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Our Professional Services

The Department of Civil Engineering is providing its professional service to Industry, Engineering Professional bodies and the wider community. Academic and research staff of the department are actively involved in industry based research in general areas of civil engineering, mining engineering and petroleum industry applications.

Industry

The department is very committed to deliver high quality research outputs that are of immediate relevance to Australian industry. It has been working with a large number of industry partners in an attempt to solve some of their key technical problems, while at the same time it is helping them to build their capacity internally. Some of the key industrial projects are outlined below.
  • Fatigue behaviour of Dragline tubular structures
    Funding:   ARC Linkage Project, $510,000 over 3 years
    Industry partners:   BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance
    Bucyrus (Australia) Pty Ltd
    Research Team:   Prof Xiao-Ling Zhao (Civil Eng), Dr D. Dayawansa (MTI), and Prof J. Price (Mech Eng)

    The aim of this project is to investigate fatigue failures that occur in tubular dragline structures used in mining. The project will lead to lower manufacturing and operational costs and a reduced catastrophic failure risk, which will increase the international competitiveness of Australia's mining industry.

  • Investigation of strength, permeability, deformability and failure mechanisms of rock slopes in large open pit mines
    Funding:   BHP Billiton, $335,000
    Research Team:   Dr P.G. Ranjith , A/Prof J. Kodikara

    Slope failure can cause extensive delay in mining operation. Open-Pit mine excavation would cause a substantial redistribution of both stress and fluid pressure within a region of the order of 100 m or more around the excavation. Proper assessment of discontinuities, stress and potential water infiltration, on potential slope instability, is therefore very crucial.

    The aims of this project are:
    1. To study the hydrological and mechanical properties of intact and fractured rock subjected to insitu stress and pore fluid pressures,
    2. To ascertain the strength, permeability and deformability of jointed rock mass, and
    3. To identify potential mechanisms of slope failure in open cut mines.

  • Prediction and controlling of pipe failures in buried water and gas pipe systems
    Funding:   ARC Linkage Project, $1.1 million over 4 years
    Industry partners:   City West Water, South East Water, Ipswich Water,
    Water Corporation, Alinta, Envestra, SPAusnet.
    Research Team:   A/Prof J. Kodikara, Prof J. Cull, Prof X.L. Zhao, A/Prof M. Bouazza, Dr P. Davis, Prof S. Burn, Prof I. Moore, Dr C. Gallage

    Extensive buried pipe networks are used to convey water and gas services. As these pipes age, unexpected pipe bursts have become commonplace, exerting severe burden on society. Considering the current scarcity of water and gas resources, the wastage of these precious commodities must be minimised at all costs. Pipe burst occurs due to a complex interaction of a range of factors including pipe and soil type and the climate. As the pressures of climate change mount, this issue is becoming ever more important. The objective of the ARC Linkage project is to provide scientific understanding of the pipe burst problem, and develop improved methods for proactive pipe network management, rehabilitation and renewal.

  • Facility for Advancing Water Biofiltration
    Funding:   Vic Government (STI grant scheme), $2.4 million over 3 years
    Industry partners:   Melbourne Water (Vic), Vic Roads (Vic), Manningham City Council (Vic), Landcom (NSW), Brisbane City Council (Qld), The Torrens Catchment and Patawalonga Catchment Water Management Boards (SA)
    Research Team:   Prof A. Deletic, A/Prof T. Fletcher, A/Prof R. Brown, Dr B. Hatt, Dr T. Wong, Dr P. Breen, Dr G. Mudd, A/Prof J. Read

    The main aims of FAWB are to:
    1. provide scientific “proof of concept” for the application of stormwater biofilter technologies so that greater certainty is afforded to all stakeholders in relation to the choice and design of such technologies, and
    2. facilitate industry-wide adoption and implementation of the technology after proof-of-concept is established.

    The specific outcomes of FAWB’s work will be innovative stormwater biofilter technologies underpinned by new scientific knowledge about the key physical, chemical and biological performances. FAWB is also developing design specifications for biofilters that form the basis for written technical guidelines to accompany legislation/regulation.

    • Engineering Profession

    Academic staff represent the department as editorial board members in various local and international reputed journals (see selected list below), and as grant assessors/reviewers for competitive grants (ARC) schemes and overseas granting bodies including European Community Frameworks

    Selected list of Editorial Boards:

    Advanced Steel Construction – An International Journal
    Canadian Geotechnical Journal
    Clay and Clay Minerals
    Geosynthetics International
    IEEE Transactions on Intelligent Transportation Systems
    International Jorunal of Vehicle Information and Communication Systems
    International Journal of Geotextiles and Geomembranes
    International Journal of Lowland Technology
    International Journal of Structural Stability and Dynamics
    Journal of Applied Clay Science
    Journal of Geotechnical & Geoenvironmental Engineering
    Journal of Geotechnical and Geological Engineering
    Open Transportation Journal and Transportation Research Part C
    Road and Transport Research Journal
    Thin-Walled Structures
    Urban Water, UK

    Community

    A water harvesting system was opened by Professor John Thwaites at Syndal South Primary School on Tuesday 28th October 2008 to utilize unique technology co-developed by Monash University ISWR and a private Australian company, Envirostream Solutions. This technology allows for the collection of storm water off all hard surfaces, such as roofs, car parks, walkways and quadrangles. The technology captures and successfully treats the rain runoff to ensure that the water stored can be reused safely on the playing fields and in the toilets of the school. Professor Ana Deletic and her team provided advice and coordination of the project.

    For more details, see link: http://www.eng.monash.edu.au/news/shownews.php?year=2008&nid=11

    Professor John Thwaites at Syndal South Primary School