FEATURED NEWS

In a ceremony held on February 29th, 2024, at the Institution of Civil Engineers UK headquarters in London, the University of Moratuwa and Access Engineering PLC alongside its global academic and industry partners, were awarded the prestigious Collaborate to Innovate Award 2023 by the Engineer Magazine UK. The team won the award after competing in a highly competitive category of “Information, Data and Connectivity” in which there were five shortlisted entries. This award recognized the project “Innovative Pre-Straining Tools and Brillouin Optical Frequency Domain Analysis (BOFDA) Technology Assessment: A Transnational Leap in Infrastructure Monitoring”. The objective of the project was to address gaps in the current understanding of workmanship factors essential for effective Fibre Optic Monitoring.

The Department of Civil Engineering recently conducted the meeting of its Department Industry Consultative Board (DICB) on February 14th, 2024. The meeting, held at the Civil Auditorium, aimed to obtain feedback and insights from industry experts to enhance the quality of both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. The meeting was attended by the department academic staff, including Prof. (Mrs.) Chintha Jayasinghe, Head of the Department, and several top industry representatives. Discussions revolved around various topics, including the performance of graduates, improvements to the curriculum, and the current industry trends. Key outcomes included plans to improve students' practical problem-solving skills, enhance their communication abilities, and promote sustainability in engineering practices. The meeting concluded with a vote of thanks, emphasizing the importance of collaboration between academia and industry for the continuous improvement of engineering education.

The Thai Pongal Festival of the Department of Civil Engineering was held on the 19th of January 2024 from 09.00 am onwards at the Civil Engineering Department premises. The celebration was organized as part of the initiative by the Head of the Department, Prof. (Mrs.) Chintha Jayasinghe, to promote social harmony within the Department. The event was coordinated by Mr. Mayooran Muralimanoharan under the guidance of Prof. (Mrs.) Chintha Jayasinghe and Dr. K. Baskaran. Department staff members and postgraduate students were invited to the festival. The event was scheduled with a presentation by Dr. K. Baskaran that included the religious perspective of Thai Pongal and provided insights into how Tamil people and Hindus celebrate it.

Professor Anura Nanayakkara and Professor Ruwan Weerasekera retired from their dedicated service to the University of Moratuwa on 30th September 2023. To felicitate the retirements of these two remarkable individuals, a farewell ceremony was held on 19th January 2024 at the Department of Civil Engineering. An alumnus of the University of Moratuwa, Professor Nanayakkara counts over forty years of uninterrupted service to the University, in the fields of teaching, research and consultancy. Professor Nanayakkara served as the Head of the Civil Engineering Department from 2013 to 2016. It was during his tenure as the Head of the Department, that the Department of Civil Engineering obtained full accreditation from the Institution of Engineers Sri Lanka for its undergraduate degree which granted recognition among the Washington Accord signatories.

On December 8, 2023, the Transportation Engineering Division of the Department of Civil Engineering, University of Moratuwa, hosted the 16th Transport Research Forum (TRF), which was a notable assembly of scholars, business leaders, and foreign specialists. With the goal of promoting cooperation and exchange of knowledge, the forum included three keynote addresses: Dr. Merkebe Demissie, Assistant Professor, University of Calgary, on "Modelling the Demand for Dockless Electric Scooter Sharing Services", Dr. Ankit Gupta, Associate Professor and MoRTH Chair Professor, IIT (BHU), on "Performance Specifications for Balance Mix Design: Marshall Mix Design Approach", and Dr. Chaminda Basnayake, Principal Engineer, Locata Corporation, on "GNSS in Industrial Automation: Vulnerabilities and Search for Alternatives".

Dr. H. M. S. T. Herath from the Department of Civil Engineering embarked on a visit to the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (IITD), spanning from 01st October to 31st December 2023. During this academic visit, Dr. Herath engaged in research work at the Department of Applied Mechanics of IITD. Dr. Herath continued his research works on physics-informed material constitutive modelling using Bayesian learning and used two-ply carbon fibre composites to validate the surrogate models. He also established connections with the Civil Engineering department of IITD for potential future research collaborations.

Mr K.A.L.H. Kuruppu from the Department of Civil Engineering, University of Moratuwa, has been awarded the prestigious 'Manamperi Award' in the Individual category by the Sri Lankan Association for the Advancement of Sciences (SLAAS). This award was presented for Mr. Kuruppu’s final year research project titled "Analysis of Curved Crease Origami Structures," conducted under the supervision of Prof. Chinthaka Mallikarachchi at the Department of Civil Engineering, University of Moratuwa. The ‘Manamperi’ accolade is awarded annually to the most outstanding undergraduate Engineering Research Project carried out at a Faculty of Engineering in a Sri Lankan University. Mr Kuruppu's accomplishment not only highlights his capabilities but also highlights the rigorous academic standards and impactful research conducted by the Department of Civil Engineering, University of Moratuwa.

Four research articles co-authored by six academic staff members of the Department of Civil Engineering, University of Moratuwa, were honoured at the President’s Award for Scientific Research 2019-2020. For their exceptional contributions to scientific research, the journal papers 'Management of Municipal Solid Waste Open Dumps Immediately After the Collapse: An Integrated Approach from Meethotamulla Open Dump, Sri Lanka', co-authored by Prof. M. W. Jayaweera and Prof. J. M. A. Manathunga, 'Evaluation of Spatio-Temporal Variability of Ocean Wave Power Resource around Sri Lanka', co-authored by Mr. A. H. R. Rathnasooriya and Dr. P. K. C. de Silva, and 'Mechanical Characterization of CFRP/Steel Bond Cured and Tested at Elevated Temperature' and 'Numerical Modelling of Bond Shear Stress Slip Behaviour of CFRP/Steel Composites Cured and Tested at Elevated Temperature', co-authored by Prof. (Mrs.) J. C. P. H. Gamage and Mr. E. R. K. Chandrathilaka, were recognized with prestigious awards in acknowledgment of their high-quality scientific research.

The Survey Camp for the 19-Batch, conducted by the Department of Civil Engineering, was successfully carried out in two phases with the support of the both academic and non-academic staff of the department. Phase 1 was conducted at the department premises from 28th November to 01st December, 2023. This phase allowed each student ample time to review fundamental surveying principles, practice equipment usage, and enhance proficiency in relevant computer software. Additionally, demonstration sessions were organized to showcase contemporary surveying techniques, including laser scanning, drone surveying, and the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), in collaboration with industry experts.

The Christmas Carols Program of the Department of Civil Engineering was held on the 22nd of December, 2023 from 4.00 pm onwards at the Civil Engineering Auditorium. This was organized as a part of the initiatives by the Head of the Department, Prof. (Mrs.) Chintha Jayasinghe, to promote religious harmony within the Department. The event was organized by the students of Intake 2021, under the guidance of Dr. Lakshitha Fernando. The event was attended by the staff and the students of the Department, Fr. Praveen of St. Sebastians Church, Moratuwa and children and guardians from the home of Diri Daru Piyasa-Maharagama. The event included a time of singing carols, led by the choir of the Intake 2021 students. Fr. Praveen shared a short reflection about the true meaning of Christmas, that the birth of Jesus is a reminder to all of us about giving generously. The performances of the children from Diri Daru Piyasa-Maharagama were one of the highlights of the evening. As part of sharing the true spirit of Christmas, the distribution of gifts to the children and guardians of the home was carried out from the generous contributions of the staff from the Department.