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Civil Engineering Dissertation Topics

Published by Carmen Troy at January 10th, 2023 , Revised On August 17, 2023

Introduction

The importance of civil engineering works in the modern world cannot be understated, thanks to the growing public and commercial infrastructure requirement. The main focus of civil engineering is to develop a sustainable society where businesses can flourish.

Civil engineers in today’s world are keen to develop sustainable buildings, and therefore sustainable construction research topics are frequently researched by civil engineering students. 

To help you get started with brainstorming for civil engineering topic ideas, we have developed a list of the latest topics that can be used for writing your civil engineering dissertation project.

These topics have been developed by PhD-qualified writers of our team , so you can trust to use these topics for drafting your dissertation.

You may also want to start your dissertation by requesting  a brief research proposal  from our writers on any of these topics, which includes an  introduction  to the problem,  research question , aim and objectives,  literature review  along with the proposed  methodology  of research to be conducted.  Let us know  if you need any help in getting started.

Check our  example dissertation to get an idea of  how to structure your dissertation .

You can review step by step guide on how to write your dissertation  here.

2022 Civil Engineering Research Topics

Topic 1: building demolition- analyse the efficacy of destroying and ruining big city structures and their impact on the traffic..

Research Aim: Many big cities around the world have demolished a vast number of buildings that were functional with new structures. It not only has an economic impact but also results in the loss of urban culture, harms the environment, cause pollution, and also worsen the traffic situation. This study will evaluate the merits of building demotion and will provide economic, technical and environmental input.

Topic 2: Rural housing at low cost- Improving Water Diversion, Electricity Grids, and other Infrastructure to reduce the expenses.

Research Aim: Water, sanitation, wastewater systems, electricity, and rural infrastructure all impact human development outcomes. This study will examine rural housing at a low cost focusing on the improvement of water diversion, electricity grids and infrastructure services. It will also look into the policies made to avoid certain problems and help us understand how these things have influenced life in rural regions.

Topic 3: Examining the use of Activated Flash as a Binder in pavement adjustments to allow acceptable tension reinforcing stresses in order to Control Cracking in concrete.

Research Aim: This study will examine the use of activated flash as a binder in pavement adjustments to allow acceptable tension reinforcing stresses to control cracking. Cracks usually emerge as a result of mechanical loads, adverse response and environmental impact, and the frequent cracking negatively impacts the performance of concrete. This study will focus on the appropriate measures that should be taken, designs, material and construction practices to extend the life without any loss.

Topic 4: Strengthening an existing structure to allow it to withstand climate change - An analysis.

Research Aim: Buildings are dependent on environmental conditions. This study will analyse the strengthening of the existing structure to protect it from the effects of climate change. Focusing on the material used for the protection, sustainability and strengthening of the building and the adaption of new construction standards. A milder temperature will lower the lifespan of building materials and impact the indoor climate of the building. More storms, snow or subsidence damage, water encroachment, and a bad indoor environment all contribute to a reduced building lifespan, raising the risk of collapse, worsening health, and significant loss of value in return.

Topic 5: An investigation of the use of Graphene-Fabricated nanoparticles for Water Purification- Comparison between Cost-Effectiveness and Benefits.

Research Aim: The main goal of this study is to conduct a unique investigation of the use of manufactured nanomaterials of graphene for water purification. The project intends to undertake a comparison of the benefits and cost-effectiveness of graphene processes. Furthermore, this study also intends to give an evaluation of graphene nanomaterial’s impact on water treatment and will analyse many futures and emerging perspectives.

Covid-19 Civil Engineering Research Topics

Topic 1: civil engineering after coronavirus: identify the consequences of covid-19 on civil engineering in the uk or any country of your choice..

Research Aim: This research will focus on identifying the impacts of coronavirus on civil engineering in the selected country.

Topic 2: Research to study the damage caused to the construction projects due to the lack of workers on site.

Research Aim: This study will focus on identifying the damage caused to construction projects as the workers are staying away from the sites. What measures are taken to complete these projects and recover the loss?

Topic 3: Contractors and Builders after Covid-19: business industry, tender opportunities, and planning to continue business

Research Aim: This research aims at identifying the conditions faced by contractors and builders. What is their plan to deal with the COVID-19 crisis? How did it affect the business industry and tender opportunities?

Topic 4: Cite Operating Procedures: research the various safety measures for workers, contractors, and engineers working on construction sites.

Research Aim: This research is conducted to know about various safety measures taken by the government and private organisations for workers, contractors, and engineers working on construction sites.

Topic 5: Investigate how civil engineers are working from home: Identify whether remote working can be a long-lasting solution to recover the loss caused by Covid-19.

Research Aim: Remote working has emerged as a ray of hope for mechanical engineers amid this pandemic. This research will focus on the advantages and disadvantages of remote working and also answer the question of whether it is a long-lasting solution or not.

Topic 6: Research to study the economic and labour crisis as a result of Coronavirus

Research Aim: This research will focus on the financial loss and labour crisis caused due to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

Topic 7: Research to study the disruption of the supply chain, shortage of contractors, workers, and material, cancellation of contracts due to COVID-19

Research Aim: This research will focus on identifying the disruption of the supply chain, shortage of contractors, workers, and material, cancellation of contracts as a result of Covid-19.

Topic 8: Research to throw the light on the future of the construction Industry after the Coronavirus pandemic.

Research Aim: This research will focus on predicting how the construction industry will transform after the COVID-19 pandemic. What challenges may it face, and what could be the possible ways to meet those challenges?

Civil Engineering Dissertation Topics for 2021

Topic 1: computational mechanics and modelling.

Research Aim: This research aims to study the role of computational mechanics and to model In civil engineering

Topic 2: Development in Rock Mechanics

Research Aim: This research aims to highlight the recent developments in Rock Mechanics

Topic 3: Assessment of the bridges with innovative ideas

Research Aim: This research aims to address the need to assess bridges and propose innovative ideas for bridge constructions and designs.

Topic 4: Efficiently managing the water resources

Research Aim: This research aims to focus on the effective management of water resources during constructions

Topic 5: Stability of high rise buildings

Research Aim: This research aims to address the issues of the instability of high-rise buildings and stress on ensuring their stability by highlighting the gaps in the literature review and providing a strong recommendation for researchers.

Civil Engineering Dissertation Topics for 2020

Topic 1: reliability of foundation performance and implications for structural design.

Research Aim: The main purpose of the research will be to use a reliability-based approach to performance by using two complementary approaches; macroscopic and action-oriented approach and microscopic and analysis-oriented approach to evaluate major risks and strategies that can be used to implement in complicated structural systems and designs.

Find 100s of dissertation topics in your other academic subjects in our free topics database.

Topic 2: Behavior of steelwork connection at large deflection in a fire

Research Aim: This research study will explore the behaviour of steelworks at large deflection in a fire. The researcher will use a unified computing model to simulate the behaviour of steelworks and their impacts on the deflection in the fire. Several other factors will also be identified in the study, such as limiting temperature criteria, loading and unloading effects, and explosion load ratios.

Topic 3: User-friendly model of degrading groundwater pollution plume

Research Aim: Groundwater pollution plumes consist of degradable compounds and materials, which results in declining the overall natural processes and their effectiveness to marine life. There have been studies that aimed to explore the slow degradation processes of pollution plumes in groundwater. However, this is particular research will aim to explore different factors that cause groundwater pollution plumes and contributes to its slow degradation process. Finally, the study will propose a user-friendly model to degrade the groundwater pollution plume.

Topic 4: Examination of advanced solution strategies for non-linear FE analysis

Research Aim: This research is aimed to explore the role of advanced solution strategies that help the engineers and builders to carry out Non-linear FE analysis. In this study, the researcher will demonstrate the static and dynamic problems related to the non-linear effects of solid structures and systems.

Topic 5: Strength, stiffness, non-linearity, and the volumetric response of concrete under triaxial compression

Research Aim: In this study, the researcher will demonstrate the behaviour of concrete under the situation of triaxial compression. The researcher aims to understand the stiffness, volumetric and compressive behaviour of concrete which may cause the deformation in concrete when pressure is applied.

  • Research to Set up Remote Sensing Applications to Assist in the Development of Sustainable Enterprise
  • Research to Study and Develop Water Treatment Processes
  • Research to Study Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies
  • Research to Study Sustainable Engineering: New Objectives for Construction Projects
  • Research Regarding Micromechanics of Granular Materials.
  • Research to Transform a Manufacturing Plant to a Sustainable Enterprise.
  • Research to Study the Relationship Between Sustainability and Learning Organisation.
  • Research to Study the Impact of Sustainability Concepts on Organisational Growth and Development.
  • Research to Ensure Sustainable Heat Conservation Generated from Compressors within a Manufacturing Site.
  • Research to Study and Develop Waste Reduction Strategy to Achieve Sustainable Concepts
  • Research to Study Properties of Concrete to Achieve Sustainability.
  • Research to Study the Relationship between Lean Manufacturing and Sustainable Manufacturing.
  • Research to Study Sustainability and its Impact on Learning Organisation.
  • Development of Sustainable Homes with the Help of Renewable Energy Sources.
  • Seismic Design of Cold Formed Steel Structures in Residential Applications
  • Living Tree Buildings

Also Read:   Human Resource Management Dissertation Topics

  • Application of Ultra High Strength Concrete in LNG Terminals
  • Mechanical Behaviour of Bridge Bearings of Concrete Bridges
  • Winter Damage of Porous Asphalt
  • Human Induced Lateral Vibration of Bridges
  • The Optimization of Tripod Substructure and its Application to Two Different Topsides
  • Traffic Induced Bearing Loads and Movements of a Steel Plate-girder Bridge
  • Snap through of Large Shield Driven Tunnels
  • A Timber Bearing Structure for ‘Concept House
  • The Sustainable Refurbishment of BK City
  • The Elevated Metro Structure in Concrete, UHPC, and Composite
  • Covering A28 Highway at Amersfoort
  • Numerical Modelling of Turbidity Currents in Submarine Channels
  • Post-trenching with a Trailing Suction Hopper Dredge
  • Morphological Impact of Coastal Structures
  • Modelling Nearshore Currents Driven by Waves and Set-up Gradients
  • Gaining New Insights Regarding Traffic Congestion, by Explicitly Considering the Variability in Traffic
  • Dynamic Behaviour of Tunnel Elements 38 During the Immersion process
  • Long-term Morphological M0delling of the Mouth of the Columbia River
  • “Feasibility Study of a Climate Dike”
  • Conditioning of Aggressive Water
  • Swale Filter Drain System: The Inflow – Discharge Relation.
  • Low Cost Disdrometer
  • Observing Tidal Slack in the Scheldt Estuary
  • Clogging of Permeable Pavements 53 in Semi-arid Areas
  • Analyzing the Effects of Large-scale Green Roof Implementation in Singapore
  • Accelerating the Introduction of Electric Bicycles
  • A Critical Reappraisal of Some Problems in Engineering Seismology
  • Systems and Sustainability: Sustainable development, Civil engineering and the Formation of the Civil Engineer
  • Sustainable Engineering: The Future of Structural Design
  • Environmentally Sustainable Construction Products and Materials – Assessment of release

Not Sure Which Dissertation Topic to Choose? Use Our  Topic Planning Service

Also Read:  Dissertation Topics in Engineering Management 

Important Notes:

As a civil engineering student looking to get good grades, it is essential to develop new ideas and experiment on existing civil engineering theories – i.e., to add value and interest in your research topic.

The field of civil engineering is vast and interrelated to so many other academic disciplines like  construction ,  law , engineering management , healthcare , mental health , artificial intelligence , tourism , physiotherapy , sociology , management , marketing and nursing . That is why it is imperative to create a project management dissertation topic that is articular, sound, and actually solves a practical problem that may be rampant in the field.

We can’t stress how important it is to develop a logical research topic; it is the basis of your entire research. There are several significant downfalls to getting your topic wrong; your supervisor may not be interested in working on it, the topic has no academic creditability, the research may not make logical sense, there is a possibility that the study is not viable.

This impacts your time and efforts in  writing your dissertation  as you may end up in the cycle of rejection at the very initial stage of the dissertation. That is why we recommend reviewing existing research to develop a topic, taking advice from your supervisor, and even asking for help in this particular stage of your dissertation.

While developing a research topic, keeping our advice in mind will allow you to pick one of the best civil engineering dissertation topics that fulfil your requirement of writing a research paper and add to the body of knowledge.

Therefore, it is recommended that when finalizing your dissertation topic, you read recently published literature to identify gaps in the research that you may help fill.

Remember- dissertation topics need to be unique, solve an identified problem, be logical, and be practically implemented. Please take a look at some of our sample civil engineering dissertation topics to get an idea for your dissertation.

How to Structure your Dissertation on Civil Engineering

A well-structured   dissertation can help students   to achieve a high overall academic grade.

  • A Title Page
  • Acknowledgements
  • Declaration
  • Abstract: A summary of the research completed
  • Table of Contents
  • Introduction : This chapter includes the project rationale, research background, key research aims and objectives, and the research problems to be addressed. An outline of the structure of a dissertation  can also be added to this chapter.
  • Literature Review :  This chapter presents relevant theories and frameworks by analysing published and unpublished literature available on the chosen research topic, in light of  research questions  to be addressed. The purpose is to highlight and discuss the relative weaknesses and strengths of the selected research area whilst identifying any research gaps. Break down of the topic, and key terms can have a positive impact on your dissertation and your tutor.
  • Methodology:  The  data collection  and  analysis  methods and techniques employed by the researcher are presented in the Methodology chapter which usually includes  research design, research philosophy, research limitations, code of conduct, ethical consideration, data collection methods, and  data analysis strategy .
  • Findings and Analysis:  Findings of the research are analysed in detail under the Findings and Analysis chapter. All key findings/results are outlined in this chapter without interpreting the data or drawing any conclusions. It can be useful to include  graphs , charts, and   tables in this chapter to identify meaningful trends and relationships.
  • Discussion  and  Conclusion: The researcher presents his interpretation of results in this chapter, and states whether the research hypothesis has been verified or not. An essential aspect of this section of the paper is to draw a linkage between the results and evidence from the literature. Recommendations with regards to implications of the findings and directions for the future may also be provided. Finally, a summary of the overall research, along with final judgments, opinions, and comments, must be included in the form of suggestions for improvement.
  • References: This should be completed in accordance with your University’s requirements
  • Bibliography
  • Appendices:  Any additional information, diagrams, graphs that were used to  complete the  dissertation  but not part of the dissertation should be included in the Appendices chapter. Essentially, the purpose is to expand the information/data.

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How to find dissertation topics about civil engineering.

To discover civil engineering dissertation topics:

  • Investigate emerging technologies.
  • Analyze infrastructure challenges.
  • Explore sustainability and green solutions.
  • Review recent research in journals.
  • Consider urban planning or construction innovations.
  • Opt for a topic aligning with your passion and career aims.

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Engineering Dissertation Topics

A dissertation (or a final year project report) is a comprehensive technical report of the research work carried out. A dissertation must present some new, original concepts that lead to further research. The core area of a dissertation consists of a hypothesis (or a research question) upon which an investigation is conducted and, in most cases, inevitably leads to further research. A dissertation must be focused, concise and must address the research topics at every level. Also, along with research, a dissertation is expected to present complete evidence of research work in the form of research methods. Sometimes it’s hard to even know where to start. Herein, many engineering research areas, currently being sought after in the industry and academia, are suggested, including electronics, sensors technology, environmental engineering, supply chain engineering, computer science engineering, electrical engineering and civil engineering, to help you start your research.

  • Electronics and Communication Dissertation Topics

Sensors Technology Dissertation Topics

Environmental engineering dissertation topics, supply chain engineering dissertation topics, supply chain management dissertation topics, computer science engineering dissertation topics, electrical engineering dissertation topics, civil engineering dissertation topics, management related engineering dissertation topics, electronics and communications dissertation topics.

Over the past decade the rise of electronic communication has been revolutionised; it is the fastest growing technology. There are numerous areas of research in this field; however, the most demanding ones are highlighted below.

  • Defining the boundaries of electrical signals for current electronics (communication) systems.
  • The limitation of fibre optic communication systems and the possibility of further improving their efficiency.
  • Developing the embedded communication system for the national grid to optimise energy usage.
  • Improvement of inter-symbol interference in optical communications.
  • A study of the various forms of errors and the development of an equalisation technique to reduce the error rates in data.
  • Gaussian pulse analysis and the improvement of this pulse to reduce errors.
  • Realising the potential of RFID in the improvement of supply chain.
  • Radiation in integrated circuits and electronic devices.
  • Design of high speed communication circuits that effectively cut down signal noise.
  • Spectral sensing research for water monitoring applications and frontier science and technology for chemical, biological and radiological defence.
  • Nano-structured membranes for preparative purifications of biopharmaceuticals.

The rise of smart technology has been revolutionising sensor technologies, and there is a high demand to make more efficient and compact sensors. The following topics are a few areas that researchers are currently working in to realise further potentials.

  • Design and development of a pressure sensor for a solar thermal panel.
  • An investigation into wind speed and direction sensors to optimise the operations of wind turbines.
  • Utilising MEMS for profiling airflow around large building structures.
  • Development of micro sensors to measure oil flow rate in tanks.
  • Development and implementation of micro sensors to study pressure of the blood stream.
  • Development of sensors to measure heat generated from solar panels.
  • Sensing and controlling the intensity of light in LEDs.
  • Research and computational simulation of a natural olfactory biosensor.
  • Development of glucose biosensors using nanotechnology.

We are living in the age of technology where the driving force is to reduce the environmental impact of engineering products. Many countries have been undertaking projects supporting the environment and aiming to reduce carbon emissions. The following engineering dissertation topics are of utmost interest for researchers in the industry.

  • Analysing the impact of aviation industry on the environment and the potential ways to reduce it.
  • The environmental cost of the so called green energy, ‘wind energy’.
  • An analysis of factors that hinder the realising of cutting-edge technology for reducing carbon emissions from automobiles.
  • Design and development of a system for measuring the carbon index of an energy intensive company.
  • Process improvement techniques to identify and remove waste in the automotive industry.
  • Process mapping techniques to identify bottle necks for supply chain industry.
  • A study of compressor operations on a forging site and mapping operations to identify and remove energy waste.
  • Improving processes to reduce kWh usage and reduce inefficiencies.
  • Developing a compact device to measure energy use for a household.
  • In the forging industry how can changing burners within furnaces help organisations achieve energy efficiency?
  • How can gas consumption be reduced and efficiency introduced to reduce kWh usage?
  • How can voltage reduction devices help organisations achieve efficiency in electricity usage?
  • What are carbon credits and how can organisations generate them?
  • There are some organisations that use water excessively, with bills totalling more than £25,000. Identify the main reasons for such water usage and investigate better ways to introduce water efficiency and create savings.
  • Identify the ways by which efficient control systems using information systems can be introduced to study the energy usage in a machining factory.
  • A project to set up ways to measure natural gas flow ultrasonically and identify waste areas.
  • How can water conductivity probes help determine water quality and how can water be reused?

Supply chain plays an important role in the manufacturing business sector. It is important that the supply chain is well supported by efficient methods and processes. Your engineering dissertation topics could be about:

  • Highlighting the difference between the supply chain engineering and management for a company to improve output.
  • Analysing the key factors in process planning and optimisation of supply chain for a manufacturing company.
  • Developing a supply chain template for a small but thriving online business.
  • How can organisations achieve success by reducing bottlenecks in supply chain?
  • Just-in-time – is it really valid? Measurement of losses within just-in-time process implementation.
  • How can process efficiency be introduced to reduce waste within the manufacturing process?
  • Supplier relationship is an important factor for the success of just-in-time. How can organisations ensure successful transactions?
  • Research to identify efficient logistics operations within a supply chain.
  • Research to introduce efficiency within information systems and support timely transfer of knowledge and information.
  • The effect of globalisation on supply chain engineering/management for large multi-national companies.
  • Research studying the impact of culture on supply chain industries: identification of factors that generate inefficiencies with the supply chain.

Supply chain management involves the administration, management, control and supervision of the movement of goods and services from supplier to manufacturer to wholesaler to retailer and to the end consumer. Supply chain management involves coordinating and integrating these elements using an effective and efficient approach and methodology. Supply chain management is important for businesses to ensure there is minimum waste, drive innovation thereby creating integrated value chains. Supply chain management plays an important and central role in the success of a business. Please find a list of topics on supply chain management that may be useful for your engineering dissertation:

  • A detailed investigation into the need and use of dynamic staff to determine and rectify supply chain problems with a specific focus on the construction industry.
  • Research into eco-friendly and sustainable practices in supply chain management.
  • Research to develop a learning organisation and its impact on supply chain management.
  • Research to measure and develop intellectual capital within the supply chain industry.
  • A detailed study of innovative forecasting and demand planning strategies for supply chain management
  • Research study to create measurements to study the impact of learning organisation on performance measurement in supply chain industry
  • Impact of training on knowledge performance index within supply chain industry.
  • The behaviour of Carbon index with the implementation of a learning organisation.
  • Developing a framework for supply chain management in densely populated urban cities
  • Detailed investigation and analysis taking into account supply chain and logistical strategies for perishable goods.
  • The influence and impact of emerging e-commerce technologies on supply chain management.

Computer science engineering focuses on the key elements of computer programming and networking with a focus on gaining knowledge of the design, implementation and management of information systems. Information systems play a major role in computer science engineering and an integral component to the successful operations of organisations. The management of information technology systems is a major element for organisations. The following could be used for an engineering dissertation as well as a computing dissertation:

  • How can organisations ensure that information system is effectively used to maintain process efficiency?
  • How can learning organisations influence the development of information systems?
  • The role of risk management in information technology systems of organisations.
  • Research to identify and reduce e-waste using information technology strategies and systems.
  • Current status and research on E-waste in the United Kingdom
  • Development of measurement systems to measure e-waste.
  • A detailed review of the role of information technology in improving productivity and transforming organisations.
  • An investigation into the use of information technology as a tool for sustained competitive advantage.
  • A high-level investigation and detailed review into best practices for the implementation of information technology in modern day organisations.

Electrical engineering is focused on the design, development, testing, supervision and the manufacturing of electrical equipment. Electrical engineers design the electrical systems of automobiles, aircrafts, power generation equipment, communications systems, radar and navigational systems. The design and development of these electrical components are key and central to modern day life. There are several topics within this area that you could research for your electrical engineering dissertation:

  • Development of a system to study the efficiency of motors in order to reduce kWh usage
  • Setting up of a control system to monitor the process usage of compressors.
  • Develop a scheme to normalise compressor output to kWh.
  • Research to investigate, develop and introduce schemes to ensure efficient energy consumption by electrical machines.
  • Research to study transformer losses and reduce energy loss.
  • Research to study metering techniques to control and improve efficiency.
  • Research to introduce smart metering concepts to ensure efficient use of electricity.
  • Integration of smart metering pulsed outputs with wireless area networks and access real-time data.
  • Developing effective strategies and methodical systems for pay as you go charging for electric vehicles
  • A detailed review and investigation into the key issues and challenges facing rechargeable lithium batteries
  • Trends and challenges in electric vehicles technologies
  • Smart charging of electric vehicles on the motorway

The main emphasis of civil engineering in recent times is focused on sustainable development of quality, durable structures that deliver value for money, maximise the benefits from innovation and meets the specifications of the end users. Construction of sustainable houses has been a top priority within civil engineering. The following research topics are being actively undertaken and may be a good area for you to base your research on your own engineering dissertation:

  • Development of sustainable homes making use of renewable energy sources.
  • The use of sustainable materials for construction: design and delivery methods.
  • The role of environmental assessment tools in sustainable construction
  • The use of warm mix asphalt in road construction
  • Research to study properties of concrete to achieve sustainability.
  • Development of waste reduction strategy to achieve sustainable concepts
  • High-level review of the barriers and drivers for sustainable buildings in developing countries
  • Research to study the impact of sustainability concepts on organisational growth and development.
  • Sustainable technologies for the building construction industry
  • Building Information Modelling in the construction industry
  • Research regarding micromechanics of granular materials.
  • Research to study and develop water treatment processes.
  • Research to set up remote sensing applications to assist in the development of sustainable construction techniques.
  • High-level strategies, best practice guidelines and methodologies for sustainable construction.
  • State of the art practice for recycling in the construction industry.
  • Key factors and risk factors associated with the construction of high rise buildings.
  • An investigation into health and safety in the construction industry.

Engineering management is the application of the practice of management to the practice of engineering. Engineering management integrates problem-solving, engineering, technological developments and advancements in organizational structure, administrative, and planning abilities of management in order to oversee the operational performance of complex engineering driven enterprises. These two topics go hand in hand and support each other quite well. It is important that both sides are well balanced. The following research topics could be useful for your engineering dissertation:

  • Steps to conduct management of change to ensure smooth process improvement.
  • Research to sustainably manage a project team.
  • Research to study the management of engineering projects and various risks involved with them.
  • Research to identify process improvement plans to support business strategies.
  • Efficient supply chain management to ensure and develop key motivational skills within staff members.
  • How leadership can help efficiency within a learning organisation.
  • Developing an integrated approach to strategic management in organisations.
  • Creating and sustaining competitive advantage in engineering organisations.
  • Developing frameworks for sustainable assessments taking into account eco-engineering measures.
  • The role of engineers in managing development in emerging countries.

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Digital Commons @ USF > College of Engineering > Civil and Environmental Engineering > Theses and Dissertations

Civil and Environmental Engineering Theses and Dissertations

Theses/dissertations from 2023 2023.

The Influence of Corrosion Mitigating Fluids on Post Tensioned Tendon Grout Properties and Steel to Grout Bond Strength , Sarita Ale Magar

Exploring Alternative Electron Donors for Heterotrophic Denitrification at a Water Reclamation Facility in Tampa Bay , Tejas Athavale

Mechanisms Contributing to Hydrogen-Influenced Early Failure of Bridge Tendons , David Dukeman

The Influence of Bipolar Electrochemical Cell Geometry on the Studies of Pitting Corrosion , Amin Kazem Ghamsari

Field-Base Exploratory Study of Microbial Activity in Eight Potable Water Storage Tanks in Barbados , Katelyn M. Long

Land Use/Land Cover Uncertainty Analysis Using Hydrological Modeling in the Northern Watershed of Lake Okeechobee , Andres Lora Santos

Modeling Leachate Treatment Processes in Adsorbent-amended Hybrid Constructed Wetland , Ishfaqun Nisa

Effects of Downdrag on Pile Performance , Ruthvik Pendyala

Anaerobic Digestion of Brewery Waste Including Spent Yeast and Hops , Dhanashree Rawalgaonkar

Characteristics and Hydraulic Behavior of Adsorptive Media for Use in Permeable Reactive Barriers , Shelby Rocha

Exploratory Data-Driven Models for Water Quality: A Case Study for Tampa Bay Water , Sandra Sekyere

Interdependency between Water and Road Infrastructures: Cases and Impacts , Shihab Uddin

Hurricanes and Tropical Storms’ Impact on Water Quality in Lake Okeechobee, Florida , Daniela Vasquez Diaz

Exploration of Shared Passenger Urban Air Mobility – Integrated Network Design, Operation Scheduling and System Configuration , Zhiqiang Wu

Rehabilitation Technologies to Abate Infiltration in Sanitary Sewers , Steve Youssef

Adsorption of Long and Short Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) onto Granular Activated Carbon and Porous Organic Polymers , Yan Zhang

Adiabatic Temperature Rise and Durability Performance of Slag Blended Concrete , Hai Zhu

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

Effects of Downdrag on Pile Performance , Malaak Omelia Araujo

Quantifying a 21-year Surface Water and Groundwater Interaction in a Ridge and Valley Lake Environment Using a Highly Constrained Modeling Approach , Richard T. Bowers Jr.

A Convergent Approach to Aqueous Lead (Pb) Mitigation of a Supplemental Self-Supply Shallow Groundwater Source Accessed by Handpumps in Madagascar , Adaline Marie Buerck

Identifying Significant Factors Affecting the Likelihood and Severity Level of Shared E-scooter Crashes , Recep Can Cakici

Evaluation of Aluminum Dissolution, Current Density, and Pitting Patterns During Electrocoagulation , Monica Castro Carias

Carbon Diversion, Partial Nitritation/Anammox Enrichment, and Ammonium Capture as Initial Stages for Mainstream Ion Exchange-Deammonification Process , Sheyla Chero-Osorio

Data Driven Approaches for Understanding and Improving Urban Mobility , Yujie Guo

Assessment of Scoured Bridges Subjected to Vessel Impact Using Nonlinear Dynamic Analysis , Amir S. Irhayyim

Assessment and Prevention of Bacterial Regrowth in Stored Household Water in Eastern Coastal Madagascar , Lauren Judah

The Impact of Land Use Change on Hydrology Using Hydrologic Modelling and Geographical Information System (GIS) , Nattachan Luesaksiriwattana

Simulating Flood Control in Progress Village, Florida Using Storm Water Management Model (SWMM) , Azize Minaz

Effects of Slurry Type on Drilled Shaft Strength , Cesar Quesada Garcia

Comparison Study of Consumer’s Perception toward Urban Air Mobility in the United States and Rest of the World Using Social Media Information , S M Toki Tahmid

Advanced Methods for Railroad Station Operation Decisions: Data Analytics, Optimization, Automation , Yuan Wang

High-Risk Traffic Crash Pattern Recognition and Identification Using Econometric Models and Machine Learning Models , Runan Yang

Biochar Amended Biological Systems for Enhanced Landfill Leachate and Lignocellulosic Banana Waste Treatment , Xia Yang

Passive Radiative Cooling by Spectrally Selective Nanoparticles in Thick Film Nanocomposites , David Allen Young

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

A System Architecture for Water Distribution Networks , Noha Abdel-Mottaleb

Sustainability Assessment of a Pressure Retarded Osmosis System , Samar Al Mashrafi

Health Risk Assessment of Local Populations Ingesting Water with Naturally Occurring Arsenic and Fecal Related Contaminants in Lake Atitlan, Guatemala , Marisol Alvarez

Influence of Coating Defects Within the Lock Seams on the Corrosion Performance of Aluminized Steel Drainage Pipes , Mohammed Al Yaarubi

Longitudinal Trajectory Tracking Analysis for Autonomous Electric Vehicles Based on PID Control , Hossein Amiri

An Assessment and Exploration of Recent Methodological Advances in Safety Data Analysis , Suryaprasanna Kumar Balusu

Pressure Retarded Osmosis: A Potential Technology for Seawater Desalination Energy Recovery and Concentrate Management , Joshua Benjamin

Assessing the Feasibility of Microbially Managed Biological Filtration in U.S. Drinking Water Systems for Removal of Contaminants of Emerging Concern , Andrew J. Black

The Effect of Cement and Blast Furnace Slag Characteristics on Expansion of Heat-Cured Mortar Specimens , Jair G. Burgos

A Systems Approach for Improving the Performance of Rural Community-Managed Water Systems Using SIASAR: Case Studies in Bolivia and Colombia , Rachel A. Cannon

Passive Nitrifying Biofilters for Onsite Treatment of Saline Domestic Wastewater , Daniel Arnulfo Delgado

Plastic Pollution in Urban Rivers: Spatial and Temporal Patterns of Plastic Release and Transport , Charlotte Juliane Haberstroh

Effects of Nitrate on Arsenic Mobilization during Aquifer Storage and Recovery , Hania Hawasli

Prediction of the Effects of Turbulence on Vehicle Hydroplaning using a Numerical Model , Thathsarani Dilini Herath Herath Mudiyanselage

Shortcut Nitrogen Removal in Photo-sequencing Batch Reactor, Experiments, Dynamic Model and Full-scale Design , Sahand Iman Shayan

Chorine Conversion: Biological and Water Quality Impact on Activated Carbon Block Point of Use Filters , Horace S. Jakpa

Efficient Management of Nitrogen and Phosphorus at Centralized Water Reclamation Facilities , Helene Kassouf

Building and Characterizing a Lab-Scaled Aquifer Storage and Recovery System , Murat Can Kayabas

Corrosion Rate Prediction in FRP-Concrete Repair , Mohammad A. Khawaja

Use of Biochar and Zeolite for Landfill Leachate Treatment: Experimental Studies and Reuse Potential Assessment , Thanh Thieu Lam

Feasibility of Epoxy Bond Enhancement on High-Strength Concrete , Amanda A. Lewis

Leaf Cutter Ant Nest Soil Cement Stabilized Earthen Bricks: Materials and Methods for Engineering Field Applications , Faith Malay

Minimum Cut-Sets for the Identification of Critical Water Distribution Network Segments , Xiliang Mao

An Assessment of Nutrient Improvement in Surface Water Due to the Conversion of Onsite Sewage Treatment and Disposal Systems to Sewerage , Jenelle A. Mohammed

Development of a Numerical Process Model for Adsorbent-amended Constructed Wetlands , Lillian Mulligan

Corrosion Propagation of Stainless Steel Reinforced Concrete , Nelly Sofía Orozco Martínez

Corrosion Durability Service Life of Calcium Silicate-Based Reinforced Concrete , Carolina Páez Jiménez

Assessment of the Environmental Sustainability of a Small Water Production Facility in Madagascar , Jesal Patel

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Analysis of the Hydraulic Performance and Bio-kinetics in a Full-Scale Oxidation Ditch , Kiesha C. Pierre

Biochar Amended Bioretention Systems for Nutrient and Fecal Indicator Bacteria Removal from Urban and Agricultural Runoffs , Md Yeasir Arif Rahman

Understanding the Leaching Mechanism for Lead (Pb) Found in Components of Locally Manufactured Handpumps in Eastern Madagascar , Nidhi Shah

Impacts of Automated Vehicle Technologies on Future Traffic , Xiaowei Shi

Community Assessment of Water Perceptions and Household Point-of-Use Treatment Methods in Madagascar , Isabella Rose Silverman

Laboratory Examination of Lead Weights Harvested from Pitcher Pumps in Eastern Madagascar , Madelyn Wilson

Impact of grain morphology on the temporal evolution of interfacial area during multi-phase flow in porous media , Fizza Zahid

EAV Fleet Management in Transportation and Power Systems , Dongfang Zhao

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A Framework for Assessing the Reliability, Availability, Maintainability, and Safety (RAMS) of Decentralized Sanitation , Adefunké Adeosun

Development of an Organic Processor Assembly (OPA) for Sustainable Resource Recovery to Enable Long-Duration, Deep-Space Human Exploration (LoDDSHE) , Talon James Bullard

Black Lives Matter in Engineering, Too! An Environmental Justice Approach towards Equitable Decision-Making for Stormwater Management in African American Communities , Maya Elizabeth Carrasquillo

Coral Reef Restoration in the Tropical West Atlantic Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic , Linden Cheek

Designing Next-generation Transportation Systems with Emerging Vehicle Technologies , Zhiwei Chen

Strength Restoration of Corrosion Damaged Piles Repaired with Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer Systems , Jethro Clarke

Water Quality and Sustainability Assessment of Rural Water Systems in the Comarca Ngäbe-Buglé, Panama , Corbyn Cools

Rapid Cross-Section Imaging with Magnetic and Impedance Sensors for Grout Anomaly Detection in External Post-Tensioned Tendons , Hani Freij

Enhanced Nitrogen, Organic Matter and Color Removal from Landfill Leachate by Biological Treatment Processes with Biochar and Zeolite , Bisheng Gao

Bond Life of Structural Epoxy-Concrete Systems Under Accelerated Hygrothermal Aging , Philip W. Hopkins

Socio-Technical Transitions in the Water Sector: Emerging Boundaries for Utility Resilience in Barbados , Wainella N. Isaacs

Structural and Agricultural Value at Risk in Florida from Flooding during Hurricane Irma , Alexander J. Miller

An Inferential Study of the Potential Consumer Value of Free Charging for Users of Public Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure , Divyamitra Mishra

Reimagining Bottom-up Participatory Climate Change Adaptation in the Philippines , Emily Clark Nabong

Effects of Physical and Chemical Characteristics of Slags and Cements on Durability of Portland Cement-Slag Blended Systems , Farzaneh Nosouhian

Using a Systems Thinking Approach and Health Risk Assessment to Analyze the Food-Energy-Water System Nexus of Seaweed Farming in Belize , Estenia J. Ortiz Carabantes

Implementation of Large-Scale Anaerobic Digestion of Food Waste at the University of South Florida , Karamjit Panesar

Enhanced Fluoride Removal in Biosand Filters Using Aluminum Oxide Coated Media and Modified Filter Design , Madison Leigh Rice

Use of Sugarcane Bagasse Ash as Partial Cement Replacement in Interlocking Stabilized Soil Blocks (ISSBs) , Adah Shair

Bio-electrochemical Denitrification Systems and Applications for Nitrogen Removal in On-Site Wastewater Treatment , Kamal Ziad Taha

Development of an Integrated Direct Membrane Filtration (DMF) and Anaerobic Membrane Bioreactor (AnMBR) System for Dilute Municipal Wastewater Treatment , Ahmet Erkan Uman

Post-overlay Flexible Pavement Performance Modeling and Its Application in Sustainable Asphalt Overlay Policy Making , Chunfu Xin

Sustainable Nutrient Management Through Technology-Level Evaluation and System-Level Optimization , Xiaofan Xu

Influence of Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer Wraps on Corrosion Progression of Bridge Piles in Marine Environments , Shayan Yazdani

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Seepage-Coupled Finite Element Analysis of Stress Driven Rock Slope Failures for BothNatural and Induced Failures , Thomas Becket Anyintuo

Statistical Analysis of the Role of Socio-Demographic and Health Factors in Shared Mobility Related Behaviors and Usage Likelihoods , Natalia M. Barbour

Model of a Sulfur-based Cyclic Denitrification Filter for Marine Recirculating Aquaculture Systems , Zhang Cheng

Exploring the Equity Performance of Bike-Sharing Systems with Disaggregated Data: A Story of Southern Tampa , Zhiwei Chen

Prioritizing Rehabilitation of Sanitary Sewers in Pinellas County, FL , Jesse T. Hillman

Highway Lane Management Policy for Existing and Connected Autonomous Vehicles , Md Mokaddesul Hoque

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200+ Civil Engineering Research Topics: Exploring Promising Topics

civil engineering research topics

Civil engineering research is the driving force behind the development of sustainable infrastructure and innovative construction methods. It plays a crucial role in shaping our world, from designing earthquake-resistant buildings to developing advanced transportation systems. 

In this blog post, we will explore the importance of choosing the right civil engineering research topics and provide a list of promising research areas to inspire your academic journey.

Why Choose the Right Research Topic?

Table of Contents

Before delving into the exciting world of civil engineering research topics, it’s important to understand why selecting the right research topic is critical.

  • Impact of the Research Topic Selection: The choice of your research topic can have a profound impact on your academic and professional career. A well-defined, relevant topic can lead to groundbreaking discoveries, publications, and recognition in the field.
  • Facilitation of the Research Process: A clearly defined research topic serves as your roadmap. It guides your literature review, data collection, experimentation, and analysis. Without a focused topic, research can become directionless and overwhelming.
  • Benefits of a Relevant and Engaging Topic: An engaging topic keeps you motivated throughout your research journey. It’s much easier to stay dedicated when you’re passionate about your subject matter.

How to Select the Perfect Civil Engineering Research Topics?

Choosing the right research topic in civil engineering is a crucial step in your academic and professional career. Here are some steps to help you make the best choice:

  • Consider Your Interests and Passion: Think about what aspects of civil engineering interest you the most. Are you fascinated by structural design, transportation systems, environmental issues, or construction management? Choosing the civil engineering research topics that align with your interests will make the research process more enjoyable and meaningful.
  • Review Recent Developments in the Field: Stay updated with the latest trends and breakthroughs in civil engineering. Browse through academic journals, magazines, and websites to identify emerging issues and areas of interest.
  • Assess the Feasibility and Resources Available: Ensure that your chosen topic is feasible given the resources and facilities at your disposal. You should have access to the necessary equipment, data, and expertise to conduct your research effectively.
  • Discuss with Professors and Mentors: Seek advice from your professors and mentors. They can provide valuable insights, suggest potential research questions, and guide you in the right direction.
  • Explore Interdisciplinary Possibilities: Civil engineering is often interconnected with other fields. Consider exploring interdisciplinary research topics that combine civil engineering with subjects like materials science, environmental science, or computer science for a unique perspective.

200+ Civil Engineering Research Topics: Category Wise

Structural engineering.

  • Innovative materials for earthquake-resistant buildings.
  • Advancements in bridge design and construction.
  • Sustainable skyscraper designs.
  • Application of nanotechnology in structural engineering.
  • Rehabilitation of historic structures using modern techniques.
  • Seismic retrofitting of critical infrastructure.
  • Wind and earthquake-resistant building designs.
  • Performance-based design of structures.
  • Structural health monitoring for bridges and buildings.
  • Resilient design for extreme weather conditions.

Geotechnical Engineering

  • Soil stabilization techniques for foundation support.
  • Geotechnical investigation methods in urban areas.
  • Landslide prediction and prevention.
  • Seismic site characterization and liquefaction assessment.
  • Innovative foundation systems for high-rise buildings.
  • Soil-structure interaction in deep foundations.
  • Geotechnical challenges in offshore engineering.
  • Sustainable slope stabilization methods.
  • Ground improvement techniques for soft soils.
  • Geothermal energy extraction from the Earth’s crust.

Transportation Engineering

  • Traffic management and congestion reduction strategies.
  • High-speed rail systems and urban development.
  • Autonomous vehicles and their role in future transportation.
  • Sustainable urban transportation planning.
  • Transportation network optimization using AI.
  • Public transportation infrastructure development.
  • Pedestrian and cyclist-friendly city design.
  • Environmental impact assessment in transportation projects.
  • Intelligent transportation systems for smart cities.
  • Emergency evacuation and traffic management.

Environmental Engineering

  • Water treatment and purification methods.
  • Green infrastructure and urban stormwater management.
  • Wastewater treatment plant optimization.
  • Air quality monitoring and pollution control technologies.
  • Groundwater contamination assessment and remediation.
  • Solid waste management in urban areas.
  • Renewable energy generation from waste.
  • Climate change adaptation in infrastructure design.
  • Eco-friendly construction materials and practices.
  • Sustainable urban planning and design.

Construction Management

  • Learn construction techniques and practices.
  • Building Information Modeling (BIM) applications in construction.
  • Safety management in construction projects.
  • Risk management in construction projects.
  • Quality control and assurance in construction.
  • Sustainable construction materials and methods.
  • Project scheduling and time management.
  • Cost estimation and budget management in construction.
  • Construction contract management and dispute resolution.
  • Innovative prefabrication and modular construction techniques.

Materials Engineering

  • Development of advanced construction materials.
  • Durability of concrete in harsh environments.
  • Recycling and reuse of construction materials.
  • Nano-materials in construction.
  • Sustainable construction materials.
  • Corrosion protection for infrastructure.
  • High-performance concrete mix design.
  • Materials for lightweight and high-strength structures.
  • Fire-resistant building materials.
  • Testing and quality control of construction materials.

Water Resources Engineering

  • River basin management and flood control.
  • Watershed modeling and management.
  • Sustainable urban water supply systems.
  • Urban drainage system design and management.
  • Dams and reservoir engineering.
  • Water resource optimization and allocation.
  • Water quality modeling and management.
  • Climate change impact on water resources.
  • Groundwater recharge and management.
  • Desalination technologies for freshwater production.

Coastal and Ocean Engineering

  • Coastal erosion control and beach nourishment.
  • Offshore wind energy farms and their impact.
  • Design of marine structures for port facilities.
  • Coastal zone management and resilience.
  • Coastal hydrodynamics and wave modeling.
  • Tidal energy harnessing and environmental considerations.
  • Coastal protection against storm surges and tsunamis.
  • Oceanography and marine environmental studies.
  • Design of breakwaters and seawalls.
  • Harbor and navigation channel design.

Earthquake Engineering

  • Seismic hazard assessment and mapping.
  • Retrofitting of existing structures for earthquake resistance.
  • Seismic design of lifeline systems (water, gas, power).
  • Soil-structure interaction in seismic events.
  • Non-destructive testing for seismic damage assessment.
  • Seismic behavior of innovative materials.
  • Performance-based earthquake engineering.
  • Post-earthquake reconnaissance and lessons learned.
  • Seismic risk assessment and mitigation strategies.
  • Earthquake early warning systems.

Bridge Engineering

  • Innovative bridge designs and aesthetics.
  • Long-span bridge construction and materials.
  • Cable-stayed and suspension bridge technology.
  • Bridge health monitoring and maintenance.
  • Bridge inspection and assessment techniques.
  • Advanced seismic retrofitting of bridges.
  • Smart bridges and sensor technology.
  • Bridge management and asset management systems.
  • Innovative bridge construction techniques.
  • Load rating and capacity evaluation of existing bridges.

Traffic Engineering

  • Traffic flow modeling and simulation.
  • Adaptive traffic signal control systems.
  • Pedestrian and cyclist safety studies.
  • Intelligent transportation systems for traffic management.
  • Congestion pricing and traffic demand management.
  • Driver behavior analysis and safety measures.
  • Intermodal transportation planning.
  • Traffic impact assessment of new developments.
  • Transportation planning for urban and rural areas.
  • Sustainable transportation infrastructure.

Urban Planning and Design

  • Sustainable urban development and planning.
  • Smart city infrastructure and technology integration.
  • Urban revitalization and brownfield redevelopment.
  • Transit-oriented development (TOD) planning.
  • Green building and urban design.
  • Affordable housing design and policy.
  • Historical preservation and urban conservation.
  • Mixed-use development and zoning.
  • Resilient urban planning for climate change.
  • Inclusive and accessible urban design.

Surveying and Geospatial Engineering

  • Land surveying and cadastral mapping advancements.
  • Remote sensing and GIS applications in civil engineering.
  • 3D laser scanning and point cloud data analysis.
  • Geodetic surveying for infrastructure projects.
  • UAVs (drones) in geospatial data collection.
  • GPS technology for precise positioning in construction.
  • BIM integration with geospatial data.
  • Underground utility mapping and detection.
  • Geospatial analysis for disaster management.
  • Geospatial data privacy and security.

Energy-Efficient Buildings

  • Net-zero energy building design.
  • Energy-efficient HVAC and lighting systems.
  • Passive solar design for buildings.
  • Green roofs and living walls in urban design.
  • Building energy modeling and simulation.
  • Building envelope insulation and materials.
  • Daylight harvesting and control systems.
  • Carbon footprint reduction in building design.
  • Sustainable building certification (LEED, BREEAM, etc.).
  • Building-integrated renewable energy systems.

Advanced Computational Techniques

  • Finite element analysis in structural design.
  • Computational fluid dynamics for hydraulic modeling.
  • Artificial intelligence in civil engineering applications.
  • Machine learning for predictive maintenance in infrastructure.
  • Optimization algorithms for infrastructure design.
  • High-performance computing in engineering simulations.
  • Data analytics for infrastructure asset management.
  • Digital twins in civil engineering projects.
  • 3D modeling and visualization tools for design.
  • Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) in construction.

Disaster Resilience and Risk Management

  • Disaster risk reduction strategies for infrastructure.
  • Post-disaster recovery and reconstruction planning.
  • Seismic and tsunami hazard mitigation measures.
  • Floodplain mapping and management.
  • Climate change adaptation for infrastructure.
  • Resilience of lifeline systems (water, power, etc.).
  • Risk assessment and vulnerability analysis.
  • Emergency response planning for natural disasters.
  • Insurance and financing for disaster recovery.
  • Public awareness and education for disaster preparedness.

Sustainable Transportation Technologies

  • Electric and hybrid vehicles in transportation.
  • Hydrogen fuel cell technology in transport.
  • Sustainable fuels for aviation and shipping.
  • High-speed magnetic levitation (maglev) trains.
  • Hyperloop transportation system feasibility.
  • Green infrastructure for urban transportation.
  • E-mobility and charging infrastructure.
  • Sustainable transportation policy development.
  • Impact of ride-sharing and carpooling on traffic.
  • Multi-modal transportation integration.

Innovative Bridge Materials

  • Self-healing concrete in bridge construction.
  • Carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRP) in bridges.
  • Ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) for bridge connections.
  • Bamboo as a sustainable bridge building material.
  • Bridge cable materials and corrosion resistance.
  • Innovative composites for bridge components.
  • Timber bridge construction and sustainability.
  • Green bridge design with vegetation integration.
  • Recycled and upcycled materials in bridge building.
  • Smart materials for real-time bridge health monitoring.

Smart Infrastructure and IoT

  • Internet of Things (IoT) applications in infrastructure.
  • Sensor networks for structural health monitoring.
  • Smart traffic management systems and IoT.
  • Predictive maintenance of infrastructure using IoT.
  • Asset tracking and management in construction.
  • Smart city infrastructure development.
  • Energy-efficient street lighting systems.
  • Environmental monitoring with IoT.
  • Remote control and automation of infrastructure.
  • Data analytics for smart infrastructure decision-making.

Nanotechnology in Civil Engineering

  • Nanomaterials for enhanced construction materials.
  • Nanosensors for structural health monitoring.
  • Nanotechnology applications in water treatment.
  • Nano-coatings for corrosion protection.
  • Nanomaterials in geotechnical engineering.
  • Nanoparticles for pollutant removal in soil and water.
  • Nanofibers in lightweight and high-strength materials.
  • Nanostructured materials for earthquake resistance.
  • Nanorobotics for infrastructure inspection and repair.
  • Nanotechnology in sustainable building design.

Examples of Recent Research Breakthroughs

To illustrate the impact of research in civil engineering, let’s look at a few recent breakthroughs in the field:

  • 3D-Printed Concrete Structures: Researchers have developed 3D-printing technology that can construct complex concrete structures, offering cost-effective and sustainable building solutions.
  • Self-Healing Materials: Self-healing materials , such as concrete that can repair its own cracks, have the potential to extend the lifespan of infrastructure.
  • Smart Transportation Systems: Smart transportation systems use real-time data and sensors to optimize traffic flow and reduce congestion, making transportation more efficient and sustainable.
  • Zero-Energy Buildings: Research into zero-energy buildings has led to the development of structures that produce as much energy as they consume, reducing the environmental impact of construction.

Challenges and Considerations

As you embark on your civil engineering research topics journey, consider these challenges and important factors:

  • Ethical Considerations: Ensure that your research is conducted with the highest ethical standards, considering the safety and well-being of both people and the environment.
  • Funding Opportunities and Grants: Seek out funding sources and grants to support your research endeavors. Many organizations offer financial support for innovative civil engineering projects.
  • Collaboration and Networking: Collaborate with fellow researchers, attend conferences, and join professional organizations to network and stay updated with the latest developments in the field.

Selecting the right civil engineering research topics are the first and most crucial step in your journey as a civil engineering researcher. The choice of topic can define the impact and success of your research. The field of civil engineering is vast, dynamic, and full of exciting possibilities. 

Whether you’re interested in structural engineering, geotechnical engineering, transportation systems, environmental engineering, or construction management, there are countless avenues to explore. 

As you embark on your research, remember that every innovation in civil engineering contributes to a more sustainable and advanced world.

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dissertation ideas for civil engineering

Civil Engineering Dissertation Topics Research Ideas

Exploring Diverse Avenues: Inspiring Civil Engineering Dissertation Topics Civil Engineering, as a field, encompasses a vast array of disciplines ranging from structural engineering to transportation systems. Students pursuing their dissertation in this domain often find themselves in search of captivating topics that not only intrigue them but also contribute meaningfully to the field. With the […]

Civil Engineering Dissertation Topics

Table of Contents

Exploring Diverse Avenues: Inspiring Civil Engineering Dissertation Topics

Civil Engineering, as a field, encompasses a vast array of disciplines ranging from structural engineering to transportation systems. Students pursuing their dissertation in this domain often find themselves in search of captivating topics that not only intrigue them but also contribute meaningfully to the field.

With the plethora of possibilities available, narrowing down a suitable topic can be a daunting task. Hence, this article aims to provide a comprehensive list of captivating Civil Engineering Dissertation Topics for exploration.

Introduction

Civil Engineering Dissertation Topics play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the discipline. These topics serve as the foundation for groundbreaking research and innovation, driving advancements in infrastructure, sustainability, and technology.

From investigating novel materials for construction to optimizing transportation networks, the realm of possibilities within Civil Engineering is vast and dynamic.

Categories of Civil Engineering Dissertation Topics

Structural engineering.

  • Utilization of advanced materials in earthquake-resistant structures.
  • Innovative approaches to enhance the durability of bridges.
  • Structural health monitoring techniques for infrastructure resilience.
  • Sustainable design principles for high-rise buildings.
  • Rehabilitation strategies for aging infrastructure.

Geotechnical Engineering

  • Soil stabilization techniques for expansive soils.
  • Assessment of slope stability in urban environments.
  • Geotechnical considerations in underground construction projects.
  • Application of geosynthetics in civil engineering projects.
  • Investigation of liquefaction susceptibility in seismic regions.

Transportation Engineering

  • Optimization of traffic signal control systems using AI algorithms.
  • Integration of autonomous vehicles into transportation networks.
  • Sustainable urban transportation planning strategies.
  • Impact assessment of transportation infrastructure on the environment.
  • Intelligent transportation systems for congestion management.

Environmental Engineering

  • Remediation of contaminated sites using innovative technologies.
  • Assessment of the environmental impact of construction materials.
  • Wastewater treatment and reuse strategies for sustainable water management.
  • Green infrastructure solutions for stormwater management.
  • Carbon footprint analysis in construction projects.

Water Resources Engineering

  • Hydrological modeling for flood risk assessment.
  • Optimization of reservoir operation for water supply management.
  • Climate change adaptation strategies for water resources planning.
  • Groundwater contamination modeling and remediation techniques.
  • River morphology dynamics and its implications on infrastructure.

Construction Management

  • Application of Building Information Modeling (BIM) in construction projects.
  • Lean construction techniques for improving project efficiency.
  • Risk management in mega construction projects.
  • Sustainable construction practices: Challenges and opportunities.
  • Digitalization and automation in construction project management.

Urban Planning

  • Smart city development: Integration of technology and infrastructure.
  • Urban regeneration strategies for revitalizing deteriorating neighborhoods.
  • Transit-oriented development for sustainable urban mobility.
  • Affordable housing solutions in rapidly growing cities.
  • Urban resilience planning for climate change adaptation.

Materials Engineering

  • Development of eco-friendly construction materials.
  • Nanotechnology applications in civil engineering materials.
  • Recycling and reuse of construction and demolition waste.
  • Durability assessment of concrete structures in aggressive environments.
  • Novel approaches to enhance the strength and ductility of steel.

Coastal Engineering

  • Coastal erosion management strategies.
  • Impact of sea-level rise on coastal infrastructure.
  • Design and optimization of coastal protection structures.
  • Beach nourishment techniques for shoreline stabilization.
  • Numerical modeling of wave-structure interactions.

Earthquake Engineering

  • Performance-based seismic design of buildings.
  • Retrofitting strategies for vulnerable structures.
  • Seismic hazard assessment using advanced techniques.
  • Soil-structure interaction in seismic analysis.
  • Post-earthquake damage assessment and recovery planning.

Infrastructure Asset Management

  • Life cycle assessment of infrastructure assets.
  • Implementation of predictive maintenance techniques.
  • Decision support systems for infrastructure asset management.
  • Asset management in the context of smart cities.
  • Risk-based prioritization of maintenance activities.

Energy Efficiency in Buildings

  • Passive design strategies for energy-efficient buildings.
  • Integration of renewable energy systems in building design.
  • Building energy simulation and optimization.
  • Indoor environmental quality and energy performance correlation.
  • Net-zero energy buildings: Challenges and opportunities.

Tunnel Engineering

  • Tunnel construction in challenging geological conditions.
  • Fire safety measures in tunnel design and operation.
  • Ventilation system optimization for tunnel safety.
  • Monitoring and maintenance of tunnel infrastructure.
  • Tunneling techniques for urban underground transportation.

Pavement Engineering

  • Evaluation of sustainable pavement materials.
  • Pavement performance modeling and prediction.
  • Rehabilitation strategies for deteriorating pavements.
  • Climate resilience in pavement design and maintenance.
  • Recycling techniques for asphalt pavement materials.

Remote Sensing and GIS Applications in Civil Engineering

  • Satellite-based monitoring of infrastructure assets.
  • GIS-based spatial analysis for urban planning.
  • LiDAR applications in terrain modeling and mapping.
  • Remote sensing for monitoring natural hazards and disasters.
  • Integration of drone technology in civil engineering applications.

Related Post:

  • Engineering Dissertation Topics Ideas and Examples
  • Engineering Research Papers
  • Engineering Research Proposal

Civil Engineering Dissertation Topics span a broad spectrum of disciplines, each offering unique opportunities for research and innovation. By delving into these topics, students can contribute significantly to the advancement of the field, addressing contemporary challenges and shaping the future of infrastructure development.

The diverse range of topics outlined in this article provides a starting point for students to explore areas of interest and embark on a rewarding research journey.

In conclusion, the realm of Civil Engineering Dissertation Topics is rich with potential, waiting to be explored by enthusiastic researchers eager to make a lasting impact on the field.

Whether it’s addressing the challenges of urbanization , advancing construction materials, or optimizing transportation systems, there’s no shortage of opportunities for groundbreaking research in Civil Engineering.

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Loads Analysis of Fixed-Bottom and Floating Offshore Wind Structures , Michael G. Davis, Civil Engineering

Comparison Of Scaling Performance Between Sidewalks Placed Using Hot and Cold Weather Concreting Procedures , Likhitha Rudraraju, Civil Engineering

CORRELATION BETWEEN LABORATORY TESTING RESULTS AND IN-SITU SIDEWALK SCALING , Brian R. Shea, Civil Engineering

The Effects of Hurricane Wind Field Characteristics on Wind Blade Loads , Michael S. Tsai, Civil Engineering

Post-Fire Damage Inspection of Concrete Tunnel Structures , James Viglas, Civil Engineering

Theses from 2022 2022

Measuring Accessibility to Food Services to Improve Public Health , Efthymia Kostopoulou, Civil Engineering

Euplectella Aspergillum’s Natural Lattice Structure for Structural Design & Stability Landscape of Thin Cylindrical Shells with Dimple Imperfections , Zoe Y. Sloane, Civil Engineering

Theses from 2021 2021

Post-Fire Assessment of Concrete Tunnel Structures , Nicholas C. Menz, Civil Engineering

Utilizing Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for the Estimation of Beam Corrosion of Steel Bridge Girders , Gabrielle Pryor, Civil Engineering

Parametric Study of Integral Abutment Bridge Using Finite Element Model , Asako Takeuchi, Civil Engineering

Theses from 2020 2020

School Bus Routing To Allow Later School Start Times , Rana Eslamifard, Civil Engineering

QUANTIFICATION OF THERMAL BRIDGING EFFECTS IN COLD-FORMED STEEL WALL ASSEMBLIES , Divyansh Kapoor, Civil Engineering

Theses from 2019 2019

Sustainable Travel Incentives Optimization in Multimodal Networks , Hossein Ghafourian, Civil Engineering

High Fidelity Modeling of Cold-Formed Steel Single Lap Shear Screw Fastened Connections , Rita Kalo, Civil Engineering

Modeling the Effect of New Commuter Bus Service on Demand and the Impact on GHG Emissions: Application to Greater Boston , Christopher Lyman, Civil Engineering

Performance of Concrete Tunnel Systems Subject to Fault Displacement , Michael Morano, Civil Engineering

Behavior of Prestressed Concrete Bridges with Closure Pour Connections and Diaphragms , Gercelino Ramos, Civil Engineering

Analysis of Adhesive Anchorage Systems Under Extreme In-Service Temperature Conditions , Rachel Wang, Civil Engineering

Theses from 2018 2018

Driver Understanding of the Flashing Yellow Arrow and Dynamic No Turn on Red Sign for Right Turn Applications , Elizabeth Casola, Civil Engineering

Evaluating the Impact of Double-Parked Freight Deliveries on Signalized Arterial Control Delay Using Analytical Models and Simulation , Aaron J. Keegan, Civil Engineering

Reward Allocation For Maximizing Energy Savings In A Transportation System , Adewale O. Oduwole, Civil Engineering

Impact of S-Curve on Speed in a Modern Roundabout , Akshaey Sabhanayagam, Civil Engineering

All-Red Clearance Intervals for Use in the Left-Turn Application of Flashing Yellow Arrows , Francis Tainter, Civil Engineering

Theses from 2017 2017

Evaluation of New England Bridges for Bat Roosting Including Methodology and Case Studies , Angela Berthaume, Civil Engineering

Evaluating Variances Between Departments of Transportation in New England to Create a Strategic Transportation Workforce , Chelsea Bouchard, Civil Engineering

Development of High Early-Strength Concrete for Accelerated Bridge Construction Closure Pour Connections , Stephanie Castine, Civil Engineering

I. THE HIGH STRAIN RATE RESPONSE OF HOLLOW SPHERE STEEL FOAM; II. THE DYNAMIC RESPONSE OF AN AMERICAN ELM TREE , Ignacio Cetrangolo, Civil Engineering

Performance of Adhesive and Cementitious Anchorage Systems , Mirna Mendoza, Civil Engineering

Theses from 2016 2016

Integrated Solar Technologies with Outdoor Pedestrian Bridge Superstructure Decking , Richard K. Racz, Civil Engineering

LIVE LOAD DISTRIBUTION FACTORS FOR HORIZONTALLY CURVED CONCRETE BOX GIRDER BRIDGES , Mohammed Zaki, Civil Engineering

Theses from 2015 2015

Bonded Anchors in Concrete Under Sustained Loading , Douglas Droesch, Civil Engineering

An Observational Evaluation of Safety Resulting from Driver Distraction , Christina M. Dube, Civil Engineering

Measuring the Resilience of Transportation Networks Subject to Seismic Risk , Mark N. Furtado, Civil Engineering

Nano-Scale Investigation of Mechanical Characteristics of Main Phases of Hydrated Cement Paste , Shahin Hajilar, Civil Engineering

Driver Behavior Evaluation of Variable Speed Limits and a Conceptual Framework for Optimal VSL Location Identification , Curt P. Harrington, Civil Engineering

A Real-time Signal Control System to Minimize Emissions at Isolated Intersections , Farnoush Khalighi, Civil Engineering

Structural Vulnerability Assessment of Bridge Piers in the Event of Barge Collision , David A. Ribbans, Civil Engineering

Towards Sustainable Roundabouts: An Evaluation of Driver Behavior, Emissions, and Safety , Derek Roach, Civil Engineering

Resilience of Transportation Infrastructure Systems to Climatic Extreme Events , Alexandra C. Testa, Civil Engineering

Theses from 2014 2014

Short and Long-term Performance of a Skewed Integral Abutment Prestressed Concrete Bridge , Rami Bahjat, Civil Engineering

Performance of Circular Reinforced Concrete Bridge Piers Subjected to Vehicular Collisions , Nevin L. Gomez, Civil Engineering

Field and Analytical Studies of the First Folded Plate Girder Bridge , Man Hou Sit, Civil Engineering

Theses from 2013 2013

The Effect of Roadside Elements on Driver Behavior and Run-Off-the-Road Crash Severity , Cole D. Fitzpatrick, Civil Engineering

Evaluating At-Grade Rail Crossing Safety along the Knowledge Corridor in Massachusetts , Timothy P. Horan, Civil Engineering

An Evaluation of Alternative Technologies to Estimate Travel Time on Rural Interstates , Qiao Li, Civil Engineering

Operational and Safety-based Analyses of Varied Toll Lane Configurations , Ian A. Mckinnon, Civil Engineering

Preferred Sensor Selection for Damage Estimation in Civil Structures , Matthew Styckiewicz, Civil Engineering

An Evaluation of Drivers’ Cell Phone Use Prevalence and Safety Related Impacts , Keith E. Wenners, Civil Engineering

Theses from 2012 2012

Probabilistic Analysis of Offshore Wind Turbine Soil-Structure Interaction , Wystan Carswell, Civil Engineering

Vehicle Miles Traveled (vmt) Fee Financing Alternatives: Lessons Learned and Future Opportunities , Ashley L. Costa, Civil Engineering

Evaluating and Modeling Traveler Response to Real-Time Information in the Pioneer Valley , Tyler De Ruiter, Civil Engineering

An Optimal Adaptive Routing Algorithm for Large-scale Stochastic Time-Dependent Networks , Jing Ding, Civil Engineering

A Quantitative Analysis of the Impacts from Selected Climate Variables Upon Traffic Safety in Massachusetts , Katrina M. Hecimovic, Civil Engineering

Automated Enforcement Using Dedicated Short Range Communication , Gilbert Kim, Civil Engineering

New Technologies in Short Span Bridges: A Study of Three Innovative Systems , Andrew Lahovich, Civil Engineering

Driver Dynamics and the Longitudinal Control Model , Gabriel G. Leiner, Civil Engineering

Interfacial Strength Between Prestressed Hollow Core Slabs and Cast-in-Place Concrete Toppings , Ryan M. Mones, Civil Engineering

User Equilibrium in a Disrupted Network with Real-Time Information and Heterogeneous Risk Attitude , Ryan J. Pothering, Civil Engineering

Spatial and Temporal Correlations of Freeway Link Speeds: An Empirical Study , Piotr J. Rachtan, Civil Engineering

Evaluation of Live-Load Distribution Factors (LLDFs) of Next Beam Bridges , Abhijeet Kumar Singh, Civil Engineering

Material Characterization and Computational Simulation of Steel Foam for Use in Structural Applications , Brooks H. Smith, Civil Engineering

Varied Applications of Work Zone Safety Analysis through the Investigation of Crash Data, Design, and Field Studies , Erica Swansen, Civil Engineering

Using Micro-Simulation Modeling to Evaluate Transit Signal Priority in Small-to-Medium Sized Urban Areas; Comparative Review of Vissim and S-Paramics Burlington, Vermont Case Study , Joseph C. Tyros, Civil Engineering

Theses from 2011 2011

Evaluating Alternative Toll-Based Financing Approaches: A Case Study of the Boston Metropolitan Area , Rosaria M. Berliner, Civil Engineering

Analysis of Measurement Errors Influence on the Quantitative and Qualitative Results of Car-Following Model Calibration , Mariya A. Maslova, Civil Engineering

Development of Anchorage System for Frp Strengthening Applications Using Integrated Frp Composite Anchors , Geoffrey N. Mcguirk, Civil Engineering

An Application of Spatially Based Crash Analyses and Road Safety Investigations to Increase Older Driver Safety , Deanna A. Peabody, Civil Engineering

Safety and Operational Assessment of Gap Acceptance Through Large-Scale Field Evaluation , Steven Maxwell Tupper, Civil Engineering

Theses from 2010 2010

Historic Bridge Evaluation Using Finite Element Techniques , Helena M. Charron, Civil Engineering

A Quantitative Analysis of the Impacts from Selected Variables Upon Safety Belt Usage in Massachusetts , Samuel W. Gregorio, Civil Engineering

Analysis of Curved Integral Abutment Bridges , Emre Kalayci, Civil Engineering

Material Characterization and Structural Response of Historic Truss Bridges , Sean L. Kelton, Civil Engineering

Earthquake Engineering Simulation with Flexible Cladding System , Jun Jie Li, Civil Engineering

Route Choice Behavior in Risky Networks with Real-Time Information , Michael D. Razo, Civil Engineering

Route Choice Behavior in a Driving Simulator With Real-time Information , Hengliang Tian, Civil Engineering

Investigation of the Behavior of Open Cell Aluminum Foam , Patrick J. Veale, Civil Engineering

Theses from 2009 2009

Computer-Assisted Emergency Evacuation Planning Using TransCAD: Case Studies in Western Massachusetts , Steven P. Andrews, Civil Engineering

Value of Traveler Information for Adaptive Routing in Stochastic Time-Dependent Networks , He Huang, Civil Engineering

Analytical Modeling of Tree Vibration Generated during Cutting Process , Payman Karvanirabori, Civil Engineering

Optimal Adaptive Departure Time Choices with Real-Time Traveler Information Considering Arrival Reliability , Xuan Lu, Civil Engineering

Seismic Energy Dissipation of Steel Buildings Using Engineered Cladding Systems , Quan Viet Nguyen, Civil Engineering

Developing an Evaluation Approach to Assess Large Scale Its Infrastructure Improvements: I-91 Project , Melissa Paciulli, Civil Engineering

Enhancing Concrete Barrier Reflectivity With A Focus On Recycled Glass Aggregate Replacement , Regina Shklyan, Civil Engineering

Theses from 2008 2008

Performance Evaluation Of Existing Steel And Concrete Girder Bridges Through Non-destructive Live-load Testing , Andrew E. Jeffrey, Civil Engineering

Evaluation of Traffic Simulation Models for Work Zones in the New England Area , Pothu Raju Khanta, Civil Engineering

The Application of Traffic Calming and Related Strategies in an Urban Environment , Stacy A. Metzger, Civil Engineering

Terrazzo Cracking: Causes and Remedies , Michael J. Mitchell III, Civil Engineering

Anchorage of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymers to Reinforced Concrete in Shear Applications , Carl W. Niemitz, Civil Engineering

Measurement and Computational Modeling of the Mechanical Properties of Parallel Strand Lumber , Russell S. Winans, Civil Engineering

An Evaluation of Simulation Models To Assess Travel Delay In Work Zones , Fan Wu, Civil Engineering

Theses from 2007 2007

An Analysis Of The Saftey Effects Of Crosswalks With In-pavement Warning Lights , George Gadiel, Civil Engineering

The Development of a Dynamic-Interactive-Vehicle Model for Modeling Traffic Beyond the Microscopic Level , Dwayne A. Henclewood, Civil Engineering

A Comparative Evaluation of Crash Data Quality Identification Methods , Arianna M. Mickee, Civil Engineering

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Best Civil Engineering Thesis Topics: A List of Unique Ideas

by Bastis Consultores | Aug 2, 2021 | Thesis Development | 27 comments

dissertation ideas for civil engineering

For starters, writing a civil engineering thesis can be a difficult task. Undoubtedly, it usually occupies several months of your life and demands that you spend countless hours in the library doing a unique research. In this regard, one way to facilitate its realization is to choose a thesis topic that really interests you.

First of all, the original ideas are always good, but you need to select a topic that you can work on for several months.

Secondly, the range of thesis topics in civil engineering is very wide. Therefore, the possibilities and diversity of civil engineering thesis topics and projects to choose from should be more than enough. However, after the selection, make your topic go through the usual approval of your teachers.

Topics for you to do your thesis in Civil Engineering

After selection, have your topic go through the usual approval of your teachers. Here are some of the main areas for you to choose your civil engineering thesis topic. Undoubtedly, these general areas will invite you to investigate further to present a more specific title.

Hydraulic engineering

Pavement engineering

Water Services

Structural and Civil Engineering Informatics

Construction engineering and management

Port and coastal engineering

Water treatment

Subtopics to consider

Similarly, these civil engineering degrees and thesis topics are in turn divided into several subtopics. Below are some of the most important subtopics for theses in civil engineering:

Mapping and risk classification

Bridge hydraulics

Flood mapping in urban environments

Flood Warning

River-level causeways and debris

Sustainable urban drainage systems

Hydraulics of dam spillways

River catchment works

Minimization of environmental impact

Energy dissipation structures

Climate change and land use

Sedimentation management in reservoirs

Erosion protection

Hydrodynamics of estuaries and lakes and salinity

Content of fly ash and its multiple uses

Design and analysis of nuclear power plants

Design and construction of retaining walls

List of thesis topics on General Civil Engineering

Below, we detail some thesis topics for General Civil Engineering:

Dynamic Inversion Study of Soil Mechanical Parameters

Study of fiberglass-reinforced compression elements filled with concrete

Characteristics of the acoustic emission of limestone after high temperatures

Research on the spatial analysis of stresses of a large underground project

Soap-free emulsion polymerization for sealing new buildings

Earthquake damage model on a rectangular tubular column filled with concrete

Analysis of the seismic behavior of a transmission tower system

Research on the system of steel stepped beams in RC slabs

Elastoplastic analysis of a large cross-linked shell structure under multisupport excitations

Study of soil fissures generated by liquefaction after an earthquake

List of bridge engineering thesis topics

Bridge engineering is a topic that has been present since the early twentieth century and without a doubt, it continues to be an area in which more and more innovation is made:

Effects of Truck Impacts on Bridge Stacks

Evaluation of the performance of existing bridges under the dynamic effects of vehicles

Thermal experiment of a reinforced approach pavement for a semi-integral bridge without joints

Design and propagation analysis of a new drop-down bridge section

Load transfer mechanism of a steel-concrete joint

Load transfer mechanism of a hybrid beam cable-stayed bridge

Long-term stress variation in a large, high-light continuous rigid structure bridge

List of Structural Engineering Thesis Topics

You can also consider topics related to structural engineering:

Hybrid simulations: Theory and applications

Engineered wood in cold climates

Mechanical properties and engineering applications of modern wood

Hybrid structural systems and innovative design method

Static analysis of an integrated steel structure building with wind turbines

Integrated houses of light steel structure

High Durability Low Carbon Housing Structure System

Integral Structure of Temporary Light Steel Buildings

Behavior of Beams Composed of Recycled Concrete Reinforced with Steel

Analysis of the joints between beams and pillars of steel structures

Design of a masonry basement of reinforced concrete blocks

Non-linear analysis of a new 3D stepped shear wall structure

Advances in civil infrastructure engineering

Mechanical behavior of an irregular Kiewitt dome structure

Study of the Shear Distribution Coefficient under Horizontal Force

Analysis of the nonlinear buckling of a suspended dome structure with large elliptical paraboloid

List of thesis topics on concrete technology

In addition to the areas that we have already mentioned, concrete technology is an area that undoubtedly presents greater and greater innovation:

Width of cracks in partially prestressed concrete beams

Thermal deformation of cement and asphalt mortar under repetitive heating and cooling

Compatibility between naphthalene-based superplasticizer and low-alkaline cement

Standard deviation of compressive strength of recycled concrete

Bending behavior of a fiber-reinforced mortar with low fiber content

Experimental study of carbonation in the concrete of hollow microspheres with thermal insulation

Mechanical properties of fibre-reinforced hybrid ferrocement

Study of the adhesion properties of textile-reinforced concrete

Bending behaviour of cold-rolled deformed steel bars on reinforced concrete slabs

Investigation of the durability of hollow microsphere concrete with thermal insulation

Rheological properties of room temperature curing epoxy adhesive

Behavior of modified asphalt pavement in steel roof

Analysis of volumetric deformation and creep properties of high-performance concrete C60

Analysis of the creep properties of high-performance concrete C60

Effects of mineral additives and superplasticizer on the control of the heat of hydration of cementitious materials

Application of intensification approaches in recycled aggregate

Modeling analysis of crack repair structures for asphalt concrete pavements

Analysis of the performance of the concrete used for the ballast-free track base plate

List of geotechnical engineering thesis topics

Here are some topics you can explore in the area of geotechnical engineering:

Finite element analysis of the vertical bearing capacity of individual piles

Study of the distribution characteristics of sandstone pores

Experimental study of the dynamic elastic properties of sediments carrying gas hydrates

Selection analysis of the enclosure structure for a deep foundation pit

Simplified models for assessing the period of site characteristics

Investigation of the mechanical character of the anchorage of a fully injected bolt

Creep properties of cross-linked red clay in staggered load creep tests

Application of BP neural networks in predicting damage from multilayer media penetration and blasting

Tests on vibrating table on structure reinforced with iron hook

List of transport, road and rail engineering thesis topics

Undoubtedly, transport, road and railway engineering is of wide interest to civil engineers:

Influence of the size of the cracks of the old concrete pavement on the tension of the asphalt layer

Research and application of hot recycled asphalt mixing

Analysis of the thermal stress of asphalt pavement on a poor concrete base

Assessment of the driver’s mental strain in snow pavement conditions

Evaluation of the low-temperature performance of asphalt mixtures with an analog experiment

Research on the purification capacity of porous asphalt pavement

Research and discussion on the application of artificial pile technology for viaducts

Evaluation of the influence of the environment on the vibrations of the meter

Influence of damaged pavement on the saturated road and the average speed of circulation of a stretch of urban road

List of Water Supply and Drainage Engineering Thesis Topics

In the same way, the engineering of water supply and drainage is an issue that is taking more and more boom:

Development of a new recovery material through solidification/stabilization of hazardous waste

Optimization and characteristics of copper pickling wastewater treatment

Enzymatic saccharification of pretreated cellulose from lignocellulosic biomass: Situation and prospects

Experiments on the evaporation of groundwater with high SD content in an arid zone

Reduction of excess sludge in wastewater treatment

Study on water saving and “zero trend” measures in a nylon chemical company

List of geological engineering thesis topics

Likewise, geological engineering is a very broad and very interesting topic:

Research on the detection of multi-step leaks in the dam by the temperature in the holes

Analysis of the stability of a rock slope with an overinclinated stratoid structure

Study on the reliability of the loess cutting slope

Characteristics of seismic geological disasters

Experimental study of the shear strength of unsaturated silty clay

Properties of emulsion and recycling of asphalt pavement recovered at room temperature

Here are other unique ideas you can consider

Below, you can explore other innovative titles that you will surely be interested in:

Air pollution and its control

How can large metropolitan areas be reformed or restructured to help control, for example, the rising rate of air pollution?

Disaster management

How do advances in civil engineering help improve disaster management in high-risk areas?

Innovations in geotechnical applications

How do these innovations pave the way for a tremendous change in the way we look at civil engineering?

Uses of flexible flooring

This engineering technology is being used in places where geology plays a more important role in terms of unstable soil. What other uses can it have?

Advances in pavement design

What advances over the past two decades have had the greatest effect on how cities are redeveloped?

Disaster recovery

How have recent events related to disaster response time affected?

Removal of arsenic from groundwater

What are the most effective methods of removing arsenic from city groundwater? What are the challenges in rural areas?

Bamboo as a building material

Recently progress has been made in the use of different and natural materials for construction. However, what place does bamboo occupy in all this?

Demolition of a building

Analyze the effectiveness of the destruction and demolition of large urban structures and their effect on traffic, safety, etc.

Prevention of breakdowns on the roads

How have highway collapses and catastrophes affected design improvement?

Groundwater pollution

More effective technologies to curb the increase in groundwater pollution.

Improved power quality

How can the design of power grids help improve the speed, supply and power of electricity to homes?

Solar grid development

If solar technology has improved to the point of being cheap for use in cities, then why haven’t cities developed more efficient grids?

Diversion of rainwater

What technologies can be used to divert rainwater to reservoirs to curb the effects of droughts?

Low-cost rural housing

How can improvements in water diversion, electricity networks, etc. for example reduce the costs associated with rural housing?

In conclusion, if you want to choose a topic, make sure that it has not been researched before by the experts. In addition, the subject itself must be quite crucial and demanding to be applied in the field. Finally, we want to highlight that we have an internal team of very well qualified professionals with very advanced academic degrees, master’s degrees and doctorates. Consequently, they will give your work all the attention it needs and guide you in all civil engineering topics for thesis and many more.

Our specialists wait for you to contact them through the quote form or direct chat. We also have confidential communication channels such as WhatsApp and Messenger. And if you want to be aware of our innovative services and the different advantages of hiring us, follow us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

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Best Civil Engineering Dissertation Topics You Should Explore Right Now!

35+ Great Civil Engineering Dissertation Ideas

Table Of Contents

Criteria for good civil engineering dissertation topics, 35+ ideal civil engineering dissertation topics for students in 2022, get your dissertation done faster with professional writers, list of great dissertation ideas in civil engineering.

Eiffel Tower to Burj Khalifa and many others are the creations of human beings that are contributions of civil engineering. When students are enrolled in this profession, they are asked to undergo various tough courses in which they have to write a paper on  civil engineering dissertation topics .

However, many students get stuck in the topic selection process and due to this, they lose their marks. Sometimes, their topic is rejected by the professor. They lose hope that they won’t find a good topic for their dissertation. The students often search the whole internet, read books, PDF, and do many more things to get the best idea. But still, they find to get the perfect one for their civil engineering paper.

Are you also going through the same situation? If yes, then you do not have to worry now. In this blog, you would find some of the unique ideas for the dissertation. But first, let’s know about the criteria by which you can search for good  civil engineering dissertation ideas .

Whenever you decide the topic for your dissertation, make sure you ask some questions to yourself and then finalize the idea.

1. Whether the dissertation topic is interesting enough or not, make sure you get the answer for capturing the attention of the reader towards the paper. A topic you feel interesting should be chosen only.

2. Whether the information is enough or not, the dissertation is written by you, so the information should be sufficient to write in your own words.

3. Whether the topic can achieve the targets or not when you are writing the dissertation, you should know that the target is achieved by the information written in the paper.

These are the questions you need to focus on while selecting the topic. But if you are still unable to select a topic, here is the list of unique  civil engineering dissertation ideas  that you should explore right now.

1. How can large metropolitan areas be reformed or restructured to help control the increasing rate of air pollution? Describe in detail.

2. How do civil engineering advances aid in the way disaster management can improve in high-disaster (e.g., earthquake, flooding, hurricane, etc.) areas?

3. How do these innovations pave the way for tremendous change in how civil engineering is viewed? Describe the innovations of geotechnical applications.

4. This engineering technology is being used in locations where geology plays a larger role in terms of unstable ground. What other uses can there be in the uses of flexible pavement?

5. What advancements in the last two decades had the greatest effect on how cities are redeveloped?

6. How have recent events concerning the disaster recovery response time affected the way civil engineering is advancing?

7. What are the most effective methods for removing arsenic from cities’ groundwater? What challenges are there for rural areas?

8. Recent strides have been made to use different and natural materials for buildings. How does bamboo fair in all of this?

9. Analyze the efficiencies of the destruction and razing of large city structures and their effect on traffic, safety, etc.

10. How have highway collapse and failure disasters in the last twenty years affected the way engineers look towards design improvement?

11. How to build a school that has everything a student needs ( playground for kids, a tennis or football field for bigger students, etc ) at a low cost?

12. Why regulation for a canal or a tank sluice that is automatic and only needs regular maintenance?

13. How grain or other products storage at a very low cost is done?

14. How the irrigation low-cost system works.? Describe each step in detail.

15. What is centrifugal irrigation efficiency?

16. Describe the erosion resistance bricks or constructing materials that will resist through time.

17. Rural settlements, how can you turn them into efficient productions for the national economy.

18. Rural houses. How cheap can you build one?

19. What are those problems that a civil Engineer has to deal with in remote areas?

20. How to meet the need for residential space for a lot of people in small areas with the help of civil engineering?

21. Is it possible to make a fully earthquake-resistant home in hilly areas?

22. Compare the experiences that a civil engineer meets in his profession while designing a structure in two different geographical areas.

23. How to check the damage of roads due to land sliding?

24. What should be the structure of the transportation path in those areas which are prone to land sliding?

25. How the construction of a bridge differs in two different topographical conditions?

26. Describe the way through which a good disaster-resistant building could be designed by a civil engineer.

27. Design of a public office and infrastructure versus office building, comment as professional civil engineering.

28. Why it is not suggested to build a structure on soft soil? Describe in detail.

29. Is it possible for a civil engineer to design the map of a building of infrastructure without visiting the site?

30. What observations are made by civil engineers during a site visit?

31. Explain the infrastructure development by civil engineering in different landforms like pleasure, plains, hills, etc.

32. What is the best way to make people understand the importance of building a home with the help of civil engineers?

33. Find out the example where traditional building methods have proved them successful over civil engineering.

34. How did the existence of civil engineers become popular?

35. Which is more challenging for civil engineers, building infrastructure in hill areas or plains?

36. What are the best ways to observe the quality of soil for infrastructure development?

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UKnowledge > College of Engineering > Civil Engineering > Theses & Dissertations

Theses and Dissertations--Civil Engineering

Theses/dissertations from 2024 2024.

EFFECT OF ADMIXTURES ON RAPID HARDENING, SELF-CONSOLIDATING CONCRETE , Haley Johnson

Quantitative Sustainable Design of Urban Tree Soil Cells for Stormwater Management , JaMaya Wilson

Theses/Dissertations from 2023 2023

DIGITAL TWINS FOR ANCILLARY TRANSPORTATION ASSET DATA MANAGEMENT , Ashtarout Ammar

Value Propositions, Adoption Factors, and Implementation Considerations: Building A Path Towards Construction Innovation , Makram Bou Bou Hatoum

CLUSTERING STATES TO IMPROVE THE STRATEGIC HIGHWAY SAFETY PLAN , Victoria Cambron

HISTORICAL AND FORECASTED KENTUCKY SPECIFIC SLOPE STABILITY ANALYSES USING REMOTELY RETRIEVED HYDROLOGIC AND GEOMORPHOLOGIC DATA , Daniel M. Francis

PREDICTION OF CHLORINE AND DISINFECTION BYPRODUCT CONCENTRATION IN WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS USING KYPIPE AND TTHM REGRESSION MODELS: APPLICATION TO TWO SYSTEMS IN KENTUCKY , Yogesh Gautam

Implementation of Digital Twins for Small Water Systems , Aidan Gill

DO TRANSPORTATION NETWORK COMPANIES AFFECT ROAD SAFETY OUTCOMES: A SPATIALLY DETAILED ANALYSIS IN SAN FRANCISCO , Vedant Shriniwas Goyal

QUALITY CONTROL METHODS THROUGH PRE-DETERMINATION OF FIELDS FOR usRAP PROJECTS , Zachary Heath

ESTIMATING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF INCENTIVES ON THE ADOPTION OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES , Michelle O. Imarah

Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (QMRA) For Urban Stormwater Reuse After Treatment Through A Bioretention System , ISAAC OLUK

Rollout of a Digital Comprehensive Safety Management System in a Large Public Agency: A Case Study with Kentucky Transportation Cabinet , Salena Pham

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

DEVELOPMENT OF A DECISION-MAKING TOOL FOR PREDICTION OF RAINFALL-INDUCED LANDSLIDES , Faisal Shakib Ahmed

Identifying and Evaluating the Perceptions of Near-Miss Reporting within the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet , Seth Atkins

ADAPTING THROUGH ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE IN CAPITAL PROJECTS ORGANIZATIONS , Mahmoud El Jazzar

Accuracy and Uncertainty in Traffic and Transit Ridership Forecasts , Jawad Mahmud Hoque

Induced Travel Demand: Measuring the Contribution of Additional Lane Miles on the Increase in U.S. Vehicle Miles Traveled from 1980 to 2019 , Brandon Ivanchak

EVALUATION OF SCORING METHODS FOR PRIORITIZING PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE PROJECTS , Daria Korostina

INVESTIGATION OF PFAS EXPOSURE RISKS IN KENTUCKY USING MAPPING TOOLS , Sweta Ojha

INCORPORATING SPEED INTO CRASH MODELING FOR RURAL TWO-LANE HIGHWAYS , Fahmida Rahman

GEOPHYSICS-BASED GROUND CONTROL AND EXCAVATION DESIGN METHODOLOGY BASED ON ACCEPTABLE DAMAGE , Jorge Romana Giraldo

UNDERSTANDING THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN INDUSTRY OBJECTIVES AND INSTITUTIONAL LEARNING , Kristen Schell

OPTIMIZING THE POTENTIAL OF HIGHWAY SAFETY INVESTMENT , Riana Tanzen

Sewer Vapor Intrusion Pathway: Simulation of Indoor Piping Systems and Operation of AROMA-VOC Gas Analyzer , Hong Cheng Tay

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Home > Civil Engineering > Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Department of civil and environmental engineering: dissertations, theses, and student research.

Sustainable Revitalization of Asphalt Pavements: An In-Depth Analysis of Enhancing the Performance of Asphalt Binder Through the Application of Rheological and Molecular Dynamics Simulation Techniques , Muhammad Ahmad

Performing Motorized-to-Non-Motorized Crash Analysis Using Multi-Model LBS Traffic Data Calibrated Through Random Forest Models , Nicholas Aldridge

Assessing the Performance of High-RAP Mixtures Incorporating Crude Vegetable Oils and an Antioxidant from Mechanical, Environmental, and Economic Perspectives , Nitish R. Bastola

Safety and Operational Assessment of Rural Free Right-Turn Ramp Intersections , Jonathon Camenzind

Assessment of Bridge Pier Response to Fire, Vehicle Impact, and Air Blast , Chen Fang, Qusai Alomari, and Daniel G. Linzell

The Effects of Inaccurate and Missing Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Inventory Data on Crash and Severity Model Estimation and Prediction , Muhammad Umer Farooq

Reducing Infiltration and Inflow in Small Collection Systems: Environmental, Economic, and Other Impacts , Andrew Hansen

CO 2 Storage Capacity and Injectivity of Stacked Carbonates of the Pennsylvanian and Permian in Western Nebraska , Lateef Lawal

Bridge Deck Overhang Design: Effective Vehicle Impact Loads, Ultimate Strength, and Implications on Bridge Rail Performance , Andrew Eric Loken

Adaptation of Concrete and Timber Bridge Railings for Low-Volume Traffic , Russell Masterson

Transportation Components of the City of Bennet Comprehensive Plan and Downtown Economic Development Plan , Kyle McLaughlin

Integration of Environmental Sustainability and Decision Making: Case Studies of Civil Infrastructure , Sussan Moussavi

Investigation and Modification of Single-Post Aluminum Sign Supports for Mash Crashworthiness , Rodrigo Quintero

Three-Dimensional Structural Analysis of Temple 16 and Rosalila at Copan Ruinas , Luis Tuarez

Energy Dissipation Optimization for Circular Culverts , Chi Zhang

Evaluation of an Equivalent Mean Grain Size Diameter to Rationally Predict the Erodibility of Fine Riverbed Soils in Nebraska , Basil Abualshar

Interlayered Thin Film Composite (iTFC) Membranes: The Synthesis and Assembly of Active Layer from Conjugated Microporous Polymer , Febby Andini

Behavior of Completely Automated Evapotranspiration Estimation (eeMETRIC) , Atiqullah Atif

Data-Driven Prioritization and Empirical Predictions for Bridge Scour in Nebraska , Awgku Ahmad Hashim Awg Bolhasan

A Physical Model of Deadmans Run , Quinn Brandt

Evaluation of Swelling Pressure and Shear Strength of Inorganic Microfiber-Reinforced Bentonite for the Engineered Barrier System , Jose Maria Ferdinand Victoria Calaunan

Performance of Concrete with Different Cement Finenesses and Nano-activators , Brandon Faltin

Estimation of Methane Emissions from Beef Cattle Manure in Nebraska , Noe Hernandez

Risk Assessment of Hazardous Material Transportation for Small and Tribal Communities , Harrison Redepenning

Experimental and Numerical Analysis of Soil-Geosynthetic Composite for a Geosynthetic-Reinforced Roadway System , Daniel Robertson

Empirical Fragility Functions and Numerical Parametric Study for Buckling of Steel Grain Bins under High Wind Loads , Andrew Ruder

Development of a Next-Generation Non-Proprietary Portable Concrete Barrier , Riley Ruskamp

Experimental and Numerical Study: Sheet Pile Abutment Systems for Water–Crossing Bridges , Hung Phi Van

Efficiency of Bank Filtration in the Removal of Cyanotoxins Under Different Levels of Nutrients , Luke Walkenhorst

Measuring Acoustic Nonlinearity of Elastic Materials Using Thermal Modulation of Ultrasonic Waves , Bibo Zhong

Application of Biochar as Beneficial Additive in Concrete , Temirlan Barissov

Detecting and Evaluating Cracks on Aging Concrete Members with Deep Convolutional Neural Networks , Brendan Barnes

IMPACT OF PARTICLE SURFACE CHARGE HETEROGENEITY ON DEPOSITION ONTO FLAT SURFACES AND TRANSPORT IN POROUS MEDIA , Thompson Delon

Prioritization of Research on Bridge Railings for Use on Timber Deck Bridges and Development of Two Glulam Bridge Railing Systems , Jared Duren

Evaluation of Permanent Concrete Barriers to MASH 2016 , Samuel Elias Hovde

A METHODOLOGY FOR ESTIMATING CAPACITY AND PASSENGER CAR EQUIVALENTS FOR CONNECTED AND AUTOMATED VEHICLES TRAVELING ON FREEWAYS , Antonio Hurtado Beltran

Risk and Safety Associated with Hazardous Materials Transport in Rural and Native American Communities: A Case Study of Thurston County, Nebraska , Sydney James

Establishing Safe Operating Speeds for Autonomous Vehicles: A Case Study from the Automated Skyway Express in Jacksonville, Florida , Andrew Loken

Fragility Functions of Manufactured Houses under Earthquake Loads , Shuyah Tani Aurore Ouoba

Modeling Watershed Sensitivity to Climate Change in Systems Affected by Discharge of Mine Tailings , Johnette C. Shockley

PROBABILISTIC SEISMIC VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT OF FREESTANDING HISTORIC MONUMENTS , Marie E. Wagner

Determinants of Water System Management , Caleb White

Hydraulic and Mineralogical Characterization of Organoclay Before and After Reaction with Non-Aqueous Phase Liquid (NAPL) , Mostafa Afzalian

Biofiltration of Volatile Organic Compounds Emitted at Ethanol Plants , Mitham Al-faliti

Optimum Mixing Design of Xanthan and Gellan Treated Soils for Slope Stabilization for Weathered Shales and Glacial Tills in Nebraska , Layal Bitar

Concentration and Treatment of Odors Generated by Landfills , Gabriel Cohen

Development of a MASH Test Level 4 Open Concrete Bridge Rail , Jacob DeLone

Reliability-Calibrated ANN-Based Load and Resistance Factor Load Rating for Steel Girder Bridges , Francisco Garcia

Eliminating Rebar Splicing in Transverse Joints of Precast Full Depth Bridge Deck Panels , David Gee

Quantitative Assessment of Alkali-Silica Reaction in Small and Large-Scale Concrete Specimens Utilizing Nonlinear Acoustic Techniques , Clayton Malone

NITRATE AND HERBICIDES REMOVAL FROM GROUNDWATER USING IMMOBILIZED ALGAE , Sara Mollamohammada

RIVETED STEEL RAILWAY BRIDGE HEALTH MONITORING AND DAMAGE DETECTION , Ahmed Rageh

Development of an Improved Arterial Roadway Performance Reliability Methodology , Ernest Tufuor

Evaluation Of Internally Cured Bridge Deck Concrete With Standard And Optimized Aggregate Gradation , Arman Abdigaliyev

RESTRICTED CROSSING U-TURNS AT RURAL INTERSECTIONS , Timothy Adams

Numerical Simulation of Diffuse Ultrasonic Waves in Concrete , Hossein Ariannejad

Full Scale 13-Story Building Implosion and Collapse: Effects on Adjacent Structures , Kanchan Devkota

Biofiltration of Volatile Organic Compounds Emitted at Ethanol Plants , Christopher Arthur Duerschner

Simulation of Antimicrobial Resistance Gene Fate in Narrow Grass Hedges , Marzieh Khedmati

Probabilistic Analysis of Slide-Rocking Structures Under Earthquake Loads , Taylor J. Knickerbocker

Sustainability Assessment of U.S. Beef Processing and its Antimicrobial Systems , Shaobin Li

Development of a Mix Design Adjustment Method For Fiber Reinforced Concrete and Super High Performance Concrete Based on Excess Paste , Joe Malloy

Using Theoretical And Experimental Particle Packing For Aggregate Gradation Optimization To Reduce Cement Content In Pavement Concrete Mixtures , Miras Mamirov

Development of Post-to-Deck Connections for Use in a MASH TL-4 Steel-Tube Bridge Rail , Pascual Mauricio

Environmental Sustainability Assessment of Small Nebraska Mechanical Water Resource Recovery Facilities: Impacts of Construction and Operations , Sussan Moussavi

Assessing Impact and Blast Resilience of Polymer Coated Cementitious Materials , Murtaza Nalwala, Gabriel Nsengiyumva, and Yong-Rak Kim

Development of a MASH TL-4 Steel, Side-Mounted, Beam-and-Post, Bridge Rail , Oscar Pena

Application of Remote Sensing Technology in Water Resources Management , Mahesh Pun

Proportion and Evaluation of Ultra-High Performance Concrete Using Local Materials , Flavia Ribeiro Furtado de Mendonca

Effects of Nutrient Level and Growth Rate on Mutation and Conjugation Processes That Confer Antibiotic Resistance to E. coli , Mohammadreza Shafieifini

LIDAR Assessment to Monitor Bridge Response Under Live and Dead Loads , Daniel Watson

MULTISCALE MODELING OF FRACTURE IN QUASI-BRITTLE MATERIALS USING BIFURCATION ANALYSIS AND ELEMENT ELIMINATION METHOD , Keyvan Zare Rami

FINITE ELEMENT MODELING AND UPDATING OF A FIVE-TIERED PAGODA STYLE TEMPLE , Linh Maytham Abdulrahman

Shear Strength Characteristics and Failure Mechanism of Slopes in Overconsolidated Soils of Nebraska , Hossein Bahmyari

Experimental Study on a New Type of Transverse Connection for Nebraska County Bridge System , Alexander Bleyhl

Examination of Steel Pin and Hanger Assembly Performance – Retrofit to Replacement , Chandana Chickamagalur Balakrishna

Effect of Swine Manure Pit Additives and Facility Disinfectants on the Fate of Antibiotics and Manure Composition During Simulated Swine Manure Slurry Storage , Jon Duerschner

Integration of Remote Sensing and Proximal Sensing for Improvement of Field Scale Water Management , Foad Foolad

Statistical Investigation of Road and Railway Hazardous Materials Transportation Safety , Amirfarrokh Iranitalab

Artificial Neural Network and Finite Element Modeling of Nanoindentation Tests on Silica , KIANOOSH KOOCHEKI

Structural Identification and Assessment of the Inverted Tee Girder Bridge System , Garrett P. Martindale

Road Diet Feasibility Analysis for Nebraska , Brandon L. Purintun

Optimized Health Monitoring Plans for a Steel, Double-Track Railway Bridge , Ahmed Rageh

Evaluation and Development of CPT Based Pile Design in Nebraska Soils , Alex Silvey

Rainwater Harvesting System Scenario Analysis on Runoff Reduction Potential in Surabaya, Indonesia: A Geospatial Analysis for Brantas Hilir Watershed , Putri Sukmahartati

Investigation of a Tractor-Tank Trailer Roadside Containment Barrier , Dean L. Whitfield

Effects of Moving Bottlenecks on Traffic Operations on Four-lane Level Freeway Segments , Jianan Zhou

Bias and Other Error in Gridded Weather Data Sets and Their Impacts on Estimating Reference Evapotranspiration , Philip A. Blankenau

Broadening Understanding of Roundabout Operation Analysis: Planning-Level Tools and Signal Application , Ahmed Buasali

Molecular Dynamics Modeling and Simulation of Bitumen Chemical Aging , Farshad Fallah

Impact-resistant Behavior of Reinforced Concrete Bridge Columns , Chen Fang

Simulation and Prediction of the Groundwater Level in the Surrounding Area of the Nebraska Management System Evaluation Area site in Central Nebraska. , Cesar Augusto Gomez Peña

Chemical-Rheological Evaluation of the Short-Term and Long-Term Effectiveness of Binder Rejuvenators , H.F. Haghshenas, S. Kommidi, D. Nguyen, and Y-R Kim

Evaluation of Thin Asphalt Overlay Pavement Preservation in Nebraska: Laboratory Tests, MEPDG, and LCCA (17-2624) , Soohyok Im, Taesun You, Yong-Rak Kim, Gabriel Nsengiyumva, Robert Rea, and Hamzeh Haghshenas

Injury Severity of Truck Drivers in Crashes at Highway-Rail Grade Crossings , Waleed Ali Khan

Viscoelastic Analysis and Fatigue Characterization of Bituminous Materials in Two Length Scales Under the Influence of Aging , Santosh Reddy Kommidi

Numerical Modeling to Evaluate the Performance of Slow-Release Candles for Groundwater Remediation , Chuyang Liu

Hyperelastic Structural Fuses for Steel Buildings , Francys López

HYPERELASTIC STRUCTURAL FUSES FOR IMPROVED EARTHQUAKE RESILIENCE OF STEEL CONCENTRICALLY-BRACED BUILDINGS , Francys López-Mosquera

Effects of Rejuvenators on High-RAP Mixtures Based on Laboratory Tests of Asphalt Concrete Mixtures and Fine Aggregate Matrix Mixtures , Hesamaddin Nabizadeh, Hamzeh Haghshenas, Y-R Kim, and F. T. S. Aragão

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Home > Engineering > Civil Engineering > CIVILENG_GRADPROJ

Civil Engineering Graduate Projects and Theses

Theses/dissertations from 2023 2023.

Analyzing the Effects of Rejuvenators in Balanced Mix Design with High Percentages of Recycled Asphalt Pavement , Amanda Jo Mullins

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

Contaminants of Emerging Concern Behavior within Water Renewal Facilities , Joshua C. Baker

Evaluation of Energy Release from Wildfires Across the Elevation Gradient , Isabelle Rose Butler

Use of Harsh-Braking Data from Connected Vehicles as a Surrogate Safety Measure , Nathaniel Patrick Edelmann

Innovative Foundation Alternative Inspired from Tree Roots , Macie Larranaga

Multivariate Analysis of the 2021 Boise Drought in the Context of Natural Human Systems , Jesus Martinez-Osario

Using Food-Industry Byproduct to Treat Expansive Clay , Nicole L. Shaw

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

Developing Implementable Policies Targeting Sustainable Building Construction Through International Policy Diffusion , Melisa Ciara Hancock

Using Differential Shear Strain Measurements to Monitor Crosstie Support Conditions in Railroad Tracks , D. Kody Johnson

Water Quality Responses to a Semi-Arid Beaver Meadow in Boise, Idaho , Luise Bayer Winslow

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

Quantifying the Effects of Climate Change on Pavement Performance Prediction using AASHTOWare Pavement ME Design , Md Shahjalal Chowdhury

In-situ Fluid Injections to Achieve Bio-Stimulated Calcite Precipitation in Expansive Soils , Anish Pathak

Understanding Mesoscopic Chemo-Mechanical Distress and Mitigation Mechanisms of Concrete Subject to ASR , Md Asif Rahman

Assessing the Prevalence of Suspicious Activities in Asphalt Pavement Construction Using Algorithmic Logics and Machine Learning , Mostofa Najmus Sakib

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

Wildfire Smoke: Trends, Challenges, Unknowns, and Human Response , Mariah Dawn Fowler

Full-Scale Study of Infrared Thermography for Assessing Surface and Subsurface Defects in Pavements and Other Civil Infrastructure , Aidin J. Golrokh

Exploring the Use of Data from Newer Technologies in Road Design , Mahamudul Hasan

Effect of Subgrade Conditions on Pavement Analysis and Performance Prediction: A Study for Idaho Conditions , Md Jibon

A Unified Risk-Based Framework for Assessing Sustainability and Resiliency of Civil Infrastructure , Thomas Adam Robbins

Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018

Feasibility of Aerial Tramway at Boise State University , Majed Alsaqyani

Predicting Power Transformer Bushings' Seismic Vulnerability , Jonathan Bender

Effect of Particle Breakage on Ballast Permanent Deformation — A Study Using the Discrete Element Method , Beema Dahal

Machine Learning Methods to Map Stabilizer Effectiveness Based on Common Soil Properties , Amit Gajurel

Physio-Chemical Degradation of Concrete: A Ramification of Coupled Freeze-Thaw and Sulfate Attack , MD Aminul Islam

Studying the Applicability of Biostimulated Calcite Precipitation in Stabilizing Expansive Soils , Md Touhidul Islam

Effect of Subsurface Conditions on Flexible Pavement Behavior: Non-Destructive Testing and Mechanistic Analysis , Md. Fazle Rabbi

Studying the Use of Microbial Induced Calcite Precipitation as a Shallow Stabilization Alternative to Treat Expansive Soils , Tasria Rahman

Theses/Dissertations from 2017 2017

Subsurface Characterization of Flexible Pavements Constructed Over Expansive Soil Subgrades and Selection of Suitable Rehabilitation Alternatives , Kazi Moinul Islam

Effect of Particle Size Distribution and Packing Characteristics on Railroad Ballast Shear Strength: A Numerical Study Using the Discrete Element Method , S. M. Naziur Mahmud

Evaluating the Effectiveness of a Hybrid Geosynthetic Reinforcement System to Mitigate Differential Heave on Flexible Pavement due to Expansive Subgrades , Mir Md. Tamim

Theses/Dissertations from 2016 2016

Electromagnetically Induced Alteration of Hydraulic Conductivity of Coarse-Grained Soils for Geotechnical Applications , Rakesh Acharya

Evaluating the Suitability of Microbial Induced Calcite Precipitation Technique for Stabilizing Expansive Soils , Sikha Neupane

Evaluating the Effects of Major Assumptions in Layered Elastic Theory on Railroad Track Response Prediction Through the Development of an Improved Track Analysis Software , Sadichchha Sharma

Coupled Numerical Analysis of Variations in the Capacity of an Energy Pile in Clay Soil , Daniel Patrick Zimmerman

Theses/Dissertations from 2015 2015

Impedance-Based Water-Quality Monitoring Using Parallel Plate Method , Ali Nazaridaftari

Theses/Dissertations from 2014 2014

Electromagnetically Induced Remediation of Contaminated Soil , Vahab Bolvardi

The Effect of Electromagnetic Waves on Airflow During Air Sparging , Somayeh Najafi

Dual-State Kalman Filter Forecasting and Control Theory Applications for Proactive Ramp Metering , Brian Richard Portugais

Theses/Dissertations from 2013 2013

Investigation of Human-Induced Land Use Changes Under Present and Future Climate Projections in Southern Idaho , Korri Allen Anderson

Electromagnetic Alteration of Hydraulic Conductivity of Soils , Sahba Azad

An Investigation into the Water Budget and the Management of the Snake River System , John Whitney Hildreth

A New Framework for Flooding Control in Regulated River Systems , Elizabeth Akemi Kanashiro

Theses/Dissertations from 2012 2012

Analysis of Electromagnetic Stimulation of Transport in Water for Geoenvironmental Applications , Mahsa Azad

Theses/Dissertations from 2011 2011

A System Dynamics Approach for Climate Change Impact Analysis in the Snake River Basin , David Jerome Hoekema

Assessing the Surface Energy Balance Components in the Snake River Basin , W Thilini Ajanthik Jaksa

Investigation of Concrete Sealer Products to Extend Concrete Pavement Life , Justin Nielsen

EM Stimulation of Water for Geotechnical Applications , Harlan Dwight Olson Sangrey

Laser Particulate Counter Calibration to a Micro-Orifice Uniform-Deposit Impactor , Benjamen Fredrich Seely

Theses/Dissertations from 2010 2010

Impact of Ground-level Aviation Emissions on Air Quality in the Western United States , Eric Edward Clark

Factors Influencing Soil Moisture at the Hillslope Scale in a Semi-Arid Mountainous Environment , Ivan John Geroy

Identifying Controls on Surface Carbon Dioxide Efflux in a Semi-Arid Ecosystem , Katrina Elsie Ladd

Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products in Ground Water from Municipal Lagoon Treatment , Teresa Nicholas

Theses/Dissertations from 2007 2007

Design and Validation of an Automated Multistep Outflow Apparatus for Measuring Soil Hydraulic Properties , Jordi Figueras

Theses/Dissertations from 2006 2006

Integrated Transportation and Land Use Modeling for the Boise Metropolitan Area , Suseel Dev Indrakanti

A Gas Sampling Module for a Subsurface Ion Mobility Spectrometer , Kevin P. Ryan

Theses/Dissertations from 2005 2005

Development of a Queue Growth and Dissipation Model , Wei Wang

Theses/Dissertations from 2002 2002

Changes in Local Groundwater Elevation Following Stream Restoration in the Lower Red River Meadow, Idaho , Kenneth Douglas Donley

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Home > Engineering & Technology > Civil & Environmental Engineering > ETDs

Civil & Environmental Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Theses and dissertations published by graduate students in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering, Old Dominion University since Fall 2016 are available in this collection. Backfiles of all dissertations (and some theses) have also been added.

In late Fall 2023 or Spring 2024, all theses will be digitized and available here. In the meantime, consult the Library Catalog to find older items in print.

Theses/Dissertations from 2023 2023

Thesis: Evaluating Direct Filtration as an Alternative to Conventional Carbon-Based Advanced Treatment for Indirect Potable Reuse , Savannah M. Flemmer

Thesis: Biocrude Production From Lignin in Hydrothermal Medium: Effect of Rapid Heating and Short Residence Time , Kyoko Hirayama

Thesis: Adaptation of Nirtrifiers and Heterotrophs to Low Dissolved Oxygen in an Activated Sludge Biological Nutrient Removal Pilot Plant , Shashank Khatiwada

Thesis: Lithium Extraction From Aqueous Solution Using Magnesium Doped Lithium Ion-Sieve Composite , Ujjwal Pokharel

Dissertation: An Effective Model for Dynamic Properties of Local Soils and Their Influence on Seismic Response of a Typical Reinforced Concrete Building , Kaveh Zehtab

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

Dissertation: Quantification of Wave Attentuation of a Marsh Sill Living Shoreline and Application of Numerical Modeling for Design Optimization and Adaptation , Maura K. Boswell

Dissertation: Effectiveness of Suspended Lead Dampers in Steel Buildings Under Localized Lateral Impact and Vertical Pulsating Load , Herish Abdullah Hussein

Dissertation: Data-Driven Framework for Understanding & Modeling Ride-Sourcing Transportation Systems , Bishoy Kelleny

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

Thesis: Stability of Low Crested and Submerged Breakwaters: A Reanalysis and Model Development , Christopher P. Burgess

Dissertation: Integrated Processing of Municipal Solid Waste for Maximizing Waste Reduction, Carbon Recovery and Fuel Production , Kameron J. King

Thesis: Assessment of the Hydrograv® Adapt Variable Height Secondary Clarifier Inlet at HRSD Nansemond Treatment Plant , Matthew Poe

Dissertation: Rainfall-Runoff Mechanisms and Flood Mitigation in a Coastal Watershed with Numerous Wetlands and Ponds , Homa Jalaeian Taghadomi

Dissertation: Hydrothermal Processes for Extraction and Conversion of Biomass to Produce Biofuels and Value-Added Products , Anuj Hemant Thakkar

Dissertation: Spatiotemporal Variations of Precipitation and Climate-Resilient Structure Design in Virginia , Xiaomin Yang

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

Dissertation: A Rule Based Control Algorithm for on-Ramp Merge With Connected and Automated Vehicles , Ehsan Beheshtitabar

Thesis: Lateral-Torsional Instability and Biaxial Flexure of Continuous GFRP Beams Including Warping and Shear Deformations , Waverly G. Hampton

Thesis: The Impacts of Surface Gravity Waves on Buoyant Plume Dilution , Bruce William Husselbee

Dissertation: Truck Trailer Classification Using Side-Fire Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR) Data , Olcay Sahin

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

Thesis: Developing Algorithms to Detect Incidents on Freeways From Loop Detector and Vehicle Re-Identification Data , Biraj Adhikari

Dissertation: Catalytic Transfer Hydrogenation Reactions of Lipids , Alexander Asiedu

Dissertation: Latent Choice Models to Account for Misclassification Errors in Discrete Transportation Data , Lacramioara Elena Balan

Thesis: Spatiotemporal Downscaling Rainfall Predictions of North American Regional Climate Change Assessment Program for Entire Virginia , Zhaoyi Cai

Thesis: Application of a Biodegradable and Recyclable Chelating Agent for Ash Removal from Algae , Temitope George Daramola

Dissertation: Parallel Jacobi Transformation Algorithm for Generalized Eigen-Solution With Improved Damage Detection of Truss/Bridge-Type Structures , Maryam Ehsaei

Thesis: Sidestream RAS Fermentation for Stable Bio-P Combined with Short Cut Nitrogen Removal in an A/B Process , Lindsey Elise Ferguson

Thesis: Challenges of Designing and Operating a Pilot Scale Short Residence Time Continuous Hydrothermal Flash Hydrolysis Reactor for High Slurry Load Biomass Processing , Mason James Martin

Dissertation: Deep Reinforcement Learning Approach for Lagrangian Control: Improving Freeway Bottleneck Throughput Via Variable Speed Limit , Reza Vatani Nezafat

Thesis: Variable Speed Limit Control at SAG Curves Through Connected Vehicles: Implications of Alternative Communications and Sensing Technologies , Reza Vatani Nezafat

Thesis: Measuring and Modeling Bare Desert Wind Erosion From Steppe Grassland of Northern China as Affected By Soil Moisture and Climate , Nicholas Morgan Potter

Dissertation: Adaptive Control of Base Isolation Systems Using the Transmissibility-Based Semi-Active Controller , Ramin Rabiee

Thesis: Numerical Modeling of Shoreline Response to Storm Tides and Sea Level Rise , Akash Sahu

Dissertation: Numerical Modeling and Field Investigation of Nearshore Nonlinear Wave Propagation , Elham Sharifineyestani

Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018

Dissertation: Behavior of Piled Raft Foundation in Partially Saturated Soils , Salman Alrubaye

Dissertation: Techno-Economic and Life Cycle Assessment of Hydrothermal Processing of Microalgae for Biofuels and Co-Product Generation , Andrew P. Bessette

Thesis: The Evaluation of Enhancing Biological Phosphorus Removal and Improving Settleability Using Mainstream Hydrocyclones for External Selection , Amanda Carrie Ford

Dissertation: Value Added Products From Lignin and Biomass Derivatives , Chen Li

Dissertation: Predicting Effects of Climate Change and Sea Level Rise on Hydrologic Processes in a Mid-Atlantic Coastal Watershed , Rui Li

Thesis: Flexural Behavior and Strength of Doubly-Reinforced Concrete Beams with Hollow Plastic Spheres , Rutvik R. Patel

Thesis: Modeling Effects of Rainwater Harvesting Systems on Water Yield Increase and Non-Beneficial Evaporation Reduction to Sustain Agriculture in a Water-Scarce Region of China , Tennille Wade

Theses/Dissertations from 2017 2017

Thesis: A Comparative Study of the Effects of External Selection on Settleability and Formation of Aerobic Granular Sludge , Tyler A. Brickles

Thesis: Vulnerability Assessment of Critical Bridges in the Hampton Roads Region of Virginia to Storm Surge Flooding under Sea Level Rise , Luca Castrucci

Dissertation: Behavior and Strength of RC Spandrel Members Under Unsymmetrical Bending and Torsion Including CFRP Retrofitting , Muhammad Fahim

Dissertation: Behavior and Strength of Non-Prestressed and Prestressed Hillman Composite Beam Including CFRP Retrofitting , Wajid Khan

Thesis: Investigation and Analysis of the Fluctuating Brominated to Total Trihalomethane Ratio in the Virginia Beach Distribution System , Christopher Steven Mihalkovic

Dissertation: Investigating Physical Processes Associated With Chesapeake Bay and Changjiang Estuary , Arash Niroomandi

Dissertation: Simulated Dynamics of Soil Water and Pore Vapor in a Semi-Arid Sandy Ecosystem , Shohreh Pedram

Thesis: Quantifying Cyanide Inhibition of Nitrification and Developing Cost-Effective Treatment Processes , Germano M. Salazar-Benites

Dissertation: Efficient Algorithms for Solving Size-Shape-Topology Truss Optimization and Shortest Path Problems , Gelareh B. Sanjabi

Dissertation: Holistic Approach in Microalgae Conversion to Bioproducts and Biofuels Through Flash Hydrolysis , Ali Teymouri

Thesis: A Household Daily Non-Mandatory Activity Participation and Duration Modeling Accounting for Person Level Budget Constraints , Ivana Vukovic

Thesis: Quantifying Pollutant Removal Rates of Bioretention Basins as a Stormwater Best Management Practice , Evan Nathanial Waagen

Theses/Dissertations from 2016 2016

Dissertation: Dynamic Elasto-Plastic Behavior of Steel Building Sub-Assemblage Including CFRP Retrofitting Under Impact Load , Ali Mohammed Salih Aloosi

Dissertation: Methodologies for Estimating Traffic Flow on Freeways Using Probe Vehicle Trajectory Data , Khairul Azfi Anuar

Thesis: Impacts of Operating Parameters on Extracellular Polymeric Substances Production in a High Rate Activated Sludge System with Low Solids Retention Times , Matthew S. Elliot

Dissertation: Efficient Domain Decomposition Algorithms and Applications in Transportation and Structural Engineering , Paul W. Johnson III

Thesis: Changing Trends in Wave Heights in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic Region , Hillary Lane

Thesis: Longitudinal Tidal Dispersion Coefficient Estimation and Total Suspended Solids Transport Characterization in the James River , Beatriz Eugenia Patino

Thesis: Effects of Surrounding Water Table on a Forested Wetland Habitat in East Coast of Virginia , Lane Stokes

Thesis: Investigating the Relationship Between Latent Driving Patterns and Traffic Safety Using Smartphone-Based Mobile Sensor Data , Kenneth Wynne

Thesis: Global Sensitivity Analysis of Mat Foundation Behavior by Using Finite Element Modeling , Yang Zhao

Theses/Dissertations from 2015 2015

Thesis: Experimental and Predicted Behavior of FRP Beam-Columns Including Retrofitting , Ali Al-Huazy

Thesis: Analyzing Driver Behavior and Traffic Flow Breakdowns at the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel , Michelle L. Allen

Thesis: Behavior and Strength of Pultruded FRP I-Section Columns Including Uniaxial and Biaxial Bending , Emad M. Amin

Thesis: Techno-Economic Analysis of Protein Concentrate Produced by Flash Hydrolysis of Microalgae , Alexander Nana Yaw Asiedu

Thesis: Life Cycle Assessment Using Argonne GREET Model of Algae Based Biofuels Produced Using Flash Hydrolysis Process , Andrew P. Bessette

Thesis: A Modified Rank Ordered Logit Model to Analyze Injury Severity of Occupants in Multi-Vehicle Crashes , Shelley Bogue

Dissertation: Polychlorinated Biphenyl Source Identification in Fish Tissue Using a Multivariate Statistical Evaluation of Congeners and Stable Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry , William Edward Corl III

Thesis: Adsorption-Style Activated-Sludge Is It a Practical Treatment Process in North America? , Jon DeArmond

Thesis: Impact of Limited Organic Carbon Addition on Nitrogen Removal in a Mainstream Anammox Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor , Johnnie Wayne Godwin

Dissertation: Inelastic Behavior and Strength of Steel Beam-Columns with Applied Torsion , Mamadou Konate

Dissertation: A Risk Assessment of the Impacts of Coastal Flooding and Sea Level Rise on the Existing and New Pump Stations 113, Norfolk, VA , David A. Pezza

Dissertation: Hydrothermal Catalytic Liquefaction and Deoxygenation of Biomass for Renewable Fuel Production , Sergiy Popov

Thesis: Accuracy Comparison of Numerical Integration Algorithms for Real-Time Hybrid Simulations , Ganesh Anant Reddy

Dissertation: Characterizing Queue Dynamics at Signalized Intersections From Probe Vehicle Data , Semuel Yacob Recky Rompis

Thesis: Comparing Nutrient Recovery via Rapid (Flash Hydrolysis) and Conventional Hydrothermal Liquefaction Processes for Microalgae Cultivation , Caleb Richard Talbot

Theses/Dissertations from 2014 2014

Thesis: Evaluation of the EPA SWMM Model to Simulate Low Impact Development Features in an Urban Stormwater Environment , Holly Ann Carpenter

Dissertation: Flash Hydrolysis of Microalgae Biomass for Biofuels Intermediates Production, Protein Extraction, and Nutrients Recycle , Jose Luis Garcia Moscoso

Thesis: Anammox Polishing in Mainstream Wastewater Treatment to Meet Stringent Ammonia and Total Nitrogen Limits , Rebecca Mary Holgate

Thesis: Effective CFRP Retrofitting Schemes for Prestressed Concrete Beams , Herish Abdullah Hussein

Dissertation: Feasibility of Mainstream Nitrite Oxidizing Bacteria Out-Selection and Anammox Polishing for Enhanced Nitrogen Removal , Pusker Raj Regmi

Dissertation: Stormwater Infrastructure Optimization on Conjunctive Improvements , Mohammad Hussin Shar

Theses/Dissertations from 2013 2013

Thesis: Linear Programming Algorithm with Mixed Real-Integer Variables in MATLAB Environments , Gelareh Bakhtyar

Thesis: Operation and Modification of a B-Stage for Efficient Nitrogen Removal in an A/B Process Pilot Study , Ryder Bunce

Dissertation: The Role of Proximity in Reducing Auto Travel: Using VMT to Identify Key Locations for Development, from Downtown to the Exurbs , Robert B. Case

Dissertation: Watershed-Scale Hybrid Stochastic-Deterministic Modeling Framework and Diffused Sources Superpositioning , Ruby Juvah Damalie

Thesis: Denitrification and Biological Phosphorus Removal Using Focused, Pulse-Treated, Thickened Waste Activated Sludge as an Internal Carbon Source , Holly Anne Hillard

Thesis: Evaluating Alternatives for Augmented Water Quality Improvement Utilizing Oyster Restoration as Best Management Practice (BMP) , Stephanie Roberts Long

Dissertation: An Investigation of Pavement Distress Variables on Crash Outcomes Using Hierarchical Generalized Linear Regression Modeling , Robert Alan Morgan

Thesis: Optimization of DEMON® Sidestream Treatment and Potential for Anammox Mainstream Bioaugmentation , Andrea Lauren Nifong

Dissertation: Dimensionless Criteria for Selecting Tidally-Influenced Advective-Dispersive Desalination Brine Mixing Plume Characterization Models , Alireza Shahvari

Dissertation: Exploring Travel and Activity Behavior in Transit-Oriented Developments: Insights Into Transportation Benefits and Travel Demand Modelling , Sanghoon Son

Dissertation: Thermo-Elasto-Plastic Behavior of Biaxially Loaded Steel Beam-Columns Inducing Those From World Trade Center Towers , Yanhong Zhao

Theses/Dissertations from 2012 2012

Dissertation: Evaluation of Hydraulic Conductivity of Non Aqueous Phase Liquids in Partially Saturated Soils , Chijioke Ekeleme Akamiro

Thesis: Integrating Probe Vehicles and Stationary Detector Data to Construct Accurate Cumulative Curves to Study Bottlenecks , Khairul Azfi Anuar

Dissertation: Efficient Stand-Alone Generalized Inverse Algorithms and Software for Engineering/Sciences Applications: Research and Education , Subhash Chandra Bose S V Kadiam

Thesis: Biaxial Bending and Lateral-Torsional Instability of Imperfect FRP I-Beams Including Effects of Retrofitting , Jodi Marie Knorowski

Dissertation: The Modified Coastal Storm Impulse Parameter , Sayed Gholamreza Mahmoudpour

Thesis: Demand Responsive Signal Control Strategy (DRSC) Incorporating Queue Length Information in Real-Time Signal Control , Rahul Rajbhara

Dissertation: Static and Impact Load Response of Reinforced Concrete Beams and Slabs with NSM-CFRP Retrofitting , Nakul Ramanna-Sanjeevaiah

Dissertation: Spatial Analysis of Travel Behavior and Response to Traveler Information , Xin Wang

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Top 50 Research Ideas in Civil Engineering

Top 100 Research and Project Ideas in Civil Engineering

Dr. Somasundaram R

laughing male constructor showing thumb up at working desk

Table of contents

Top 50 research and project ideas in civil engineering.

Civil engineering is a broad field that requires constant research to improve infrastructure and environmental sustainability. Research ideas in civil engineering can help civil engineers optimize their websites to rank higher on search engine results pages (SERPs) and increase visibility to potential clients. In this article, ilovephd listed the top 50 project and research ideas in civil engineering

Here are the top 100 Research ideas in civil engineering:

  • Optimization of building information modeling (BIM) for search engines
  • Analyzing the effects of traffic on urban air quality
  • Evaluating the feasibility of green infrastructure for stormwater management
  • Developing sustainable construction techniques for high-rise buildings
  • Investigating the effects of climate change on transportation infrastructure
  • Analyzing the impacts of natural disasters on infrastructure and the environment
  • Developing strategies for recycling construction waste
  • Studying the effects of urbanization on biodiversity
  • Investigating the role of geotechnical engineering in infrastructure development
  • Evaluating the effectiveness of public transportation systems in reducing carbon emissions
  • Developing sustainable solutions for wastewater treatment
  • Analyzing the effects of water scarcity on infrastructure and the environment
  • Investigating the use of renewable energy sources in construction
  • Developing methods for reducing noise pollution from infrastructure
  • Studying the effects of soil erosion on infrastructure and the environment
  • Investigating the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in civil engineering
  • Evaluating the feasibility of using drones in construction
  • Developing sustainable solutions for pavement design and maintenance
  • Analyzing the effects of natural disasters on transportation infrastructure
  • Investigating the effects of climate change on water resources
  • Developing strategies for improving public perception of civil engineering
  • Studying the effects of green roofs on energy efficiency and air quality
  • Investigating the use of nanotechnology in civil engineering
  • Evaluating the Effectiveness of bridge maintenance strategies
  • Developing sustainable solutions for coastal infrastructure
  • Analyzing the impacts of construction on nearby communities
  • Investigating the use of virtual reality (VR) in civil engineering
  • Evaluating the feasibility of using robots in construction
  • Developing sustainable solutions for road construction and maintenance
  • Studying the effects of land use on transportation infrastructure
  • Investigating the effects of land subsidence on infrastructure and the environment
  • Developing strategies for improving infrastructure resilience to natural disasters
  • Analyzing the effects of climate change on infrastructure materials
  • Investigating the use of big data in civil engineering
  • Evaluating the effectiveness of sustainable drainage systems (SuDS)
  • Developing sustainable solutions for landfill design and management
  • Studying the effects of water quality on infrastructure and the environment
  • Investigating the Use of blockchain technology in civil engineering
  • Evaluating the feasibility of using 3D printing in construction
  • Developing sustainable solutions for airport design and management
  • Analyzing the effects of seismic activity on infrastructure and the environment
  • Investigating the use of augmented reality (AR) in civil engineering
  • Evaluating the Effectiveness of sustainable transportation infrastructure
  • Developing strategies for improving infrastructure cybersecurity
  • Studying the effects of noise barriers on nearby communities
  • Investigating the Effects of climate change on coastal infrastructure
  • Developing sustainable solutions for railway design and management
  • Analyzing the impacts of infrastructure on local economies
  • Investigating the use of machine learning (ML) in civil engineering
  • Evaluating the feasibility of using prefabrication in construction

In conclusion, The top 50 research ideas in civil engineering cover a broad range of topics, including sustainable construction, green infrastructure, and the use of technology in civil engineering. By incorporating these research ideas into their digital marketing strategy, civil engineers can improve their website’s search engine rankings and reach a wider audience.

Ultimately, the research ideas in civil engineering can help drive innovation and progress in the field toward a more sustainable and resilient future.

Hope, this article would help you know about the research and project ideas and topics in civil engieering. Happy Researching!

  • 3D Printing
  • airport design
  • artificial intelligence
  • augmented reality
  • biodiversity
  • blockchain technology
  • civil engineering
  • climate change
  • coastal infrastructure
  • construction waste
  • cybersecurity
  • geotechnical engineering
  • green infrastructure
  • high-rise buildings
  • infrastructure resilience
  • land subsidence
  • landfill design
  • Machine Learning
  • natural disasters
  • noise barriers
  • noise pollution
  • pavement design
  • public transportation
  • railway design
  • renewable energy
  • Research Ideas
  • seismic activity
  • soil erosion
  • stormwater management
  • sustainable construction
  • sustainable transportation
  • urban air quality
  • wastewater treatment
  • water quality
  • water scarcity

Dr. Somasundaram R

Top Scopus Indexed Journals in Management 2024

100 generative ai project ideas and examples -2024, how to write a best review paper to get more citation, email subscription.

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iLovePhD is a research education website to know updated research-related information. It helps researchers to find top journals for publishing research articles and get an easy manual for research tools. The main aim of this website is to help Ph.D. scholars who are working in various domains to get more valuable ideas to carry out their research. Learn the current groundbreaking research activities around the world, love the process of getting a Ph.D.

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The University of Melbourne

Civil and Structural Engineering

Introduction, quick start, search engines, systematic reviews, company & industry information, referencing and citing, research skills, welcome to the civil & structural engineering subject research guide                      .

Your subject librarians have designed this guide to highlight online resources at the University of Melbourne Library that are relevant to Civil and Structural Engineering.

5 things you can do to start your research:                      

Note: The buttons below will open resources in new windows.

1. Get set up and connected with the Library

2. Research Essentials: Level up your researching, reading and writing skills with these essential tips

3. Search for an ebook on your topic in the Library Catalogue

4. Search Tools and Apps

5. Search for an article via Discovery

Civil and Structural Engineering eBook databases

  • SpringerLink Books SpringerLink contains journals, books, series, protocols and reference works all aimed at supporting the research and academic community across all disciplines. The Palgrave Connect ebook collections were integrated into the Springer eBook collections during 2016.
  • AccessEngineering (McGraw Hill) Access Engineering is an engineering reference tool for professionals, academics, and students which provides access to critical, regularly updated engineering reference information.
  • ProQuest Ebook Central Ebook Central provides access to thousands of e-books from trusted publishers in all academic subject areas.
  • eBook Collection (EBSCO) EBSCO eBooks offers a selection of scholarly, frontlist and award-winning eBook titles from leading publishers. These titles cover a broad range of academic subject matter and topics. The Library has access to selected titles, as well as the thousands of public domain titles that are included in the database.
  • Taylor & Francis Ebooks Taylor & Francis provide access to thousands of eBooks in science, technology, engineering, medicine, humanities and social science from well known publishers such as Routledge, CRC Press, Chapman and Hall, Ashgate, Psychology Press, Longman and Heinemann. Content spans all levels within higher education, from students to researchers, including topic-defining handbooks and ground-breaking research monographs. Download chapters or the entire book as a convenient PDF or read online.
  • Wiley Online Library Books Wiley Online Library is a collection of online resources covering life, health, and physical sciences as well as social science and the humanities. It delivers access to journals, books, reference works, laboratory protocols, and databases from John Wiley & Sons and its imprints, including Wiley-Blackwell, Wiley-VCH, and Jossey-Bass.

Search for eBooks via the library catalogue, Discovery or specialist eBook databases

Visit the eBooks guide

Browsing for Civil & Structural Engineering resources

Once you find a good book in the library catalogue, click on the subject links at the bottom of the record to find more items on that topic, e.g.

  • Civil engineering  
  • Hydraulic engineering 
  • Sanitary engineering
  • Structural Engineering
  • Structural analysis (Engineering)

Reading eBooks

Most of the ebooks provided by the library can simply be read online using a web browser and/or downloaded, by section or chapter, in PDF format.

To access, download, read, and print most ebooks from the library you simply need:

  • A unimelb login and password.
  • A device, such as a PC, laptop, or tablet, with access to the internet,
  • An up-to-date web browser ( find the latest versions of common browsers here ), and
  • A PDF reader, such as  Adobe Reader .

Some ebook providers require you to check-out or borrow ebooks and use particular software, such as  Adobe Digital Editions , to read their ebooks.

However, you will be prompted to do this when you try to access an ebook with special requirements and instructions will be provided.

Featured eBooks

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eReference access during the COVID-19 pandemic

During the covid19 pandemic, a number of publishers and providers are giving free unlimited access to a range of online resources., you can see the list at our  library blog, key ereference databases.

Find a list of key databases below that give you access to online references works, such as encyclopedias, handbooks, dictionaries, and other fast facts such as reference data, graphs, tables, equations, and material or chemical properties, etc.

To find further reference information you can search:

  • Library catalogue
  • A-Z eJournals and Databases
  • Knovel Knovel offers an unmatched depth and breadth of validated engineering content, selected from the most trusted sources and delivered to engineers quickly and with extreme precision. Knovel's comprehensive content collection includes material properties, process and design information, best practices, equations and formulations for specific industries and engineering disciplines. Knovel’s content includes over 4,000 leading reference works and databases from more than 100 leading technical publishers and professional societies including AIAA, AIChE, ASHRAE, ASM, ASME, DIPPR and NACE.
  • eFunda : engineering fundamentals eFunda stands for engineering Fundamentals. Its mission is to create an online destination for the engineering community, where working professionals can quickly find concise and reliable information to meet the majority of their daily reference needs. eFunda is all about the basics, that mostly means college level material covered in engineering schools. If you practice engineering, more often than not you would find yourself searching for something you knew but could not quite remember. eFunda wants to be your reminder of these formulas. Not only that, eFunda wants to tell you exactly under what conditions those formulas apply

General eReference

  • Oxford Reference Oxford Reference is the home of Oxford’s quality reference publishing. The collection provides quality, up-to-date reference content at the click of a button. The University of Melbourne subscribes to selected titles from this large collection of materials.
  • Oxford English Dictionary The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) is widely regarded as the accepted authority on the English language. It is an unsurpassed guide to the meaning, history, and pronunciation of 600,000 words— past and present—from across the English-speaking world.
  • Macquarie Dictionary and Thesaurus Online The Macquarie Dictionary Online is constantly updated with new words as they enter the Australian language. This online service gives you access to the latest edition of the Macquarie Dictionary and the latest edition of the Macquarie Thesaurus plus annual updates

Civil and Structural Engineering eReference examples

  • 2018 International Building Code Illustrated Handbook ISBN: 9781260132304 Publication Date: 2018

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Finding journals articles, conference proceedings & more

  • You can use Discovery to search across most of the journals and other content the library subscribes to.
  • Access Discovery via the search box on the library homepage .

eJournals and Databases

  • Conduct a more thorough and advanced search by searching individual databases or e-journals.
  • From the library homepage click the  A-Z eJournals and Databases link.
  • Browse alphabetically or search by title. 

You can access some key databases directly by clicking the links below:

Key multidisciplinary databases

Scopus is an abstract and citation database of peer-reviewed literature: scientific journals, books and conference proceedings. Delivering a comprehensive overview of the world's research output in the fields of science, technology, medicine, social sciences, and arts and humanities, Scopus features smart tools to track, analyze and visualize research.

Web of Science Core Collection provides quick, powerful access to the world's leading citation databases. Authoritative, multidisciplinary content covers over 12,000 of the highest impact journals worldwide, including Open Access journals and over 150,000 conference proceedings. You'll find current and retrospective coverage in the sciences, social sciences, arts, and humanities, with coverage to 1900.

  • Google Scholar (With University of Melbourne authentication) Google Scholar provides a simple way to broadly search for scholarly literature. From one place, you can search across many disciplines and sources: peer-reviewed papers, theses, books, abstracts and articles, from academic publishers, professional societies, preprint repositories, universities and other scholarly organizations.
  • Academic Search Complete (EBSCO) Academic Search™ Complete is a multidisciplinary full-text database, providing access to more than 8,600 full-text periodicals, including more than 7,500 peer-reviewed journals. In addition to full text it offers indexing and abstracts for more than 12,500 journals and a total of more than 13,200 publications including monographs, reports, conference proceedings, etc.
  • ProQuest The ProQuest platform delivers a variety of full text databases and indexes covering a wide range of subject areas.

Key Civil and Structural Engineering databases

  • Compendex (Elsevier) Compendex is a comprehensive bibliographic database of engineering research in the broad subject areas of engineering and applied science including: nuclear technology; bioengineering; transportation; chemical and process engineering; light and optical technology; agricultural engineering and food technology; computers and data processing; applied physics; electronics and communications control; civil, mechanical, materials, petroleum, aerospace, and automotive engineering. Compendex combined with the Ei Engineering Index Backfile provides coverage from 1884 to the present day. The database is updated weekly.
  • Inspec Inspec is a leading bibliographic database providing access to the world's scientific literature in: electrical engineering; electronics; physics; control engineering; information technology; communications; computers; computing; manufacturing and production engineering. Inspec combined with the Inspec Archive provides coverage from 1898 to the present day. The database is updated weekly.
  • ASCE Library The ASCE Library is a comprehensive online tool for locating articles of interest across all disciplines of civil engineering. The ASCE Library provides you with access to full-text papers from ASCE Journals and Proceedings.
  • ICE Virtual Library Journals The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) is the world’s longest established professional engineering body. The ICE Publishing journals represent the highest standards of research and best-practice in civil engineering.
  • ICONDA (Ovid) ICONDA, The International Construction Database, covers worldwide technical literature relating to all aspects of planning and construction. ICONDA contains references taken from sources in more than 20 different countries. Each reference has abstracts and detailed keywords in English. Information is sourced from periodicals, books, research reports, conference proceedings, business reports, theses, and non-conventional literature that is normally outside the public domain. Coverage is from 1976 to the present, and the database is updated monthly.
  • TRANSPORT (Ovid) TRANSPORT is a bibliographic database of transportation research information. It combines the following databases: Transportation Research Information Services (TRIS) from the Transportation Research Board of the United States; International Transport Research Documentation (ITRD) from the OECD; and TRANSDOC from the European Conference of Ministers of Transport. Coverage is from 1968 to the present, and is updated quarterly. more... less... Online help for TRANSPORT
  • GreenFILE (EBSCO) GreenFILE offers information covering all aspects of human impact to the environment and is a collection of scholarly, government and general-interest titles that include content on global warming, green building, pollution, sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, recycling, and more. The database provides indexing and abstracts for more than 384,000 records, as well as Open Access full text for more than 4,700 records.
  • GeoRef (ProQuest) GeoRef provides access to the geoscience literature of the world and is the most comprehensive database available in the geosciences. The database contains over 3 million references to geoscience journal articles, books, maps, conference papers, reports and theses.

Australian content

  • Austroads Publications Online Austroads Publications Online enables you to access more than 600 technical and research reports. You'll also find the Austroads Test Methods, Pavement Work Tips, Specifications and Technical Notes here.
  • BRE Connect BRE is a world leading multi-disciplinary building science centre with a mission to improve the built environment through research and knowledge generation.
  • Green Building Council of Australia The Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) was established in 2002 to develop a sustainable property industry in Australia and drive the adoption of green building practices through market-based solutions.
  • Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals This database is a comprehensive listing of journal articles on architecture since 1934, covering the history and practice of architecture, landscape architecture, city planning, historic preservation and interior design and decoration. It indexes over seven hundred American and international journals including not only scholarly and popular periodical literature, but also publications of professional associations, American state and regional periodicals, and the major serials on architecture and design of Europe, Asia, Latin America, and Australia. The index is published by the Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library at Columbia University.
  • Acumen Practice Notes Acumen Practice Notes has incorporated both "Acumen" and "Environment Design Guide" which is the Australian Institute of Architects practice advisory service for architects. It covers such things as financial management, risk management, insurances and indemnity, legislation and contracts. Acumen aims to provide architects with the most relevant and up-to-date advisory material and news about managing an architectural practice and managing architectural projects. Environmental content is available under the ‘environment’ option and comprises peer-reviewed, regularly updated design notes on built-environment sustainability.
  • Earthquake Photo Gallery The Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI) Photo Gallery includes photographs from many recent and important earthquakes which provide an overall sense of the earthquake effects. Each gallery features images and photos searchable by keyword. Aims to reduce earthquake risk by (1) advancing the science and practice of earthquake engineering, (2) improving understanding of the impact of earthquakes on the physical, social, economic, political, and cultural environment, and (3) advocating comprehensive and realistic measures for reducing the harmful effects of earthquakes.

Video: Basics of database searching

Basics of database searching from unilibrary on Vimeo .

Browzine e-Journals

Click on the buttons below to view a selection of online Science and Engineering eJournals that the Library subscribes to (these will open in a new window). For a complete list of eJournals please visit our A-Z eJournals page.

Browse Civil & Environmental Engineering eJournals

Browse All Engineering and Technology eJournals

More information on e-Journals

The databases below provide further information on e-Journals, such as:

  • Whether a journal is peer-reviewed/refereed.
  • Whether the journal/publisher is suspected to be predatory.
  • Which databases the journal is indexed in.
  • Acceptance rates, and the typical time taken to review and publish papers.
  • Metrics, such as the journal impact factor (JIF) and ranking within subject areas.
  • UlrichsWeb : global serials directory (ProQuest) UlrichsWeb is an easy to search source of detailed information on more than 300,000 periodicals of all types: academic and scholarly journals, e-journals, peer-reviewed titles, popular magazines, newspapers, newsletters, and more. Ulrichsweb covers more than 900 subject areas. Ulrich's records provide data points such as ISSN, publisher, language, subject, abstracting & indexing coverage, full-text database coverage, tables of contents, and reviews written by librarians.
  • Cabell's Scholarly Analytics Cabell's consists of two databases - Journalytics and Predatory Reports. Journalytics: explore more than 11,000 qualified academic journals within 18 disciplines to discover the perfect outlet for your research. Filter your results using advanced search options and suite of citation-backed metrics. Predatory Reports: in response to the growing number of predatory publishers, this resource aims to shine a light on the deceptive practices that threaten to undermine quality research.
  • Serials Directory (EBSCOhost) This database provides accurate bibliographic information, as well as current pricing structures for popular serials. The Serials Directory contains nearly 250,000 U.S. and international titles, including newspapers, journals and magazines. With data from more than 108,000 publishers worldwide, including e-mail and Internet address, language, publication frequency, ISSN, Library of Congress, Dewey Decimal Classification, and more.
  • InCites - Journal Citation Reports The Journal Citation Reports module within InCites allows you to evaluate and compare journals using citation data drawn from scholarly and technical journals and conference proceedings from thousands of publishers in over 60 countries. Journal Citation Reports is the only source of citation data on journals, and includes virtually all specialties in the areas of science, technology, and social sciences.

Search Engines & Digital Repositories

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Turn on “ Find It @ Unimelb ” links when browsing Google Scholar at home.

Use the Lean Library  or LibKey Nomad  browser extension to access full-text online resources in your browser without going through the library website or Discovery.

  • Google Scholar Google Scholar provides a simple way to broadly search for scholarly literature. From one place, you can search across many disciplines and sources: articles, theses, books, abstracts and court opinions, from academic publishers, professional societies, online repositories, universities and other web sites. Google Scholar helps you find relevant work across the world of scholarly research.
  • Google: Advanced Search Use the more advanced features of Google Web Search.
  • Duck Duck Go DuckDuckGo is an internet search engine that distinguishes itself from other search engines by not profiling its users and by showing all users the same search results for a given search term.
  • The University of Melbourne's Institutional Repository : Minerva Access Minerva Access is the University's Institutional Repository. It aims to collect, preserve, and showcase the intellectual output of staff and students of the University of Melbourne for a global audience.
  • Digital Collections (University of Melbourne) Digital Collections of the University of Melbourne Library. The collections include resources from individual items required for course delivery to large collections that are of a cultural or scholarly significance.
  • Trove The search engine of the National Library of Australia. Allows you to search Australian state, university and local library catalogues at once.
  • OCLC WorldCat Meta search engine for online catalogs of libraries all over the world. Search for any book using a geographic location for the closest sources. The search also includes OAIster a catalog of millions of records that represent open access resources.
  • arXiv arXiv is an e-print service in the fields of physics, mathematics, non-linear science, computer science, quantitative biology, quantitative finance and statistics.

Key News sources

Find below a list of useful databases for finding newspaper and magazine articles, television news broadcasts and broadcast transcripts:

  • News and Newspapers (ProQuest) News and Newspapers provides a single search interface to all newspaper collections within ProQuest: Australia & New Zealand Newsstream; Canadian Newsstream; Global Breaking Newswires; International Newsstream; ProQuest Historical Newspapers.
  • Gale OneFile: News Provides access to major U.S. regional, national, and local newspapers, global newspapers, and thousands of images, radio and TV broadcasts and transcripts. Includes over 300 Australian newspapers.
  • Factiva Factiva provides access to the latest business and industry news. It is a valuable research tool for many disciplines, including political science, media studies, business, technology studies, social science, journalism, the arts, and more. The database allows users to browse through a collection of global content sources from 200 countries, in 26 languages – including newspapers, continuously updated newswires from Dow Jones and Reuters, journals and magazines, websites, blogs, and multimedia.
  • Nexis Uni Nexis Uni provides quick comprehensive access to legal, business news, market insight, biographies and public records in a single location.

Looking for more news and newspapers?

Visit the News and Newspapers guide

Standards are documents setting out specifications, procedures and guidelines. They are designed to ensure products, services and systems are safe, reliable and consistent. They are based on industrial, scientific and consumer experience and are regularly reviewed to ensure they keep pace with new technologies.

Standards cover everything from consumer products and services, construction, engineering, business, information technology, human services to energy and water utilities, the environment and much more.

Key standards databases are listed below, for more information on standards, and how to search for them refer to the Standards Library Guide

Standards Databases

  • SAI Global - Australian Standards This link opens in a new window SAI Global On-Line Premium is a web-based service that provides access to the full collection of Australian Standards, plus optional access to international Standards from ISO, IEC, EN, ETSI, NSAI, JSA, and a searchable index of standards from ANSI, BSI, DIN and ASTM. Please note: - 4 concurrent users for Australian standards ; 1 concurrent user for international standards - This database is not designed for use with Mac computers, or with any version of Firefox. Please use Google Chrome or Internet Explorer for access - All users will be prompted to self-register the first time they attempt to open or download any Standards Australia, or ISO and IEC content. Searching and viewing search results will not require registration. The self-registration process will request first name, last name, University of Melbourne email address, and ask you to create a password. Once registration is verified, no further action is required.
  • IHS Engineering Workbench IHS provides online access to the Annual Book of ASTM Standards which is made up of over 80 volumes and more than 12,000 standards.

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  • Last Updated: Apr 3, 2024 2:58 PM
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A cargo ship is ensnared in a mangled steel bridge.

Failure of Francis Scott Key Bridge provides future engineers a chance to learn how to better protect the public

dissertation ideas for civil engineering

Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Delaware

Disclosure statement

Michael J. Chajes does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

University of Delaware provides funding as a member of The Conversation US.

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The cargo ship collision that destroyed the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore on March 26, 2024, is raising questions about just how much engineers can do to prevent such catastrophes from occurring in the future. Here, Michael J. Chajes , a professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Delaware, discusses how bridge design codes have changed over the years and the challenges of building new structures, and retrofitting existing ones, so they can survive extreme events

How hard is it to design a bridge to withstand the force that took down the Francis Scott Key Bridge?

Once engineers understand the forces that a structure will be subjected to, they can design a structure to withstand them. That said, we know that each force has a range of magnitudes that can occur. For example, not all trucks on the roadways weigh the same amount, not all earthquakes are of the same magnitude, and not all ships have the same weight. We incorporate this variability in forces into the design.

Even if built to a given set of plans, the final strength of the structure can vary. The materials used have variations in strength. For example, concrete delivered on two successive days will have a sightly different final strength. This variability in the strength of the final structure is also taken into account in the design process to ensure the bridge or building is safe. There’s no way we could build two bridges from the same set of plans and they end up with the exact same strength.

Based on the weight and speed of the ship that hit the Francis Scott Key Bridge, today’s U.S. bridge design code would call for the bridge to be designed to resist a lateral force of 11,500 tons. This means the bridge has the ability to withstand a lateral hit of that magnitude. That is equivalent to the weight of about 50 loaded Boeing 777s or the weight of the Eiffel Tower. While this is a very large lateral force, structures can be designed to resist such forces. Tall buildings are routinely designed to resist lateral loads of this magnitude that result from wind or earthquakes. However, it is a matter of how much one wants to spend on the structure, and many design goals and constraints need to be balanced against each other.

What do engineers do to ensure safety in extreme events?

Our knowledge of how extreme events affect structures is constantly evolving. One area where this is very apparent is earthquake engineering . After each earthquake, structural engineers learn what has worked and what has not worked, and then the building and bridge design codes evolve. Infrastructure owners also try to retrofit existing structures that were designed to earlier codes.

Ship collisions and their impact on bridges are a similar area of evolving understanding and improved design codes. There have been over 35 major bridge collapses globally that were caused by ship collisions from 1960 to 2015 . Engineers evaluate the failures, and they update the engineering codes so that they better account for the effects of ship collisions.

How has bridge design evolved since the Baltimore bridge was built?

The Francis Scott Key Bridge was designed in the early 1970s. Construction started in 1972, and it opened to traffic in 1977. This preceded the 1980 collapse of the Sunshine Skyway in Florida, which was caused by a ship collision, similar to what happened in Baltimore. That bridge collapse led to the initiation of research projects that culminated in the development of a U.S. guide specification in 1991 that was updated in 2009.

Based on that guide specification, bridge design codes were changed to include forces due to ship collisions. The design of the Francis Scott Key Bridge would not have been required to consider the effect of ship collisions. The current U.S. bridge design code says that:

“where vessel collision is anticipated, structures should be:

• Designed to resist vessel collision forces and/or

• Adequately protected by fenders, dolphins, berms, islands, or other sacrifice-able devices.”

Other changes since the 1970s are that cargo ships have increased in size and weight . The ship that brought down the Sunshine Skyway in 1980 weighed 35,000 tons, while the ship that collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge weighed 95,000 tons.

With the increasing weight of cargo ships, the most cost-effective design strategy to prevent collapse of bridges due to vessel collision may well be to protect the bridge piers from the impact. This is done by building a bridge collision protective system, which is often a concrete or rock structure that surrounds the pier and stops the ship from getting to the pier, as is done to protect many of our national monuments.

A pier protection system was installed when the Sunshine Skyway bridge was rebuilt, and it has been used on numerous other bridges . The same approach is currently being applied by the Delaware River and Bay Authority at a cost of US$93 million to protect the piers of the Delaware Memorial Bridge .

But what about existing bridges like the Francis Scott Key Bridge? Bridge owners have a tremendous challenge finding the financial resources needed to retrofit their bridges to satisfy the latest design codes and to account for the increased impact loads expected due to the heavier and heavier ships. Both things happened here. That is, design codes changed and improved, and loads got much larger. Engineers and infrastructure owners try their best to prioritize where their limited funds can be used to increase structural safety and minimize the chance of structural failure.

What can universities do?

The No. 1 job of structural engineers is to protect the public and minimize the risk of structural failures that pose a threat to human life. To do that, engineers must be able to calculate the forces that our structures may be subjected to. This includes cases where a large ship accidentally collides with a bridge, or a large earthquake or hurricane strikes.

In these extreme cases, the structure will almost assuredly sustain damage, but, if at all possible, it should be resilient enough to not collapse. The design codes are continually updated to account for new knowledge, new materials and new design techniques. The reliability of our structures is improving all the time.

Retrofitting structures built to prior codes is an ongoing process, and one that this disaster moves to the forefront. The U.S. has a lot of infrastructure that was designed to old codes, and we have larger trucks crossing our bridges, and larger ships passing beneath them.

Engineers can never reduce the probability of failure to zero, but they can reduce it to the point where failures happen very infrequently and only in cases where numerous unforeseen circumstances combine to make a structure vulnerable to collapse.

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Engineers have much to consider to plan for rebuild of collapsed Baltimore bridge

NPR's Debbie Elliott asks engineering professor Sebastian Bryson what officials will be considering as they plan to rebuild the collapsed bridge in Baltimore.

DEBBIE ELLIOTT, HOST:

Maryland is getting $60 million in immediate federal aid to begin the process of rebuilding the Francis Scott Key Bridge. Maryland Governor Wes Moore warned of a very long road ahead. Much of the mile-and-a-half-long bridge collapsed earlier this week when it was hit by a large cargo ship. The bodies of two construction workers, who were working on the bridge, have been recovered. Four others are missing and presumed dead. Speaking on NPR's All Things Considered, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott expressed frustration at people speculating about how easily the bridge collapsed.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED NPR BROADCAST)

BRANDON SCOTT: I think everyone has to stop playing bridge engineer on social media and on TV and on radio and understand that no bridge that I know of is prepared to take a direct hit traveling as fast as that vessel was traveling.

ELLIOTT: For insight from a real engineer, we called Sebastian Bryson. He's the chair of the civil engineering department at the University of Kentucky. I began by asking him what engineers will need to know about the state of the collapsed bridge before officials can even think about rebuilding.

SEBASTIAN BRYSON: As far as the bridge itself and doing the forensics on the bridge, we will have to know the failure mechanisms. How exactly did the bridge fail? Did it fail because the members themselves broke? Or did it fail that the connections, you know, gave way? So that's the first thing - because that tells us that if it were something that it was like, OK, it was - the force of the impact caused the members to break. And so, therefore, the bridge was in fairly good repair. But, now, if it was something like the connections broke because of, say, age and wear and tear, then we need to know that so that as we inspect our current bridges, we can know to look for those types of precursors to see if there's something that we should be specifically looking for in our existing bridges to make sure that they're in good state.

ELLIOTT: Now, when you think about rebuilding the Key Bridge, are there things that need to be done to prevent something like this from happening in the future?

BRYSON: This is not the first time we've had vessel impacts on bridges. And typically, what we do to - you know, it's kind of hard to say to prevent that. But one of the things that we can do is we can put in these protectors out in the bay. When you see pictures of the bridge before the accident, you see these little, round things in the channel.

ELLIOTT: Kind of like bumpers, maybe.

BRYSON: Yeah, they look like bumpers, but they're not on the bridge themselves. They're out in the channel. Those little bumper thingies are, in essence, called dolphins. Then they - basically they are just big stone and concrete barriers that supposedly the vessels will bump into before they come in contact with a bridge. And they are specifically meant to redirect or deflect these vessels from the path of the supports of the bridge.

ELLIOTT: But are they really big enough to block a ship the size of what that one was?

BRYSON: Not this one, no. No. What you would want is you would want something like that to maybe redirect a vessel. But again, let's be honest, a ship that big - it would have been very difficult to redirect that ship going that fast.

ELLIOTT: Now, do you think it would be quicker to rebuild the bridge with the original design, plus a few safety upgrades, or is it smarter to design something completely new and different?

BRYSON: They will most likely design it with something new. It won't be what it was because the way it was originally built - it did not have a lot of redundancies. Meaning, as you saw, the failure seemed like it was instantaneous almost. It knocks out the pier, and then you had this runaway chain reaction - what we in the business called progressive failure. And it just went bam, bam, bam. So the new replacement bridge will have in much more redundancies, and so it will be different. But it will also cost most likely close to twice as much, right? But that's what happens, as we have thought about and looked about how we changed our bridge design over the last 40 years - 40, 50 years.

ELLIOTT: Any idea of how cost and timeline will be estimated?

BRYSON: The original bridge was built about 47 years ago. It cost about 60 to $70 million to build, and it took about five years to build. Today, you're talking about 350 million to 600 million to replace. And I would imagine, because it's such a critical bridge, it will be most likely fast-tracked. And so it will take probably about two to three years to rebuild.

ELLIOTT: Sebastian Bryson is a civil engineering professor at the University of Kentucky. Thank you.

BRYSON: Thank you very much.

Copyright © 2024 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.

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