This volume brings together selected papers presented in the proceedings of the 14th International Symposium on Plasticity and Impact Mechanics (IMPLAST-2025) held at IIT Roorkee, addressing the critical behaviour of structural elements and overall systems exposed to natural and man-made fire. It explores thermal effects on material degradation, structural deformation, progressive collapse, and residual load-carrying capacity. The current volume covers experimental fire testing, heat transfer analysis, and thermo-mechanical coupling in wood, metal, concrete, and composite structures. Emphasis has been made on both prescriptive and performance-based fire design strategies. The book also includes computational techniques such as finite element modelling for simulating fire-structure interaction and fire-induced failure modes. Real-world case studies from building fires and tunnels enhance the practical relevance. This volume serves as a comprehensive reference for structural engineers, researchers, and fire safety professionals aiming to improve infrastructure resilience under elevated temperatures.

Dr. Rakesh Ranjan is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee, with a strong background in fracture mechanics, fatigue analysis, and the structural reliability of lightweight and welded structures. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Waterloo, Canada, where he developed a probabilistic strain-based fracture mechanics framework for fatigue analysis of weldments, under the guidance of Prof. Scott Walbridge. He also holds an M.E. in Civil Engineering from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, and a B.Tech. from MNNIT Allahabad. Dr. Ranjan’s research interests include fracture and fatigue of welded joints, reliability-based design codes, numerical modelling for bridges, and structural fire engineering. He has held research positions at prestigious institutions such as Polytechnique Montréal, the University of Edinburgh, and the University of Brasilia, contributing to international projects on aluminium bridge design, fire resistance of composite beams, and fatigue in friction stir welded joints. His publication record includes articles in top-tier journals like Engineering Fracture Mechanics, International Journal of Fatigue, and Welding in the World. He has presented at leading international conferences, including the International Conference on Shot Peening and the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering Annual Conference. He also serves as a reviewer for renowned journals, including the ASCE Journal of Bridge Engineering, International Journal of Fatigue, and Materials (MDPI).

Dr. Nilamber Kumar Singh is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Patna, with over 15 years of academic and research experience. He earned his Ph.D. in Applied Mechanics from IIT Delhi in 2013, preceded by an M.E. in Mechanical Engineering (Design of Mechanical Equipment) and a B.E. in Mechanical Engineering from B.I.T. Mesra, Ranchi. His research focuses on impact mechanics, the dynamic behaviour of materials under various strain rates, mechanical vibrations, metal forming, and additive manufacturing. Dr. Singh has significantly contributed to understanding the mechanical responses of advanced and structural materials under static and dynamic conditions. He has published extensively in high-impact international journals, including the International Journal of Impact Engineering, Materials & Design, Structures, Journal of Engineering Mechanics, and Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering. Dr. Singh has also authored more than 50 international conference papers and holds two Indian patents related to intelligent manufacturing systems. Dr. Singh has guided 4 Ph.D. scholars to completion and is supervising 11 ongoing doctoral candidates. He has also mentored over 20 M.Tech. dissertations and several undergraduate projects on various topics, from advanced simulation of components to innovative mechanical systems. His students' work has been showcased at international symposia such as IMPLAST and ISAMR.