mechanics of Materials 184, 104722

DOI

A hyperelastic viscoplastic damage model for large deformation mechanics of rate-dependent soft materials

P. Narayanan, R. Pramanik, A. Arockiarajan

European Journal of Mechanics A/Solids 98, 104874

DOI

Magnetic-field-induced propulsion of jellyfish-inspired soft robotic swimmers

R. Pramanik, R. Verstappen, P.R. Onck

Physical Review E 107(1), 014607

DOI
2022–2017

Mechanics of soft polymeric materials using a fractal viscoelastic model

R. Pramanik, F. Soni, K. Shanmuganathan, A. Arockiarajan

Mechanics of Time-Dependent Materials 26, 257–270, 2022

DOI

Mechanical and morphological characterization of a novel silk/cellulose-based soft composite

R. Pramanik, A. Arockiarajan

Materials Letters 314, 131871, 2022

DOI

Bi-directional locomotion of a magnetically-actuated jellyfish-inspired soft robot

R. Pramanik, P.R. Onck, R.W.C.P. Verstappen

Advances in Robotics, ACM-TRS 2021

DOI

PVDF/BaTiO3 films with nanocellulose impregnation: Investigation of structural, morphological and mechanical properties

F. Ram, P. Kaviraj, R. Pramanik, A. Krishnan, K. Shanmuganathan, A. Arockiarajan

Journal of Alloys and Compounds 823, 153701, 2020

DOI

Transversely isotropic freeze-dried PVA hydrogels: Theoretical modelling and experimental characterization

R. Pramanik, A. Narayanan, A. Rajan, S. Konar, A. Arockiarajan

International Journal of Engineering Science 144, 103144, 2019

DOI

Effective properties and nonlinearities in 1–3 piezocomposites: a comprehensive review

R. Pramanik, A. Arockiarajan

Smart Materials and Structures 28(10), 103001, 2019

DOI

Mechanics of 1–3 piezocomposites subjected to creep-fatigue loads

R. Pramanik, L. Santhosh, A. Arockiarajan

Meccanica 54, 1611–1622, 2019

DOI

A thermodynamically-consistent phenomenological viscoplastic model for hydrogels

A. Narayanan, A. Rajan, R. Pramanik, A. Arockiarajan

Materials Research Express 6(8), 085418, 2019

DOI

Mechanics of viscoelastic buckling in slender hydrogels

A. Rajan, A. Narayanan, R. Pramanik, A. Arockiarajan

Materials Research Express 6(5), 055320, 2019

DOI

Influence of nanocellulose on mechanics and morphology of polyvinyl alcohol xerogels

R. Pramanik, A. Arockiarajan

Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials 90, 275–283, 2019

DOI

Influence of mechanical compressive loads on microstructurally aligned PVA xerogels

R. Pramanik, B. Ganivada, F. Ram, K. Shanmuganathan, A. Arockiarajan

Materials Letters 236, 222–224, 2019

DOI

Influence of individual phases and temperature on properties of CoFe2O4-BaTiO3 magnetoelectric core-shell nanocomposites

P. Kaviraj, R. Pramanik, A. Arockiarajan

Ceramics International 45(9), 12344–12352, 2019

DOI

Effect of grain size on piezoelectric, ferroelectric and dielectric properties of PMN-PT ceramics

R. Pramanik, M.K. Sahukar, Y. Mohan, B. Praveenkumar, S.R. Sangawar, et al.

Ceramics International 45(5), 5731–5742, 2019

DOI

A hybrid phenomenological model for thermo-mechano-electrical creep of 1–3 piezocomposites

R. Pramanik, A. Arockiarajan

Philosophical Magazine 99(1), 1–21, 2019

DOI

Experimental and theoretical studies on mechanical creep of 1–3 piezocomposites

R. Pramanik, A. Arockiarajan

Acta Mechanica 229, 4187–4198, 2018

DOI

Electro-mechanical creep of 1–3 piezocomposites: Theoretical modeling and experimental approach

R. Pramanik, A. Arockiarajan

Ceramics International 44(12), 13934–13943, 2018

DOI

Effect of annealing on the fracture behavior of LSCFO, a potential energy material for oxygen separation

B. Sikder, R. Pramanik, A. Chanda

Materialwissenschaft und Werkstofftechnik 48, 726–730, 2017

DOI

Academic

Positions and education

Postdoc, Universität der Bundeswehr München2025–present
Ph.D., University of Groningen2020–2024 · Nature-inspired magnetic soft robotic swimmers and swarms
M.S. Applied Mechanics, IIT Madras2017–2019 · Creep behavior of 1–3 piezocomposites
B.E. Mechanical Engineering, Jadavpur University2012–2016 · Viscoelastic structures undergoing complex kinematics

Supervision and mentoring

  • Aakila RajanIIT Madras BE → Caltech Ph.D.
  • Anantha N. S. BabuIIT Madras BE → MIT M.S.-Ph.D.
  • Prathik NarayananIIT Madras BE → Brown Ph.D.
  • JM Chandra HasaIIT Madras BE
  • Tina FazeliGroningen BS → TU Delft M.S.
  • Tamer van TeeffelenGroningen BS → ETH Zürich M.S.
  • Matias Santa CruzGroningen BS → TU Delft M.S.
  • Vignesh K. GopalakrishnanIIT Madras BE-MS → EPFL Ph.D.

Selected conferences

  • 2026 — Biomechanik Kongress / DGfB, Hamburg.
  • 2025 — International Conference on Biomedical Technology, Hannover.
  • 2025 — IDIR Research Retreat, Kiel.
  • 2025 — Aneurysm Science Workshop, Raitenhaslach.
  • 2024 — ECCOMAS, Lisbon.
  • 2023 — Dutch Soft Robotics Symposium, Enschede.
  • 2022 — Burgers Symposium, Lunteren.
  • 2021 — Advances in Robotics, Kanpur.
  • 2018 — Sonar System and Sensors, DRDO, Kochi.
  • 2016 — ISTAM 61st Congress, Vellore.

Contact

Collaborations, invited talks, and supervision.

Email me