PhD in Civil Engineering

The School of Engineering conducts research in a broad spectrum of topics with the overall vision of delivering sustainability, longevity and efficiency of infrastructure essential for the 21st century.

Our research strengths are in the fields of:

• asset management and decision making for optimised management of infrastructure
• challenges in supporting infrastructure in reactive and unsaturated soils
• design of new material and structural forms and optimisation
• innovative and sustainable materials
• predicting remaining life of structures including bridges, buildings, tunnels and underground utilities considering changes in climate
• strengthening of structures using innovative techniques
• sustainable construction.

You can select from existing applied research projects that are well supported by industry. These projects will deliver fundamental research leading to innovative new products, processes and knowledge.

You will be closely supervised while you work on a project within one of the following research areas:

• computational mechanics
• construction engineering
• construction management
• construction materials
• geotechnical engineering
• high-strength and high-performance concrete
• infrastructure maintenance and management
• structural engineering
• structural optimisation
• transport engineering
• water systems engineering and water resources.

This PhD may be undertaken in a project, thesis with publication or thesis mode. Prospective candidates should discuss these modes of submission with their potential supervisor/s.

The primary research activities are conducted within these related research centres:

• Centre for Innovative Structures and Materials (CISM)
• Resilient Infrastructure Group.

The School of Engineering has received recognition for world-class research well supported by competitive grants and industry funding. RMIT has received worldwide recognition for fundamental research in:

• structural optimisation
• time dependent structural reliability
• infrastructure resilience
• behaviour of unsaturated soils.

The School of Engineering has world-class laboratory facilities for heavy structures, geotechnical engineering, construction materials and product development and accelerated testing for material and structural degradation in simulated environments.