new research areas in civil engineering

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

• View all journals

Civil engineering articles from across Nature Portfolio

Civil engineering is the design and fabrication of structures for improving the way we live and work and for enabling rapid, safe and high-volume transportation. Examples include building roads, railways, bridges, canals, skyscrapers and factories. Modern civil engineering often places a focus on aesthetic considerations and environmental impact.

Latest Research and Reviews

Problems of operation of positive pressure ventilators on the basis of surveys of Polish officers of the State Fire Service

• Piotr Kaczmarzyk
• Łukasz Warguła
• Wojciech Klapsa

Ambient floor vibration sensing advances the accessibility of functional gait assessments for children with muscular dystrophies

• Megan Iammarino
• Hae Young Noh

Research on coupling optimization of carbon emissions and carbon leakage in international construction projects

• Víctor Yepes

Control of large amplitude limit cycle of a multi-dimensional nonlinear dynamic system of a composite cantilever beam

• Xiaopei Liu

Exploring toilet plume bioaerosol exposure dynamics in public toilets using a Design of Experiments approach

• Elizabeth N. Paddy
• Oluwasola O. D. Afolabi

Effects of train speed and passenger capacity on ground vibration of underground suburban railways

• Futong Wang

News and Comment

Advanced transport systems: the future is sustainable and technology-enabled.

Transport has always played a major role in shaping society. By enabling or restricting the movement of people and goods, the presence or absence of transport services and infrastructure has historically been determining for cultures to connect, for knowledge to be shared, and for societies to evolve and prosper, or, in contrast, for societies to decay and fail. Since the beginning of the twenty-first century, transport has been going through a revolution worldwide. One of the primary goals for the transport sector is clear: it needs to be decarbonized and become more sustainable. At the same time, technological advances are shaping the transport sector toward smart services and societies. The Special Collection showcases some of the latest advances in research towards sustainable and technology-enabled transport.

• Sybil Derrible

Leveraging epidemic network models towards wildfire resilience

Wildfires have increased in frequency and intensity due to climate change and have had severe impacts on the built environment worldwide. Moving forward, models should take inspiration from epidemic network modeling to predict damage to individual buildings and understand the impact of different mitigations on the community vulnerability in a network setting.

• Hussam Mahmoud

Inclusive and resilient mobility

• Danyang Cheng

The 2023 Kahramanmaraş Earthquake Sequence: finding a path to a more resilient, sustainable, and equitable society

Learning from the 2023 Kahramanmaraş Earthquake Sequence offers valuable insights into disaster recovery. Carmine Galasso and Eyitayo Opabola delve into the intricacies of the “Build Back Better” (BBB) concept, underscoring the importance of recovery and reconstruction efforts toward a future that is not only more resilient but also more sustainable and equitable.

• Carmine Galasso
• Eyitayo A. Opabola

Material durability, material failure, and material investment—the complexity of concrete

Recent high-profile concrete material failures, including the collapse of parts of public buildings in the UK, have highlighted the need for a greater understanding of the durability of concrete. Here, John Provis explores the need to recognise the complexity of concrete when planning both the research and application of this key construction material.

• John L. Provis

Catching up with missing particles

The implementation of particle-tracking techniques with deep neural networks is a promising way to determine particle motion within complex flow structures. A graph neural network-enhanced method enables accurate particle tracking by significantly reducing the number of lost trajectories.

• Séverine Atis
• Lionel Agostini

Quick links

• Explore articles by subject
• Guide to authors
• Editorial policies

200+ Civil Engineering Research Topics: Exploring Promising 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.

Related Posts

Step by Step Guide on The Best Way to Finance Car

The Best Way on How to Get Fund For Business to Grow it Efficiently

Civil Engineering News

Top headlines, latest headlines.

• 3D Printed Programmable Living Materials
• Reflective Dark Paint Helps Autonomous Cars ...
• Preventing Power Pole-Top Fires
• Hurricane Ian's Aftermath
• Pattern Formation in the Nano-Cosmos
• Innovation in Electrostatic Energy Storage
• An Ink for 3D-Printing Flexible Devices
• Wind Farms Surprisingly Land Efficient
• A Smarter City Skyline for Flood Safety
• Biofilm-Resistant Underwater Glass

Earlier Headlines

Tuesday, april 2, 2024.

• Building Blocks for Greener Energy: Reconfigurable Elastic Metasurface

Monday, April 1, 2024

• Are High-Purity Cathode Materials Truly Necessary?

Monday, March 25, 2024

• With a New Experimental Technique, Engineers Probe the Mechanisms of Landslides and Earthquakes

Monday, March 18, 2024

• Bridge in a Box: Unlocking Origami's Power to Produce Load-Bearing Structures

Tuesday, March 12, 2024

• Batteries for Airborne Electric Vehicles That Take Off and Land Vertically
• Have Metalenses Expanded Their Reach Into the Ultraviolet Region?

Monday, March 11, 2024

• Would the Highly Sensitive Transparent Ultrasound Transducer Revolutionize Biomedical Imaging Technology?

Thursday, March 7, 2024

• Pinging Pipes Could Help to Identify Lead Water Lines Without Excavation

Wednesday, February 28, 2024

• First Metamaterial Developed to Enable Real-Time Shape and Property Control

Monday, February 26, 2024

• What Will It Take for China to Reach Carbon Neutrality by 2060?

Friday, February 23, 2024

• UBC Okanagan Researchers Look to the Past to Improve Construction Sustainability

Thursday, February 15, 2024

• Discovery of New Li Ion Conductor Unlocks New Direction for Sustainable Batteries

Tuesday, February 13, 2024

• Exploring the Effect of Ring Closing on Fluorescence of Supramolecular Polymers
• Road Features That Predict Crash Sites Identified in New Machine-Learning Model

Friday, February 2, 2024

• Edge-to-Edge Assembly Technique for 2D Nanosheets

Tuesday, January 30, 2024

• Researchers Propose AI-Guided System for Robotic Inspection of Buildings, Roads and Bridges

Monday, January 29, 2024

• Benchtop Test Quickly Identifies Extremely Impact-Resistant Materials

Friday, January 26, 2024

• Coal-Based Product Could Replace Sand in Concrete

Wednesday, January 17, 2024

• Perfecting 3D-Printed Blood Vessels With Pores

Wednesday, January 3, 2024

• How Does Corrosion Happen? New Research Examines Process on Atomic Level
• Computational Method Discovers Hundreds of New Ceramics for Extreme Environments

Tuesday, December 19, 2023

• Machine Learning Boosts Search for New Materials

Friday, December 8, 2023

• Veins of Bacteria Could Form a Self-Healing System for Concrete Infrastructure

Tuesday, December 5, 2023

• Exposure to Soft Robots Decreases Human Fears About Working With Them

Monday, December 4, 2023

• Recycling Concrete Using Carbon Can Reduce Emissions and Waste

Thursday, November 30, 2023

• Unsafe Lead Levels in School Drinking Water: New Study IDs Building Risk Factors

Tuesday, November 28, 2023

• Researchers Engineer a Material That Can Perform Different Tasks Depending on Temperature

Monday, November 27, 2023

• New Method Verifies Carbon Capture in Concrete

Wednesday, November 22, 2023

• Autonomous Excavator Constructs a 6-Meter-High Dry-Stone Wall

Friday, November 17, 2023

• New Ultra Stainless Steel for Hydrogen Production

Monday, November 13, 2023

• 'Cooling Glass' Blasts Building Heat Into Space

Friday, November 10, 2023

• Are Consumers Ready for Robots to Show Up at Their Doorstep?

Wednesday, November 1, 2023

• Toward Sustainable Construction: Preparing Liquefied Stabilized Soil from Construction Sludge

Thursday, October 26, 2023

• New Research Finds Stress and Strain Changes Metal Electronic Structure

Wednesday, October 25, 2023

• Pottery Becomes Water Treatment Device for Navajo Nation

Friday, October 20, 2023

• To Excel at Engineering Design, Generative AI Must Learn to Innovate, Study Finds

Thursday, October 19, 2023

• Electron-Rich Metals Make Ceramics Tough to Crack

Wednesday, October 18, 2023

• Preventing Catastrophes With Next-Generation Sensors
• Using Computer Algorithms to Find Molecular Adaptations to Improve COVID-19 Drugs

Monday, October 16, 2023

• Solar Design Would Harness 40% of the Sun's Heat to Produce Clean Hydrogen Fuel

Thursday, October 12, 2023

• Surprising Discovery Shows Electron Beam Radiation Can Repair Nanostructures

Tuesday, October 10, 2023

• Magnetoelectric Material Can Reconnect Severed Nerves
• Modular Dam Design Could Accelerate the Adoption of Renewable Energy

Thursday, October 5, 2023

• Successful Morphing of Inorganic Perovskites Without Damaging Their Functional Properties

Tuesday, October 3, 2023

• Disaster-Proofing Sustainable Neighborhoods Requires Thorough Long-Term Planning

Thursday, September 28, 2023

• Researchers Dynamically Tune Friction in Graphene

Thursday, September 21, 2023

• Material Would Allow Users to 'tune' Windows to Block Targeted Wavelengths of Light

Wednesday, September 20, 2023

• Stabilizing Precipitate Growth at Grain Boundaries in Alloys

Wednesday, September 13, 2023

• Battery-Free Robots Use Origami to Change Shape in Mid-Air

Monday, September 11, 2023

• Important Connectivity of Metal Oxides With Hydrogen

Thursday, August 31, 2023

• Growing Triple-Decker Hybrid Crystals for Lasers

Wednesday, August 30, 2023

• Robustness of the World's Skyscrapers Stress-Tested
• Do Driverless Cars Feel Safe? New Study Shows Gradual Introduction Needed to Build Comfort Among All Road Users

Tuesday, August 29, 2023

• Titanium Micro-Spikes Skewer Resistant Superbugs

Tuesday, August 22, 2023

• Engineers Use Kirigami to Make Ultrastrong, Lightweight Structures
• New Test Chamber Created to Find Better Ways to Keep People Cool
• Coffee Offers Performance Boost for Concrete

Thursday, August 17, 2023

Monday, august 14, 2023.

• Nanoscale Material Offers New Way to Control Fire
• Self-Driving Cars Can Make Traffic Slower

Friday, August 11, 2023

• Artificial Intelligence Designs Advanced Materials

Monday, July 31, 2023

• Scientists Create Novel Approach to Control Energy Waves in 4D
• Building Blocks Spontaneously Construct 3D Objects in Fluids

Wednesday, July 26, 2023

• Using Cameras on Transit Buses to Monitor Traffic Conditions

Tuesday, July 25, 2023

• New Research Explores Durability of 2D Hybrid Materials
• A Butterfly's First Flight Inspires a New Way to Produce Force and Electricity

Thursday, July 20, 2023

• Researchers Investigate New Use for Plastic Bottles

Friday, July 14, 2023

• Improving Urban Planning With Virtual Reality

Wednesday, July 12, 2023

• Fungi Blaze a Trail to Fireproof Cladding

Tuesday, July 11, 2023

• Researcher Turns One of the Basic Rules of Construction Upside Down
• The Ground Is Deforming, and Buildings Aren't Ready

Thursday, July 6, 2023

• Weeks Later, Potentially Harmful Chemicals Lingered in Homes Affected by Marshall Fire
• Climate-Friendly Air Conditioning Inspired by Termites

Wednesday, July 5, 2023

• Fast, Automated, Affordable Test for Cement Durability

Monday, July 3, 2023

• The Looming 840,000 Ton Waste Problem That Isn't Single-Use Plastics

Friday, June 30, 2023

• Researchers Demonstrate Single-Molecule Electronic 'switch' Using Ladder-Like Molecules

Wednesday, June 28, 2023

• Turning Old Maps Into 3D Digital Models of Lost Neighborhoods
• New Method Could Break Down PFAS Left on Water Treatment Filters

Thursday, June 22, 2023

• New 3D-Printing Method Builds Structures With Two Metals

Tuesday, June 20, 2023

• High-Tech Pavement Markers Support Autonomous Driving in Tough Conditions, Remote Areas

Friday, June 2, 2023

• Buckle Up! A New Class of Materials Is Here

Thursday, June 1, 2023

• PAINTing a Wound-Healing Ink Into Cuts With a 3D-Printing Pen

Thursday, May 25, 2023

• Making the Structure of 'fire Ice' With Nanoparticles

Thursday, May 18, 2023

• Novel 3D Printing Method a 'game Changer' For Discovery, Manufacturing of New Materials

Tuesday, May 2, 2023

• Upcycling Method Turns Textile Trash to Functional Coatings

Monday, May 1, 2023

• Better Understanding Soft Material Behavior

Friday, April 28, 2023

• Deep-Learning System Explores Materials' Interiors from the Outside

Thursday, April 20, 2023

• AI System Can Generate Novel Proteins That Meet Structural Design Targets

Wednesday, April 19, 2023

• Stab-Resistant Fabric Gains Strength from Carbon Nanotubes, Polyacrylate

Tuesday, April 18, 2023

• Researchers Develop Carbon-Negative Concrete
• Using Machine Learning to Find Reliable and Low-Cost Solar Cells

Monday, April 17, 2023

• Researchers Successfully Establish a Strong Mechanical Bond of Immiscible Iron and Magnesium

Wednesday, April 5, 2023

• Civil Engineers Use Public Satellite Images to Study Why the Jagersfontein Dam Failed

Monday, April 3, 2023

• Strong Ultralight Material Could Aid Energy Storage, Carbon Capture

Tuesday, March 28, 2023

• New Additives Could Turn Concrete Into an Effective Carbon Sink
• Eco-Efficient Cement Could Pave the Way to a Greener Future

Monday, March 27, 2023

• Colorful Films Could Help Buildings, Cars Keep Their Cool

Thursday, March 23, 2023

• What Really Matters in Multi-Story Building Design?

Wednesday, March 22, 2023

• Simulated Terrible Drivers Cut the Time and Cost of AV Testing by a Factor of One Thousand

Tuesday, March 21, 2023

• Cracking the Concrete Code
• LATEST NEWS
• Top Science
• Top Physical/Tech
• Top Environment
• Top Society/Education
• Health & Medicine
• Mind & Brain
• Living Well
• Space & Time
• Matter & Energy
• Business & Industry
• Automotive and Transportation
• Consumer Electronics
• Energy and Resources
• Engineering and Construction
• Telecommunications
• Textiles and Clothing
• Biochemistry
• Inorganic Chemistry
• Organic Chemistry
• Thermodynamics
• Electricity
• Energy Technology
• Alternative Fuels
• Energy Policy
• Fossil Fuels
• Nuclear Energy
• Solar Energy
• Wind Energy
• Engineering
• 3-D Printing
• Civil Engineering
• Construction
• Electronics
• Forensic Research
• Materials Science
• Medical Technology
• Microarrays
• Nanotechnology
• Robotics Research
• Spintronics
• Sports Science
• Transportation Science
• Virtual Environment
• Weapons Technology
• Wearable Technology
• Albert Einstein
• Nature of Water
• Quantum Computing
• Quantum Physics
• Computers & Math
• Plants & Animals
• Earth & Climate
• Fossils & Ruins
• Science & Society
• Education & Learning

Strange & Offbeat

• Controlling Shape-Shifting Soft Robots
• Brain Flexibility for a Complex World
• ONe Nova to Rule Them All
• AI Systems Are Skilled at Manipulating Humans
• Planet Glows With Molten Lava
• A Fragment of Human Brain, Mapped
• Symbiosis Solves Long-Standing Marine Mystery
• Surprising Common Ideas in Environmental ...
• 2D All-Organic Perovskites: 2D Electronics
• Generative AI That Imitates Human Motion

Trending Topics

Next Breakthroughs and Future Trends in Civil Engineering

Civil engineering, the discipline that sees humanity shaping and reshaping the world around us, is on the brink of an exciting future. As we press on into the twenty-first century, it becomes clearer than ever that the field of civil engineering is at the vanguard of a wave of innovation and discovery. Advances in materials science, computer modeling, and sustainable design are combining to create a new era in which our built environment will be more resilient, efficient, and responsive than ever before.

In this dynamic context, the next generation of civil engineers will not only need a firm grasp of classical principles but also an understanding of the latest tools and techniques. Here’s where we, your mentors in the journey of knowledge, step in to guide you along this intriguing path. To make it easier, we are presenting a forecast of upcoming breakthroughs and future trends in civil engineering.

However, we understand the pressing demands of your academic journey. That’s why we recommend taking advantage of resources like the custom essay writing service by Studyfy . They can help lighten your load, enabling you to spend more time on understanding complex concepts and less on the more routine aspects of coursework. But now – let’s get into the topic.

High-Performance Materials: A Strong Foundation

One of the most impactful advancements in civil engineering will undoubtedly be the development and widespread implementation of high-performance materials. Whether it’s ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) with impressive strength and durability or shape-memory alloys that can “heal” themselves after deformation, engineers are continually pushing the envelope to create materials that can withstand the trials of time and nature.

Furthermore, we are likely to see more widespread use of composite materials. By combining different types of materials, engineers can create hybrids that bring together the best characteristics of their constituent parts. An example of this trend is fiber-reinforced polymers (FRPs), which provide superior strength and corrosion resistance compared to traditional materials.

With the advent of these new materials, civil engineering projects will not only stand stronger and last longer, but they will also be more environmentally friendly. The future lies in sustainability, and materials science is at the forefront of this green revolution, with engineers around the world striving to reduce the carbon footprint of their projects.

Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics: The Future is Smart

Another fascinating trend is the increasing utilization of artificial intelligence (AI) and data analytics in civil engineering. With the vast amounts of data generated by today’s digital systems, AI is proving to be an invaluable tool for making sense of this information overload.

For instance, machine learning algorithms can predict potential structural failures by analyzing vast datasets from sensor networks embedded within structures. By identifying patterns and trends that might be difficult for humans to detect, AI can help preemptively identify and address issues before they become catastrophic.

Moreover, AI and data analytics are also making significant strides in optimizing project management and execution. By using predictive analytics, engineers can forecast project timelines, costs, and potential risks more accurately. This capacity to analyze and predict outcomes will inevitably lead to more efficient project completion, saving time, money, and resources.

Sustainability: The Green Movement

Sustainability is no longer just an afterthought in civil engineering; it is becoming a guiding principle. Civil engineers of the future will need to balance the needs of human society with the importance of environmental laws and changes.

Sustainable design and construction practices are becoming more widespread, and the incorporation of renewable energy sources into civil engineering projects is now a common occurrence. From solar panels integrated into buildings to the use of geothermal energy for heating and cooling, renewable energy technologies are becoming an integral part of civil engineering projects.

Furthermore, the idea of “green infrastructure,” incorporating nature-based solutions into urban environments, is gaining traction. Green roofs, rain gardens, and permeable pavements are just a few examples of how civil engineers are learning from nature to create more sustainable urban landscapes.

Robots and Drones: New Workers on the Block

The advent of robots and drones in civil engineering represents another fascinating trend on the horizon. Engineers are increasingly adopting these automated helpers to perform tasks ranging from inspections to construction work, leading to improved efficiency, safety, and accuracy.

Drones, equipped with advanced sensors, are used to survey large areas quickly and accurately. This aerial perspective can provide valuable data about terrain, structures, and other features, informing better planning and decision-making. In addition, drones can be used to inspect infrastructure, reaching areas that may be difficult or dangerous for humans to access.

Robots, on the other hand, are making their mark in the construction phase. For instance, automated bricklaying robots can operate at speeds much faster than humans and with impressive accuracy, reducing the construction time considerably. As these robotic technologies continue to evolve, we can expect an increasing level of automation in construction and infrastructure maintenance tasks.

BIM: Building in the Digital Realm

Building Information Modeling (BIM) is not a new concept, but it continues to revolutionize the field of civil engineering. BIM is a 3D model-based process that gives architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) professionals the insights and tools to more efficiently plan, design, construct, and manage buildings and infrastructure.

BIM enables virtual visualization of a project, offering an integrated tool for the design, analysis, and documentation of a construction project. This allows for improved collaboration among project teams, helping to resolve conflicts and potential design issues before construction begins.

As technologies such as Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) continue to mature, their integration with BIM will provide even more immersive and interactive ways to visualize and understand construction projects. This merging of the digital and physical worlds promises to streamline project management, reduce costs, and improve outcomes.

Final Thoughts

To sum up, the future of civil engineering is indeed promising, with ground-breaking advancements and sustainable trends shaping the industry. High-performance materials, AI and data analytics, and a stronger emphasis on sustainability are just the tip of the iceberg. 

These developments will require a new generation of engineers who are not only technically skilled but also visionary in their approach to tackling global challenges. As aspiring civil engineers, your journey in this evolving landscape is bound to be filled with exciting discoveries and impactful contributions.

Privacy Overview

Articles on Civil engineering

Displaying 1 - 20 of 31 articles.

Cement is a big carbon emitter and quality is costly: a civil engineer explains

Elsabe Kearsley , University of Pretoria

After the Baltimore bridge collapse, we need clear-eyed assessments of the risks to key infrastructure

Marios Chryssanthopoulos , University of Surrey

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

Michael J. Chajes , University of Delaware

Baltimore Key Bridge: how a domino effect brought it down in seconds

Mohamed Shaheen , Loughborough University

Bridges can be protected from ship collisions – an expert on structures in disasters explains how

Sherif El-Tawil , University of Michigan

Climate change is increasing stress on thousands of aging dams across the US

Hiba Baroud , Vanderbilt University

Buildings left standing in Turkey offer design guidance for future earthquake-resilient construction

Osman Ozbulut , University of Virginia

What is a flash flood? A civil engineer explains

Janey Camp , Vanderbilt University

Sick of dangerous city traffic? Remove left turns

Vikash V. Gayah , Penn State

How to make sure Biden’s infrastructure plan can hold up to climate change – and save money

Jeremy Bricker , University of Michigan

Smart concrete could pave the way for high-tech , cost-effective roads

Luna Lu , Purdue University and Vishal Saravade , Purdue University

Japan’s experience with earthquakes can help teach us to learn to live with floods

Mohammad Heidarzadeh , Brunel University London

Whaley Bridge dam collapse is a wake-up call: concrete infrastructure will not last forever without care

The risk of ‘cascading’ natural disasters is on the rise

Farshid Vahedifard , Mississippi State University and Amir AghaKouchak , University of California, Irvine

Potholes: how engineers are working to fill in the gaps

Alvaro Garcia , University of Nottingham ; Juliana Byzyka , Brunel University London , and Mujib Rahman , Brunel University London

Genoa bridge collapse: maintaining these structures is a constant battle against traffic and decay

Indonesia earthquake: how scrap tyres could stop buildings collapsing

Juan Bernal-Sánchez , Edinburgh Napier University

Predicting the World Cup winner: An engineer’s working guide

Charles MacRobert , University of the Witwatersrand

How do forensic engineers investigate bridge collapses, like the one in Miami?

Martin Gordon , Rochester Institute of Technology

Fungi can help concrete heal its own cracks

Congrui Jin , Binghamton University, State University of New York

Related Topics

• Climate change
• Engineering
• Infrastructure
• Structural engineering

Top contributors

Professor of Structural Systems, University of Surrey

Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Vanderbilt University

Assistant Professor in Civil and Environmental Engineering, Brunel University London

Professor of Classical Studies, Brandeis University

Associate Professor of Structural Engineering and Applied Mechanics, University of Texas at Arlington

George T. Abell Professor in Infrastructure and Director, Structural Laboratory, Colorado State University

Researcher in Environmental Engineering & Technology Policy, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

Lecturer in Tourism, Edinburgh Napier University

Senior Lecturer, Lund University

Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, West Virginia University

Graduate Research Assistant, West Virginia University

Associate Senior Lecturer in Evacuation Modelling, Lund University

PhD Resarcher, Edinburgh Napier University

Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Binghamton University, State University of New York

Professor Emeritus of Civil Engineering, University of Florida

• X (Twitter)
• Unfollow topic Follow topic

• Graduate Programs
• Undergraduate Programs
• CEE Graduation Ceremony

Civil Infrastructure

Environmental engineering, engineering systems and management, cee sponsored awards.

• Executive Leadership
• Staff Directory
• Advisory Council
• Grad Students
• Graduate Field Faculty
• NAE Members
• Job Openings
• Bovay Laboratory Complex
• Class of 1949 Electronic Classroom
• DeFrees Hydraulics Lab
• Environmental Teaching Lab
• Environmental Fluid Mechanics Teaching Laboratory
• Environmental Processes Laboratories
• CEE Update Newsletter
• Giving Opportunities
• Recruit Students
• Class Photos
• Alumni Spotlights
• CEE Reunion 2023
• Academic Support
• Diversity & Inclusion
• Mental Health Resources
• Experience and Employment
• Grad Services and Activities
• Undergrad Services and Activities
• Student Organizations

Research in Civil & Environmental Engineering (CEE) covers an extremely broad range of topics. What binds them together is a context of public works and service - research that benefits the public good. Whether in civil infrastructure, environmental engineering or engineering systems and management, the research conducted in CEE is at the cutting edge of technological and scientific developments.

Research Areas

Concentrations in Civil Infrastructure include Geotechnical Engineering and Structural Engineering.

Concentrations in the Environmental Major include Environmental and Water Resources Systems, Environmental Fluid Mechanics & Hydrology, and Environmental Processes.

Concentrations in Engineering Systems and Management include Environmental and Water Resources Systems, Complex Systems Engineering, and Transportation Systems Engineering.

Areas of Study and Research

There are seven cross-cutting areas of study available to undergraduates and graduates, and which constitute faculty research areas. Three additional areas include our interdisciplinary programs that give students a broad, systems-level perspective on the complex civil and environmental challenges facing the world today. 

Construction Engineering Management

Construction engineers manage and direct construction operations. They analyze the labor, materials, and equipment for each job to determine the proper quantity of each and ensure availability at the appropriate time and place.

Construction Materials

Civil engineers are often responsible for specifying, designing and manufacturing the materials with which they build their structures.  Studies in construction materials are intended to make structural, transportation and foundation engineers aware of the fundamental properties of the materials they use.

Energy-Water-Environment Sustainability

Interdisciplinary program

The program in Energy-Water-Environment Sustainability (EWES) is a cross-cutting program focused on providing and supporting sustainable solutions for the exploration, production, delivery and use of energy, and their intersection with water and the natural and built environment. The program focuses on integrating scientific principles, engineered processes, and systems analyses to address diverse challenges related to society's growing energy needs and their nexus with water and the environment.

Environmental Engineering and Science

Environmental engineers help solve problems of air, land and water contamination.  They design, construct and operate systems that purify water for drinking, industrial use and recreation.  They develop and implement air-purification devices and protocols for solid and hazardous waste management.

Geotechnical Engineering

Geotechnical engineers use soil, rock and geosynthetics as engineering materials.  They design earth- and rock-filled dams, tunnels, landfills and foundations for structures of all types.

Societal Risk and Hazard Mitigation

The Societal Risk Management (SRHM) program is a cross-disciplinary program that focuses on the development of a secure and safe society. The program concentrates on risk determination, risk evaluation and risk management for natural and human-made hazards, and disaster response and recovery.

Structural Engineering

Structural engineers design economical structures that resist forces induced by wind, earthquakes, blasts and heavy traffic.  The tools of the structural engineer include physical testing, mathematical modeling and computer simulation.

Sustainable and Resilient Infrastructure Systems

The interdisciplinary program Sustainable and Resilient Infrastructure Systems (SRIS) addresses emerging approaches to infrastructure systems focusing on resiliency and sustainability of inter-connected infrastructure, for example, structural, geotechnical, and water interactions in urban environments. The program aims to prepare new generations of civil engineers who are ready to address pressing societal issues while developing needed infrastructure. 

Transportation Engineering

Transportation engineers use technological and scientific principles to improve movement of people, goods and services by land, air and water. They plan, design, build, operate and maintain railway, highway, airport, marine, pedestrian and industrial facilities for safety, efficiency, economy, resilience and sustainability.

Water Resources Engineering and Science

Water resource engineers help solve complex water challenges, including providing society with safe and reliable water supplies, managing impacts of floods and drought, and enhancing environmental quality. They plan, design, manage and operate surface water and groundwater systems that are sustainable and adaptable to changing climate and human activity.

Special Degree Programs and Options

• Computational Science and Engineering (CSE) Option
• Dual Degree Graduate Programs with Business
• iMBA Certificate Program for CEE MS Students
• MArch + MS-CEE (structures)
• MArch + MS-CEE (construction management)

For further assistance or to arrange a visit, please contact Katia Trubitsyna, [email protected] . 

See What's Happening

See selected publications, presentations and research from the department.

View Research on IDEALS

Research Centers and Facilities

The spaces and resources that you need to make your research happen.

Ph.D. in Civil Engineering

The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree is an advanced research degree for students wishing to become an expert on a specific area of Civil and Environmental Engineering and train for a career involving independent and cutting-edge research.

The Ph.D. degree in Civil Engineering is a mentored opportunity to become an expert on a specific research topic. This degree is recommended for those who expect to engage in a professional career in research, teaching, or technical work of an advanced nature in civil or environmental engineering.

The Ph.D. degree program in CEE is offered in five areas of specialization:

• Construction Engineering and Management (CEM)
• Environmental and Water Resources Engineering (EWRE)
• Infrastructure Systems Engineering (ISE)
• Structural Engineering (STR)
• Transportation Engineering (TRN)

A Ph.D. degree at UVA requires successful completion of required coursework plus the three following major milestones: Ph.D. Qualifying Exam, Ph.D. Proposal Defense, Ph.D. Dissertation Defense. Additionally, Ph.D. student in CEE must serve as a Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) for at least one semester. 

See below for information on the Civil Engineering Ph.D. program, or download the CEE GRADUATE HANDBOOK .

Admissions Criteria

We accept applications from candidates with degrees from all engineering and some affiliated backgrounds. In some cases, candidates who do not have engineering or similar credentials will be offered conditional admission, which will require them to take selected undergraduate coursework in addition to the coursework required for their Ph.D.

All candidates are evaluated by one or more of the CEE research subgroups. Some students are admitted directly into a specific research group with a specific advisor. Other candidates are admitted into a subgroup and are then connected with an advisor during the first year.

Most accepted Ph.D. students receive financial aid. Funding offers take the form of GRAs, GTAs and/or various fellowships. Some Ph.D. students are funded by third-party entities (e.g., their employer or government or military agencies). Funded offers include monthly stipends, tuition waiver, and health insurance.

Join our vibrant community of graduate students

Engineering School Requirements

The School of Engineering academic requirements for the Ph.D. degree and steps to graduation can be found on the  Office of Graduate Programs webpage . The School of Engineering Office of Graduate Programs  also contains helpful resources about academic planning, student life, professional development for current graduate students. More information about the School of Engineering academic rules can be found on the University Registrar's website .

Time limit : All requirements for the Ph.D. degree must be completed within seven years after matriculation to the graduate program.

Program Requirements

The Ph.D. degree in Civil Engineering at UVA requires successful completion of required coursework plus the three major milestones: Ph.D. Qualifying Exam, Ph.D. Propoal Defense, and Ph.D. Dissertation Defense. These are briefly described below and more information can be found in the  CEE Graduate Handbook .

The Ph.D. program in Civil Engineering requires relevant coursework to help students access foundational knowledge in their discipline while striking a balance between depth and breadth. A minimum of 24 credits of graduate engineering coursework beyond the bachelor’s degree is required for all the Ph.D. students in Engineering School at UVA. Students with graduate study at other institutions may apply engineering credits from that study towards their 24 hours, but all CEE Ph.D. students must complete at least six credits of coursework from CEE at UVA. Students who earn an ME or MS degree at UVA enroute to a PhD in CEE may use CEE credits from their master’s degree to meet this requirement.

Students must complete the PhD Plan of Study Form and submit it to the CEE Student Services Coordinator before the student takes their Ph.D. Qualifying Exam. The Plan of Study is for departmental use only. Students should maintain a copy for themselves to access it whenever they convene their committee and/or complete a requirement. Official tracking for Engineering School and CEE requirements is done using the academic requirements report.

A Ph.D. degree at CEE at UVA has three key milestones:

• Ph.D. Qualifying Exam:  The purpose of the Qualifying Exam is to assess the student’s research aptitude and confirm that they have the skills and knowledge base necessary to conduct original research and to make a substantive contribution in their field.
• To assess whether the student’s knowledge of their chosen area and their understanding of relevant literature is adequate to complete a Ph.D.
• To recommend coursework, approaches/techniques and other resources that would facilitate or enhance the proposed work.
• To evaluate whether or not the proposed work, if completed, would constitute an acceptable basis for a doctoral dissertation.
• Ph.D. Dissertation Defense: The Ph.D. dissertation defense is the culminating step of the Ph.D. process. The purpose of the dissertation defense is to confirm that the completed research constitutes a meaningful contribution to the body of knowledge in the field of Civil and Environmental Engineering and to demonstrate competence in the field of the dissertation research and to ensure that the written quality of the final document is adequate to highlight the value of the work. After successful completion of the dissertation defense, the candidate must submit the dissertation via Libra. For more information on LIBRA and instruction of how to upload, please visit the Dissertation Submission Checklist .

Please review the  CEE Graduate Handbook  for more information about the timing, format, and committee composition requirements for each exam. 

Graduate Teaching Experience

CEE Ph.D. students must serve as a Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) for at least one semester. GTAs will enroll for three credits (Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory, or S/U, basis) of CE 8001 in a section corresponding to their supervising instructor. A GTA assignment will not count toward the teaching requirement if the student does not receive an S grade.

All GTAs whose first language is one other than English are required to take the oral section of the UVELPE Test. A score of at least 55 is required for permission to begin teaching without completion of appropriate oral language training. Please refer to  CAELC website for more information about the UVELPE test as well as the testing times and registration.

CEE Seminar Series

As an essential component of the graduate program in CEE, Ph.D. students are required to enroll in CE 7001 (with zero credit hours) and attend the CEE seminars during the 2023–2024 academic year.

CEE Seminar Series is a weekly event during the academic year that brings together CEE faculty and students to learn about new research and practices in different areas of civil and environmental engineering. Research presentations are given by Distinguished Speakers from within the university community as well as nationally and internationally recognized researchers and engineers in academia and industry. The weekly seminars also include talks and presentations from CEE graduate students as well as presentations geared towards professional development.

Research Dissemination

• Publication: Ph.D. students are expected to generate peer-reviewed publications from each technical chapter of their dissertation. Publications must be peer-reviewed, co-authored with advisor and with the student as first author. Typically, one or more first-authored peer-reviewed publications will have already been accepted by the time of the Ph.D. defense. Sufficiency of the publication record is determined by the student's Ph.D. Committee.
• Conference/Seminar Presentation: Ph.D. students are required to present their research at least once at a conference, CEE Seminar Series or other public venue approved by the student's Ph.D. Committee.

Overall Timeline

In our Ph.D. Program, the student has tremendous ownership over their own destiny and responsibility for progressing toward their graduation. Hence, the Ph.D.student has the responsibility to manage the timing of their progression. Therefore, it is incumbent on the Ph.D.student to regularly communicate with their advisor to make sure that their progression through the program is following a timeline that is suitable to and in accordance with the expectations of the Ph.D.advisor and the program.

Typically, it takes between 4 to 5 years to successfully complete all the requirements and the milestones of the Ph.D. program in CEE. Students who enter the program with a MS degree are typically able to complete required coursework and take the Ph.D. Qualifying Exam in year 1. It may take those students who enter the program with a bachelor's degree longer to complete the required coursework. The Ph.D.Qualifying Exam must be taken by the end of the second year. All students are required to successfully complete the Proposal Defense at least one year prior to the Final Dissertation Defense . However, students are highly encouraged to complete this milestone by the end of year 3 of their program.

The information contained on this website is for informational purposes only.  The Undergraduate Record and Graduate Record represent the official repository for academic program requirements. These publications may be found here .

• Request Information
• Find Faculty & Staff
• Info For Toggle Info Return to Menu Menu
• Search Open Search Close Search
• Message from the Chair
• Mission & Vision
• Department Directory
• Undergraduate Studies
• Graduate Studies
• Co-op & Experiential Learning
• Technical Areas
• Research Thrusts
• COVID-19 Research
• Research Centers
• CEE Innovation Studio
• Faculty and Staff Directory
• Annual Reports
• Honors & Distinctions
• Faculty Hiring
• Faculty Authored Books
• Part-time Faculty and Visiting Scholars
• Student Groups
• Industrial Advisory Board
• Resources for Current Students
• Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice
• Distinguished Seminar Series
• Lunch & Learn Seminar Series
• In the Media
• Spotlight Stories

Convergent research with collaboration across government, industry, and academia

The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering attracts exceptional faculty who conduct state-of-the-art research, are dedicated educators at both the undergraduate and graduate level, and advance the state of professional practice. Faculty conduct interdisciplinary research in department research areas, as part of the college’s multidisciplinary research centers, and within their laboratories, as well as working across the university, and with industry, government, and academia.

The department also has dedicated staff who provide a range of operational services, including laboratory technicians, a dedicated machine shop, and budget and finance.

View faculty profiles including faculty laboratory research, and recent Annual Reports .

Quick Facts

external research funding (2021-23)

young investigator awards

research centers and institutes

tenured/tenure-track faculty

The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering education and research missions are focused on Urban Engineering, anchored by several multi-disciplinary, multi-institutional centers and programs. Building on current strengths and expanding into new and vital areas, three overarching interdisciplinary research and education thrusts of the department include Environmental Health, Civil Infrastructure Security, and Sustainable Resource Engineering, with subthemes and disciplinary excellence in each of these areas. We have premier departmental strengths in four integrated enabling technologies that include Simulation (both computational and experimental), Smart Sensing, and Data and Network Science, and Urban Informatics.

Urban and social resilience; geo-social networking; coupled, human-natural systems, natural disaster response and evacuation; urban computing

Air quality; atmospheric chemistry; cloud/aerosol microphysics; sensitivity and uncertainty analysis; multiscale atmospheric modeling and forecasting; climate and Earth system modeling; health impact assessment; eco-environmental sustainability; human-Earth system interactions

Recent News

Learning from Tragedies During Historical Building Renovations

CAMD/CEE Associate Professor David Fannon provides insight into the risks of renovations that may lead to tragedies like the recent fire at the Old Stock Exchange in Copenhagen.

Cloud Seeding May Have Caused Record-Breaking Rainfall in Dubai

CEE Distinguished Professor Auroop Ganguly explains what cloud seeding is and why it may have caused the recent flooding in Dubai. Cloud seeding has been met with concerns about its efficacy and its impact on the environment.

How Congestion Pricing is Shaping the Future of Transportation

CEE Professor Peter Furth explains the benefits of congestion pricing, which aims to reduce traffic and pollution by charging fees to drive in metropolitan areas. It has been deployed in London, Stockholm, and Singapore and is scheduled to begin in June in sections of New York City. 

Potential Causes of Baltimore Bridge Collapse from a Structural Engineering Perspective

CEE CDM Smith Professor and Department Chair Jerome Hajjar explains the potential causes of the catastrophic Baltimore bridge collapse in which several people died, and the risks posed by older bridges and large commercial shipping vessels.

Research - Lyles School of Civil Engineering - Purdue University

Research Areas

Architectural engineering.

Architectural/Building Systems Engineering research covers topics related to the design and operation of high performance, energy-efficient buildings. It includes experimental and modeling research on thermal and visual comfort, indoor environmental quality, building envelope systems, dynamic façades, lighting and daylighting design and control, HVAC and thermal control systems, indoor air quality and ventilation, solar heating and cooling systems, innovative renewable energy technologies in buildings, building energy modeling and optimization, sustainable and green building design. Research facilities include full-scale research and testing laboratories located at the Bowen Lab and the new Center for High Performance Buildings at Herrick Labs .

Construction Engineering

CEM research includes: construction sensing; smart construction; construction analytics; simulation modeling for design and construction; disaster risk reduction; underground infrastructure sustainability; human factors; profitability and risk management; construction QC/QA; contract management with information technology; dispute resolution; coupled dynamics of urban systems; resilience and robustness of infrastructure systems; service-learning; building information modeling; virtual design and construction; mixed reality; safe excavation; lean construction; and facilities engineering.

Environmental Engineering

Research and education in environmental engineering covers a wide range of issues, including remediation of contaminated soils and sediments, industrial and solid waste treatment, water and wastewater treatment, air pollution measurement and control, urban and agricultural air and water quality management, understanding the environmental fate of pollutants, and sustainable engineering.

Geomatics Engineering

Currently three main techniques are represented: Global Positioning System (GPS); Classical Surveys; and Modern Data Collection Techniques/Lidar. Geomatics Research Facilities .

Geotechnical Engineering

Geotechnical research facilities provide means to examine the nature and validity of strength and compressibility theories and their application to stability and settlement analysis.

Hydraulic and Hydrologic Engineering

Hydraulic and hydrology engineers are involved with almost all aspects of water and water-related works. The scale of problems range from small structures such as culverts to very large dams. The common tasks encountered by engineers in the field are the hydraulic design of structures, implementation of designs, and maintenance of structures. In the academic world, we are also responsible for checking existing designs, and as more data become available, modifying existing design procedures or developing new designs, and transferring new technology to the practitioners. Some examples follow:

• Management of surface water resources: This aspect pertains to development of appropriate rainfall and runoff estimates to design structures, proper drainage of surface waters, and to quantify risk and uncertainty involved with the design.
• Design of water distribution systems: We provide the basic analysis and design of water distribution systems.
• Management of groundwater resources: This involves regulating stream flow, managing groundwater withdrawal strategies for safe yield for agricultural, industrial, and municipal demands so as not to cause adverse effects in terms of depleting stream flows and lowering of groundwater table.
• Water quality issues: Given the close connection between water and environmental issues, engineers work closely with relevant groups to meet water quality standards for lakes, streams and also over watersheds.
• Hydraulics of rivers and open channels: Engineers deal with problems of sedimentation, and the effects of scour on river banks and bridge piers.

In addition, water plays an important role in many other aspects of Civil Engineering as in water-structure interaction, behavior of soils, material properties, and so on. Hydraulics and hydrologists often work in collaboration with Mechanical Engineers, Chemical Engineers, Agricultural and Biological Engineers, Agronomists, Researchers in Forestry to solve problems that require an integrated effort. Hydraulics & Hydrology Research Facilities .

Materials Engineering

The Bituminous Laboratory facilities located at Purdue University contain all conventional and Superpave asphalt cement and mixture test equipment required for binder classification and mixture design. Test equipment for conducting laboratory accelerated wheel track and full-scale accelerated testing are also included in these facilities. The Concrete Laboratory provides practical, hands-on investigation of the mechanical properties of concrete and aggregates. The Charles Pankow Concrete Materials Laboratory has facilities for specialized in-depth analysis of building materials, in particular, cement and concrete. Recent projects have included studies on the early hydration of cement, sulfate attack on concrete by SEM backscatter techniques, the freeze-thaw durability of high-strength concrete, alkali silica reactivity and means to minimize it, influence of silica fume on the pore structure of concrete and image analysis characterization of cement microstructure. This internationally known laboratory was named after Dr. Charles Pankow, President of the Charles Pankow Building, Ltd, whose generous donation has provided for the purchase and maintenance of a significant amount of the equipment found in the lab. Materials Research Facilities .

Structural Engineering

Research in structural engineering provides a total program balanced with respect to basic and applied research, ranging from solid mechanics to high performance computing and earthquake engineering. These involve both theoretical and experimental investigations pertaining to common structural materials and forms, as well as those that show promise for future use in construction.

Transportation and Infrastructure Systems Engineering

The transportation computation laboratory contains facilities for analysis of data and the development and testing of models for all aspects of traffic control and vehicular flow, utilizing state-of-the-art software for demand forecasting, traffic simulation, geometric design, and transit operation planning. Models are used to study Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) and to optimize traffic management and control strategies. There is airport simulation capability that permits research and analysis on the design of airspace, airside, and landside facilities. A traffic signal systems laboratory provides "hands-on" experience using NEMA, 170, and 2070 type traffic signal controllers and cabinets. An instrumented traffic van provides the capability to measure traffic flows, speeds, and related characteristics. Purdue's direct tie to the State of Indiana's Geographic Information System (GIS) provides data for up-to-date specific modeling and planning studies. Transportation and Infrastructure Systems Research Facilities .

Doctoral Program in Civil Engineering

The Department of Civil and Urban Engineering currently offers two doctoral degree programs: PhD in Civil Engineering and PhD in Transportation Planning and Engineering. Requirements for the Civil Engineering degree are detailed here. For information on the Transportation Planning and Engineering program, see the “ Transportation   ” section of this catalog.

Goals and Objectives

The PhD in Civil Engineering is research-oriented and intended for those whose goal is a career in civil engineering research and/or teaching at the university level or in private research organizations. Specific doctoral program objectives are to develop the skills and knowledge necessary to:

• Specialize within one of the subdisciplines of civil engineering;
• Perform independent fundamental research in one of the subdisciplines of civil engineering;
• Produce a piece of fundamental research that advances meaningfully the state of the art of one of the subdisciplines of civil engineering and is publishable in a first-tier refereed civil engineering related journal.

A PhD is granted for the invention or creation of new knowledge in civil engineering. This knowledge may result from analytical, numerical or experimental research. The knowledge may be practical or fundamental in nature.

Areas of Concentration

Students pursuing the PhD in Civil Engineering must choose to specialize in one of the following subdisciplines of civil engineering:

• Structural Materials and Engineering
• Geotechnical and Geo-environmental Engineering
• Environmental and Water Resources Engineering
• Construction Management and Engineering
• Highway and Traffic Engineering
• Urban Infrastructure Systems

Other focus areas are possible and can be developed with the assistance of faculty advisers. All subject areas must be relevant to the degree sought, and a faculty member must be willing and able to guide the student’s research.

Program Adminstration

The Department of Civil and Urban Engineering has five graduate program coordinators:

• Graduate Program Coordinator for Civil Engineering (MS and PhD)
• Graduate Program Coordinator for Environmental Engineering/ Environmental Science (MS)
• Graduate Program Coordinator for Urban Infrastructure Systems (MS)
• Graduate Program Coordinator for Transportation (MS and PhD)
• Graduate Program Coordinator for Construction Management and Engineering (MS)

The graduate coordinators form the departmental Graduate Committee. The Committee reviews all PhD applications and makes admissions decisions, which are implemented by a graduate coordinator. For each registration, the student’s program must be approved by the academic adviser and signed by the graduate coordinator.

Admission Criteria

• Admission to the PhD in Civil Engineering requires an MS in Civil Engineering or equivalent with a GPA of 3.5 or better (on a 0-4 scale).
• All applicants are required to submit GRE scores for consideration.
• International applicants must take the TOEFL examination and submit the results for consideration.

In criterion 1 above, the “equivalent” can be achieved in several ways. The candidate may have a MS degree with a different title that covers substantially the same material. In more general terms, the applicant must demonstrate that he or she has the equivalent of all undergraduate and master’s-level course work to be able to pursue doctoral-level work in the chosen major area, as well as in a minor area within the umbrella of civil engineering. Further, “equivalence” is evaluated based on the totality of the student’s undergraduate and graduate record, not course by course. Thus, an applicant who wishes to pursue doctoral work in Environmental Engineering, for example, must have the entire undergraduate and master’s-level course background expected in Environmental Engineering, but need not demonstrate such a background in structures. Because admission to a PhD program requires a relevant MS (or equivalent), an applicant who has not yet earned a master’s degree will be admitted as MS student and is expected to earn an MS degree while completing the major and minor course requirements. In rare cases, an applicant with only a BS degree may be directly admitted into the PhD program with the written approval of the department head.

Doctoral Program of Study

Every PhD student upon admission is assigned an academic adviser, who is designated by the department head. Any member of the civil engineering faculty may be an academic adviser to a PhD student. The first meeting should take place shortly after receiving an acceptance letter from the Admissions Office. During this first meeting the student’s Program of Study should be established. The Program of Study should include a list of the fundamental and advanced topics that will comprise the specific courses, the subject matter for the qualifying exam and possible research areas.

In cases where a student is supported on a research contract, the principal investigator of the contract will normally be the student’s academic adviser. Where a student has a particular research interest and is working with a particular faculty member, the student may request that faculty member for his or her academic adviser. In rare cases, when a PhD student enters the program without a prior selection of a major area of study, the initial academic adviser will be the graduate coordinator of the program area. Each PhD candidate reports to two advisory committees: an Academic Advisory Committee and a Dissertation Committee.

Academic Advisory Committee

The Academic Advisory Committee generally consists of the academic adviser and one faculty member for a minor area of study. The Academic Advisory Committee guides the PhD student’s work through the successful completion of a qualifying examination. A letter signed by the academic adviser and approved by the department head is placed in the student’s file indicating the composition of the Academic Advisory Committee.

Doctoral Degree Requirements

To earn a doctoral degree in Civil Engineering, the following requirements must be met:

• 54 credits of graduate course work (not including the PhD dissertation) in relevant major and minor areas of study beyond the bachelor’s degree, with an average grade of B or better (cumulative average of 3.0 or better on a 0-4 scale). Up to 6 credits of the 54 credits may be satisfied by individual guided studies, readings, projects and theses.

CE-GY 998X    : Independent original investigation demonstrating creativity and scholarship worthy of publication in a recognized engineering journal. Registration for a maximum of 6 credits is permitted for Ph.D. students prior to passing the Ph.D. qualifying examination. Ph.D. students who passed their qualifying examination should register for CE-GY 999X    .

• CE-GY 999X    : Independent original investigation demonstrating creativity and scholarship worthy of publication in a recognized engineering journal. Candidates must successfully defend dissertations orally. Registration for 3 to 6 credits per semester is permitted after successfully completing the doctoral qualifying examination, but a minimum of 12 credits must be completed before the defense. Registration must be continuous (excluding summer semesters), unless a formal leave of absence is requested and approved. Registration for 3 to 12 credits is permitted in the final semester of work, with the approval of the department head. Prerequisites: successful completion of doctoral qualifying examinations and approval of the dissertation adviser .
• Completion of one minor area of study, as follows:
• Out of Department Minor: Completion of 9 credits of graduate course work in one technical area of study.

                 Or

• In-Department Minor: Completion of 9 credits of graduate course work in a minor area outside the major subdiscipline in civil engineering.
• Residency requirements for the PhD in Civil Engineering include the 21-credit dissertation plus a minimum of 15 credits of applicable graduate course work taken at NYU Polytechnic School of Engineering.
• In satisfying the 54-credit course requirement (requirement 1), the student must satisfy all requirements for the major and minor areas selected, or their equivalents.
• 48 credits of relevant graduate course work, not including individual guided studies (readings, projects, theses, etc.) beyond the bachelor’s degree, with an average grade of B or better (cumulative average of 3.0 or better on a 0-4 scale).
• 24 credits of approved graduate course work, not including individual guided studies (readings, projects and theses) beyond the master’s degree, with an average grade of B or better (cumulative average of 3.0 or better on a 0-4 scale). Satisfying condition 6b requires that the department accept the student’s MS degree in toto without regard to its specific content. This acceptance requires a recommendation from the department’s Graduate Committee and department head approval.
• Although publication is not required as a condition for graduation at this time, journal publication is strongly encouraged. Every PhD candidate is expected to generate knowledge worthy of publication in two or more reputable journals.

Transfer Credits

A maximum of 48 credits of approved graduate work may be transferred. Transfer credits for PhD students may be awarded on a course-by-course basis or by the transfer of a MS degree from another institution in satisfaction of 30 graduate credits. The latter requires a recommendation from the department’s Graduate Committee and the approval of the department head. Transfer credits are generally awarded at the time of admission and must be approved by the academic adviser, the graduate coordinator and the department head.

Qualifying Examination

A student must register for RE-GY 9990 Ph.D. Qualifying Exam    in the semester in which the qualifying exam will be taken. This course carries no credit, and the student incurs no fees. It provides a place in the student’s official transcript to record when the qualifying exam was taken and the result.

Every student pursuing a PhD must pass a qualifying examination before becoming a candidate for the PhD. The qualifying examination consists of a six-hour written portion (generally given in two three-hour blocks on the same day), and an oral portion which may be given before or after the written portion. Both written and oral portions focus on fundamental and advanced civil engineering topics relevant to the student’s specific program of study.

The oral portion may also explore specific skill areas required to conduct successful independent research. Students are deemed to have passed the examination based upon an overall evaluation of both the written and oral portions of the examination.

The qualifying examination is a pass/fail milestone in the PhD process. A letter indicating the result of each examination is placed in the student’s graduate file. In rare cases, a student may be deemed to have conditionally passed the qualifying exam. This may occur when the student does extremely well in all but one area. Such a student must follow a prescribed plan to strengthen his or her knowledge and skills in the weak area and pass a special examination in the weak area within one calendar year. A student who conditionally passes the qualifying exam may register for dissertation credits and may form a Dissertation Committee.

While each student will take a different qualifying examination based upon an individual program of study, the exam is considered a departmental examination. All department faculty members in each civil engineering subdiscipline may participate in submitting written problems. Each student’s academic advisory committee will review the entire exam before it is administered, and may suggest changes if it deems the examination, as presented, to be an inequitable test of the student’s abilities. Recommendations on examination results are submitted by each student’s Academic Advisory Committee. The departmental faculty, acting as a whole, votes to accept or reject such recommendations at a meeting scheduled for this purpose. Additionally:

• According to NYU Tandon School of Engineering policy, students should take the qualifying exam within their first year of study at NYU Tandon School of Engineering.
• A student may take the qualifying exam once. A second attempt is permitted only with written permission from the Academic Advisory Committee and the approval of the department head. Under no circumstances may a student take the examination more than two times.
• No student may register for CE 999X Dissertation credits until passing the qualifying exam.
• A Dissertation Committee cannot be formed until the student passes the qualifying exam.
• Any student who cannot pass the qualifying exam will be disqualified from the program.

Dissertation Committee

A Dissertation Committee is formed immediately after a student passes the qualifying exam to guide the student’s course of study and research work. This committee will serve as a panel of experts to aid the candidate throughout his or her research.

The Dissertation Committee shall have no less than five members, including a chairperson, a major adviser, and an adviser for each minor the student is pursuing, one of whom must be on the faculty in another NYU Tandon School of Engineering department. One external member who is either a faculty member at another academic institution or a noted PhD-level practitioner is encouraged. Additional faculty members may also serve on the Dissertation Committee.

The members of the Academic Advisory Committee may also serve on the Dissertation Committee. The membership of the Dissertation Committee must be approved by the department head and recorded with the Office of Graduate Academics.

The major adviser, who may also serve as chairperson, must be a full-time faculty member of the Department of Civil and Urban Engineering.

Dissertation Proposal

Upon passing the qualifying exam and the appointment of a Dissertation Committee, the PhD candidate must submit a written Dissertation Proposal outlining the subject of the proposed research. This proposal should be 15 to 20 pages long and should address the following specific items:

• Description of the topic;
• Literature review sufficient to ensure original work;
• Method(s) for the research;
• Data and/or laboratory needs and their availability; and
• Anticipated outcomes.

The Dissertation Proposal must be submitted within one semester of full-time study after passing the qualifying exam, or before 9 credits of dissertation credit are completed.

The Dissertation Proposal is presented orally and defended before the Dissertation Committee and other interested departmental faculty. The date of the oral defense and copies of the draft Dissertation Proposal must be available to departmental faculty at least two weeks (14 calendar days) before the defense.

When the Dissertation Proposal is formally accepted and defended successfully, the chairperson of the Dissertation Committee shall enter a letter into the student’s graduate file, indicating this acceptance, together with a copy of the Dissertation Proposal. While the Dissertation Committee has reasonable flexibility to modify the Dissertation Proposal during the research, any significant change in focus area or methodology requires submission of an amended Dissertation Proposal and formal acceptance as described herein.

Dissertation Defense

The culmination of the student’s PhD work is the oral presentation and defense of the final draft dissertation. A defense is generally scheduled after the Dissertation Committee reviews the draft dissertation and determines that it is complete and of sufficient quality to be presented and defended.

The defense is organized and scheduled by the Dissertation Committee. All Institute faculty members may observe and ask questions at all NYU Tandon School of Engineering dissertation defenses. Therefore, the date of the defense must be announced Institute-wide at least one month before the event, and copies of the draft dissertation must be available to any faculty member who requests one in a timely fashion and in no case less than two weeks before the defense.

• Quick Links
• Campus Directory
• Events Calendar
• Human Resources
• Student Services
• Auraria Library
• Emergency Management & Campus Safety
• University Policies
• Public Health Resources

Schools & Colleges

• College of Architecture and Planning
• College of Arts & Media
• Business School
• School of Education & Human Development

College of Engineering, Design and Computing

• College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• School of Public Affairs

Campus Affiliates

• CU Anschutz Medical Campus
• CU Colorado Springs

Civil engineering research & specialty areas

Construction engineering and management.

At CU Denver, research in construction engineering and management focuses on decision-making and optimal selection of building and infrastructure upgrades, state-of-the-art techniques for operating buildings and infrastructure projects, innovative planning and construction practices.

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) & Geomatics

The Geomatics Engineering and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) graduate program at the University of Colorado Denver provides broad-based expertise and cutting-edge skills that span the growing geospatial field and helps alleviate the shortage of well-educated geospatial professionals.

Geotechnical Engineering

Geotechnical research at CU Denver covers experimental, analytical and numerical research in geotechnical and soil-structure interaction problems under static and seismic loads, probability and risk-based research in geotechnical problems, seismic responses of various structures, expansive soil foundation designs and deep foundation problems.

Geotechnical Lab

Hydrologic, environmental, and sustainability engineering.

The CU Denver graduate track in hydrologic, environmental, and sustainability engineering (HESE) brings together the hydrologic cycle, environmental processes, and sustainability—the powerful notion that everything we engineer should support economic prosperity, environmental health, and social justice.

Read more .

Structural Engineering

At CU Denver, research in structural engineering covers structures, materials, concrete and repair and evaluation. Faculty currently receive funding from the National Science Foundation, the City and County of Denver, the Colorado Department of Transportation and more. Students interested in structural engineering may pursue the  master of science .

• Jimmy Kim , Professor ( website )
• Chengyu Li , Associate Professor
• Carnot Nogueira , Assistant Professor - Research
• Kevin Rens , Chair & Professor
• Frederick Rutz , Associate Professor
• Shengzhe Wang, Assistant Professor

Learn more about current projects and capabilities by visiting the  Structures Laboratory  website.

Transportation Engineering

Transportation engineering at the University of Colorado Denver is dedicated to creating a more sustainable, equitable, and resilient transportation system, particularly in terms of road safety, active transportation, and transit. With a campus located in heart of downtown Denver, the city becomes our research lab.

Structures lab

North Classroom

1200 Larimer Street

Denver, CO 80204

303-315-7170

• Scholarships
• Lynx Central
• Flexible Active Teaching & Learning
• Research and Creative Activities Resources
• Brand Templates
• CEDC IT Services Faculty/Staff Resources

Transportation Engineering

From mobility to safety, UW CEE transportation engineering researchers develop solutions to pressing challenges in the transportation field. Research in this area is booming, driving rapid improvements in transportation systems worldwide. Recent developments include $14 million in research funding from the United States Department of Transportation to support the PacTrans Center’s research on urban and rural mobility. UW CEE’s transportation engineering program is internationally recognized for its quality in research and education. The program has well-established connections with universities and transportation research institutes in China, Japan and many European countries.

Research covers a variety of topics, including transportation planning, traffic system operations, logistics and freight transportation, transportation network system analysis, intelligent transportation systems, transit system planning, travel behavior and demand modeling, resilient infrastructure systems, traffic safety, human factors analysis and sustainable transportation infrastructure design. CEE’s transportation program works closely with industry and government to ensure that relevant transportation topics are covered in both research agendas and the curriculum. 

Research topics

• Traffic operations and intelligent transportation systems Faculty involved: Yinhai Wang , Jeff Ban , and Ed McCormack
• Sustainable transportation infrastructures Faculty involved: Don MacKenzie , Cynthia Chen , Ed McCormack , Anne Goodchild and Yinhai Wang
• Transportation safety Faculty involved: Yinhai Wang , Cynthia Chen and Anne Goodchild
• Freight and logistics Faculty involved: Anne Goodchild , Ed McCormack ,  Jeff Ban  and  Amelia Regan
• Transit and shared mobility Faculty involved: Cynthia Chen ,  Don MacKenzie ,  Yinhai Wang  and  Amelia Regan
• Transportation data science Faculty involved: Yinhai Wang , Cynthia Chen , Don MacKenzie , Jeff Ban ,  Linda Ng Boyle  and  Amelia Regan
• Transportation network analysis Faculty involved: Jeff Ban , Cynthia Chen ,  Anne Goodchild  and  Amelia Regan

Student research

Improving safety at highway-rail-trail crossings.

The U.S. relies on an expansive rail network, which often crosses highways at-grade along the way. In recent years, placing trails next to railroads has increased bicycle infrastructure, but complicates crossings. To better understand the intersections, particularly how their safety can be improved, a team of researchers from the SCTL Center, including graduate students Anna Alligood and Polina Butrina, worked with the Oregon Department of Transportation. The researchers visited sites across the state to collect data and observations. The project produced a guidebook for use by public agencies to increase safety at highway-rail-trail crossings.

Using Mobile Sensing to Improve Bus Service

It has historically been difficult and expensive to collect passenger travel data in order to improve transit service. However, thanks to new technology developed by UW CEE researchers, it is now easier and less expensive to learn about travel patterns. The technology detects the unique Media Access Control address of mobile devices and gathers data such as where bus riders board and disembark and how much time passes before they catch another bus. The research team includes Ph.D. student Kristian Henrickson, alumni Yegor Malinovskiy and Matthew Dunlap, research associate Zhibin Li and professor Yinhai Wang.

Labs & research groups

CEE faculty oversee labs and research groups, where they investigate a variety of critical problems related to transportation engineering. Undergraduate and graduate students are encouraged to participate in research.

• Human Factors & Statistical Modeling Lab
• Intelligent Urban Transportation Systems Lab
• Sustainable Transportation Lab
• Transportation-Human Interaction and Network Knowledge (THINK) Lab
• Urban Freight Lab

UW CEE hosts several centers, funded by industry and government. The centers headquarter research on specific themes and act as hubs connecting faculty and students with resources to support research, education and outreach activities.

• Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium (PacTrans)
• Washington State Transportation Center (TRAC)
• Supply Chain Transportation and Logistics (SCTL) Center
• Four USDOT-funded Tier 1 University Transportation Centers

Professional societies

ASCE Transportation & Development Institute Urban and Regional Information Systems Association (URISA) Institute of Transportation Engineers Transportation Research Board American Planning Association Transportation Club of Seattle Transportation Club of Tacoma Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals  (CSCMP)

Degree programs

• Transportation Engineering Master’s Program
• Transportation Engineering Ph.D. Program 
• Master of Supply Chain Transportation and Logistics Online Master's Program
• Master of Sustainable Transportation Online Master's Program

Latest news

Advancing electric vehicle technology.

How UW engineers are helping Washington lead the way in electric vehicle technology and the infrastructure required to advance it.

Electric cargo bikes' future

A new paper by the Urban Freight Lab highlights the transformative potential of electric cargo bikes in reshaping urban logistics.

Amazon's delivery impact

New research by CEE team shows that Seattle metro residents near Amazon delivery stations face more pollution but order fewer packages.

TRAC Director Mark Hallenbeck retires

The director of the Washington State Transportation Center influenced roadway systems and transportation engineering locally and nationally.

• Undergraduate Admissions
• Program Guide
• Course Registration
• Undergraduate Academic Advising
• Awards & Funding
• Civil Engineering Handbook
• Undergraduate Forms
• Undergraduate FAQ
• Graduate Admissions
• Master of Engineering
• Master of Engineering Leadership
• Master of Applied Science
• Doctor of Philosophy
• Graduate Academic Advising
• Thesis Completion & Graduation
• Graduate Handbook
• Graduate Forms
• Graduate FAQ
• Full-time Faculty
• Research Associates
• Postdoctoral Fellows
• Honorary Affiliate Professors
• Awards & Honours
• Student Societies & Chapters
• Student Engineering Teams
• Student Facilities
• Job Postings

Environmental Fluid Mechanics

Environmental systems engineering, geo-environmental engineering, geotechnical engineering, hydrotechnical engineering.

• Project & Construction Management
• Structural & Earthquake Engineering

Structural Materials

Transportation engineering.

• Research Facilities
• Student & Alumni Profiles
• Newsletters
• Capstone Design Project
• Hire Our Students
• Submit a Job
• Strategic Plan
• Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
• Health, Safety & Environment (HSE)
• 100 Years of Civil Engineering
• Workplace Training
• Department COVID-19 Safety
• Student Safety Abroad
• Faculty & Staff Portal
• Career Opportunities

Featured image

Research Areas

Environmental Fluid Mechanics focuses on the understanding of the physical dynamics of water bodies with the aim of developing numerical models for the prediction of the impacts of climate change and human activities on lake circulation.

Environmental Systems Engineering is a field of study that focuses on protecting the health of our water, land and urban systems.

Geo-environmental Engineering is an evolving field of study, dealing with contamination of soil as a result of human development. It involves knowledge from such diverse fields as geotechnical, environmental and chemical engineering, geology, hydrogeology, chemistry, microbiology and soil sciences.

Geotechnical Engineering focuses on the properties and behaviour of soil and rock, flow of groundwater, as well as stability and settlement/deformation characteristics of slopes, retaining walls, and foundations.

Hydrotechnical engineering is concerned with water, which plays a central role in irrigation, hydroelectric power production, water supply, navigation, flood control, erosion control, fisheries, drainage and land transport of pollutants.

Project & Construction Management

Project and Construction Management is focused on the development, use, and exchange of Building Information Models (BIM).

Structural & Earthquake Engineering

Structural engineering is the science and art of designing, analysing and constructing structures. Traditional civil engineering structures include buildings, bridges, towers, and dams designed to resist seismic, wind, and gravity forces.

The general emphasis of research in the Materials program is on the relationship between the structure and the mechanical properties of Civil Engineering materials, especially portland cement and concrete, timber, and composites.

Transportation Engineering is the application of science and technology in road safety, transportation planning, and intelligent transportation systems. Current projects are in road safety, truck impact, transportation system simulation, traffic engineering, transportation demand and forecasting, environmental impact of transportation, and intelligent transportation systems.

Department of Civil, Environmental, & Construction Engineering

• Whitacre College of Engineering
• Civil, Environmental, and Construction Engineering

Centers & Research

Research areas.

National Wind Institute   Radon In Texas   Water Resources Center

• #25935 (no title)
• #26870 (no title)
• 1.013 – Senior Civil and Environmental Engineering Design
• Belonging, Achievement, and Composition
• Give to CEE
• Alumni Spotlight
• CEESA Career Fair
• Rising Stars Workshop
• Community Spotlight
• Contact CEE
• Course 1, Year 1
• Course One Newsletter
• Data Science for Engineering Systems MEng program
• Graduate Admissions
• Graduate Degrees
• Graduate Student Life
• Graduate Timeline & FAQ
• Educational Objectives & Outcomes
• Environmental Engineering Tracks
• Mechanics and Materials Tracks
• Undergraduate Degrees
• Undergraduate Minors
• Undergraduate Opportunities
• Undergraduate Student Life
• Environmental Health and Lab Safety
• Environmetal Science and Engineering Parsons Lab
• Hubs & Centers
• Interdepartmental Program in Transportation
• Major in 1, Minor in 6
• Minor in CEE
• MIT Graduate Admissions Statement
• C.C. Mei Distinguished Speaker Series
• Past Events
• Faculty Position in the MIT Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering
• Graduate Students
• Post-Tenure Faculty
• Researchers
• Photo Galleries
• Postdoctorate Program
• Registration Process
• Climate, Environment, and Life Sciences
• Food and Water Security
• Resilient Systems and Mobility
• Sustainable Materials and Infrastructure
• CEE Brand Assets
• Student Groups and Professional Societies
• Student Life
• Systems Engineering Tracks
• Transfer Credit Guidelines for 1.00/1.001
• TREX Course 1.091
• Undergraduate Guide
• 2007 News Releases
• 2008 News in Brief
• 2008 News Releases
• 2009 News in Brief
• 2009 News Releases
• 2010 News in Brief
• 2010 News Releases
• 2011 News in Brief
• 2011 News Release
• 2012 News in Brief
• 2012 News Releases
• 2013 News in Brief
• 2013 News Releases
• 2014 News in Brief
• 2014 News Releases
• 2015 News in Brief
• 2015 News Releases
• 2016 News in Brief
• 2016 News Releases
• 2017 News in Brief
• 2018 News in Brief
• 2019 News in Brief
• CEE Profiles
• Civil and Environmental Engineering
• Engineering
• Faculty Spotlight
• Global Teaching Labs
• Graduate Profile
• Graduate Spotlight
• Graduate Student life
• Mechanics of Materials
• mini-UROP 2017
• MIT Civil and Environmental Engineering
• MIT Great Barrier Reef Initiative
• ONE-MA3 2017
• ONE-MA3 2018
• ONE-MA3 2019
• Postdoc Spotlight
• Staff Spotlight
• Study Abroad
• Undergraduate Spotlight
• Women In STEM

MIT Professor César Terrer receives NSF CAREER Award to support fundamental research for climate mitigation

Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering César Terrer has been selected to receive a Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award from the National Science Foundation (NSF), its most prestigious honor for junior faculty members.

According to the NSF website, this award supports early-career faculty who have the potential to serve as academic role models in research and education and to lead advances in the mission of their department or organization. This CAREER grant will support Terrer’s research exploring the historical loss of soil carbon due to ecosystem degradation and its role in exacerbating climate change.

The five-year, $962,832 grant will support his project, “Soil Carbon Loss under Global Change: Unearthing Opportunities for Climate Mitigation,” which seeks to quantify historical soil carbon loss due to human activities, and explore strategies to reverse this trend. The goal of Terrer’s research is to transform soils into robust carbon sinks for climate mitigation. This research has the potential to impact several aspects of society, including climate policy and awareness, enhancing climate predictability, and aiding climate mitigation through soil carbon sequestration and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

“Terrer’s work exploring the effects of soil carbon loss has the potential to change how we think about the carbon cycle, from informing policy to fostering innovative solutions to carbon management and climate change  mitigation, his contributions will help shape a more sustainable future,” says Ali Jadbabaie, JR East Professor of Engineering and head of the MIT Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. “I am pleased that NSF has selected him to receive this CAREER Award, which recognizes the significance of his research in the field of climate science.”

Additionally, this grant will promote education on climate science data through a university-level course and a high school summer camp. The goal of these educational programs is to broaden participation of underrepresented groups in science, inspiring future leaders in the field of climate management.

“I am grateful for the opportunity this NSF CAREER Award presents me with to continue my work studying the implications of soil carbon loss and exploring new and innovative pathways for climate mitigation,” says Terrer.

The primary focus of the Terrer Lab is studying how climate change and anthropogenic activities affect climate change and how ecosystem dynamics influence climate change. The group gathers information from field observations and remote sensing data using various statistical methods, such as meta-analysis and machine learning, to understand terrestrial ecosystems on a global scale.

MIT Civil and Environmental Engineering students awarded NSF Graduate Research Fellowships

News in the news, professor lydia bourouiba’s research influences new world health organization guidelines for respiratory infectious diseases, prof. cohen selected to receive eshelby mechanics award for young faculty , workshop at mit forms friendships and opportunities, rising stars workshop brings together the next generation of women leaders in cee.

Recent Developments in Structural Engineering, Volume 1

• Conference proceedings
• © 2024
• Manmohan Dass Goel 0 ,
• Ratnesh Kumar 1 ,
• Sangeeta S. Gadve 2

Department of Applied Mechanics, Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology, Nagpur, India

You can also search for this editor in PubMed   Google Scholar

• Presents the select proceedings of 13th Structural Engineering Convention
• Covers the latest research in multidisciplinary areas within structural engineering
• Covers topics such as structural dynamics, structural mechanics, finite element methods, etc.

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering (LNCE, volume 52)

Included in the following conference series:

• SEC: Structural Engineering Convention

Conference proceedings info: SEC 2023.

1035 Accesses

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this book

• Available as EPUB and PDF
• Read on any device
• Instant download
• Own it forever
• Durable hardcover edition
• Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
• Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access

Licence this eBook for your library

Institutional subscriptions

Table of contents (65 papers)

Front matter, optimum sph parameters for ballistic impact on ceramic tiles: a parametric study.

• M. D. Umbharatwala, P. Vinoth, Manmohan Dass Goel

Blast Retrofitting of Reinforced Concrete Structures Using Jacketing Schemes

• Rohan G. Raikar, Muhammed Zain Kangda, Nilesh Mate, Sandeep Sathe

A Comparative Study of AdaBoost and K-Nearest Neighbor Regressors for the Prediction of Compressive Strength of Ultra-High Performance Concrete

• Rakesh Kumar, Baboo Rai, Pijush Samui

Design Perspectives of the Structural Modes for Ground Liquid Storage Steel Tanks

• Zalakkumar R. Chhaya, Vipul Prakash

Reliability Based Design Optimization (RBDO) of Randomly Imperfect Thin Cylindrical Shells Against Post-Critical Drop

• Rohan Majumder, Sudib K. Mishra

Investigation on Influence of Embedment Depth of Foundation on Seismic Response of Building Considering Soil—Structure Interaction

• Vaibhav Mittal, Manojit Samanta

Structural Response of Shaped Concrete Units Subjected to Blast Loading: A Parametric Study

• Sreekumar Punnappilly, K. Baskar

Numerical Study of Damage Evaluation of Plain Concrete Under Projectile Impact

• Ajay Kumar, Kailash Kumar, M. A. Iqbal

Numerical Study on Ballistic Resistance of Whipple Shield Under Different Ellipsoid Projectiles Against Hypervelocity Impact

• Kailash Kumar, Ajay Kumar, M. A. Iqbal, P. K. Gupta

A Review on the Usage of Graphene in Cementitious Material

• Malaiappan Sindhu Muthu, Mallikarjun Perumalla

Prediction of Stress Fields in Particulate Polymer Composites Using Micromechanics-Based Artificial Intelligence Model

• Sristi Gupta, Tanmoy Mukhopadhyay, Divyesh Varade, Vinod Kushvaha

Underground Blast Induced Vibration Control of Building Isolated with Shape Memory Alloy Friction Pendulum

• Mohammad Yasir Mohammad Hasan Shaikh, Sourav Gur

Response of Aluminum and CFRP Plates to Successive Blast Loads

• Yash M. Chordiya, Manmohan Dass Goel, Vasant A. Matsagar

Should EBFs Be Preferred Over CBFs in EQRD?

• P. N. Panda, R. Selot, A. Chakrabarti, V. Prakash

Preliminary Static Analysis of Suspension Bridges

• R. Selot, P. N. Panda, V. Prakash

A Reduced Order Model for Damage Detection of Dynamic Problems

• Samrul Hoda, Biswarup Bhattacharyya

Cross-Section Based Performance Assessment of Buckling Restrained Braces

• Prachi Mishra, Arvind Y. Vyavahare

Experimental Analysis of Traditional Kath-Kuni Wall System

• Chetival Survesh, Chikermane Sanjay

Effect of Dynamic Material Strength on Blast Response of Earthquake-Resistant RC Buildings

• Shivalinga Baddipalli, Mahipal Kulariya, Sandip Kumar Saha

Other volumes

• Structural Fire Engineering
• Earthquake Engineering /Structural Dynamics/ Seismic Control
• AI and Machine Learning in Structural Engineering
• Concrete Structures
• Steel Structures

About this book

The book presents the select proceedings of 13th Structural Engineering Convention. It covers the latest research in multidisciplinary areas within structural engineering. Various topics covered include structural dynamics, structural mechanics, finite element methods, structural vibration control, advanced cementitious and composite materials, bridge engineering, soil-structure interaction, blast, impact, fire, material and many more. The book will be a useful reference material for structural engineering researchers and practicing engineers.

Editors and Affiliations

Manmohan Dass Goel, Ratnesh Kumar, Sangeeta S. Gadve

About the editors

Dr. Manmohan Dass Goel completed his Bachelor of Engineering from Yeshwantrao Chavan College of Engineering, Nagpur. He was awarded three gold medals by Nagpur University for academic excellence. He completed Master of Technology (M. Tech.) in offshore engineering from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, Mumbai in year 2003. His Ph. D. is from Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi and University of Federal Armed Forces, Munich, Germany under German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) Sandwich Fellowship in year 2013. The topic of his doctoral research was "Blast Response of Structures and Its Mitigation Using Advanced Lightweight Materials". He was awarded Surendranath Mukherjee Memorial Medal for best research paper by Institution of Engineers (India) in year 2009. He has been selected Young Ambassador by German Academic Exchange Services (DAAD) for consecutively for two years. His doctoral thesis has been awarded as the bestthesis by the Indian National Academy of Engineering under "Innovative Student Project Award 2013" at doctoral level in Civil Engineering discipline. He has been awarded “CSIR Young Scientist Awards-2014” in Engineering Sciences by CSIR. He is recipient of “Young Engineer Award” from Institution of Engineers (India) in 2014. He has been nominated as “DAAD Research Ambassador” by German Academic Exchange Services (DAAD). He is also recipient of “Young Associate”, Maharashtra Academy of Sciences, Maharashtra in year 2015. His paper has been awarded IGS-HEICO Biennial Award- 2017 by Indian Geotechnical Society (IGS), India as a best paper on “Rock Mechanics” published in Indian Geotechnical Journal through Indian Geotechnical Society (IGS). He has been interviewed by Rajya Sabha TV under popular science program “Eureka” in recognition of contribution to the R&D in Engineering Sciences. He has been a Senate Member of ACSIR (Academy of Scientific & Innovative Research) CSIR, Delhi. Currently he is serving as Associate Professor, Department of Applied Mechanics, Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology (VNIT), Nagpur. Prior to this, he served CSIR-AMPRI Bhopal and CSIR-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) Nagpur, India as a Scientist. He has more than 150 international and national journal/conference publications to his credit. His areas of research interest include blast analysis, blast resistant structures, lightweight materials, composite structures, low, medium and high strain rate material characterization and computational mechanics. He is looking forward to contribute in the broader areas of structural protection systems used against blast and impact loading.

Dr. Ratnesh Kumar is Professor in the Department of Applied Mechanics at Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology (VNIT), Nagpur, where he has been since 2012. Prior to VNIT he was associated with various academia and industry; he worked with Earthquake Engineering Department, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee as Fellow B, Assistant Professor at School of Engineering, Gautam Buddha University and Head of Structural Design Division in Privitech Consulting Engineers Pvt. Limited, New Delhi.  He received Bachelor of Civil Engineering from Bangalore University in the year 2000, M. Tech and Ph. D from Earthquake Engineering Department, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee. His research interests span both in structural engineering and earthquake engineering. Much of his work has been on improving the understanding, design, and performance of reinforced concrete structures. He is also working in the area of seismic evaluation and retrofitting and seismic risk assessment. He is also heading various laboratories such as: Advanced Computing, Earthquake Engineering and Structural Fire Engineering laboratory at VNIT. He has guided 3 Ph. D. and 28 M. Tech thesis and presently two Ph.D. students are working under his guidance. He has given more than twenty-five invited talks and tutorials at various academic and industrial forum, coordinated fifteen short-term courses and workshops on various aspects of structural and earthquake engineering and published more than sixty research papers in reputed journals and conferences. He is associated with various research projects of more than fifteen million rupees and handled consultancy project of more than twenty million rupees. He received Sir Arthur Cotton Memorial Prize (IEI) in 2011. He is member of Indian Water Works Association, Institution of Engineers (India), Bamboo Society of India and Indian Society of Earthquake Technology. In the later he also served as executive committee member during 2011-12. He is reviewer of many journals such as American Concrete Institute, Engineering Structures, Bulletin of Earthquake Engineering, Journal of Structural Fire Engineering and many more.

Dr. Sangeeta Gadve is Professor in the Department of Applied Mechanics at Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology (VNIT), Nagpur. She joined VNIT, Nagpur in 2012, prior to which she was working with Sardar Patel College of Engineering, Mumbai as an Associate Professor since 1994. Dr. Gadve received her Bachelor of Civil Engineering from VNIT (then VRCE) in the year 1991, Masters in Structural Engineering from Mumbai University and Ph. D from Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai. Her research interest lies in Concrete Technology with specialization in Corrosion of rebar in concrete. Other than rebar corrosion in concrete, she has worked in evaluation of various concrete properties that include shear strength and Elasticity Modulus of plain concrete. She also works in the field of repairs and rehabilitation of reinforced concrete structures. He has set up an Advanced Concrete Technology Laboratory at VNIT which has got state of the art testing facilities. She has guided 4 Ph.D. and over 40 M.Tech dissertations. She has delivered over 30 invited talks at various academic and industrial forums. She has published more than fifty research papers in reputed journals and conferences. She has three Patents granted to her credit. She is working on various industry sponsored research projects as well as handled various consultancy projects. She is member of Indian Water Works Association, Institution of Engineers (India), Indian Society of Technical Education, Indian Concrete Institute, Association of Structural Rehabilitation. She is reviewer of journals such as American Concrete Institute, Indian Concrete Institute Engineering Structures.

Bibliographic Information

Book Title : Recent Developments in Structural Engineering, Volume 1

Editors : Manmohan Dass Goel, Ratnesh Kumar, Sangeeta S. Gadve

Series Title : Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-9625-4

Publisher : Springer Singapore

eBook Packages : Engineering , Engineering (R0)

Copyright Information : The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2024

Hardcover ISBN : 978-981-99-9624-7 Published: 03 May 2024

Softcover ISBN : 978-981-99-9627-8 Due: 03 June 2024

eBook ISBN : 978-981-99-9625-4 Published: 02 May 2024

Series ISSN : 2366-2557

Series E-ISSN : 2366-2565

Edition Number : 1

Number of Pages : XVII, 689

Number of Illustrations : 54 b/w illustrations, 324 illustrations in colour

Topics : Building Construction and Design , Solid Construction , Sustainable Architecture/Green Buildings , Structural Materials

• Publish with us

Policies and ethics

• Find a journal
• Track your research

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Undergraduate degree options.

As an undergraduate in either our BS in Environmental Engineering or BS in Civil Engineering programs, you will complete approximately two years of math and science and two years of engineering coursework. Students from both programs will work together in four hands-on project courses, one each fall. Taking advantage of free elective courses can also allow you to pursue an additional major or a minor from a variety of areas of study. Recent graduates have completed additional majors in Engineering and Public Policy, Psychology, and Technical Writing and minors in Architecture, Computer Science, and Business.

Some of our students also choose an additonal major or minor with our I ntegrative  De sign,  A rts and  Te chnology Network (IDeATe). This unique program connects diverse strengths across Carnegie Mellon University to advance education, research, and creative practice in domains that merge technology and arts expertise.

Motivated students who want to gain a competitive edge in their career can get a jump start with our Integrated BS/MS program. This program gives you an accelerated path to earn your master's degree seamlessly with your bachelor's degree.

Bachelor of Science (BS)

Civil engineering.

Our Bachelor of Science program in Civil Engineering  is an accredited and widely recognized degree program for entry into the civil engineering profession.

Related Links

• Course Catalog - Department Information
• Civil Engineering Course Sequence
• ANSYS HALL: A Creative Epicenter
• Learning by Doing: Hands-On Design Courses

Environmental Engineering

The new Bachelor of Science program in Environmental Engineering  integrates computing and data analytics with a traditional environmental engineering course of study. 

• Department Announcement of New Program

Student Stories

Student Groups

Internship and Global Education

Integrated BS/MS Program

• IMB Program

Minor: Environmental and Sustainability Studies

The minor in Environmental and Sustainability Studies  offers an interdisciplinary approach to environmental and sustainability issues beyond a traditional engineering major degree program.

Six courses are required with offerings from a wide range of disciplines, including architecture, business, engineering and public policy, english, history, and philosophy.

Minor: Global Engineering

The  Global Engineering minor  prepares you to join an international community. Courses are designed to increase global awareness and international experiences.

Requirements include coursework in international management, ethics, modern language, as well as a study or work abroad experience.

• Visit the Undergraduate Course Catalog for ideas for other double majors and minors.

Concentrations and Minor: Interactive Design, Arts & Technology Network (IDeATe)

The  I ntegrative  De sign,  A rts and  Te chnology Network (IDeATe) connects diverse strengths across Carnegie Mellon University to advance education, research, and creative practice in domains that merge technology and arts expertise. IDeATe concentrations and minors  provide the opportunity for you to choose from creative industry themes such as intelligent environments, physical computing, and media design. Courses are focused on hands-on collaborative learning and are structured to combine students from many different disciplines.

IDeATe supports eight interrelated undergraduate concentration areas, all of which can also be taken as minors. The themes of these areas integrate knowledge in technology and arts: Game Design, Animation and Special Effects, Media Design, Sound Design, Learning Media, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Intelligent Environments, and Physical Computing.

Concentrations are completed by taking four courses, while minors require five courses.

• The College of Engineering

• School of Engineering and Applied Sciences
• UB Directory
• Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering >
• Research >
• Institutes >

UB club reinvigorated, earns second place in regional competition

The University at Buffalo team: Vinícius Nakata, Dan Benetti and Tucker Velepec. 

By Peter Murphy

Published May 7, 2024

After several years of inactivity, the University at Buffalo Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) student club finishes second in regional competition. 

The 2024 ITE Northeastern District Collegiate Traffic Bowl marked UB ITE’s first significant competition since the UB club was reestablished in 2021. The club also had the added responsibility of hosting the competition and planning events for dozens of students from four universities throughout the Northeastern United States. Despite the challenges associated with participating in its first major competition in several years and organizing the competition, the club found surprise success with a second-place finish.

UB ITE’s second-place finish was the result of a “stirring come-from-behind victory,” according to one judge. The other teams that UB competed against participate in the event annually, with high levels of success.

“This competition was a real test of our team’s capabilities,” says Jiajun Pang, graduate student in civil engineering, competition coordinator and UB team coach. “We learned a lot, particularly about maintaining composure and focus under pressure. We are proud to have demonstrated our strength in such a competitive setting.”

The competition is a quiz bowl format where teams compete by buzzing in to answer questions asked by a moderator. According to ITE, teams made up of up to three students test their “knowledge of ITE, transportation planning and engineering topics as well as some fun categories.”

UB’s team, made up of Dan Benetti, Vinícius Nakata and Tucker Velepec, all students in the Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering, were down by a significant margin with just a few questions left to answer. The students answered several correct questions in a row to win their semi-final matchup and make it to the championship round.

According to Irina Benedyk, assistant professor in civil, structural and environmental engineering and UB ITE advisor, planning and executing the Traffic Bowl was just as impressive as the team’s win.

"Seeing our students organize and participate in such a significant competition with such professionalism fills me with great pride. Their efforts and enthusiasm show that they not only possess the necessary technical skills but also the potential to become future leaders in the industry," Benedyk says.

Following the competition, Benedyk and UB ITE students led tours of the research labs and facilities in Ketter Hall, and a visit to Niagara Falls, New York. The students also participated in research poster presentations. According to civil engineering graduate student and UB ITE president, Gongda Yu, the club began preparing for this event and their guests when the fall semester started.

"Since last September, we have been organizing this major gathering, overcoming numerous challenges from securing venues to perfecting schedules and managing invitations,” Yu says. “We also prepared a Buffalo travel guide to ensure that our guests could enjoy both the intense competition and the local allure."

UB ITE welcomed participating teams from the University of Massachusetts, New York University, University of Connecticut and the New Jersey Institute of Technology. 

• Science & Tech

From solar energy harvesting to advanced batteries: Cohort of new engineering faculty bolster UMBC’s commitment to Earth-friendly research

Published: May 10, 2024

By: Catherine Meyers

This April 22, as the campus community celebrated Earth Day, the feel of spring’s natural reawakening was in the air. Birds chirped from newly leafed trees and students strolled in the bright sunshine. But the pleasant day belied a concerning trend: In Maryland and beyond, the balance of Earth’s life-supporting systems is shifting, driven in large part by the heat-trapping greenhouse gasses we humans send into the atmosphere. The Earth is getting hotter; weather patterns are changing; and ecosystems are under stress. 

“Climate change is pressing us to adopt a more Earth-friendly lifestyle, to develop renewable energy,” says Özgür Çapraz , an associate professor in the department of chemical, biochemical, and environmental engineering at UMBC, who studies advanced battery technologies. Çapraz, who joined UMBC in fall 2023 from a faculty position at Oklahoma State University, was one of three recent faculty hires in the College of Engineering and Information Technology (COEIT) who all specialize in different aspects of sustainability and renewable energy-related research. 

The three hires were part of a COEIT effort to build off recognized strength in the environmental domain, while expanding expertise in important areas such as energy, says Lee Blaney , a professor in the department of chemical, biochemical, and environmental engineering who chaired the search.

The other two hires are Alok Ghanekar , an assistant professor in mechanical engineering, who studies materials that can improve some solar energy harvesting systems, turn waste heat into electricity, and better cool buildings; and Rajasekhar Anguluri, an assistant professor in computer science and electrical engineering, who specializes in the math describing large, complex systems such as the power grid.

The energy conundrum

“Ever since I studied science in high school, I have been interested in energy,” says Ghanekar, who was a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Southern California prior to joining UMBC this spring semester. “Growing up in India, there were regular power outages every week. It is less of a problem now, but energy demand is still growing.” 

Across the world, in many ways, energy consumption drives progress and improves people’s lives. But the burning of fossil fuels to produce much of that energy is increasing the concentration of heat-trapping gasses in the atmosphere. While the exact consequences of this change are uncertain, it’s clear the Earth is warming, and that trend is likely to put extreme pressures on societies in the decades to come.  

A big shift toward clean and renewable sources of energy could be part of the solution. Each of the new hires’ research touches this goal in some ways. In Ghanekar’s case, he studies human-designed materials called metamaterials that, among other potential uses, might one day help significantly increase the amount of energy from the sun that we are able to efficiently turn into electricity.

Getting more energy from the sun could help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but since the sun doesn’t always shine, we also need ways to store that energy (perhaps with new battery technologies, the expertise of Çapraz) and ways to share that energy on the power grid without disrupting its delicate balance (a challenge that Anguluri has explored). 

As academic researchers, they operate at the frontiers of knowledge, asking and seeking to answer fundamental questions that could push the technology forward: How exactly do batteries with new chemistries work, for example, or why does a material degrade over time? Anguluri’s math expertise spans a range of engineering disciplines. He and Ghanekar have already talked about collaborating to mathematically model the behavior of Ghanekar’s metamaterials.

No scientific “Eureka!” moment or technical advance by itself is likely to be a panacea to a problem as complex as global warming, but these incremental steps do offer people more tools.

 “As scholars, we like to think, to solve interesting problems,” says Anguluri, who was a postdoc at Arizona State University before arriving at UMBC this year. “As citizens of the world, we must also look at our values and make wise choices.”

Building on a long-standing commitment

Studying people’s impact on the Earth, and working to mitigate environmental harms, is nothing new for researchers at UMBC. 

The university boasts multiple research centers that advance environmental research, from the Center for Urban Environmental Research and Education to the Institute for Harnessing Data and Model Revolution in the Polar Regions . The university also has long-standing partnerships with NASA to develop new technology for environmental remote sensing. 

Çapraz, Ghanekar, and Anguluri will join faculty at the university who study sustainable aquaculture , wildfire smoke , water and sediment pollution , fusion energy , and more. 

“Sustainability research is an area of strength in COEIT,” says Vandana Janeja , the associate dean for research and faculty development in COEIT. “Now there’s a new sense of urgency about it and our recent hires are a testament to that.” 

“Climate change is an issue that so many of our students are tapped into,” adds Blaney. “They’re really worried about the impacts of climate change and want to do something to address this global challenge.”

As the new UMBC faculty launch research projects and expand their labs, there will be growing opportunities for interested students to learn about and join their important work. And that’s good news, because as the Earth Day festivities on campus showcased, safeguarding our shared home is a duty shared by all of us.

Tags: CBEE , COEIT , CSEE , MechE , Research , sustainability

Related Posts

How 19th-century Spiritualists ‘canceled’ the idea of hell to address social and political concerns

UMBC’s first Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence shares unique research on neurodiversity in language teaching and learning

Neediest areas are being shortchanged on government funds − even with programs designed to benefit poor communities

Want more umbc news, get top stories delivered to your inbox..

Sign up for our weekly UMBC Top Stories email :

Share a story idea and learn more about the news team.

Search UMBC Search

• Accreditation
• Consumer Information
• Equal Opportunity
• Privacy PDF Download
• Web Accessibility

Search UMBC.edu