Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering)

Overview

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) candidates undertake in-depth research in order to make an original contribution to the body of knowledge in their area of interest.  This qualification can lead to, or enhance an academic career, and is also highly regarded by public and private sector employers.  A thesis containing the candidate’s research will be presented for examination at the end of the study.

Current research areas are listed below:

Civil Engineering

• Steel and concrete structures
• Composite steel-concrete structures
• Bridge engineering
• Solid and rock mechanics
• Foundation engineering, including railways
• Slope stability and reliability analysis
• Soft ground improvement technology
• Reinforced earth
• Dam and embankment engineering
• Finite element and other numerical methods
• Structural dynamics
• Cementitious materials for construction
• Flood studies, hydraulics and hydrology
• Water quality engineering
• Geo-environmental studies

Environmental Engineering

Water quality engineering
Environmental hydraulics and unit processes
Pollution control engineering
Water quality and quantity modelling of catchments, rivers and lakes
Soil erosion and sediment transport
Environmental pollution modelling
Recycling and waste management
Environmental geotechnology
Solid-liquid separation processes
Transport and the environment

Materials Engineering

Steel Processing and Products:
Polymer coating adhesion
Mechanical properties of polymer coatings
Surface properties of polymers
Peritectic phase transformation: mechanism and kinetics
Development of in-situ observation techniques
Kinetics of phase transformations in zincalume alloy systems
Property/microstructure relationships
Process optimisation in direct reduction of iron
Thermo-mechanical processing, including HSLA steels
Corrosion of steelmaking refractories
Slag properties and behaviour

Superconducting and Electronic Materials:
Theory and mechanism of superconductors
Phase relation, phase evolution and chemistry of superconductors
Single crystal growth and study of intrinsic properties
Fabrication of bulk, wires and tapes superconductors
Critical current density, transport mechanism and flux pinning
Studies on structure, microstructure and stability
Colossal magnetoresistance materials
Spintronic materials
High energy batteries for electric vehicles
Solid-state rechargeable lithium batteries for telecommunication and portable electronic devices
Developing new cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries using Australian mineral resources
Investigation of nano-materials for use in lithium rechargeable batteries
Composite cathode materials for lithium ion batteries using chemical coating technique
Hydrogen storage materials
Nickel-metal hydride batteries
Processing of thin films
Investigation of superconductor thin films
Nanofabrication of novel multilayer materials
Coated conductors
Nanostructure of electronic materials

Ceramic and Refractory Materials:
Sintering kinetics
High temperature degradation
Extrusion of resin-bonded ceramics
Processing of refractories

Intelligent Polymers:
Artificial muscles
Chemical and physical sensors
Electronic textiles

Nano-materials:
Synthesis and characterisation of carbon nanotubes
High energy ball milling
Structure and properties of nanocrystalline materials

Welding and Joining/Surface Engineering:
Structure and properties of welded metals
Weld metal cracking
Post weld heat treatment
Weldability of creep resistant steels
Brazing and diffusion bonding
Fusion welding of coated steels
Surface engineering of materials
Wear and surface property testing
Physical vapour deposition processing of metals
Ion implantation
Microwave processing of materials
Solidification
Welding automation
Welding process control
Welding fume dispersion and control
In process monitoring
Laser hybrid welding
Magnetically impelled arc butt welding

Mechanical Engineering (includes Mechatronics)

Applied Mechanics:
Bio-mechanics
Solid mechanics
Computational fluid mechanics
Jet cooling in industrial applications
Finite element analysis
Natural and hybrid ventilation of buildings
Industrial ventilation systems
Renewable energy systems
Wave energy conversion
Small wind energy systems
Mechanical engineering design
Heavy vehicle and rail dynamics
Railway engineering
Rolling mill technology
Solar thermal system analysis and design
Solid mechanics of elastic and magneto- elastic bodies
System identification and control
Tribology-bearing friction and wear
Alternative fuels
Novel IC engines

Manufacturing and Mechatronics:
Sensors and actuators
Smart materials and structures
MEMS and Nanotechnology
Laser welding and surfacing
Automated pipe welding
Robotic repair technology
Novel control of arc processes
Virtual reality weld simulator
Magnetic impelled arc butt-welding
Automated QC and reliability engineering
Chip control in automated manufacture
Expert/knowledge system in automated machining
Intelligent manufacturing systems
Monitoring/diagnosis of manufacturing processes and machinery conditions
Integrated CAD/CAM
Maintenance management

Bulk Materials Handling:
Prediction of bin wall loads and flow rates
Feeding and discharging systems including pressurised systems
Dust and fume control
Pneumatic conveying
Computer simulation of discrete particles
Biomass handling and feeding systems
Fluidisation and deaeration

Mining Engineering

Rock mechanics
Surface mining
Mine simulation, planning and design
Mine safety and mine ventilation
Geostatistics
Computer applications in mining engineering
Mine water
Environmental impact of mining

Physics

Astronomy and astrophysics
Observational studies of star formation
Comparative planetology: Mars and Venus
Asteriod and cometary mining
Laser spectroscopy
Scattering of light by solids
Solid state spectroscopy of impurities in semiconductors
Studies of electronic wave functions in solids
Theoretical astrophysics - galaxy formation, gas dynamics
Terahertz optoelectronics
Spintronics
Thermionics
Quantum transport in nanostructures
Resonant tunnelling
Far-infrared spectroscopy
Thermal transport in layered structures
Many body theory
Zeeman spectroscopy
Piezo spectroscopy

Medical Radiation Physics:
Semiconductor radiation detectors
Radiation transport and dosimetry
Radiation therapy
Medical imaging and radiology
PET and SPECT instrumentation
High Energy Physics Detectors
Proton Therapy