Three researchers who achieved 'runner-up' status in awards conducted by the Railway Technical Society of Australasia (RTSA) have been recognised during a ceremony at CQUniversity.

RTSA Queensland Chapter Chair Alex Howie was on hand to present the awards. Mr Howie is also a Senior Transport Safety Investigator (Rail) for the Australian Transport Safety Bureau.

L-R Sanjith Mohan, Mitchell Lees, Dr Nirmal Mandal, Professor Colin Cole, Alex Howie (RTSA) and Professor Euan Lindsay

Projects on the 'wheel-rail interface' and 'rail stress analysis' are of great importance in an industry with tonnes of metal on metal interaction, with millions of dollars at stake, and with the potential for expensive accidents if damage is not spotted in time.

Recent bachelor degree graduate Mitchell Lees, who now works as a civil engineer for Aurizon* in Brisbane (in the network area), was presented with his runner-up award for a fourth-year project investigation into monitoring stresses in continuously welded rails.

Recent masters degree graduate Sanjith Mohan, who now works for Rockhampton Hydraulics, was presented with his runner-up award for a thesis developing a method for early detection of rail squats (cracks that grow below the surface of a rail).

Meantime, PhD graduate Nirmal Mandal, who works as a senior lecturer on Rockhampton Campus, was presented with his runner-up award for a thesis examining the failure of railhead material of insulated rail joints.

CQUniversity Dean of Engineering Professor Euan Lindsay commented that rail research is one the 'pillars that CQUniversity is best known for'.

* Aurizon is the new name for QR National.

L-R Dr Nirmal Mandal, Alex Howie (RTSA), Mitchell Lees, Sanjith Mohan, Professor Euan Linsday and Professor Colin Cole 
Dr Nirmal Mandal receives his RTSA award from Alex Howie 
Mitchell Lees receives his RTSA award from Alex Howie 
Sanjith Mohan receives his RTSA award from Alex Howie