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Dr Soma Somasundaraswaran

Name :	Dr Soma Somasundaraswaran
Position :	Lecturer (Transport Engineering)
Section :	Faculty of Engineering and Surveying Agricultural, Civil and Environmental Engineering
Office :	Z402
Location :	Toowoomba Campus
Phone :	+61 7 4631 2511
Extension :	2511
E-mail :
Qualifications :	DEng Yokohama

Professional Memberships

Chartered Professional Engineer (CPEng) in Australia
Chartered Engineer in Sri Lanka
Charter Member, Transportation and Development Institute (ASCE), USA

Professional Affiliations

Member, The Institution of Engineers, Australia
Member, American Society of Civil Engineers, USA
Member, The Institution of Engineers, Sri Lanka
Life Member, Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science, Sri Lanka

Research Interests

Main research interest lies in developing new concepts, models, remedial actions and control strategies in traffic and transport engineering. I have pursued this along with three broad themes: Traffic management and control, Road safety and Transport planning methods.

• Traffic management and control - including development in traffic flow theory and modeling, signal design and coordination, application of analytical and simulation techniques, formulation and testing of advanced operational strategies, the state-of-the-art in traffic management, real-time information and control system.

• Road safety - including analysis, modelling, interpretation of road crash data, road safety of unfamiliar drivers (migrants and tourists), road safety of young and older drivers, driver behaviour on road safety including identification of remedial measures and investigation and modelling of Global road safely level.

• Transport planning methods - including research on new concepts in planning, methods and technologies for innovating, enhancing and improving capacity and level of service of the highway, airport and public transportation facilities, thereby helping to reduce traffic congestion and improve the quality of the services.

The interrelationships between these themes and methodologies for estimation, design and management are my special interest.

In addition, previous administrative roles and links with engineering professional organisation have motivated to continue researches in engineering education in developing countries and engineers’ mobility without borders.

Recent Research Outcomes

Three most recent :

Somasundaraswaran. K (2011), ‘The impact of the application of international quality processes on engineering education at universities in Sri Lanka’, Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering Education and Practice, American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE).

Somasundaraswaran. K (2010), ‘The Road Safety: A Special Sign for Unfamiliar Drivers’, Southern Region Engineering Conference, Toowoomba, Australia, Nov 11-12, 2010.

Somasundaraswaran. K., Bullen, F., & Ayers, R. (2010), ‘The use of road safety target setting in fatality and injury reduction’, 24th ARRB Conference, Victoria, Australia, 12~15, Oct, 2010.

Most notable :

Somasundaraswaran. K, Frank B, Ron A and Heydecker B (2009), Need road safety targets in south Asian developing countries, 4th IRTAD conference, Seoul, Sep 16-17, 2009.

Somasundaraswaran. K (2009) An overview of engineering education in Sri Lanka: A case study at University of Ruhuna, Australasian Association for Engineering Education conference, The University of Adelaide, Australia, Dec 6-9, 2009.

Somasundaraswaran K (2008) Results of surveys among drivers and customers of for-hire three-wheelers in five small towns in Sri Lanka, Asia-Pacific Development Journal, UNESCAP, Vol. 15, No. 1, June, pp. 119-135

Somasundaraswaran K (2007) An Overview of Development and Traffic Flow at Bandaranayke International Airport in Sri Lanka, Aerlines, e-zine edition, Issue 39, Netherland, pp 01-03.

Alex de Barros, Somasundaraswaran K and S.C. Wirasinghe, (2007) Evaluation of level of services for transfer passengers at Airports, Journal of Air Transport Management, Volume 13, Isssue 5, pp 293-298.

Somasundaraswaran K and Richard Tay (2006) Self-reported Differences Between Crashe-Involved and Non-crash-involved Three-Wheeler Drivers in Sri Lanka, Journal of International Association of Traffic and Safety Sciences, IATSS Research, Japan, Vol. 30, No. 1, 2006.

Somasundaraswaran K (2006). Accident Statistics in Sri Lanka, Journal of International Association of Traffic and Safety Sciences, IATSS Research, Japan. Vol. 30, No. 1, 2006.

Somasundaraswaran. K (2000) Development and Management Profile of Transport Infrastructure in Asian Developing Countries, IHDP/START International Human Dimensions Workshop-2000, Bonn, Germany.

Izumi Okura and Somasundaraswaran. K (1996) Analysis of Traffic Distribution in Three Lane Uni-Directional Freeway, JSCE, Journal of Infrastructure Planning and Management, Japan, No. 13, pp. 885-892.

Currently Teaching Courses/Programs

Road and Location Design
Municipal Services
Transport Engineering
Road and Street Engineering
Civil Material Practice
Professional Practice 1 & 2
Research Project 1 & 2

Teaching Experience

Tertiary : +20 years
Other : 2 years

Administrative Responsibilities

Strand Leader – Geotechnical, Road and Transportation Engineering, USQ [July 2010 ~ to date]
Program Coordinator, Agricultural, Civil and Environmental Engineering, USQ [July 2010 ~June 2011]
Head, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Ruhuna [2001-2004 & 2008]
Program Coordinator, Surveying Training Program, ADB Project, Faculty of Engineering, University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka [2003]
Senior Research Fellow (Honorary), University College London, United Kingdom [2005]
Visiting Scholar, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada [2005]
Faculty Coordinator, Conflict Study Center, University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka [2005~2006]
Unit Coordinator, Staff Development Centre, University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka [2003 - 2004]
Country Coordinator, Low cost housing research project, Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden [2003]