RESEARCH
A Glimpse of Ongoing Research - 2024
(22/10/2024)
Civil Engineering Research Club (CERC) in Collaboration with Civil Engineering Research Promotion Sub-Committee of the Department of Civil Engineering, University of Peradeniya Presents 22nd Research Seminar of Full-Time Postgraduate Students
A Research Seminar held on 21st October 2024, from 2.00 p.m. to 3.00 p.m.
(18/10/2024)
A Research Seminar on "Performance Assessment of Geopolymers in Treating Expansive Road Subgrades" by Dr. M. C. M. Nasvi will be held on 30th September 2024, from 2.00 pm to 3.00 pm.
(18/09/2024)
Civil Engineering Research Club (CERC) in Collaboration with Civil Engineering Research Promotion Sub-Committee of the Department of Civil Engineering, University of Peradeniya Presents 21st Research Seminar of Full-Time Postgraduate Students
A Research Seminar held on 02nd September 2024, from 2.00 p.m. to 3.00 p.m.
(02/09/2024)
A Research Seminar (ONLINE) on "Improving Hydrodynamic Model Predictions through Data Assimilation" by Dr. Menaka Revel will be held on 26th August 2024, from 2.00 pm to 3.00 pm.
(13/08/2024)
Undergraduate Project Wins Best Paper Award at ACEPS 2024
The undergraduate research project "A Comparative Analysis of Multinomial Logit (MNL) and Nested Logit (NL) Modeling Approaches for Mode Choice Decisions" by Vidurangana R.L.N. (E/17/361) and Vindyani H.A.R.N. (E/17/363), supervised by Dr. Samal Dharmaratne, won the Best Paper Award at the 10th International Symposium on Advances in Civil and Environmental Engineering Practices for Sustainable Development (ACEPS - 2024). The symposium was conducted on June 27, 2024, at the Faculty of Engineering, University of Ruhuna, Galle.
(28/06/2024)
6th Research for Industry (R4I) Webinar
6th session of the Research for Industry (R4I) webinar series organized by the Department-Industry Interaction Cell (DIIC) in collaboration with the Research Promotion Committee will be held on 03rd July 2024, 3:00 pm.
(26/06/2024)
A Research Seminar (ONLINE) on "Building Digital Solutions and Challenges in Scale-Up" by Dr. Kavinda Gunasekara (Chief Operating Officer, Global Water & Sanitation Center, Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand) will be held on 27th May 2024, from 2.00 pm to 3.00 pm.
(27/05/2024)
Civil Engineering Research Club (CERC) in Collaboration with Civil Engineering Research Promotion Sub-Committee of the Department of Civil Engineering, University of Peradeniya Presents 19th Research Seminar of Full-Time Postgraduate Students
A Research Seminar will be held on 06th May 2024, from 2.00 p.m. to 3.00 p.m.
(06/05/2024)
A Research Seminar (ONLINE) on "Constructed Wetlands for Wastewater Treatment" by Mr. D.D. Dias will be held on 29th April 2024, from 2.00 pm to 3.00 pm.
(25/04/2024)
Full time PhD Scholarship under Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) - University of Peradeniya (UOP) Joint PhD Programme
Title: Integrated Delay Analysis for Accurate Travel Time Prediction on Arterial Roads
(25/04/2024)
Full time PhD Scholarship under Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) - University of Peradeniya (UOP) Joint PhD Programme
Title: Novel coating materials for preventing fat, oil and grease deposition in the sewer
(26/03/2024)
A Research Seminar (ONLINE) on "Constructed Wetlands for Wastewater Treatment" by Dr. (Mrs) G.M.P.R. Weerakoon will be held on 18th March 2024, from 2.00 p.m. to 3.00 p.m.
(12/03/2024)
Civil Engineering Research Club (CERC) in Collaboration with Civil Engineering Research Promotion Sub-Committee of the Department of Civil Engineering, University of Peradeniya Presents 18th Research Seminar of Full-Time Postgraduate Students
A Research Seminar will be held on 19th February 2024, from 2.00 p.m. to 3.00 p.m.
(15/02/2024)
A Research Seminar (ONLINE) on "Ballast Degradation and Performance Evaluation of Rail Tracks in Sri Lanka" by Dr. L.C. Kurukulasuriya will be held on 29th January 2024, from 2.00 p.m. to 3.00 p.m.
(16/01/2024)
A Glimpse of Ongoing Research
(01/12/2023)
Civil Engineering Research Club (CERC) in Collaboration with Civil Engineering Research Promotion Sub-Committee of the Department of Civil Engineering, University of Peradeniya Presents 16th Research Seminar of Full-Time Postgraduate Students
A Research Seminar will be held on 18th December 2023, from 3.15 p.m. to 4.00 p.m.
(14/12/2023)
A Research Seminar (ONLINE) on "Selected CFD Application in Water Sector" by Prof. S. B. Weerakoon will be held on 04th December 2023, from 2.00 p.m. to 3.00 p.m.
(29/11/2023)
Civil Engineering Undergraduate Research Symposium (CEURS) - 2023
Civil Engineering Undergraduate Research Symposium (CEURS) - 2023 was held on 21st November 2023 with the participation of the industry. The symposium enabled final-year E17 undergraduates to share and disseminate their research findings with the aid of a poster presentation together with an extended abstract of the research. Proceedings of the symposium are to be published; further details at: https://eng.pdn.ac.lk/civil/research/ceurs2023.php
(21/11/2023)
Research for Industry - 5th Webinar
(09/11/2023)
A Research Seminar (ONLINE) on "Earned Value Management System" by Dr. P.B.G. Dissanayake will be held on 30th October 2023, from 2.00 p.m. to 3.00 p.m.
(10/10/2023)
Civil Engineering Research Club (CERC) in Collaboration with Civil Engineering Research Promotion Sub-Committee of the Department of Civil Engineering, University of Peradeniya Presents 16th Research Seminar of Full-Time Postgraduate Students
A Research Seminar will be held on 16th October 2023, from 2.00 p.m. to 3.00 p.m.
(09/10/2023)
Full time PhD Scholarship under Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) - University of Peradeniya (UOP) Joint PhD Programme
TITLE:
Brine management technologies for the sustainable operation of RO and NF systems
Brief Description:
Applying advance water treatment technologies such as reverse osmosis (RO) and nano-filtration (NF) has
become a very popular and a feasible strategy to overcome challenges in producing potable and clean
industrial treated water. These high-pressure membrane technologies (desalination processes) are primarily
used for softening and the reduction of TDS in water treatment. They are also capable of efficient removal of a
broad array of micro level contaminants in raw water and secondary treated wastewater. In the recent past, a
significant number of RO and NF water treatment facilities were installed in the dry zone of Sri Lanka. To
operate RO and NF water treatment facilities sustainably, brine or concentrate management is considered as a
critical process. The discharge of brine consisting of a complex array of minerals/salts from desalination
processes poses a significant threat to the environment. Further, brine solutions produced from these systems
are considered as a valuable source of resources which could attract a significant revenue to make these
processes sustainable. In recent past, a several research groups across the world studied the potential of
recovering the valuable salts/minerals from brine/concentrates from these high-pressure membrane plants.
However, the suitable resource recovery technologies could be different depending on many factors such as
the mineral/salt composition, production rate (quantity), location/region of the plant, etc. Therefore, this study
focuses on the following:
1. Conduct a thorough literature review to gain the background knowledge on this research area and
understand the possible technologies that could be applied in developing countries.
2. Carry out a comprehensive field survey to understand the status and the operating practices of RO and NF
treatment facilities installed in Sri Lanka.
3. Design and operate a suitable cost-effective lab/pilot scale brine management process (Membrane
Distillation) to investigate its sustainable operation.
4. Perform a life cycle (feasibility) analysis to find the applicability of the selected brine management
technology for operating RO and NF treatment facilities installed in Sri Lanka sustainably.
(08/09/2023)
A Research Seminar (ONLINE) on "Machine Learning Approaches in Structural Health Monitoring" by Dr. Sahan Bandara" will be held on 25th September 2023, from 2.00 p.m. to 3.00 p.m.
(07/09/2023)
Full time PhD Scholarship under Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) - University of Peradeniya (UOP) Joint PhD Programme
TITLE:
Aging resistance of concrete incorporating calcined clay as supplementary
cementitious material against marine exposure
Brief Description:
Adopting supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) to reduce clinker usage in cement has been the
most successful strategy to control greenhouse gas emission in building and construction sector to date. In
recent years, the emergence of calcined clay and integration with other SCMs have further enhanced
construction sustainability, due to the general availability of clay and high potential cement substitution rate.
In particular, flash calcined clay, manufactured by flash calcination for only a few tenths of a second, can
diminish up to 80% of energy required for Portland cement production. However, as a newer construction
material in the market with strong implications on sustainability, understanding the long-term durability
performance of calcined clay concrete manufactured using locally sourced clay is essential, yet an effective
and systematic method is extremely lacking. Herein, focusing on marine exposure condition where
combined deterioration mechanism may occur, the goal of this project is to develop a robust computational
framework for assessing the aging resistance of calcined clay concrete, so as to promote optimal design
using local source materials. In specific, four main objectives are: Mineralogical analyses on calcined clay
concrete pre-mixed with chloride and sulfate salts; Physics-based reactive transportation analyses on
calcined clay concrete under standalone deterioration mechanisms of progressive chloride ingress and
sulphate attack; Durability assessment on calcined clay concrete under combined chloride-sulphate attack;
and investigation on the influence of clay and blend compositions on the durability performance of calcined
clay concrete against marine exposure.
(07/09/2023)
Civil Engineering Research Club (CERC) in Collaboration with Civil Engineering Research Promotion Sub-Committee of the Department of Civil Engineering, University of Peradeniya Presents 15th Research Seminar of Full-Time Postgraduate Students
A Research Seminar will be held on 04th September 2023, from 2.00 p.m. to 3.00 p.m.
(22/08/2023)
A Research Seminar (ONLINE) on "LEACHATE TREATMENT WITH STABILIZATION PONDS" by Prof. G.B.B. Herath will be held on 28thAugust 2023, from 2.00 p.m. to 3.00 p.m.
(21/08/2023)
A Research Seminar (ONLINE) on "Using Smartphone Sensors’ Data to Predict the Travel Mode" by Dr. Muhammad Awais Shafique will be held on 24thJuly 2023, from 2.00 p.m. to 3.00 p.m.
(11/07/2023)
A Research Seminar (ONLINE) on "Remote Sensing in Civil Engineering" by Dr. (Mrs) H. K. Nandalal will be held on 26thJune 2023, from 2.00 p.m. to 3.00 p.m.
(16/06/2023)
Civil Engineering Research Club (CERC) in Collaboration with Civil Engineering Research Promotion Sub-Committee of the Department of Civil Engineering, University of Peradeniya Presents 14th Research Seminar of Full-Time Postgraduate Students
A Research Seminar (ONLINE) will be held on 19th June 2023, from 2.00 p.m. to 3.00 p.m.
(12/06/2023)
A Research Seminar (ONLINE) on "Engineering the Human Body" by Dr. (Mrs.) S. R. Herath will be held on 22ndMay 2023, from 2.00 p.m. to 3.00 p.m.
(16/05/2023)
Civil Engineering Research Club (CERC) in Collaboration with Civil Engineering Research Promotion Sub-Committee of the Department of Civil Engineering, University of Peradeniya Presents 13th Research Seminar of Full-Time Postgraduate Students
A Research Seminar (ONLINE) will be held on 24th April 2023, from 2.00 p.m. to 3.00 p.m.
(10/04/2023)
A Research Seminar (ONLINE) on "Water resource development planning around tank cascade systems" by Prof. K. D. W. Nandalal will be held on 04th April 2023, from 2.00 p.m. to 3.00 p.m.
(03/04/2023)
Volume 02 First Issue of "Insight" Research Magazine Released
The DCE is pleased to announce the volume 02 first issue of the "Insight" Research Magazine providing a glimpse of the department's wide array of high quality research by the academic staff and students. The e-magazine is available at:https://eng.pdn.ac.lk/civil/resources/insight.php
(24/03/2023)
A Research Seminar (ONLINE) on "Story of Ambalm" by Dr. A.G.H.J. Edirisinghe will be held on 27th February 2023, from 2.00 p.m. to 3.00 p.m.
(21/02/2023)
A Research Seminar (ONLINE) on "Concrete Cancer! Is it killing the concrete structure?" by Dr. (Mrs) C.K. Pathirana will be held on 23rd January 2023, from 2.00 p.m. to 3.00 p.m.
(19/01/2023)
Civil Engineering Research Club (CERC) in Collaboration with Civil Engineering Research Promotion Sub-Committee of the Department of Civil Engineering, University of Peradeniya Presents 12th Research Seminar of Full-Time Postgraduate Students
A Research Seminar (ONLINE) will be held on 16th January 2023, from 2.00 p.m. to 3.00 p.m.
(10/01/2023)
3rd Research for Industry (R4I) Webinar
The 3rd session of the Research for Industry (R4I) webinar series organized by the Department-Industry Interaction Cell (DIIC) in collaboration with the Research Promotion Committee was held on 30th November 2022, 3 - 4.15 pm.
(02/12/2022)
A Research Seminar (ONLINE) on "Digitalisation of the Water Sector - Challenges and Opportunities" by Prof. Harsha Ratnaweera will be held on 28th November 2022, from 2.00 p.m. to 3.00 p.m.
(23/11/2022)
Civil Engineering Research Club (CERC) in Collaboration with Civil Engineering Research Promotion Sub-Committee of the Department of Civil Engineering, University of Peradeniya Presents 11th Research Seminar of Full-Time Postgraduate Students
A Research Seminar (ONLINE) will be held on 14th November 2022, from 2.00 p.m. to 3.00 p.m.
(08/11/2022)
A Research Seminar (ONLINE) on "Gaps in Pedestrian Crossing Studies" by Dr. W.M.V.S.K. Wickramasinghe will be held on 31st October 2022, from 2.00 p.m. to 3.00 p.m.
(27/10/2022)
A Research Seminar (ONLINE) on "Synthesis and Characterization of Novel Cementitious Materials" by Dr. Chathurani Chandrasiri will be held on 29th September 2022, from 2.00 p.m. to 3.00 p.m.
(20/09/2022)
Civil Engineering Research Club (CERC) in Collaboration with Civil Engineering Research Promotion Sub-Committee of the Department of Civil Engineering, University of Peradeniya Presents 10th Research Seminar of Full-Time Postgraduate Students
A Research Seminar (ONLINE) will be held on 19th September 2022, from 2.00 p.m. to 3.00 p.m.
(07/09/2022)
Invited talk on “Experience of Engagement in International Grants - Acquiring and Execution” by Prof SB Weerakoon
Prof. SB Weerakoon delivered a session on "Experience of Engagement in International Grants - Acquiring and Execution" on 23rd August 2022 to the Department staff via Zoom platform.
The session was organised by the Research Promotion and Collaboration Committee.
(31/08/2022)
A Research Seminar (ONLINE) on "Soil Stabilization in Unsealed Road Pavements" by Dr. Dilan Robert will be held on 29th August 2022, from 1.00 p.m. to 2.00 p.m.
(26/08/2022)
A Research Seminar (ONLINE) on "Socio-hydrology in Disaster Risk Management" by Dr. (Mrs) M. M. G. T. De Silva will be held on 25th July 2022, from 2.00 p.m. to 3.00 p.m.
(21/07/2022)
Civil Engineering Research Club (CERC) in Collaboration with Civil Engineering Research Promotion Sub-Committee of the Department of Civil Engineering, University of Peradeniya Presents 9th Research Seminar of Full-Time Postgraduate Students
A Research Seminar (ONLINE) will be held on 11th July 2022, from 2.00 p.m. to 3.00 p.m.
(30/06/2022)
2nd Research for Industry (R4I) Webinar
2nd session of the Research for Industry (R4I) webinar series organized by the Department-Industry Interaction Cell (DIIC) in collaboration with the Research Promotion Committee will be held on 30th June 2022, 3 - 4 pm.
(29/06/2022)
A Research Seminar (ONLINE) on "Damping and Natural Period Evaluation of Tall RC Buildings using Ambient Wind Vibration Data" by Dr. H. A. D. Samith Buddika will be held on 27th June 2022, from 2.00 p.m. to 3.00 p.m.
(27/06/2022)
A Research Seminar (ONLINE) on "Time Discounting Concept for Route Choice Decisions" by Dr. Samal Dharmarathna will be held on 30th May 2022, from 2.00 p.m. to 3.00 p.m.
(17/05/2022)
Civil Engineering Research Club (CERC) in Collaboration with Civil Engineering Research Promotion Sub-Committee of the Department of Civil Engineering, University of Peradeniya Presents 8th Research Seminar of Full-Time Postgraduate Students
A Research Seminar (ONLINE) will be held on 09th May 2022, from 2.00 p.m. to 3.00 p.m.
(26/04/2022)
A Research Seminar (ONLINE) on "Urban Stormwater Management and Pathways of Contaminants to Surface Water" by Dr. (Mrs) W.C.T.K. Gunawardana will be held on 25th April 2022, from 2.00 p.m. to 3.00 p.m.
(21/04/2022)
Civil Engineering Research Club (CERC) in Collaboration with Civil Engineering Research Promotion Sub-Committee of the Department of Civil Engineering, University of Peradeniya Presents 7th Research Seminar of Full-Time Postgraduate Students
A Research Seminar (ONLINE) will be held on 14th March 2022, from 2.00 p.m. to 3.00 p.m.
(28/02/2022)
Establishment of Department - Industry Interaction Cell (DIIC) & Launching of Research for Industry (R4I) webinar series
The DIIC was established on 1st Feb 2022 to strengthen the relationship between the Department of Civil Engineering and the Industry leading to a mutually beneficial partnership.
Research for Industry (R4I) webinar series was launched on 10th Feb 2022 with active participation of eminent industry personnel, engineers and researchers.
(14/02/2022)
A Research Seminar (ONLINE) on "Sustainable Urban Mobility: Challenges in Planning and Formulation of Policies – a tale of three cities" by Dr. I.M.S. Sathyaprasad will be held on 22nd February 2022, from 2.00 p.m. to 3.00 p.m.
(14/02/2022)
A Research Seminar (ONLINE) on "Use of multi-scale tools for understanding of complex biological wastewater treatment processes" by Dr. Lashitha Rathnayake will be held on 25th January 2022, from 2.00 p.m. to 3.00 p.m.
(23/01/2022)
A recent field-scale research study by Dr. Chamindu Deepagoda was published by American Geophysical Union as a "postcard"
GREETINGS FROM SRI LANKA !
Emission of greenhouse gases (GHG) from aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems inevitably has a major impact on global climate. Major efforts on monitoring and quantifying GHG fluxes are based on the measurements with eddy covariance and closed chamber techniques. The measured data are then used to calibrate the models that estimate global GHG budgets.
However, the measurements of GHG emissions are largely concentrated only in one part of the world, mostly in North America and Europe, whilst the low and middle-income countries in the Global South, including South-East Asia, remain largely underrepresented. Unfortunately, these countries have emerging environmental problems with increasing population and rapid changes in land-use patterns. Lack of funding for research, technical and technological incompetency, and political uncertainties are among the major factors leading to very limited measurements in these underrepresented countries. Consequently, the specific role of GHG emissions from these regions has been considerably downplayed in the global GHG budget.
(05/01/2022)
12th International Conference on Structural Engineering and Construction Management (ICSECM 2021)
12th International Conference on Structural Engineering and Construction Management (ICSECM 2021) was held on the 17th -19th of December at Earl's Regency Hotel, Kandy, Sri Lanka
(31/12/2021)
Four Awards Received during the Annual General Meeting of the Society of Structural Engineers, Sri Lanka
“Numerical Investigation on Retrofitting of RC Dapped-end Beams” authored by Ms. S.C. Jayasinghe, Ms. P.K.N.S. Hansika and Dr. H.D. Yapa has won the Professor Chandrakeerthy Award for the “Best Paper” presented at the Annual Sessions 2021
“An Initial Investigation of the Displacement and Shear Demands of Minarats in Sri Lanka under Earthquakes” authored by Eng. M.M. Saathir and Dr. Samith Buddika published in the SSESL Modulus of June 2021 has won the Access Engineering PLC Award for the “Best Paper” published in MODULUS for the Session 2021
“Nonlinear Numerical Simulation of th Seismic Response of the Kotmale Dam” authored by Eng. B.H.M.M. Herath, Dr.K.K. Wijesundara and Mr. A.R.M.H.B. Amunugama has won the Professor Chandrakeerthy Award for the “Best Paper” presented at the Annual Sessions 2020
“Finite Element Modelling of Damaged Halfjoint Beam behavior” authored by Mr. A.H.M.S.A. Abeysinghe and Dr. H.D. Yapa published in the SSESL Modulus of September 2020 has won the Access Engineering PLC Award for the “Best Paper” published in MODULUS for the Session 2020
(28/12/2021)
Civil Engineering Research Club (CERC) in Collaboration with Civil Engineering Research Promotion Sub-Committee of the Department of Civil Engineering, University of Peradeniya Presents 6th Research Seminar of Full-Time Postgraduate Students
A Research Seminar (ONLINE) will be held on 11th January 2022, from 2.00 p.m. to 3.00 p.m.
(20/12/2021)
A Research Seminar (ONLINE) on "Way Forward with Research Commercialization" by Prof. P. B. R. Dissanayake will be held on 21st December 2021, from 2.00 p.m. to 3.00 p.m.
(18/12/2021)
Full time PhD Scholarship under Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) - University of Peradeniya (UOP) - Joint PhD Programme
Scholarship :
TITLE:
Bond Properties of Fabric Reinforced Cementitious Materials with Various Substrates in Ambient and Elevated Temperatures
(15/12/2021)
Full time PhD Scholarship under Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) - University of Peradeniya (UOP)
Joint PhD Programme
Scholarship :
TITLE:
High-Performance Concrete in Marine Applications: Sustainability & Durability
Aspect
(30/11/2021)
Students from the Department of Civil Engineering, University of Peradeniya won two 2nd prize awards for the undergraduate research projects given below at the Sri Lankan Geotechnical Society (SLGS) inter-university Project day competition held on 27/10/2021
UG Project 1
Project title: Pavement Degradation Model for Road Infrastructure in Sri Lanka
UG students: Meghasooriya M.M.N.T. (E/15/225) and Jayarathna K.M.N.M. (E/15/144)
Supervisor: Dr. S.K. Navaratnarajah
UG Project 2
Project title: Prediction of Geotechnical Properties of Stabilized Soil Using Fly Ash Based Stabilizer Systems
UG students: Nimesha K.M.D. (E/15/240) and Nissanka N.A.N.M. (E/15/244)
Supervisor: Dr. M.C.M. Nasvi
(27/10/2021)
A Research Seminar (ONLINE) on "Necessity of Consistent Simplified Models and Automated Model Construction for Large Seismic Simulations" by Dr. J.A.S.C.Jayasinghe will be held on 26th October 2021, from 2.00 p.m. to 3.00 p.m.
(13/10/2021)
A Research Seminar (ONLINE) on "Effect of Ocean Bathymetry on Coastal Impact of Tsunami in Sri Lanka" by Prof. J. J. Wijetunge will be held on 04th August 2021, from 2.00 p.m. to 3.00 p.m.
(23/07/2021)
Faculty Research Awards 2018/2020 to SIX of members - Department of Civil Engineering
On July 14, 2021, the Faculty Board conferred the Distinguished Achievements of the following six Members and the Honors of the Department of Civil Engineering.
Prof. (Mrs) K G N Nanayakkara
Dr. K K Wijesundara
Dr. T K K Chamindu Deepagoda
Dr. C S Bandara
Dr. M C M Nasvi
Dr. S.K. Navaratnarajah
(20/07/2021)
A Research Seminar (ONLINE) on "Use of Recycled Rubber in the Construction of Rail Tracks" by Dr. S. K. Navaratnarajah will be held on 02nd June 2021, from 2.00 p.m. to 3.00 p.m.
(26/05/2021)
A Research Seminar (ONLINE) on "Fatigue Damage Assessment of Structures" by Dr. Chaminda S. Bandara will be held on 28th April 2021, from 2.00 p.m. to 3.00 p.m.
(13/04/2021)
A Research Seminar (ONLINE) on "Weather Forecasting and Their Engineering Applications" by Dr. Panduka Neluwala will be held on 31st March 2021, from 2.00 p.m. to 3.00 p.m.
(25/03/2021)
Full time PhD Scholarship under Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) - University of Peradeniya(UOP) Split PhD Programme
Full Time PhD Scholarship Opportunity Under RMIT-UOP Split PhD Programme:
Scholarship :
TITLE:
Structural Corrosion Detection by High-resolution Image Processing using Deep Learning
(08/03/2021)
Full time PhD Scholarship under Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) - University of Peradeniya (UOP) Split PhD Programme
TITLE:
Design of Geopolymer/Alkali Activated Concretes using advanced Machine
Learning techniques
Brief Description:
The growing concern about global climate change and its adverse impacts on
societies is putting severe pressure on the construction industry as one of
the largest producers of greenhouse gases. Given the environmental issues
associated with cement production, Geopolymer/Alkali Activated Concrete has
emerged as a sustainable construction material. Many research studies have
been conducted during recent years on the topic of geopolymer/alkali activated
materials based on the engineering performance of the concrete although the
commercialisation is limited. What has been missing is the combination of
this research in a way that would provide a simple to use design tool for
geopolymer/alkali activated concrete as a replacement to concrete based on
Portland Cement. This research project will address this requirement by developing
a standard mix design method and guideline for geopolymer and alkali activated
concretes using Advanced machine learning techniques, namely Artificial Neural
Network (ANN), Multivariate Adaptive Regression Spline (MARS) model and Support
Vector Machine (SVM) techniques. Outcomes of this research will deliver significant
benefits in terms of environmentally friendly concrete to the construction
industry.
Supervisors:
- Dr. David Law (RMIT University); A/Prof. Weena Lokuge (University of Southern Queensland); Dr. Chamila Gunasekara (RMIT University);
- UOP supervisors: Dr. Kushan Wijesundara, Dr. (Ms.) D.S.K. Karunasinghe
Features of the PhD:
- 1] Duration of the PhD is 3-3.5 years on a full-time basis and the candidate will spend maximum period
of one year at RMIT, Australia and the remaining time in Sri Lanka.
- 2] The tuition fee is fully waived, and the selected candidate will get the standard scholarships for living
stipend during the stay in Sri Lanka and Australia.
- 3] There will be at least one principal supervisor each from RMIT and UOP.
- 4] Degree will be awarded from both institutions acknowledging the joint supervision. You will get two
separate degree certificates, one each from RMIT and UOP.
Successful candidates should have the following:
- 1] BSc Engineering (Specializing in Civil Engineering) with Second Class Upper division or higher
- 2] IELTS overall band of 6.5 with each band above 6.0
We are looking for a dynamic candidate who meets the above qualifications.
If you are interested in this project, apply through the following link on or before 16th March 2021
https://tinyurl.com/5db9rhusNote: Only the shortlisted candidates will be called for the interview.
If you have any queries or needs any further information, please contact Dr. M.C.M. Nasvi, Coordinator of the split PhD Programme [Email:nasvimcm@eng.pdn.ac.lk]
(03/03/2021)
A Research Seminar on "Geopolymers and Some of Their Applications" by Dr. M.C.M. Nasvi will be held on 24th February 2021, from 2.00 p.m. to 3.00 p.m. at EOE Pereira Theatre, Faculty of Engineering, University of Peradeniya
(12/02/2021)
1st Research Seminar of Full-Time Postgraduate Students
Civil Engineering Research Club (CERC) in Collaboration with Civil Engineering Research Sub-Committee of the Department of Civil Engineering, University of Peradeniya Presents 1st Research Seminar of Full-Time Postgraduate Students
(10/02/2021)
Full time PhD Scholarship under Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) - University of Peradeniya (UOP) Split PhD Programm
TITLE:
Novel uses of Glass Recycling Technology for sustainable Civil Engineering Applications
Brief Description:
Over 100 milions tonnes of glass are produced annually in worldwide, but
only 21% is recycled. Recycled glass has been used in the construction industry
for several decades as construction material. However, there is an increasing
need to reuse this waste material which have high economic value if utilized
through novel recycling principles. A new technology was recently developed
at RMIT using glass wastes and can be highly versatile with potential applications
in various construction fields such as access covers, cladding systems,
interior and exterior walls, retaining walls and road infrastructure products.
The new technology that utilizes 65% of glass wastes has been proven to
be structurally effective and this project will translate the technology
to identify applications in retaining walls, acoustic panels and claddings.
The project will utilize modelling and analytical tools in order to optimize
the use of new glass recycling technology by proposing geometric and structural
design requirements satisfying relevant building standards. The project
outcomes will be commercialized by the industry partner through patents/IP
protection that will add significant value to glass fines through application
into sustainable civil engineering constructions.
Supervisors:
UOP supervisors: Dr. J.A.S.C.Jayasinghe and Dr. M.C.M.NasviRMIT Supervisors: Dr. Dilan Robert and Dr.Long Shi
Commencement date: May 2021
Features of the PhD:
- 1] Duration of the PhD is 3-3.5 years on a full-time basis
and the candidate will spend maximum period of one year at RMIT, Australia
and the remaining time in Sri Lanka.
- 2] The tuition fee is fully waived, and
the selected candidate will get the standard scholarships for living stipend
during the stay in Sri Lanka and Australia.
- 3] There will be at least one principal
supervisor each from RMIT and UOP.
- 4] Degree will be awarded from both institutions
acknowledging the joint supervision. You will get two separate degree certificates,
one each from RMIT and UOP.
Successful candidates should have the following:
- 1] BSc Engineering (Specializing in Civil Engineering) with Second Class Upper division or higher
- 2] IELTS overall band of 6.5 with each band above 6.0
We are looking for a dynamic candidate who meets the above qualifications.
If you are interested in this project, apply through the following link on or before 19th February 2021
https://tinyurl.com/yyd4pm9qNote:
- 1] Preference will be given to those who have prior experience in numerical modelling.
- 2] Only the shortlisted candidates will be called for the interview.
If you have any queries or needs any further information, please contact Dr. M.C.M. Nasvi, Coordinator of the split PhD Programme [Email:nasvimcm@eng.pdn.ac.lk]
(25/01/2021)
A Research Seminar on "Non-structural Cracking of Concrete : Causes and Mitigation" by Dr. H.D. Yapa
A Research seminar on "Non-structural Cracking of Concrete : Causes and Mitigation" by Dr. H.D. Yapa will be held on 27th January 2021, from 11.00 a.m. to 12.00 p.m. at EOE Pereira Theatre, Faculty of Engineering, University of Peradeniya
Concrete is an exceptional construction material. It is strong/stiff in compression, durable, economical, etc., however, is weak in tension. Consequently, reinforcement is required wherever in structural regions with tensile stresses. Even with the use of reinforcement, total prevention of concrete cracking is hard to achieve, so generally the objective of the designer is to control of cracking. Undoubtedly, cracking is undesirables for concrete in terms of serviceability, durability, and aesthetic perspectives. The causes for triggering tensile stresses (and cracking) in concrete structures are not only of external loads, but also of numerous non-structural roots (e.g. shrinkage, creep, thermal expansion) owing to heterogeneous characteristics of concrete. It is however common that structural cracking is only taken seriously by the designer and consequently the structures suffer with numerous non-structural cracking issues. In this light, the talk discussesinto the main causesof non-structural cracking of concrete and into potential meansof mitigation.
(13/01/2021)
A Research Seminar (ONLINE) on "Role of Water Engineers in CKDu Affected Areas: A Research Perspective" by Dr.(Mrs) K.G.N. Nanayakkara
A Research seminar (ONLINE) on "Role of Water Engineers in CKDu Affected Areas: A Research Perspective" by Dr.(Mrs) K.G.N. Nanayakkara will be held on 30th December 2020, from 2.00 pm to 3.00 pm.
Chronic Kidney Disease of Unknown Etiology (CKDu) has been affecting Sri Lanka since 1990s and the affected area is ever increasing. The disease mainly affects the health of the people, but creates more socio-economic problems, leaving otherwise productive people helpless. Although the exact reason behind the disease is yet to be identified, the strongest hypothesis is the deteriorating quality of drinking water. The responsible organizations have been seeking for solutions and a substantial amount of research have been conducted in the country on CKDu. Providing good quality drinking water by using membrane-based treatment plants is one of the measures taken by various authorities. However, there are many issues related to the operation of such community based plants. In our research, we have monitored water treatment plants situated in CKDu affected areas for their performance and associated problems. Alternative water sources such as rainwater was also investigated. The people residing in areas fed by treated pipe-borne water supply also showing concerns in consuming treated water, making the situation even worse. The thorough investigation of the surface and groundwater sources, treatment plants and alternative water sources unveil new fundamental research ideas, leading to conducting basic research to provide better quality water. The presentation will cover the findings of applied and basic research, emphasizing the need of immediate research inputs from water engineers to ease the situation.
(21/12/2020)
A Research Seminar on "Gas Migration in Differently-Characterized Porous Media: Applications on the Earth and Beyond" by Dr. Chamindu D.T.K.K.
A Research seminar on "Gas Migration in Differently-Characterized Porous Media: Applications on the Earth and Beyond" by Dr. Chamindu D.T.K.K. will be held on 25th November at EOE Pereira Theatre, Faculty of Engineering, University of Peradeniya
Accurate characterization of gas migration in soils and other porous systems is an important prerequisite to understand provisional (e.g., plant growth) and regulatory (e.g., public safety, climate change) services of different ecosystems. In this research seminar, experimental and numerical studies conducted in a wide range of soils including agricultural soil, pasture soils, landfills, urban soils, Arctic soils will be presented. An experimental and numerical insight on gas transport in selected porous substrates for space-based applications (for example to grow plants in Space Stations) will also be presented.
(14/11/2020)
Full time PhD Scholarship under Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) - University of Peradeniya(UOP) Split PhD Program
Full Time PhD Scholarship Opportunity Under RMIT-UOP Split PhD Programme:
Scholarship:
TITLE:
Lightweight concrete materials for prefabricated modular construction
(04/11/2020)
A Research Seminar on "Seismic Hazard Maps and Their Engineering Application" by Dr. K. K. Wijesundara
A Research seminar on “Seismic Hazard Maps and Their Engineering Application” by Dr. K. K. Wijesundara will be held on 28th October at EOE, Faculty of Engineering, University of Peradeniya
(18/10/2020)
A Research Seminar on “Saving Lakes - Case Study ; The Kandy Lake” by Prof. K.B.S.N Jinadasa
A Research seminar on “Saving Lakes - Case Study ; The Kandy Lake” by Prof. K.B.S.N Jinadasa was held on 30th September at Seminar room 1, Faculty of Engineering, University of Peradeniya
(16/09/2020)
Poster Presentation of the Department of Civil Engineering
The annual poster presentation of the Department of Civil Engineering was held at the Faculty of Engineering on 20th August, 2020 with the participation of the department’s academic staff and invited guests from the faculty as well as the Civil Engineering industry. The opening ceremony was held at the EOE Pereira Theater of the Faculty which also symbolized the launching of the proceedings of the undergraduate research symposium held in 2018. The event provided a valuable opportunity for the undergraduate students (E/14 batch) who shared the outcomes of their final-year research with the participants and received useful insights to direct their future research efforts towards industrial applications. This annual landmark event of the Department is co-organized by the Civil Engineering Society (CES) of the Department and is sponsored by the Tokyo Cement Group.
(20/08/2020)
Applications for 2021 intake of the Postgraduate Programme are now open
Post graduate programmes in Civil Engineering
- Environmental and Water Engineering
- Geotechnical Engineering
- Highway and Traffic Engineering
- Structure Engineering
- Sustainable Built Environment
(15/08/2020)
Research Grant for " Strengthening University-Enterprise Collaboration for Resilient Communities in Asia (SECRA)”
Prof. Ranjith Dissanayake and the team received the research grant for “Strengthening University-Enterprise Collaboration for Resilient Communities in Asia (SECRA)” from the European Commission through the Erasmus+ program Capacity Building in Higher Education
The overarching aim of SECRA is to contribute to more resilient communities in Asia through institutionalized, systematic, monitored, innovative, and inclusive university–enterprise collaboration (UEC) in climate change action and disaster resilience (DR). The main problem targeted by SECRA is the ad hoc, episodic quality of UEC in the field of DR in many Asian countries, which are disproportionately affected by consequences of climate change. We are aware that there is no simple answer to the wickedness of climate change consequences or resilience; we are claiming, however, that facilitating systematic, institutionalized, inclusive (in terms of gender parity) and monitored UEC is part of a solution. High quality, entrepreneurial collaborative activities between universities and industry facilitate the exchange of scientific knowledge, practical skills and good practices, which otherwise remain siloed.
SECRA deals with the problem at hand in a sequential fashion. The project’s contribution to more resilient communities is through increasing the capacity of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to initiate, manage, maintain, and benefit from UEC. The institutionalization and systematization of UEC are addressed in WPs 1, 2, and 3, innovation in WP4, and monitoring in WP5. SECRA will produce, inter alia, material towards eventual change of policies governing collaborative activities in partner countries; a relation framework to understand UEC; an online platform for a Community of Practice (CoP) consisting of HEIs, public sector and enterprise actors; a corporate start-up lab and networking activities in partner HEIs, and a monitoring tool to assess the quality of UEC that can be broadly contextualized for use in HEIs worldwide.
(09/08/2020)
Research grant from Erasmus+ for "CC WATER- Graduates for Climate Change adapted water management"
The universities, as the key stakeholders preparing tomorrow's leaders, engineers, and scientists, have a key role to play when educating the graduates in the water sector. The participating units of the universities have teaching responsibilities related to water resources, water supply and wastewater management, which are the focus of the CCWater project.
The CC Water project aims to strengthen the water-related higher education in 3 partner countries to increase the resilience against climate change impacts. This is achieved by developing HEI’s competences and skills with modern technology and teaching resources. The international collaboration, which is a unified strategic priority of all participating HEIs, will be strengthened together with improved gender and ethnic diversity and inclusion.
The main objectives is designed to achieve with five focus areas with five concrete results: (1) enhancing climate resilience and sustainability of water resources and infrastructures in the Partner Countries (2) modernising water related higher education with climate change issues and internationalise HEIs from the Partner Countries (3) improving the level of competences and skills in HEIs from the Partner Countries (4) strengthening relations of HEIs in the Partner Countries with the wider economic and social environment, and enhance their innovation capacity and (5) improving diversity and inclusion of higher education in the Partner Countries.
(05/08/2020)
Research grant from Asia Pacific Network (APN) to investigate Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Paddy Ecosystems
Dr. Chamindu Deepagoda awarded an international research grant from Asia Pacific Network (APN) to investigate Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Paddy Ecosystems. This is a project involving multiple countries (Sri Lanka, India, Philippines, Japan, New Zealand, Denmark, USA) which is planned to be a two-year project with overall research funding of 71,000 USD.
(01/08/2020)