2024 – Professor Buddhima Indraratna
Citation: For significant service to civil engineering, particularly through infrastructure development, ground improvement and transportation geotechnics.
School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney
Director, Transport Research Centre, since 2020.
Distinguished Professor of Civil Engineering, since 2020.
University of Wollongong
Distinguished Professor of Civil Engineering, 2016-2020.
Founding Director, Centre for Geomechanics and Railway Engineering, 2000-2020.
Founding Director, ARC ITTC Rail – National Industrial Transformation Training Centre, 2018-2020.
Head, School of Civil Mining and Environmental Engineering, 2006-2012.
Head, Postgraduate Research Studies, Faculty of Engineering, 1998-2005.
Cooperative Research Centres
Node Coordinator, CRC – Rail Manufacturing, 2014-2020.
Node Coordinator, CRC – Rail Innovation, 2007-2014.
Pioneer and Theme Leader, CRC – Rail Engineering and Technologies, 2000-2007.
Research and Publications
Research interests include soft soil engineering and ground improvement, transportation geomechanics, jointed rock engineering, and dams and embankment engineering.
Published over 1000 papers and 13 books.
Innovations include:
Recycled-rubber Tyre Foundation infilled with waste rock particles.
Rubber Intermixed Ballast Stratum (RIBS).
Energy Absorbing Recycled-Rubber Sheets (EARS) embracing the circular economy perspectives.
Academic – Other
Chief Investigator and Program leader, ARC Centre of Excellence in Geotechnical Sciences and Engineering, 2011-2017.
Distinguished Adjunct Professor, Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand, since 2015.
Distinguished Honorary Professor, Harbin Institute of Technology, since 2018.
Distinguished Honorary Professor, Shanghai University of Science and Technology, China, since 2009
Distinguished Honorary Professor, Beijing Jiaotong University, China, since 2015.
Distinguished Honorary Professor, Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, Assam, India.
International Society of Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering
Member, Transportation Geomechanics Technical Committee.
Member, Geotechnical Engineering for Natural Disaster Mitigation and Rehabilitation Committee.
Member, Soft Foundation Engineering Committee.
Member, Ground Improvement Committee.
Professional Organisations
Honorary Life Member, Australian Geomechanics Society, 2022.
Fellow, Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, 2011.
Fellow, Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, 2011.
Fellow, Institution of Engineers Australia, 1999.
Fellow, American Society of Civil Engineers, 2004.
Fellow, Geological Society of Londin, United Kingdom (UK), 1991.
Awards and Recognition include:
Sir M. Visveswaraya Award for outstanding contributions to Civil Engineering (outside UK), Inst. of Civil Engineers, UK, 2023.
Honorary Life Member, Australian Geomechanics Society, 2022.
Outstanding Contributions Medal, International Association of Computer Methods and Advances in Geomechanics, 2017.
Louis Menard Lecture Award, International Society of Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE), 2017.
Ralph Proctor Lecture Award, International Society of Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE), 2016.
Individual Award, Railway Technical Society of Australasia, 2015.
Thomas Telford Premium Award, Institute of Civil Engineers, UK, 2015.
CS Desai Excellence Medal, International Association of Computer Methods and Advances in Geomechanics, 2014.
Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Outstanding Research Partnerships, University of Wollongong, 2013.
Engineers Australia Transport Medal, 2011.