Key Researchers

The academic staff and research fellows who lead 3GDeep’s programs in geomechanics, mining and deep earth energy.

Prof. Ranjith Pathegama Gamage

Director of 3GDeep · Head of Geomechanics Group

Professor Ranjith leads the Deep Earth Energy Research Laboratory, directing research into how the earth’s deep subsurface can be engineered for cleaner energy — from stimulation methodologies for shale gas and depleted reservoirs to the long-term geological storage of carbon dioxide.

Room 140, Building 60, Clayton Campus · CO₂ geosequestration · Deep geothermal energy · Hydro-fracturing · Shale gas stimulation · Wellbore stability

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PhD Students

Current postgraduate researchers pursuing PhDs within the group at Monash University.

Visiting PhD Students

Postgraduate researchers who joined the group on research visits from partner institutions.

• Yi Li — CO₂ geosequestration in deep saline aquifers, core flooding experiments
• Zongqing Zhou — Mechanism, simulation and risk assessment of water inrush in rock tunnels
• Peng Liu — Hydraulic fracture propagation in heterogeneous formations, preferential flow
• Qiao Lyu — Jet flow, rock mechanics, shale gas exploitation
• Pingsheng Wang — Strata–structure interaction, frozen ground mechanics
• Nan Jiang — Rock fracture, rock mechanics
• Milind Patil — Tunnelling in soft soil, earthquake geotechnics, computational geomechanics
• Jianjian Zhao — Engineering rock mechanics, fracture propagation under dynamic load
• Yi Xue — Coupled analysis of flow, stress and damage in rock failure
• Zhentao Li — Pore-fracture characterisation, gas adsorption–diffusion in coals
• Beining Zhang — CO₂ sequestration in coal beds, enhanced coalbed methane recovery
• Jiang Xu — CO₂ anchorage foundations, seepage and monitoring of deep excavation
• Chengkai Fan — CO₂ geological storage, fibre-optic monitoring of percolation and deformation
• Zhenlong Song — Rock mechanics, rock seepage
• Miao Chen — Deep underground reinforcement, DEM simulation of fracture evolution
• Xin Li — Geological reservoir modelling, dynamics of geofluid systems
• Zhenyu Han — Rock dynamics, DIC applications, hydraulic fracturing
• Zhuo Zheng — Grouting theory, particle suspension flow, hydraulic fracturing
• Duan Yongting — Rock failure mechanisms, meso-damage evolution, CT characterisation
• Yi Ding — Wellbore stability, rock mechanics, hydraulic fracturing
• Jizhao Xu — CO₂-enhanced CBM recovery, crack characterisation, porous flow
• Pengfei Yin — Deep underground engineering, rock mechanics
• Yang Hao — Rock mechanics, roadway supporting, geothermal energy
• Zhennan Zhu — Rock mechanics, exploitation of deep geothermal energy
• Beixiu Huang — Multiscale layering structures, reservoir heterogeneity and anisotropy
• Zhanming Shi — Fracture damage of hot dry rocks, fatigue of rocks, DEM simulation
• Yongjun Chen — Deep and high-temperature rock mechanics
• Lingling He — Evaluation of underground space, engineering geology
• Guojun Zhao — Multiphase porous flow, marine hydrate exploitation, CO₂ storage
• Xiaoli Su — Microwave-assisted rock breaking, multi-field coupling simulation
• Mi Wang — Dynamic mechanical behaviour and failure mechanisms of rocks
• Yameng He — Wellbore cement damage in CO₂ storage, coupled multiphysics properties
• Junjie Zhao — Rock damage and crack propagation, FEM simulation, artificial intelligence
• Yu Zhao — CO₂-enhanced coalbed methane, boundary element methods, inverse problems
• Yunfeng Xu — CCUS, reservoir simulation, data-driven models and AI algorithms
• Ziyuan Cong — Rock mechanics, hydraulic fracturing, numerical simulation
• Zheng Yang — Multiscale multiphysics modelling, rock breakage, induced seismicity
• Menglong Peng — Constitutive models of rocks, control of tunnel excavation disturbance
• Shubham Kumar — CCUS, carbon mineralisation, ECBM and shale gas recovery
• Shuangxia Zhang — High-temperature rock fracture under coupled static and dynamic loading

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Past PhD Students

Graduated researchers supervised by Prof. Ranjith Pathegama Gamage, 2006–2023.

2023

• Jun Zhou (PhD) — Geological CO₂ storage, subsurface fluid flow
• Shashika Madhusanka Gajanayake (PhD) — Methane gas hydrates and gas replacement, molecular dynamic simulations, mechanical behaviour of hydrate-bearing sediments
• Balinee Balachandran (PhD) — Introducing a green cement for construction applications
• Udeshini Manatunga (PhD) — Adoption of Soundless Cracking Demolition Agent (SCDA) for rock fragmentation in deep geological rock formations
• David Lall (PhD) — Natural gas hydrates, fluid flow in porous media

2021

• Manoj Samarakoon (PhD) — Development of a new generation cement: insights into the deep wells
• Lie Kong (PhD) — Mechanism of rock damage evolution in enhanced geothermal systems
• Dinesha Jayasekara (PhD) — CO₂ geosequestration and long-term stability of caprock
• K.M. Adheesha Shashibhanu Bandara (PhD) — Investigation of proppant crushing and embedment mechanisms in reservoir rocks
• B.L. Avanthi Isaka (PhD) — Utilisation of supercritical carbon dioxide as the working fluid in enhanced geothermal systems
• Anup Kumar Shahi (PhD) — Study of gas hydrate using effective medium theory and rock physics modelling, subsurface geophysical imaging
• Zhaoyang Ma (PhD) — Geothermal energy exploration, waterless fracturing technology
• Dinesh Panneerselvam (PhD) — Flow and pollutant transport through fractured porous media

2020

• Guanglei Zhang (PhD) — Micro-scale response of coal with respect to CO₂ sequestration in deep coal seams
• Xiaogang Zhang (PhD) — Mechanism of carbon dioxide sequestration in deep coal seams

2019

• Radhika De Silva (PhD) — Rock fracture stimulation using a slow energy releasing fracturing compound for permeability-enhanced in-situ leaching
• Mohammed Faizal (PhD) — Axial and radial thermal responses of field-scale energy piles

2018

• Md Rouf (PhD) — Unsaturated behaviour and gas transport through geosynthetic clay liners and composite liners
• Bankim Mahanta (PhD) — Physicomorphological and thermomechanical responses of sedimentary rocks
• Decheng Zhang (PhD) — Mechanical and flow properties of unconventional reservoir rocks and the influence of water
• Yunlong Tang (PhD) — Influence of proppant behaviour on hydraulic fracturing conductivity in deep reservoirs
• Chengpeng Zhang (PhD) — New methodologies for fracturing of shale using non-viscous fluid
• Pabasara Kumari (PhD) — Stimulation of heat extraction from hot dry rocks — geothermal energy
• Ayal Wanniarachchi (PhD) — A new stimulation methodology for extraction of natural gas from deep and tight geological formations
• Nikhil Sirdesai (PhD) — Numerical and experimental study of rocks under very high temperature: underground coal gasification

2017

• Yanlong Zheng (PhD) — Fracturing of hard rocks by microwave treatment and potential applications in mechanised tunnelling
• Dilanth de Silva (PhD) — Geosequestration of carbon dioxide in deep saline aquifers: hydro-chemical considerations
• Ashani Ranathunga (PhD) — Long-term safe storage of carbon dioxide in deep coal seams with enhanced methane recovery
• Xue Le (MSc) — Strength and mineralogical developments in magnesia-GGBS stabilised biochar-sequestered acid sulphate soils

2016

• Tharaka Rathnaweera (PhD) — Geological sequestration of carbon dioxide in deep saline aquifers: coupled flow-mechanical considerations

2015

• Shishi Shao (PhD) — Coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical behaviour of rock relevant to the geothermal industry
• Ka Yu (PhD) — Numerical and experimental investigations into thermal aspects of geothermal energy piles
• Banambar Singh (PhD) — Creation of optimal fracture networks for heat extraction from engineered geothermal reservoirs
• Nadeesha Lakmali Ukwattage (PhD) — Accelerated carbonation of coal fly ash for carbon dioxide sequestration and soil amendment

2014

• William Darlington (PhD) — Effect of scale and defect planes on the failure process and strength of rock in open pit mining
• Md. Shahidul Islam (PhD) — Strength and mineralogical behaviour of lime-GGBS-treated acid sulphate soils
• Mohamed Nasvi Mohamed Careem (PhD) — Geopolymer as well cement for geological sequestration of carbon dioxide
• Benjamin Shannon (PhD) — Fracture propagation of cohesive soils under tensile loading and desiccation
• Piyal Wasantha Liyanage (PhD) — Coupled hydro-mechanical behaviour of jointed rock masses: an application to mine slope stability
• Kunal Kumar Singh (PhD) — Permeability of fractured, steep and deep rock slopes with high groundwater pressures

2013

• Bishwajit Chowdhury (PhD) — Mechanical behaviour of lime-slag treated Coode Island silt
• Verma Dhananjai (PhD) — Influence of scale effects on strength and failure modes of deep open cut slopes
• Vikram Vishal (PhD) — An investigation on carbon dioxide sequestration in Indian coal seams
• David Barry-Macaulay (MSc) — Thermal and thermo-mechanical behaviour of soils

2012

• Samintha Perera (PhD) — Effect of carbon dioxide sequestration on the hydro-mechanical properties of coal
• Richa Shukla Potdar (PhD) — Reservoir rock and caprock integrity in geo-sequestration of carbon dioxide

2011

• Wai Chong (PhD) — Lateral load capacity of single piles socketed into Melbourne mudstone
• Deepika Singh (PhD) — A study of CO₂ sequestration in basalt formation
• Navinda Kishan de Silva (MSc) — Mechanical properties and permeability of coal with respect to CO₂

2010

• Mohan Yellishetty (PhD) — Environmental stewardship in the iron and steel sector through life cycle assessment
• Balamurali Raju (PhD) — Geo-sequestration of carbon dioxide in coal seams
• Binu Stanley (MSc) — Engineering and microstructural behaviour of lime-slag treated pyrite-bearing Coode Island silt

2009

• Wooi Leong Tan (PhD) — Physico-chemical interaction of CO₂–water–rock under extreme geo-thermal-mechanical conditions

2008

• Derek Chun Chuen Chan (MSc) — Performance of water and gas pipes buried in reactive soil

2007

• Dileeka Jasinge (PhD) — Geomechanical properties of coal with application to enhanced coal bed methane recovery and CO₂ sequestration

2006

• Matthew John Wightwick (PhD)

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Visiting Researchers

Academics and research fellows from partner institutions around the world who have worked with 3GDeep.