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Dr. (Eng). Sankha Widisinghe

Senior Lecturer Grade II
Specialization: Geotechnology
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Contact

Academic Building (B3)-Room 115
Department of Civil and Environmental Technology
Faculty of Technology
University of Sri Jayewardenepura
Mahenwatte, Pitipana North
Homagama 10200
Sri Lanka

Email: sankha@sjp.ac.lk

Education

2011-2015
Ph.D., James Cook University, Australia

2004-2008
B.Sc. (Eng), University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka

Personal Profile

Dr. Sankha Widisinghe has more than 12 years of experience in Geotechnical Engineering including Soil and Rock testing, studies on mine backfilling and load forecasting with suitable barricade structural design as well as highway engineering. Dr. Widisinghe has engaged in teaching and research with several universities in Australia with respect to Civil Engineering modules and contributed to few consultancy projects in Australia He is holder of a PhD Degree in Geotechnical Engineering from James Cook University, Australia and a Bachelor’s Honours Degree from University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka.
 
Prior to joining the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, he has been working as an associate lecturer at Central Queensland University, Melbourne Campus. His current research focuses slope failures in Sri lanka and slope stabilization techniques including bio-remediation. Furthermore his research interests are study of expansive soils, geomechanics and numerical simulations.
 

Research Keywords: Expansive Soils, Creep behaviour, Geomechanics, Numerical Simulations

Positions Held

  • Since 2024, FebruaryCoordinator - Geotechnology Specialization
  • Since 2023, August Coordinator - Internal Quality Assurance Cell - Faculty of Technology
  • Since 2022, OctoberSports Advisory Committee representative - Faculty of Technology
  • Since 2019 Senior Lecturer , Department of Civil and Environmental Technology, University of Sri Jayewardenepura
  • 2016 - 2018Lecturer, Central Queensland University, Melbourne Campus, Australia
  • 2015 - 2016Sessional Academic, Victoria University, Footscray campus, Melbourne, Australia
  • 2011 - 2015Sessional Tutor, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia
  • 2009 - 2011Site Engineer, Keangnam Enterprises – Sri Lanka
  • 2008 - 2009Site Engineer, Southern Group Civil Constructions (Pvt) Ltd. Sri Lanka
  • 2008Temporary Demonstrator, Department of Earth Resources Engineering, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka

Awards, Distinctions, and Memberships

  • 2012Best conference paper at ANZ Geomechanics conference, Melbourne Australia
  • Associate Member, Institute of Engineers, Sri Lanka (IESL)
  • Member, Engineers Australia EA, Australia

Research Interests

Study of consolidation behaviour with flyash amendments, Soil Slope Stability with Bio remediation methods, Rock Slope stability, Expansive soils and modifications

Publications

Journal Articles

Widisinghe, S. and Sivakugan, N. (2014a). Vertical Stress Isobars for Trenches and Mine Stopes Containing Granular Backfills. International Journal of Geomechanics, 14(2), 313-318. doi: 10.1061/(ASCE)GM.1943-5622.0000321

Widisinghe, S. and Sivakugan, N. (2014b). Vertical stresses within granular materials in containments International Journal of Geotechnical Engineering, In Press. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1179/1939787913Y.0000000031

Sivakugan, N., Widisinghe, S. and Wang, V. Vertical Stress Determination within Backfilled Mine Stopes. International Journal of Geomechanics, In Press, doi: 10.1061/(ASCE)GM.1943-5622.0000367

Sivakugan, N. and Widisinghe, S. (2013). Stresses Within Granular Materials Contained Between Vertical Walls. Indian Geotechnical Journal, 43(1), 30-38. doi: 10.1007/s40098-012-0029-z

Conference Papers

Widisinghe, S., Sivakugan, N. and Wang, V. Z. (2014). Loads on barricades in hydraulically backfilled underground mine stopes. Paper presented at the MineFill 2014: 11th International Symposium on Mining with Backfill, Perth, WA, Australia. http://researchonline.jcu.edu.au/33402/

Widisinghe, S., Sivakugan, N. and Wang, V. Z. (2013). Laboratory investigations of arching in backfilled mine stopes. Paper presented at the 18th Southeast Asian Geotechnical Conference Cum Inaugural AGSSEA Conference, Singapore. http://researchonline.jcu.edu.au/27933

Widisinghe, S. and Sivakugan, N. (2012). Vertical Stresses within Granular Materials in Silos. Paper presented at the Ground Engineering in a Changing World: 11th Australia – New Zealand Conference on Geomechanics, Melbourne, Australia. http://researchonline.jcu.edu.au/23806/

Teaching

ETB/ETG 2123 Surveying

ETG 2112 Soil Mechanics

ETB 2113 Soils and Earthworks (co-teaching)

ETG 3173 Geotechnics

ETB/ETM 4192 Energy Management

ETG 4213 Rock Mechanics

ETB/ETG 4291 Surveying Applications and Geomatics