Dr. Nishantha Bandara

Bandara received his PhD from the University of South Florida. His specialization is in Transportation Engineering with an emphasis in pavement evaluation, analysis and design, pavement management, highway safety and highway materials. His research interests include highway construction quality measurement, pavement condition monitoring, pavement analysis/ design and highway infrastructure related safety improvements. Bandara is an active member of TRB Committee AHD65 "Winter Maintenance" and a former member of AFD80 “Strength and Deformation Characteristics of Pavement Sections”.

Education 

University of South Florida, Tampa, Fla.
Civil Engineering, PhD, 2000 

University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 
Civil Engineering, MSCE, 1997

University of Moratuwa, Moratuwa, Sri Lanka
Civil Engineering, BS, 1994

LTU Appointments 

Assistant Professor, Civil Engineering Department	August 2012 – Present
Adjunct Faculty, Civil Engineering Department	January 2011 – August 2012

Related Professional Activities & Experience 

Engineer Manager Licensed 14, Michigan Department of Transportation, Metro Region Office, Southfield, Mich.	June 2006 – August 2012
Adjunct Professor Wayne State University, Detroit, Mich.	January 2007 – December 2009
Project Engineer Dynatest Consulting, Inc., Westland, Mich.	September 2002 – June 2006
Principal Engineer Abatech, Inc., Blooming Glen, Penn.	December 2001 – August 2002
Adjunct Professor University of South Florida, Tampa, Fla.	September 2001 – December 2001
Project Engineer Professional Service Industries, Inc., Tampa, Fla.	August 2000 – December 2001
Teaching/ Research Assistant University of South Florida, Tampa, Fla.	September 1999 – July 2000
Senior Research Engineer        University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka	August 1998 – August 1999
Teaching/Research Assistant University of South Florida, Tampa, Fla.	January 1996 – July 1998
Transportation Engineer University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka	April 1996 – December 1995

 

Professional Registrations

Registered Professional Engineer (PE), Michigan Board of Professional Engineers, 2003.

Publications

1. Bandara, N. (2011), “Effects of Pavement Rehabilitation Activities on Pavement Friction”, ASTM International Symposium on Pavement Performance: Trends, Advances and Challenges”, Tampa, Florida, December 2011
2.  Bandara, N., Attanayake, U (2011). “Stiffness Based Construction Quality Evaluation for Pavement Subgrade and Base Applications”, International Conference in Advances in Highway Engineering and Transportation Systems, Colombo, Sri Lanka, July 2011
3. Bandara, N., Grazioli, M. (2008). "Quantifying Pavement Subgrade Strength Improvement and Pavement Performance by Chemical Treatment for Typical Michigan Subgrade Soils”, Eighth International Conference on the Bearing Capacity of Roads, Railways and Airfields, Champaign, Illinois, July 2009
4. Nishantha Bandara, Frank B. Holt and Ivan Torralba, “Structural Evaluation and Establishing PCN Values based on Non-Destructive Testing, Case Study-Jorge Chavez International Airport, Lima, Peru”, Second International Airports Conference: Planning, Infrastructure and Environmental, Sao Paulo-SP, Brazil, August 2006
5. Meegoda, J.N., G.M. Rowe, A.A. Jumikis, N. Bandara, C.H. Hettiarachchi and N. Gephart (2005). "Estimation of Surface Macro texture in Hot Mix Asphalt Concrete Pavement using Laser Texture Data,"ASTM Journal of Testing and Evaluation. Volume 33, Issue 5. 
6. Geoffrey M. Rowe, Jay N. Meegoda, Andris Jumikis, Mark J. Sharrock, Nishantha Bandara and Chamil J. Hettiarachchi, “NJTxtr-A Computer Program Based on LASER to Monitor Asphalt Segregation”, ASCE Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, Volume 130, Issue 6, pp. 924-934, November/December 2004.
7. Gunaratne, M., Bandara, N., “Innovative Highway Infrastructure Management Tools for Developing Countries”, International Conference on Application of Information & Communication Technology in Transport Systems in Developing Countries, Kalutara Sri Lanka, August 2004
8. Bandara, N., Gunaratne, M., “Life Cycle Cost Evaluations for Pavement Management based on World Bank’s Highway Design and Maintenance Standards Models (HDM)”, International Conference on Application of Information & Communication Technology in Transport Systems in Developing Countries, Kalutara Sri Lanka, August 200
9. Nishantha Bandara, Robert C. Briggs, “Non-destructive Testing of Pavement Structures”, Materials Evaluation Journal, The American Society of Nondestructive Testing, August 2004. 
10. Bandara, N., Rowe, G.M., “Design Subgrade Modulus for Florida Subgrade Soils,” STP 1437, ASTM Special Publication on Resilient Modulus Testing for Pavement Components, ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, USA 19428, 2003
11. Jay N. Meegoda, Geoffrey M. Rowe, Andris A. Jumikis, Chamil H. Hettiarachchi, Nishantha Bandaraand Nicholas Gephart, “Detection of Segregation Using Laser”, Compendium of Papers CD-ROM, 82^nd Annual Meeting, Transportation Research Board, January 12-16, 2003, Washington D.C.
12. Geoffrey M. Rowe, Jay N. Meegoda, Andris A. Jumikis, Mark J. Sharrock and Nishantha Bandara, “Detection of Segregation in Asphalt Pavement Materials using the ARAN Profile System”,Proceedings, Pavement Evaluation 2002 Conference, October 21-25, 2002, Roanoke, Virginia.
13. Nishantha Bandara, Geoffrey M. Rowe, Mark J. Sharrock and Rees C. Nickerson. “Seasonal Variation of Subgrade Modulus in Different Subgrade Soils for Pavement Rehabilitation in Non Freeze-Thaw Climates”, Proceedings, Seventh International Conference on Application of Advanced Technologies in Transportation, Cambridge, MA, American Society of Civil Engineers, August 2002, pp. 473-480.
14. Bandara, N., Rowe, G.M., “Design Subgrade Modulus for Florida Subgrade Soils,” Presented at the ASTM Symposium on Resilient Modulus Testing for Pavement Components June 27-28, 2002, Salt Lake City, Utah.
15. Bandara, N. and Gunaratne, M., “Current and Future Maintenance Prioritization Based on Rapid Condition Evaluation,” ASCE Journal of Transportation Engineering, Vol. 127 No. 2, March/April 2001, pp. 116-123.
16. Bandara, N. and Gunaratne, M., “An Optimal Pavement Rehabilitation Decision-Making Methodology for Small Agencies,” Presented at the ASCE Transportation 2000 Seminar, Tampa, Florida, June 2000.
17. Bandara, N. and Gunaratne, M. (2000), “A Maintenance and Rehabilitation Decision-Making Scheme for the Sri Lankan Pavement Management System,” Presented at the Engineering Beyond 2000 Jubilee Conference Celebrating Fifty Years of Engineering Education in Sri Lanka, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, June 2000.
18. Bandara, N. and Gunaratne, M., Bandara, H.G., de Silva, G.L.A., Fernando, K.W. (2000), “Pavement Maintenance Decision-Making Using Geographic Information Systems,” Proceedings, CSCE 3rd Transportation Specialty Conference, London, Ontario, Canada, June 2000, pp. 433-438.
19. Gunaratne, M., Bandara, N., Medzorian, J., Chawla and Ulrich, P. (2000), “Correlation of Tire Wear and Friction to Texture of Concrete Pavements,” ASCE Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering”, Vol. 12, No. 1, February 2000, pp. 46-54.
20. Gunaratne, M., Chawla, M., Ulrich, P. and Bandara, N., “Experimental Study of Pavement Texture Parameters,” Presented at the Aerospace Atlantic Conference, Dayton, Ohio, May 1996

Professional and Scientific Society Membership

Member – TRB Committee on Strength and Deformation Characteristics of Pavement Sections, AFD80

Member - American Society of Civil Engineers

Professional Service

Peer Reviewer – Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting and Transportation Research Record

Peer Reviewer – ASCE Journal of Transportation Engineering