- Faculty of Engineering
- Department of Civil Engineering
- Senior Professor
CV
Contact information
Department of Civil Engineering
Faculty of Engineering
University of Moratuwa
Moratuwa
10400
Teaching and Administrative Activities
Mechanics -Undergraduate -2016
Philosophy of Science -Undergraduate -2016
Research Project -Undergraduate -2016
Philosophy of Science -Postgraduate -2016
Director, Office of Research -Research Promotion (2014 To date)
Chairman, Senate Research Committee -Research Promotion (2015 To date)
Research Activities
Philosophy of Engineering and Engineering Design
Concrete Structures & Technology
Application of Artificial Intelligence Techniques
Thermal Creep of Hardened Cement Paste
Philosophy of Engineering and Engineering Design, Concrete Structures & Technology, Application of Artificial Intelligence Techniques , Thermal Creep of Hardened Cement Paste
Education and Professional Affiliations
Bachelor's, University of Moratuwa ,1980
PhD, University of London ,1986
PG Diploma, DIC (Imperial College) ,1986
Institution of Engineers(1991 To date)
Institution of Structural Engineers(1994 To date)
National Academy of Sciences(2007 To date)
Society of Structural Engineers(1990 To date)
CEng, MIE(SL) Corporate Membership of the Institution of Engineers(1991 To date)
Member University Grants Commission Task Force on Engineering Regional Colleges(1990 To 1991)
Member, Council of the Institution of Engineers(1991 To 1992)
Member, Sectoral Committee on Cement and Cement based Products, Sri Lanka Standards Institution(1991 To 1995)
CEng, MIStructE - Corporate Membership of the Institution of Structural Engineers, (1994 To date)
FIE(SL) - Fellowship of the Institution of Engineers(1998 To date)
Member Research Committee, National Building Research Organisation(1998 To 2000)
Member, International Committee for (Asian) Concrete Model Code(1999 To 2001)
Member, Conference Editorial Board, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th Int. Conf. on the Application of Artificial Intelligence to Civil and Structural Engineering (Oxford 1999, Vienna 2001, Netherlands 2003, Rome 2005)(1999 To 2005)
Council Member, Sri Lanka Association for Artificial Intelligence as Chairman, Research Committee,(2002 To 2003)
Member, Joint Working Commission for Disaster Reduction on the Coasts of the Indian Ocean(2005 To date)
Member, National Research Council appointed by President(2005 To date)
Member NASTEC Study Group on improving working conditions of scientists( To date)
Member, Editorial Board of Civil Engineering and Environmental Systems(2005 To date)
Career
Honours and Awards
UNESCO Team Gold Medal for the best results in the B.Sc. Engineering Final Examination at the University of Moratuwa, 1978/79. (Received 1979)
Commonwealth Scholarship to pursue doctoral studies at Imperial College, University of London,. (Received 1985)
S.D. & C.C. Award for the best paper by an Associate Member under 35 years of age in the Engineer Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Sri Lanka, 1989/90. (Title Changes in the design of reinforced concrete structures introduced by BS 8110: 1985.) (Received 1990)
S.D. & C.C. Award for the best paper by an Associate Member under 35 years of age in the Engineer Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Sri Lanka, 1990/91. (Jointly with Dr. Mrs. M.T.P. Hettiarachchi; Title A cost comparison of some ground reservoir (Received 1991)
Commonwealth Fellowship to pursue post doctoral research at University of Bristol, U.K., (Received 1993)
NARESA merit award for scientific research, 1993. (Jointly with Dr. S.S.L. Hettiarachchi; Project - Investigations on coastal structures armoured with natural rock and concrete armour units). (Received 1993)
Award for the best article published in Modulus, the newsletter of the Society of Structural Engineers, Sri Lanka, 1994 (Title - Structural ductility and controlled progressive collapse). (Received 1994)
Award for the best answer given to a question raised in Modulus, the newsletter of the Society of Structural Engineers, Sri Lanka, 1995 (Subject - Foreign Codes of Practice). (Received 1995)
Third Prize for Institution of Engineers, Sri Lanka competition for paper on Water Related Infrastructure sponsored by St. Anthony's Industries Group, 1996 (Title - Design and performance of 11350 cu.m. rectangular Jubilee Reservoir in Sri Lanka). (Received 1996)
First Prize for Institution of Engineers, Sri Lanka competition for paper on Water Resources/ Water Management sponsored by International Irrigation Management Institute, 1998 (Title -The analysis of proposed change and stakeholder response - a case study (Received 1998)
Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science (SLAAS) General Research Committee award, 1998 (Research area - Factors affecting Sorptivity of Concrete). (Received 1998)
Fulbright Senior Scholar Award to pursue postdoctoral research at Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, U.S.A., 2000/01 (Received 2001)
Outstanding Research Performance Award (15 year duration), University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka, 1999. (Received 1999)
Outstanding Research Performance Award (3 year duration), University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka (Received 2004)
President?s Research Award, 2000 (for publications in Science Citation Index journals; ?cumulative index? =2.0); (Note cumulative index from 1997-2003 is 7.67) (Received 2000)
NSF merit award for scientific research, 2001. (Jointly with G.N. Kodagoda; Project ? The feasibility of using product models for representing building information). (Received 2001)
Publications*
Arunothayan, R., Perera, P.M.D.J.S.,".Modelling Carbonation of Fly Ash Concrete using System Dynamics.",7th International Conference on Sustainable Built Environment (ICSBE2016),Kandy,2016,
Nanayakkara, K.I.U. ,".Fragility curves for structures under tsunami loading.",, Natural Hazards,80,
Refereed & Indexed International Publications:
Khoury, G.A., DIAS, W.P.S. and Sullivan, P.J.E. Deformation of concrete and cement paste loaded at constant temperatures from 140 C to 724 C. Materials and Structures: Research and Testing, Vol.19, No.110, 1986. pp.97 104. (DOI: 10.1007/BF02481753)DIAS, W.P.S., Khoury, G.A. and Sullivan, P.J.E. Basic creep of unsealed hardened cement paste at temperatures between 20 C and 725 C. Magazine of Concrete Research, Vol.39, No.139, 1987. pp.93 101.
DIAS, W.P.S., Khoury, G.A. and Sullivan, P.J.E. An activation energy approach for the temperature dependence of basic creep of hardened cement paste. Magazine of Concrete Research, Vol.39, No.140, 1987. pp.141 147.
DIAS, W.P.S., Khoury, G.A. and Sullivan, P.J.E. Mechanical properties of hardened cement paste exposed to temperatures up to 700 C (1292 F). American Concrete Institute Materials Journal, Vol. 87, No. 2, March April 1990. pp.160 166.
DIAS, W.P.S., Khoury, G.A. and Sullivan, P.J.E. Shrinkage of hardened cement paste at temperatures up to 670 C (1238 F). American Concrete Institute Materials Journal, Vol. 87, No. 3, May June 1990. pp.204 209.
DIAS, W.P.S., Khoury, G.A. and Sullivan, P.J.E. The thermal and structural effects of elevated temperatures on the basic creep of hardened cement paste. Materials and Structures: Research and Testing, Vol. 23, 1990. pp. 418 425. (DOI: 10.1007/BF02472024)
DIAS, W.P.S. A circular organizational structure for project teams. ASCE Journal of Management in Engineering, Vol. 16, No. 4, October 1990. pp. 471 478.
DIAS, W.P.S. and Hettiarachchi, M.T.P. A cost comparison of some elevated tank forms. Indian Concrete Journal, Vol. 66, January 1992. pp. 43 51.
DIAS, W.P.S. Some properties of hardened cement paste and reinforcing bars upon cooling from elevated temperatures. Fire and Materials, Vol.16, No.1, January March 1992. pp. 29 35.
DIAS, W.P.S. CONFAULT An expert system for fault diagnosis in reinforced concrete structures. Civil Engineering Systems, Vol. 9, 1992. pp. 147 160.
DIAS, W.P.S. Durability indicators of OPC concretes subject to wick action. Magazine of Concrete Research, Vol. 45, No. 165, December 1993. pp.263-274.
DIAS, W.P.S. Structural failures and design philosophy. The Structural Engineer, Vol. 72, No. 2, Jan 18, 1994. pp.25-29.
DIAS, W.P.S., Jayanandana, A.D.C., Fonseka, M.C.M. and Perera, A.A.D.A.J. Distress in prestressed concrete roof girders at cement plant. ASCE Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities, Vol. 8, No. 1, February 1994. pp. 6-15.
DIAS, W.P.S. Impact testing of hollow block armour units. Concrete International, Vol. 16, No. 6, June 1994, pp. 48-54.
DIAS, W.P.S. and Blockley, D.I. The integration of product and process models for design, Design Studies, Vol. 15, No. 4, October 1994, pp. 417-432.
DIAS, W.P.S. and Blockley, D.I. Reflective Practice in Engineering Design, ICE Proceedings on Civil Engineering, Vol. 108, Issue 4, November 1995, pp. 160-168.
DIAS, W.P.S. Multi-disciplinary product modeling of buildings, ASCE Journal of Computing in Civil Engineering, Vol. 10, No. 1, January 1996, pp. 78-86.
DIAS, W.P.S. and Weerasinghe, R.L.D. Artificial neural networks for construction bid decisions. Civil Engineering Systems, Vol. 13, 1996, pp. 239-253.
DIAS, W.P.S. Influence of curing method and duration on sorptivity of concrete and mortar, Paper SP170-55, in Durability of Concrete (ed. V.M. Malhotra), American Concrete Institute, Michigan, 1997, pp. 1073-1095.
DIAS, W.P.S. Sensitivity and Substitutability in Concrete Construction, Asia Pacific Building and Construction Management Journal, Vol. 2, No. 2, 1997.
DIAS, W.P.S. The analysis of proposed change and stakeholder response - a case study. Civil & Environmental Engineering Systems, Vol. 17, 2000, pp. 1-17.
DIAS, W.P.S. Reduction of concrete sorptivity with age through carbonation, Cement & Concrete Research, Vol. 30, 2000, pp. 1255-1261. (DOI: 10.1016/S0008-8846(00)00311-2)
DIAS, W.P.S. and Pooliyadda, S.P. Neural networks for predicting properties of concretes with admixtures, Journal of Construction and Building Materials, Vol. 15, No. 7, 2001, pp. 371-379. (DOI: 10.1016/S0950-0618(01)00006-X)
Kulasuriya, C., DIAS, W.P.S. and Hettiarachchi, M.T.P. The aesthetics of proportion in structural form, The Structural Engineer, Vol. 80, No. 14, 2002, pp. 22-27.
DIAS, W.P.S. and Jayanandana, A.D.C. Condition assessment of a deteriorated cement works, ASCE Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities, Vol. 17, No. 4, 2003, pp. 188-195. (DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)0887-3828(2003)17:4(188))
DIAS, W.P.S. Reflective Practice, Artificial Intelligence and Engineering Design: Common trends and inter-relationships, Artificial Intelligence in Engineering Design, Analysis and Manufacture (AIEDAM), Vol. 16, 2002, pp. 261-271. (DOI: 10.1017/S0890060402164018)
DIAS, W.P.S. and Ekanayake, E.S. Engineering and society – the power of analogy, ICE Proceedings on Civil Engineering, ICE Proceedings on Civil Engineering, Vol. 150, No. 3, August 2002, pp. 134-139. (DOI: 10.1680/cien.150.3.134.38622)
DIAS, W.P.S., Subrahmanian, E. and Monarch, I.A. Dimensions of order in engineering design organizations, Design Studies, Vol. 24, 2002, pp. 357-373. (DOI: 10.1016/S0142-694X(02)00037-6)
DIAS, W.P.S. Nanayakkara, S.M.A. and Ekneligoda, T.C. Performance of concrete mixes with OPC-PFA blends, Magazine of Concrete Research, Vol. 55, No. 2, April 2003, pp. 161-170. (DOI: 10.1680/macr.55.2.161.37564)
DIAS, W.P.S. Heidegger’s relevance for engineering: Questioning technology, Science and Engineering Ethics, Vol. 9, No. 3, 2003, pp. 389-396. (PubMed ID: 12971299)
DIAS, W.P.S. Influence of mix and environment on plastic shrinkage cracking, Magazine of Concrete Research, Vol. 55, No. 4, August 2003, pp. 385-394. (DOI: 10.1680/macr.55.4.385.37589)
DIAS, W.P.S. and Pooliyadda, S.P. Quality based energy contents and carbon coefficients for building materials: A systems approach, Energy, Vol. 29, No.4, 2004, pp. 561-580. (DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2003.10.001)
DIAS, W.P.S. Influence of drying on concrete sorptivity, Magazine of Concrete Research, Vol. 56, No. 9, November 2004, pp. 537-543. (DOI: 10.1680/macr.56.9.537.53145)
DIAS, P., Dissanayake, R. and Chandratilake, R. Lessons learned from tsunami damage in Sri Lanka, ICE Proceedings on Civil Engineering, Vol. 159, No. 2, May 2006, pp. 74-81. (DOI: 10.1680/cien.2006.159.2.74)
DIAS, W.P.S. and Mallikarachchi. H.M.Y.C. Tsunami – planning and design for disaster mitigation, The Structural Engineer, Vol. 84, 6 June 2006, pp. 25-29 (invited paper).
DIAS, W.P.S. Heidegger’s resonance with engineering: The primacy of practice, Science and Engineering Ethics, Vol. 12, No. 3, 2006, pp. 523-532. (DOI: 10.1007/s11948-006-0050-7)
Khazai, B., Franco, G., Ingram, J.C., Del Rio, C.R., DIAS, P., Dissanayake, R., Chandratilake, R. and Kanna, S.J. Post - December 2004 tsunami in Sri Lanka and its potential impacts on future vulnerability, Earthquake Spectra, Vol. 22, No. S3, June 2006, pages S829-S824. (DOI: 10.1193/1.2204925)
DIAS, W.P.S. Engineering as cyclic problem solving – Some insights from Karl Popper, The Structural Engineer, Vol. 85, Issue 2, 23 Jan 2007, pp. 32-37.
DIAS, W.P.S. Philosophical grounding and computational formalization for practice based engineering knowledge, Knowledge Based Systems, Vol. 20, Issue 4, May 2007, pp. 382-387. (DOI: 10.1016/j.knosys.2006.06.002)
DIAS, W.P.S., G.A.P.S.N. Seneviratne and S.M.A. Nanayakkara, Offshore Sand for Reinforced Concrete, Construction and Building Materials, Vol. 22, 2008, pp. 1377–1384. (DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2007.04.006)
DIAS, W.P.S. Paradigms, Revolutions and Models: some insights from Thomas Kuhn for an Engineering Outlook, The Structural Engineer, Vol. 86, Issue 2, 22 Jan 2008, pp. 33-38.
DIAS, W.P.S. Philosophical underpinning for systems thinking, Interdisciplinary Science Reviews, Vol. 33, No. 3, 2008, pp. 202-213. (DOI: 10.1179/174327908X366897)
DIAS, W.P.S., Yapa, H.D. and Peiris, L.M.N. Tsunami vulnerability functions from field surveys and Monte Carlo simulation, Civil Engineering & Environmental Systems, Vol. 26, No. 2, June 2009, pp. 181-194. (DOI: 10.1080/10286600802435918)
Dilrukshi, K.G.S. DIAS, W.P.S. and Rajapakse, R.K.N.D. Numerical modelling of cracks in masonry walls due to thermal movements in an overlying slab, Engineering Structures, Vol. 32, No. 5, 2010, pp. 1411-1422. (DOI: 10.1016/j.engstruct.2010.01.019)
DIAS, W.P.S. Is science very different from religion? A Polanyian perspective, Science and Christian Belief, Vol 22, No.1, April 2010, pp. 43-55.
Blockley, D. and DIAS, P. Managing conflict through ethics, Civil Engineering and Environmental Systems, Vol. 27, No. 3, 2010, pp. 255-262. (DOI: 10.1080/10286608.2010.482657)
DIAS, P. Pompeii by Robert Harris: an engineering reading, ICE Proceedings on Engineering History and Heritage, Vol 163, Issue EH4, pp. 255-260, November 2010
DIAS, P. Aesthetics and Ethics in Engineering: Insights from Polanyi, Science and Engineering Ethics, Vol. 17, No. 2, 2011, pp. 233-243. (DOI: 10.1007/s11948-009-9188-4)
DIAS, Priyan, The engineer’s identity crisis: Homo faber or homo sapiens? Chapter 4 in Philosophy and Engineering: Reflections on Practice, Principles, and Process (ed. D. Goldberg, N. McCarthy & and D. Michelfelder), Springer, 2012 (forthcoming).
Refereed National Publications:
DIAS, W.P.S., Rayen, J.S., Senthilkumar, B., Premawardhana, C.S. and Thillainathan, S. Cement mortar roofing sheets reinforced with coir fibre. Engineer, Sri Lanka, December, 1986. pp.34 49.DIAS, W.P.S. and Sivasubramaniyam, S. Assessment of floor slabs in the Bandaranaike Wing of the Colombo General Hospital. Engineer, Sri Lanka, September 1989. pp. 27 36.
DIAS, W.P.S. Changes in the design of reinforced concrete structures introduced by BS 8110: 1985. Engineer, Sri Lanka, June 1990. pp. 51 63.
DIAS, W.P.S. and Hettiarachchi, M.T.P. A cost comparison of some ground reservoir forms. Engineer, Sri Lanka, December 1990. pp. 53 60.
DIAS, W.P.S. Correlation of non destructive test results with concrete strength. Engineer, Sri Lanka, March 1991. pp. 3 13.
DIAS, W.P.S., Mansur, U., Makewita, M.A.S.M. and Perera, J.A.A.K. A preliminary investigation into the safety factors and live loads for office and domestic buildings in Sri Lanka. Engineer, Sri Lanka, June 1991. pp. 19 31.
DIAS, W.P.S. Specifying for concrete durability: Part I A critical review. Engineer, Sri Lanka, December 1991. pp. 51 63.
DIAS, W.P.S. Specifying for concrete durability: Part II The Sri Lankan context. Engineer, Sri Lanka, 1992. pp. 4 24.
DIAS, W.P.S. Concrete in the marine environment a review with emphasis on tropical coastal applications. Journal of the National Science Council, Sri Lanka, Vol. 21, No.1, 1993. pp.27-47.
DIAS, W.P.S. and Danthanarayana, B.N. Development of a computerised estimating system for Sri Lankan building contractors (BUILDEST). Engineer, Sri Lanka, June 1993. pp.35-43.
DIAS, W.P.S. Product modelling of buildings. Trans. Inst. of Engineers, Sri Lanka, 1993. pp. 134-151.
DIAS, W.P.S. and Nimal Priyantha, D.G. Performance of right angled reinforced concrete corner joints subject to opening moments. Engineer, Sri Lanka, December 1993. pp. 3-14.
DIAS, W.P.S. Influence of mix constituents and workmanship factors on concrete strength and durability. Engineer, Sri Lanka, June 1994, pp. 3-18.
DIAS, W.P.S. Structural appraisal of reinforced concrete buildings from in-situ material properties - some issues and insights. Transactions, Inst. of Engineers, Sri Lanka, 1994. pp. 129-145.
DIAS, W.P.S. and Weerasinghe, R.L.D. Bidding behaviour of Sri Lankan contractors. Engineer, Sri Lanka, December 1995, pp. 5-17.
DIAS, W.P.S. and Hettiarachchi, S.S.L. An object oriented systems approach for modelling estuarial and costal sand budgets, Engineer, Sri Lanka, June 1996, pp. 19-29.
DIAS, W.P.S. and Al-Kabbani, I. Design and performance of 11350 cu.m. rectangular jubilee reservoir in Sri Lanka, Engineer, Sri Lanka, June 1997, pp.74-81.
DIAS, W.P.S. An example of data transformation for backpropagation neural networks, Engineer, Sri Lanka, September 2000, pp. 33-38.
Kulasuriya, C., DIAS, W.P.S. and Hettiarachchi, M.T.P. Development and evaluation of the aesthetics of structural form, Research for Industry, Engineering Research Unit, University of Moratuwa, 2000, pp. 63-79.
Pooliyadda, S.P. and DIAS, W.P.S. The significance of embedded energy for buildings in a tropical country, Engineer, Sri Lanka, September 2001, pp. 25-35. (Also in The Structural Engineer, Vol. 83, No. 11, pp. 34-36, 7 Jun 2005 and International Conference on Global Construction: Ultimate Concrete Opportunities, Dundee, Scotland, July 2005)
Kodagoda, G.N. and DIAS, W.P.S. An interacting multidisciplinary building product model, Engineer, Sri Lanka, September 2001, pp. 36-44.
DIAS, W.P.S. Some properties of plasticised mortars used as plasters, Engineer, Vol. 36, No. 2, April 2003, pp. 20-25.
Dilrukshi, K.G.S. and DIAS, W.P.S. Field Survey and Numerical Modelling of Cracking in Masonry Walls due to Thermal Movements of an Overlying Slab, Journal of the National Science Council, Sri Lanka, Vol. 36, No.3, 2008, pp. 205-213.
Dilrukshi, K.G.S. and DIAS, W.P.S. Physical modelling for investigation of cracking in masonry walls due to thermal movements of an overlying slab, Engineer, Sri Lanka, January 2010, pp. 22-31.
Jayatilake, I.N., DIAS, W.P.S., Jayasinghe, M.T.R. and Thambiratnam, D.P. Response of tall buildings with symmetric setbacks under blast loading, Journal of the National Science Council, Sri Lanka, Vol. 38, No. 2, 2010, pp. 115-123.
Reviewed Publications:
DIAS, W.P.S., Khoury, G.A and Sullivan, P.J.E. Upper and lower bounds for the elevated temperature creep of hardened cement paste. Paper H 2/10, 9th Int. Conf. on Structural Mechanics in Reactor Technology, Lausanne, Switzerland, August 1987.
DIAS, W.P.S. and Niles, D.R. An educational software package in Structural Engineering. Proceedings, 8th National Computer Conference, Colombo, Sri Lanka, January 1988.
DIAS, W.P.S. Condemnation of a partially completed grandstand structure. Proc. Int. Conf. on Case Histories in Structural Failures, Singapore, March 1989.
DIAS, W.P.S. Mix design considerations for unreinforced concrete armour units in a tropical developing country. Proc. 3rd Int. Conf. on Coastal and Port Engineering in Developing Countries (COPEDEC III), Mombasa, Kenya, September 1991. pp.638 648.
DIAS, W.P.S. A survey of some Sri Lankan batching plant records. Int. Conf. on The Concrete Future, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, February 1992. pp. 33 40.
DIAS, W.P.S. Structural ductility and controlled progressive collapse. Modulus, Vol. 5, No. 2, Society of Structural Engineers, Sri Lanka, June 1994.
DIAS, W.P.S. Discussion on "Influence of surface finish on sorptivity of concrete by W.J. McCarter". ASCE Journal of Civil Engineering Materials, Vol. 6, No. 2, May 1994.
DIAS, W.P.S. and Blockley, D.I. Discussion on "Galileo's confirmation of a false hypothesis: a paradigm of logical error in design by Henry Petroski". Civil Engineering Systems, Vol. 11, pp. 75-77, 1994.
DIAS, W.P.S. Sorptivity testing for assessing concrete quality. Proc. Int. Conf. on Concrete under Severe Exposure Conditions (CONSEC'95), Sapporo, Japan, E.& F.N. Spon, London, August 1995, pp. 433-442.
DIAS, W.P.S. and Hettiarachchi, S.S.L. A systems approach for modelling the sediment budget in coastal erosion. Proc. 4th Int. Conf. on Coastal and Port Engineering in Developing Countries (COPEDEC IV), Rio de Janeiro, September 1995, pp. 552-565.
DIAS, W.P.S. Design from breakdowns: The integration of design and diagnosis, in Information Technology in Civil and Structural Engineering Design (eds. B. Kumar, I.A. MacLeod and A. Retik), Inverleith Spottiswoode, Edinburgh, 1996, pp. 77-80.
DIAS, W.P.S. and Bamunusinghe, A. Energy and environmental audit of building materials. Open University Review of Engineering Technology, Vol. 3, No. 1, Part 1, March 1997, pp. 94-101.
DIAS, W.P.S. Discussion on "Engineering on the right by D.M. Brohn", Structural Engineer, Vol. 75, No. 9, 6 May 1997, pp. 159-160.
DIAS, W.P.S. Assessment of structures in distress. Seminar on Concrete Repair, Strengthening, Fire & Blastproofing, Society of Structural Engineers, Colombo, July 1998.
DIAS, W.P.S. Effect of data transformation on artificial neural networks. Proceedings, Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science, 1998 (Abstract only).
DIAS, W.P.S. Computational implementations of hierarchical structures in building design and structural engineering. Proceedings, Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science, 1998 (Abstract only).
DIAS, W.P.S. Concrete technology in Sri Lanka. Seminar on Special Application Cements, Society of Structural Engineers, Colombo, January 1999.
DIAS, W.P.S. The use of concrete design codes across national boundaries, IABSE Colloquium Report on “Concrete Model Code for Asia”, Vol. 80, Phuket, Thailand, 1999, pp. 54-59
DIAS, W.P.S. and Ekanayake, E.S. A structural engineering analogy for the vulnerability of communities, Proceedings, Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science, 1999 (abstract only).
DIAS, W.P.S., Pooliyadda, S.P. and Kodagoda, G.N. Energy database for building materials, Proceedings, Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science, 1999 (abstract only).
DIAS, W.P.S., Nanayakkara, S.M.A., Ekneligoda, T.C., De Silva, W.S.A. and Fernando, H.B.S. Properties of PFA blended cement in concrete, International Symposium on Asian Concrete Model Code, Colombo, Sri Lanka, March 2000, pp. 54-73.
DIAS, W.P.S. Practice based knowledge: from craftsman to engineer, Proceedings, Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science, 2001 (abstract only).
DIAS, W.P.S. Discussion on “Mechanical Properties of old concrete using destructive and ultrasonic non-destructive testing methods by I.N. Prassianakis & P.Giokas”, Magazine of Concrete Research, Vol. 56, No. 5, pp. 311-312, June 2004.(DOI: 10.1680/macr.56.5.311.36312)
Chandratilake, S.R. and DIAS, W.P.S. Identifying vulnerability to blast loading using grounded theory, Engineering Research Unit Symposium on Research for Industry, August 2004.
DIAS, W.P.S. Discussion of “Do ethics matter? by D. Blockley”, The Structural Engineer, Vol. 83, No. 14, p. 38, 19 Jul 2005.
DIAS, W.P.S. and S.R. Chandratilake, Assessing vulnerability of buildings to blast using interval probability theory, 8th Int. Conf. on the Application of Artificial Intelligence to Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering, Rome, 30 Aug to 2 Sep, 2005.
DIAS, W.P.S. and Padukka, U.A. AI techniques for preliminary design decisions on column spacing and sizing, 8th Int. Conf. on the Application of Artificial Intelligence to Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering, Rome, 30 Aug to 2 Sep, 2005.
DIAS, P., Fernando, L., Wathurapatha, S. and De Silva, Y. Structural resistance against sliding, overturning and scouring caused by tsunamis, Int Conf on Disaster Reduction on Coasts, Melbourne, November 2005.
Jayatilake, I.N., DIAS, W.P.S., Jayasinghe, M.T.R. and Thambiratnam, D.P. Influence of Setbacks on the Performance of High-Rise Buildings under Blast Loadings, 2nd International Conference on Design and Analysis of Protective Structures, Singapore, November 2006.
DIAS, W.P.S. The engineer’s identity crisis: Homo faber vs. Homo sapiens, Workshop on Philosophy & Engineering, Royal Academy of Engineering, London, November 2008.
DIAS, Priyan. Tsunami in focus (Editorial), Civil Engineering & Environmental Systems, Volume 26, Issue 2, June 2009, Pages 161-162 (DOI: 10.1080/10286600902910422)
Godfrey, P. Agarwal, J. and DIAS, P. Systems 2030 – Emergent trends (Editorial), Civil Engineering and Environmental Systems, Vol. 27, No. 3, 2010, pp. 177-187. (DOI: 10.1080/10286608.2010.489944)
Major Lectures & General Articles:
University based engineering research and local industry. Seminar on "Utilisation of Engineering Concepts and Research in Local Industry", Institution of Engineers, Sri Lanka, October 1993.Marrying research and industry - a vital task, Ceylon Daily News, Thursday 13 and Friday 14 January, 1994.
Failures are the Pillars of Success - Structural failures and design philosophy. Public Lecture arranged by British Scholars association, May 1994.
The Construction Industry and Biodiversity, Workshop for Professionals in the Construction Industry, Biodiversity Skills Enhancement Project, Trans Asia Hotel, October 1996.
Are Engineers Scientists? Ceylon Daily News Supplement for University of Moratuwa Silver Jubilee, February 14, 1997.
Environmentally sensitive Design and Construction - Question Time, Society of Structural Engineers, April 1997.
Concrete Technology in Sri Lanka - some Issues and Problems. Seminar on "Concrete Technology - Present and Future", Institute for Construction Training & Development, November 1997.
The partial myth of scientific objectivity. The Island, 16 June 1998.
Design of Buildings against Bomb Blast, Industrial Security Foundation, November 1999.
Non destructive testing of concrete in Sri Lanka, Society of Structural Engineers Symposium, Kandy, November 1999.
Constructing a Philosophy of Engineering – lecture delivered at (i) Williams College, Williamstown, MA (October 2000), (ii) Institute for Complex Engineered Systems, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA (March 2001), (iii) Centre for Philosophy of Science, University of Pittsburgh, PA (April 2001), (iv) Civil Engineering Seminar, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD (May 2001), (v) School of Civil Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (June 2004), (vi) Department of Civil Engineering, National University of Singapore (July 2004), (vii) Faculty of Engineering, University of Cambridge (June 2006).
Promoting Science and Technology in Sri Lanka, The Island, 3 January 2003.
Sustainable Construction of Buildings at Risk from Natural Disasters in the Post-Tsunami Period, Queensland University of Technology, 22 November 2005, Brisbane, Australia
Tsunami-Sustainable Construction of Buildings at Risk from Natural Disasters, Institution of Structural Engineers, Queensland Division & The Structural Branch, Engineers Australia, Queensland Division, 22 November 2005, Brisbane, Australia
Tsunami – planning and design for disaster mitigation, The Institution of Structural Engineers Headquarters, London, U.K. 22 June 2006.
New Material for Concrete, Sessional Keynote Address, International Conference on New Technologies for the 21st Century, Institution of Engineers, Sri Lanka, October 2006
Philosophical grounding and computational formalization for practice based engineering knowledge, Keynote Address, 5th Annual Sessions, Sri Lanka Association for Artificial Intelligence, October 2008.
Is Science very Different from Religion? Bishop Cyril Abeynaike Memorial Lecture at Cathedral of Christ the Living Saviour, Colombo, May 2010.
From the Nature of Structures to the Structure of Nature, Keynote Address, 1st Annual Sessions, Society of Structural Engineers, Sri Lanka, November 2011.
Software Developed:
DIAS, W.P.S. and Niles, D.R. CANTDEF – An educational software package for Cantilever Deflections, for teaching at the University of Moratuwa, 1988.
DIAS, W.P.S. and Danthanarayana, B.N. BUILDEST - A computerised estimating system for Sri Lankan building contractors, for Institute of Construction Training & Development, 1993.
DIAS, W.P.S. CUSARC - Cumulative Sum Analysis for Ready-Mixed Concrete, for Sanken Lanka Ltd., December 1997.
Kodagoda, G.N. and DIAS, W.P.S. PROMOD – A product model for architectural and structural aspects of a building, written in Delphi, December 1999.
Publications on Education:
DIAS, W.P.S. The privatisation of higher education, The Island Newspaper.DIAS, W.P.S. Problems faced by the nation are tied to education. The Island, Wednesday 27 March, 1991, pp. 8-9.
DIAS, W.P.S. Education, Employment and English. Ceylon Daily News, Monday 29 July, 1991, p.4.
DIAS, W.P.S. et al. Affiliated University Colleges - the other side. The Island, Friday 11 September, 1991. p.8.
DIAS, W.P.S. Some thoughts on technical and vocational education in Sri Lanka. IESL News, Vol. XIII, No. 2, December 1992, pp. 3-5.
DIAS, W.P.S. Science in Sri Lankan Universities. Ceylon Daily News, 1999.
Books
Monographs and Books (published ones in bold face):
DIAS, W.P.S. Time dependent deformations of hardened cement paste from 20 C to 725 C. PhD. thesis, University of London, 1986. 398 pp.
DIAS, W.P.S. et al. Studies on design of ground reservoirs and elevated tanks, Dept. of Civil Engineering, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka, April 1989. 223 pp.
Hettiarachchi, S.S.L. and DIAS, W.P.S. Investigations on the performance of coastal structures armoured with natural rock and concrete armour units, Dept. of Civil Engineering, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka, December 1992.
DIAS, W.P.S. Reinforced Concrete Design (5 chapters) in DIAS, W.P.S. and Hettiarachchi, M.T.P. Structural Design, CEU 4306, Level 6, Block 1-A, Open University, 1992.
DIAS, W.P.S. Graded examples in reinforced concrete design, Society of Structural Engineers - Sri Lanka, Colombo, 1995.
Karunaratne, S. and DIAS, W.P.S. (eds.) University of Moratuwa: History: 1972-1997, University of Moratuwa, 1997.
DIAS, W.P.S. Graded examples in reinforced concrete design, Second edition, Asian Center for Engineering Computations and Software, AIT, Bangkok, 1998.
DIAS, W.P.S., Perera, A.A.D.A.J., Nanayakkara, S.M.A., Sahayan, S.J.M. and Sathyaprasad, I.M.S. Interim Sand Study (Alternatives for River Sand), Dept. of Civil Engineering, University of Moratuwa, September 1999.
DIAS, W.P.S. and Kodagoda, G.N. Product models for building information, Research Report submitted to NSF, Sri Lanka, December 1999.
DIAS, W.P.S., Nanayakkara, S.M.A., Ekneligoda, T.C., De Silva, W.S.A. and Fernando, H.B.S. Properties of PFA blended cement in concrete, submitted to Puttalam Cement Company Limited, January 2000.
DIAS, W.P.S., Nanayakkara, S.M.A., Seneviratne, G.A.P.S.N. and Nanthanan, T. Properties of concrete and plaster made using offshore sand, manufactured sand and quarry dust, submitted to Coastal Resources Management Project, Sri Lanka, September 2002.