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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
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
- Manybody 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 Detector
- Proton therapy
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