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Professor Arul Arulrajah

Professor
PhD, Curtin University of Technology, Australia; MEngSc, University of Malaya, Malaysia; BSc, Purdue University, United States

Biography

Professor Arul Arulrajah leads the Geotechnical Engineering group at Swinburne University of Technology. He has been involved as a Chief Investigator in 40 research projects totalling AUD$15 Million, which includes 7 Australian Research Council (ARC) Linkage Projects grants, 1 ARC Industrial Training Centre, 3 ARC Linkage Infrastructure Equipment grants, 15 competitive state government grants, 6 industry grants and 2 international grants. 

Professor Arulrajah is involved in geotechnical engineering research topics which include: sustainable geotechnics, recycled waste materials, ground improvement, pavement geotechnics, railway geotechnics, land reclamation and dredging. He was the Deputy Training Centre Director and Technical Program Coordinator for the ARC Training Centre for Advanced Technologies in Rail Track Infrastructure (2018-2021).


Professor Arulrajah is the author of 1 book, 5 book chapters, 350+ journal publications and 100+ conference publications to date. He has an H-index of 70 in Google Scholar and 62 in Scopus. He has supervised 22 PhD students to completion as a principal supervisor and 7 as an associate supervisor.

 

Professor Arulrajah’s research has been recognised by several international and Australian awards. His international awards include: Telford Premium Award from the Institution of Civil Engineers, United Kingdom (2021 and 2009); Chair Professor Award from the National Science and Technology Development Agency Thailand  (2020); Shamsher Prakash Prize for Excellence in the Practice of Geotechnical Engineering, USA (2010). His Australian awards include: Australian Pavement and Recycling Association Highly Commended Awards for Excellence in Sustainability and Research (2018 and 2012). He is also the recipient of 6 Swinburne University Vice Chancellor/Researcher Awards.

 

Professor Arulrajah has extensive experience in the geotechnical engineering design, site implementation and project management of numerous large civil engineering infrastructure projects in Australia, Singapore and Malaysia, based on his 14 years of industry experience prior to joining Swinburne in 2006.

Research interests

Geotechnical Engineering

PhD candidate and honours supervision

Higher degrees by research

Accredited to supervise Masters & Doctoral students as Principal Supervisor.

Honours

Available to supervise honours students.

Fields of Research

  • Civil Geotechnical Engineering - 400502

Teaching areas

Geotechnical Engineering

Awards

  • 2021, International, Telford Premium Prize - For one of the best papers published in ICE's journals. Lead author., Institution of Civil Engineers, United Kingdom
  • 2020, National, Finalist for the Victorian Premier’s Sustainability Award (2020) – Built Environment Category; for “Recycled waste plastics and glass fines in concrete footpath”., Premier’s Sustainability Award
  • 2020, International, Editorial Board Member Award, Soils and Foundations
  • 2020, International, Distinguished Professor, Suranaree University of Technology, Thailand (2020) - A lifetime honorary position for collaborative research with Suranaree University of Technology. This includes grants (ARC, Victorian, Thailand projects), high-quality journal , Suranaree University of Technology, Thailand
  • 2020, International, Chair Professor Award - For outstanding innovation and research on the usage of recycled wastes in pavement engineering, with the goal of fulfilling the flagship Zero Waste Thailand policy. , National Science and Technology Development Agency, Thailand
  • 2019, Swinburne, Outstanding Researcher Award - For research grants, publications and other qualitative indicators. , Swinburne University of Technology
  • 2019, International, Best Paper Award, 8th International Conference on Geotechnique, Construction Materials and Environment, Tokyo, Japan
  • 2018, International, Reviewer of Excellence, Computers and Geotechnics (journal), Elsevier
  • 2018, Swinburne, Research Impact Award - For "Recycled materials in geotechnical engineering applications", Swinburne University of Technology
  • 2018, National, Highly Commended Award for Excellence in Sustainability: Chemical and granular stabilisation of pavements using recycled materials, Australian Pavement and Recycling Association (Auststab)
  • 2018, International, Best Paper Award, 8th International Conference on Geotechnique, Construction Materials and Environment, KL, Malaysia
  • 2016, International, Best Paper Award, International Conference on Energy Materials and Applications, Seoul, S. Korea
  • 2016, International, Best Paper Award, 6th International Symposium on Rural Roads, Bangkok, Thailand
  • 2016, International, Best Paper Award, 6th International Conference on Geotechnique, Construction Materials and Environment, Bangkok, Thailand
  • 2014, International, Outstanding Researcher Award, Changi Consulting Engineers, Singapore
  • 2014, National, Finalist for the Australian Innovation Challenge - Manufacturing, Construction and Infrastructure category; for "Green roads and footpaths using recycled materials"., The Australian (newspaper)
  • 2014, International, Best Paper Award, 9th International Conference on Lowland Technologies, Japan
  • 2012, Swinburne, Vice Chancellor's Industry Engagement Award, Swinburne University of Technology
  • 2012, International, Research Collaboration Award, DST Consulting Engineers, Canada
  • 2012, International, Outstanding Reviewer Award, Computers and Geotechnics (journal), Elsevier
  • 2012, National, Highly Commended Award - for Excellence in Research and Education in stabilisation of recycled waste materials., Australian Pavement and Recycling Association (Auststab)
  • 2010, International, Telford Premium Prize - For one of the best papers published in ICE's journals. Lead and corresponding author., Institution of Civil Engineers, United Kingdom
  • 2010, International, Prize for Excellence in the Practice of Geotechnical Engineering, Shamsher Prakash Foundation
  • 2009, Swinburne, Vice-Chancellor's Research Award, Swinburne University of Technology
  • 2008, Swinburne, Vice Chancellor's Sustainability Award, Swinburne University of Technology
  • 2007, Swinburne, Vice Chancelor's Early Career Research Award, Swinburne University of Technology
  • 2007, National, Certificate of Recognition - For innovative biosolids management initiative on the usage of biosolids in geotechnical engineering applications., Smart Water Fund (Wastewater Authorities in Victoria)

Professional memberships

  • 2008 - 2012: Committee Member, ANZ 2012 Geotechnical Conference, Australia
  • 2015 - 2016: Committee Member, Swinburne Academic Senate, Australia
  • 2015 - 2018: Committee Member, Tyre Stewardship Australia, Australia
  • 2017 - 2021: Committee Member, ARC Training Centre for Advanced Technologies in Rail Track Infrastructure, Australia
  • 2013 (current): Associate, Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering, United States
  • 2007 (current): Fellow, Institution of Engineers, Australia
  • 2006 (current): Member, Australian Geomechanics Society, Australia
  • 2006 (current): Member, International Society of Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, Australia
  • 2021 (current): Associate, Transportation Geotechnics, Netherlands
  • 2013 (current): Associate, Environmental Geotechnics (Journal), United Kingdom
  • 2016 - 2020: Associate, Computers and Geotechnics (Journal), United Kingdom
  • 2017 (current): Associate, Ground Improvement (Journal), United Kingdom
  • 2018 - 2021: Associate, Soils and Foundations (Journal), Japan
  • 2016 - 2021: Member, Canadian Geotechnical Journal, Canada

Publications

Also published as: Arulrajah, Arul; Arulrajah, A.; Arulrajah, Atputharajah
This publication listing is provided by Swinburne Research Bank. If you are the owner of this profile, you can update your publications using our online form.

Recent research grants awarded

  • 2023: Biocemented recycled glass columns: green technology for ground improvement *; ARC Linkage Projects Scheme
  • 2021: Biocementation of recycled sand and demolition wastes for pavements *; ARC Linkage Projects Scheme
  • 2021: Fatigue life and biodegradation of biomass waste composites in roads *; ARC Linkage Projects Scheme
  • 2021: Green Brick Pty Ltd - Produce Alkaline Bricks *; Green Brick Pty Ltd Fund Scheme
  • 2021: Ground improvement using recycled concrete aggregates as semi-rigid inclusion columns *; SmartCrete CRC Ltd
  • 2020: Evaluation of Engineering Properties of Water Treatment *; Repurpose-It Fund Scheme
  • 2019: Field Demonstration of Plastics and Glass Fines in Concrete Footpath *; Sustainability Victoria
  • 2019: Foamed bitumen stabilisation of pavements using glass fines and plastics *; Sustainability Victoria
  • 2019: Performance and Design Life of Equine Air and Polyurethane Topped Flexiroc Pavement as a Base for Various Sporting Fields *; Turf One Pty. Ltd.
  • 2019: Recovered plastics and glass fines in rail track substructures *; Sustainability Victoria
  • 2019: Recycled glass with brick/concrete blends in municipal pavement applications *; Sustainability Victoria
  • 2018: Harnessing renewable energy from low-carbon geothermal pavements *; ARC Linkage Projects Scheme
  • 2018: Soft computing based modelling of recycled waste materials in transportation geotechnics *; Stretford Civil Constructions Pty Ltd
  • 2017: ARC Training Centre for Advanced Technologies in Rail Track Infrastructure. *; ARC Industrial Transformation Training Centres
  • 2016: Glass fines in cement treated crushed rock for unbound pavements *; Sustainability Victoria
  • 2014: Geotechnical characterisation of biosolids for use as stabilised fill *; City West Water
  • 2014: National Facility for Cyclic Testing of High-speed Rail (FCTHSR) *; ARC Linkage Infrastructure Equipment and Facilities Scheme - For funding commencing in 2014
  • 2013: Demolition Wastes for Stone Columns *; Victorian Department of Innovation, Industry & Regional Development
  • 2013: End-of-life options for waste paint in Australia *; Sustainability Victoria
  • 2013: X-ray Microscope Facility for Imaging Geo-materials (XMFIG) *; ARC Linkage Infrastructure and Equipment Scheme
  • 2012: Development of an advanced laboratory testing method for the measurement of soil suction under a range of overburden pressures *; IPC Global
  • 2012: Effect of geopolymer cement stabilisation on the fatigue life of pavement sub-bases with recycled demolition aggregates *; ARC Linkage Projects Scheme
  • 2011: Hybrid Testing Facility for Structures under Extreme Loads *; ARC Linkage Infrastructure and Equipment Scheme
  • 2010: Development of specifications for reclaimed demolition materials in footpaths and shared paths *; Municipal Association of Victoria
  • 2010: Field trials of recycled crushed glass in footpaths and shared paths *; Municipal Association of Victoria
  • 2010: Laboratory testing of biosolids for lagoon embankments *; Geotesta
  • 2009: Field testing and field monitoring of recycled crushed glass in trial road pavements *; Recycling Industries
  • 2009: Laboratory testing of recycled crushed glass for road construction applications *; Sustainability Victoria
  • 2009: Sustainable usage of dredged clay materials as land reclamation fills *; ARC Linkage Projects Scheme
  • 2009: The use of recycled crushed glass in trial road pavements with crushed rock and crushed concrete (VISY) *; Visy Industries

* Chief Investigator


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