School of Engineering, Design and Built Environment

Civil and Environmental

Discipline Lead | Sarah Zhang

Civil Engineering at Western Sydney University has a global ranking of top 100 (2019 Academic Ranking of World Universities). We have a strong team with over 20 full-time academics including many top researchers in the areas of Construction Materials and Structures, Geotechnical Engineering and Environmental Engineering. We are equipped with state-of-the-art lab facilities in all these areas.

In the area of Construction Materials and Structures, our strengths include:

  • Green and eco-friendly construction and building materials;
  • High performance construction materials for sustainability;
  • Structural analysis, modelling, design, measuring and test of structures;
  • Structure retrofitting, damage detection and structural health monitoring.

In the area of Geotechnical Engineering, we have strengths in both computational and experimental research in the following areas:

  • Poromechanics;
  • Chemical stabilization;
  • Ground improvement techniques;
  • Non-destructive ground characterization.

In the area of Environmental Engineering, our strengths include:

  • Water quality;
  • Water recycling;
  • Flooding, storm water, surface water;
  • Wastewater treatment and management;
  • Climate change impact assessment on water and environment.

Academics for this Discipline


Ranked in the top 10 in Australia and top 75 worldwide for Civil Engineering in the 2021 Academic Ranking of World Universities.