Industry Engagements

(A)   ARC Training Centre for Advanced Technologies in Rail Track Infrastructure (ITTC-Rail) (Total funding exceeding $9 Million), 2018-2022 (Prof Buddhima Indraratna)

This Centre aims to transform Australia’s rail construction and maintenance technologies through specialist training of industry-focused researchers. This is to be achieved by close collaboration with companies within the rail supply chain, synergistic interdisciplinary programs promoting novel design approaches, and innovative fabrication of products delivered through advanced manufacturing techniques. The programs will address the key geotechnical challenges inherent in building cost-effective rail infrastructure to meet the future demands of increased operating speeds and axle loads. The outcome will be safe, reliable and cost-effective rail networks that immensely benefit the nation’s transportation, mining and agriculture sectors.

(B)     Cooperative Research Centre for Railway Engineering & Technologies, 2001-2008 (Prof Buddhima Indraratna).

National Theme Leader for Innovative Track Upgrading, overseeing research projects of 5 Universities and several Rail Organizations from 3 States. Total Funds: $12 million over 7 years.  Industry & University funds, @ $10 M over 7 years.

Three major projects directly funded (approx. $1.7 million):

(a)    Geotechnical Properties of Railway Ballast (2001-2004) - $750,000

(b)   Native Vegetation for Strengthening Rail Tracks: (2001-2004) - $360,000

(c)    Stabilisation of Rail Tracks with Geosynthetics (2004-2007): $600,000

(C)   Cooperative Research Centre for Rail Innovation, 2008-2014 (Prof Buddhima Indraratna).

The following key projects directly under Professor Buddhima’s leadership totalled @ $1.75 million in the areas of:

(a)    Engineering behaviour of fouled ballast and implications on track performance  including impact loading (with RailCorp, ARTC and QLD Rail): $680,000 (2009-2012)

(b)   Use of GPR for track degradation assessment (with RailCorp, ARTC, QR): $300,000 (2009-2012)

(c)    Performance Monitoring of Singleton Rail Track (with ARTC): $550,000 (2012-2014)

(d)   2 PhD projects on (i) Native Vegetation and (ii) Flood Assessment of Tracks: $210,000

(D)  ARC Centre of Excellence in Geotechnical Science & Engineering (CGSE), 2011-2017 – Funding of 14.4 million dollars until 2017 (Prof  Buddhima Indraratna). 

CGSE will provide a national focus for geotechnical research by integrating the expertise of the key Australian geotechnical research groups into a single centre.  This will ensure that new offshore and onshore geotechnologies can be developed in a coherent and unified fashion, as well as establishing a critical research mass and allowing cross-pollination between the different nodes. The total funding for UOW research (including NSW Science Leverage) approaches $2 million over 7 years.

(E)    National Facility for Cyclic Testing of High-speed Rail 2014. Total Budget of $1.7 Million (Prof Buddhima Indraratna).

The National Facility for Cyclic Testing of High-Speed Rail is internationally a first-of-its-kind and it will be designed and built in-house for examining an array of Australian ground conditions and integrated track components. This unique facility will offer a national and international hub for industry-driven research and consulting. The outcomes will propel more Australian researchers to be among the world-leaders of rail technologies providing better solutions to challenging track environments. Prototype testing will ensure safer and cost-effective track designs. Total Budget of $1.7 M (ARC Commonwealth Funds: $900k; Industry and University funds, $800k).

(F)    Cooperative Research Centre for Rail Manufacturing, 2014-2020 (Total funding $30 Million) (Prof Buddhima Indraratna)

Funding of $360k until 2016 was initially negotiated for my project, “Track performance assessment capturing ballast degradation at high train speeds” (renegotiated in 2015 through PhD students’ scholarships)

Selected national competitive grants for transportation infrastructure: 

• Clogging of permeable reactive barrier when treating acidic groundwater (2020-2023); Total $ 870,000 (Leading CI-Prof Indraratna)
• Mud pumping in heavy haul railroads - assessment and control. ARC LP (2017-2020); Total: $1.0 Million. (Leading CI-Prof Indraratna; CI-Rujikiatkamjorn)
• Performance of granular matrix under heavy haul cyclic loading. ARC LP (2016-2019); Total: $1.1 Million. (Leading CI-Prof Rujikiatkamjorn; CI-Prof Indraratna)
• Performance of Soft Clay Consolidated by Biodegradable and Geosynthetic Vertical Drains under Vacuum Pressure for Transport Infrastructure, ARC LP (2014-2017); Total: $1.2 Million. (Leading CI-Prof Indraratna; CI-Prof Rujikiatkamjorn)
• Load-Displacement and Consolidation Behaviour of Soft Soils Stabilized by Stone Columns for Transport Infrastructure, ARC LP (2013-2016) with Coffey Geotechnics and Keller; Total: $420,000 (Leading CI-Prof Indraratna)
• The role of vegetation and associated root suction and reinforcement on the stabilisation of transport corridors and sloping ground, ARC LP (2012-2015) with Transport Construction Authority, The City of Salisbury and GHD; Total: $460,000 (Leading CI-Prof Indraratna; CI-Prof Rujikiatkamjorn)
• Cyclic behaviour of unstable soils stabilised by lignosulfonate for rapid transport infrastructure,
• ARC Linkage (2011-2015) with Qld. Dept. of Transport & Main Roads, Chemstab, Coffey Geotechnics and Douglas Partners; Total: $790,000 (Leading CI-Prof Indraratna; CI-Prof Rujikiatkamjorn)
• Geotechnical Properties and Compaction Characteristics of Granular Wastes as Potential Port Reclamation Fill, ARC Linkage (2010-2013) with Port Kembla Port Corporation, Coffey Geotechnics, Douglas Partners and BHP-Billiton, Total: $ 810,000 (Leading CI-Prof Indraratna; CI-Prof Rujikiatkamjorn)
• Geotechnical characterisation of compacted ground based on passive ambient noise techniques (2009-2012) ARC-Linkage with Penrith Lake Development Corporation, Total: $285,000 (CI-Prof Indraratna; CI-Prof Rujikiatkamjorn)
• Study of coupled water-gas-sediment (three-phase) flows through jointed and stratified rock, (2009-2012) ARC-Linkage with Strata Control Total: $430,000 (Leading CI-Prof Indraratna)
• Advancement of vacuum pressure application via prefabricated vertical drains for stabilising soft ground (2009-2012).  ARC-Linkage, with Roads and Traffic Authority, NSW; Qld. Dept. of Main Roads (Brisbane), Douglas Partners (Wollongong) & Coffey Geotechnics (Sydney), Total: $550,000 (Leading CI-Prof Indraratna; CI-Prof Rujikiatkamjorn)
• Integrated Ballast-Formation-Track Design and Analysis including the Implications of Ballast Fouling and High Impact Loads (2009-2011), CRC Rail Innovation, $750,000 (Leading CI-Prof Indraratna; CI-Prof Rujikiatkamjorn, CI-A/Prof Khabbaz)
• Development and validation of non-destructive ballast and formation condition assessment (2009-2011), CRC Rail Innovation, $300,000 (Leading CI-Prof Rujikiatkamjorn; CI-Prof Indraratna, CI-A/Prof Khabbaz)
• Stabilisation of erodible and dispersive soils with natural wood processing by-products (2006-2009). ARC-Linkage, with Qld. Dept. of Transport & Main Roads (Brisbane), Chemstab (Wollongong). Total: $285,000. (Leading CI-Prof Indraratna)
• Engineering behaviour of fouled ballast and implications on track performance including impact loading (2009-2012). CRC for Rail Innovation, with RailCorp (Sydney), ARTC and QLD Rail Total $680,000. (Leading CI-Prof Indraratna)
• Stress-strain and Filtration Characteristics of Capping or Sub-ballast layer. (2005-2007). CRC for Railway Engineering, with RailCorp (Sydney) Total: $172,000 (Leading CI-Prof Indraratna)
• Effectiveness of Prefabricated vertical band drains (PVD) in the stabilisation of soft clays (2002-2005). ARC-Linkage, with Qld. Dept. of Main Roads (Brisbane), Total: $165,000 (Leading CI-Prof Indraratna)
• Geotechnical Properties of Railway Ballast (2001-2004). CRC for Railway Engineering, with RailCorp (Sydney) & Qld. Rail, Brisbane Total $750,000. (Leading CI-Prof Indraratna)
• Native Vegetation for Strengthening Rail Tracks: (2004-2007).  CRC for Railway Engineering, with RailCorp (Sydney), ARTC (Adelaide), and Queensland Rail (Brisbane), Total $360,000. (Leading CI-Prof Indraratna)
• Effectiveness of Recycled Ballast in Rail Track Construction (2000-2002). ARC-SPIRT, with Railway Services Australia and Polyfabrics Australia Ltd. Total $91,240 (Leading CI-Prof Indraratna)
• Effectiveness of Prefabricated Vertical Drains (PVDs) and Vacuum Application in the Stabilization of Soft In-Situ Clays, ARC CGSE ECR grant, Total $680,000 (Prof Rujikiatkamjorn)
• Cyclic Behaviour of Unstable Soils Stabilised by Lignosulfonate with Special Reference to Rapid Transport Infrastructure (2011-2014), ARC Linkage, $455,000 (Leading CI-Prof Rujikiatkamjorn
• Field monitoring of track behaviour and the study of synthetic inclusions in an experimental track section to minimise the adverse effects of high cyclic and impact loads (2011-2014), CRC Rail Innovation, $350,000, (Leading CI- Prof Rujikiatkamjorn; CI -Prof Indraratna)
• ARC Research Hub for Nanoscience-based Construction Material Manufacturing (2017-2021). ITRH Nanocomm Research Hub (through Monash) IH150100006 $5,000,000 (CI and Project leader at UTS-Prof Jianchun Li)
• National laser-based non-destructive evaluation system (2018) ARC LIEF Grants (through UNSW) LE180100041 $680,320 (Leading CI of UTS- Prof Jianchun Li)
• Rail Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre (2015-2020). CRC $31m (Leading CI of UTS- Prof Jianchun Li)
• Determination of Condition and Strength Capacity of in-Service Timber Poles in Energy Network (2011-2015). ARC-LP $425,000 (Leading CI of UTS- Prof Jianchun Li)
• Integrating Vibration Control and Health Monitoring Toward Smart Structure: Experimental Verification (2007-2009). ICRG in Hong Kong $58,181 (co-investigator- Prof Jianchun Li)
• Actuator for Active Control of a Multi-storey Building Model (2001). ATN-Small Grants $25,000 (CI- Prof Jianchun Li)
• High-Performance Data Acquisition and Control Platform (2000). ARC LIEF Grants (through University of Sydney) $174,234 (CI- Prof Jianchun Li)
• Experimental Investigation on Performance of Reduced Models of Tall Buildings Used for Structural Control (2000) ATN-Small Grants $15,000 (CI- Prof Jianchun Li)
• Past experiences and recent advances on use of intelligent compaction for earth fill, granular and stabilised soils (2019) ARRB $12,000 (A/Prof Fatahi & A/Prof Khabbaz)
• Advanced in Characterization and Treatment of Expansive Soils Using Agricultural and Industrial Wastes (2016-2017). ATN Science and Research Priorities Seed Funding $30,000 ((Leading CI-A/Prof Khabbaz; CI- A/Prof Fatahi)
• Enhanced Analysis of Time Dependent Viscous Behaviour of Soft Clay (2009-2013). ARC-LP $203,000 (Leading CI-A/Prof Fatahi; CI- A/Prof Khabbaz)
• Transforming Food Industry Futures Through Improved Sensing, Provenance and Choice (2014-2019). ARC-IH $2,500,000 (CI-Prof John Rose)
• Evaluating Choice Experiments and Associated Models by Combining and Comparing Survey and Scanner Data (2014-2017) SSHRC430199 $290,000 (CI-Prof John Rose)
• What Determines Patients Adherence to Treatment in Cardiovascular Disease Prevention A Process Evaluation of The Kanyini-GAP Trial (2011-2013) NHMRC $247,524 (CI-Prof John Rose)
• Optimisation of signalised intersections by minimising vehicle stop-time (2018-2020) CRC (CI- Michelle Zeibots)
• Integrated passenger behaviour, train operations diagnostics, and vehicle condition monitoring system (2014-2017) RMCRC (Leading CI- Michelle Zeibots)
• Responsive Transport Environments: Spatial and Visual User Information Technologies to Allow Improved Passenger Flow and a Better Customer Experience (2012-2015) ARC-LP (CI- Michelle Zeibots)

Selected major consultancy involvement (Prof Buddhima Indraratna)

• ATC Williams: Large-scale multistage shear testing of coal mine wastes (2020)
• ATC Williams: Direct shear testing of coal wash (2019)
• Construction Sciences Pty Ltd. Cyclic behaviour of ballast for heavy haul (2018)
• Glencore: Permeable reactive barriers for remediating acidic groundwater (2017-present)
• RKF Engineering/BHP: Design review of Heavy Yard Machine Track (2017-2018)
• Port Kembla Port Corporation: Outer Harbour Reclamation works (2009-2013)
• Coffey Geotechnics: Melbourne to Brisbane Inland Rail – Site Investigation prognostics (2016)
• GHD: Hazelwood Power dam site stability assessment; cyclic triaxial testing (2014-2015)
• Sydney Trains: Review of Crib Failure at Harris Park Railway (2013)
• GHD: Undrained strength of coal ash under cyclic loads and susceptibility to liquefaction (2013-2015)
• Aurecon-Hatch: Characterisation of compacted residual soil specimens, Bender small-strain, (2013)
• Boral: Hydraulic conductivity of Rail Ballast (2012)
• SKM (St Leonards): Ground improvement at Toorourrong Dam Upgrade (2011)
• Coffey Geotechnics: Track behaviour at Surat Basin (FEM modelling), (2011-2012)
• SKM Ltd., Review of stone column materials for transport infrastructure (2010)
• Arup Geotechnics: Design and analysis of a rail track in Sandgate, NSW (2005-2006)
• Coffey Geotechnics and RTA: Pacific Highway and Ballina Bypass; Determination of soil properties, ground improvement and stability assessment of embankments on soft soil (2005-2006)
• QLD Main Roads: Sunshine Coast road embankments on soft soils: ground improvement and stability assessment (2003-2004)
• Port of Brisbane Corporation, Port Reclamation Assessor (2008-2009)
• BHP-Billiton, Construction potential of granular wastes for land reclamation (2009 - 2010)
• Port Kembla Port Corporation: Design review of containment bunds and reclamation (2010)
• Coffey Geotechnics: Large-scale consolidation analysis; role of PVD folding; soil properties (2006)
• Coffey Geotechnics, Port of Brisbane Development, Queensland (2006-2007).
• BP-AMOCO (Sydney), Testing of Recycled Ballast stabilised with Propex Geotextiles (2001-2002).
• Shoalhaven City Council and Southcoast Acid Sulphate Soils Management (2000-2006).
• Shoalhaven City Council: on-ground improvement by lime injection (2003-2004)
• Shoalhaven City Council: Broughton Creek ASS remediation (Hot Spot Project); (2002-2004)
• HydroMet: Stability of Cement Treated Waste materials (2003)
• SMEC, Melbourne, Filtration Testing of Upper Yarra Embankment Materials (2001).
• McMahon Associates: Slope instability modelling, Thredbo, Snowy Mountains (2000-2001)

Selected major consultancy involvement (other TRC members)

• Energy Australia: Identifying the condition and underground depth of embedded timber poles in service (2008-2009, Prof Jianchun Li)
• RTA of NSW, Inter Systems: Distributed Sensor Networks (Prof Jianchun Li)
• RTA of NSW: Development of a Model for Assessment of Future Condition of Bridges (2008-2009, Prof Jianchun Li)
• RTA of NSW: Developing Cost-Effective Assessment Techniques to Facilitate the Management of Bridge Assets (phase 2) (2003-2005, Prof Jianchun Li)
• Institution of Public Works Engineering: Developing New Techniques for Maintenance and Management of Timber bridges (2001-2002, Prof Jianchun Li)
• RTA of NSW and AUSTROADS: Cost-Effective Assessment Techniques to Facilitate the Management of Bridge Assets (2000-2002, Prof Jianchun Li)
• Federal Grant through Institute of Municipal Engineers Australia: Cost-Effective Assessment Techniques for Management of Timber Bridges (1999-2000, Prof Jianchun Li)
• Rack Technologies Pty Ltd: Qualification Seismic Testing and Product Development for Communication System Enclosures (1999-2000, Prof Jianchun Li)
• EIC Activity Pty Ltd: Developing innovative design and performance procedures for stabilising landfills bearing long term infrastructure loads: with a special reference to Moorebank intermodal rail link (2018-2021, A/Prof Khabbaz & A/Prof Fatahi)
• RMS, SMEC Australia, Fulton Hogan and Menard-Bachy: Enhanced Analysis of Load Transfer Mechanism & Deformation Estimation for Ground Improvement Using CIC (2013-2017, A/Prof Fatahi & A/Prof Khabbaz)
• Jordan Government: Design of LNG Tanks on Improved Ground Subjected to Earthquake (2017-2021, A/Prof Fatahi)
• Atlantis: Long term design life of the infiltration systems for railway and road (2013-2016, A/Prof Khabbaz & A/Prof Fatahi)
• ARUP: Curtailing Adverse Effects of Expansive Soils on Roads using Bagasse Ash and Fibre (2015, A/Prof Khabbaz & A/Prof Fatahi)
• Vietnam International Educational Development: Design of Bridges against Earthquake Considering Soil-Structure Interaction (2016-2020, A/Prof Fatahi)
• Vietnam International Educational Development: two projects, titled ‘Influence of Excavation on Seismic Response of buildings’ & ‘Evaluation of Sand Pile-treated Ground by Large Rowe Cell Test’ (2013-2016 & 2015-2019, A/Prof Fatahi)
• Roads and Maritime Services: SCATS Strategic Performance (SP) Framework Development Documentation (2017 Dr Wijayaratna)
• Transport for New South Wales: Travel time reliability model development project (2017 Dr Wijayaratna)
• City of Adelaide: City of Adelaide: Smart Traffic Technology Implementation Plan (2018 Dr Wijayaratna)
• Transport for New South Wales: Benchmarking Movement and Place Performance Indicators: Development of the NSW Road Planning Framework (2018 Dr Wijayaratna)
• Plenary and Cintra Global: WestConnex: Management and Maintenance Bidding Process (Technical Advisors Dr Wijayaratna)
• Department of Transport (DoT) Abu Dhabi: Review and Assessment of Parking in Abu Dhabi (Dr Wijayaratna)
• Roads and Maritime Services: Roads and Maritime Services Mesoscopic Guideline Development (2018 Dr Wijayaratna)
• NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet: Fast Rail Stated Preference Study; High-Speed Rail (HSR) – Phase 1; Port Kembla Community Investment Fund Community Preference; Stronger Communities Futures Fund – Shellharbour; DPC Regional Communities Development Fund (2019 Prof John Rose)
• U.S Department of Energy: The Empirical Estimation of Time Use and Disutility of Time Travel in the context of new mobility technology (2018 Prof John Rose)
• NSW Department of Industry: Stronger Communities Futures Fund Round IIa-b/ Round Ib (2018 Prof John Rose)
• University of NSW: The Empirical Estimation of Time Use and Disutility of Time Travel in the context of new mobility technology (2017 Prof John Rose)
• Transport for NSW: RPI Systems (2017 Prof John Rose)
• NSW Department of Industry: Regional NSW Labour Market Analysis; Stronger Communities Futures Fund Round Ia (2017 Prof John Rose)
• Queensland department of main roads: Report into including reliability in modelling; Report into improving mode choice modelling (2016 Prof John Rose)
• New Zealand Transport Agency: Study to determine the relative value of non-market transport impacts of investment (2016 Prof John Rose)
• New South Wales Business Chamber: Value of Time during Public Holidays (2015 Prof John Rose)
• NSW Department of Industry: Economic evaluation of for upgrading the Art Gallery of NSW (2015 Prof John Rose)
• The Pharmacy Guild of Australia: Value of pharmacy environment (2014 Prof John Rose)
• ABN Amro and Thiess Consortium: Consumer surplus calculation for broadband speeds (2014 Prof John Rose)
• Study for NSW: International students and public transport concessions (2014 Prof John Rose)
• Federal Government, NTC: Elasticity demand for heavy vehicle charging (2012 Prof John Rose)
• Toll road forecast, Brisbane Northern Link: Charging for Users of Light Vehicles (2012 Prof John Rose)
• BriConnections: Toll road forecast, Brisbane Northern Link (2012 Prof John Rose)
• NSW Government: Demand forecast for Sydney City metro (2011 Prof John Rose)
• Victorian Taxi enquiry: Demand for Taxi and Hire Car Services (2011 Prof John Rose)
• ARUP: Toll road forecast, Brisbane Northern Link (2009 Prof John Rose)
• BECA NZ: Toll road forecast. Tauranga Eastern Motorway (2008 Prof John Rose)
• Transurban: M2 Traffic and Toll Product demand forecast (2007 Prof John Rose)
• NSW Government, Road and Traffic Authority: Value of life calculation for CBA (2007 Prof John Rose)
• John Holland and Thiess: Toll road forecast, the NSBT Brisbane Project (2006 Prof John Rose)
• Macquarie Bank and Thiess: Toll road forecast, Brisbane Airport Link Project (2006 Prof John Rose)
• ABN Amro and Thiess Consortium: Toll road forecast. M4 and M4 East (2005 Prof John Rose)
• NSW Government: The North-West rail transport Study (2004 Prof John Rose)
• Busways NSW: Patronage Implications of the New fare regime (2004 Prof John Rose)
• MCRC and Sydney Trains: Responsive Passenger Information System - Stage 2 (2019 Michelle Zeibots)

• Roads and Maritime Services (NSW)
• Department of Main Roads (Queensland)
• Aurizon
• Sydney Trains
• Australian Rail Track Corporation
• Coffey Geotechnics
• Douglas Partners
• Snowy Mountains Engineering Corporation
• Chemstab
• Port Kembla Port Corporation
• Polyfabrics (Australia)
• Soilwick
• GHD
• Austress Menard
• BHP Illawarra Coal
• ARTC
• SMEC
• Wollongong and Shoalhaven City Councils
• Manildra
• SCT Ltd.
• Menard
• GHD. 
• Glencore
• Bestech
• Bentley Systems

• AIT (Thailand)
• Nottingham (UK)
• INPG (France)
• ETH-Zurich
• NTU and NUS (Singapore)
• Uni. of Illinois
• Urbana-Champaign and Central Florida University (USA)
• Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT, China) on railway geomechanics in cold region