Institutional-Repository, University of Moratuwa
Welcome to the University of Moratuwa Digital Repository, which houses postgraduate theses and dissertations, research articles presented at conferences by faculties and departments, university-published journal articles and research publications authored by academic staff. This online repository stores, preserves and distributes the University's scholarly work. This service allows University members to share their research with a larger audience.
 Research Publications |  Thesis & Dissertation |  E- Books |
 UoM Journal Publications |  UoM Conference Proceedings |  Articles published in Scimago's Q1 journals |  UoM Research Reports |  Other Articles authored by UoM staff |
Recent Submissions
item: Thesis-Full-text
Exploring sustainable urban mobility through the lens of theory of planned behaviour
(2025) Jayalath, JACD; Kulatunga, U
Urban areas worldwide face significant challenges in achieving sustainability, particularly within the urban transportation sector, which profoundly impacts economic, environmental, social, and mental well-being. In Sri Lanka, these challenges are exacerbated by unsustainable urban planning practices and mobility policies that inadequately reflect the context-specific factors influencing urban mobility behaviours. Therefore, the concept of sustainable urban mobility is critical for addressing these multifaceted issues, as it is fundamentally grounded in human-centred, economically viable, and environmentally responsible approaches.
When implementing the most effective sustainable urban mobility approaches, active mobility and public transport often encounter challenges arising from numerous influencing factors. In this context, the study extends the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) as a framework to systematically explore and deepen the understanding of these factors shaping urban mobility practices. Accordingly, through a mixed-method approach involving a literature review and focus group interview, six key variable categories were identified as influencing commuters’ transport mode choice. A single case study, centred on a documentary review, observations, and a questionnaire survey, was conducted to investigate the most influential variables within these categories, along with their magnitude of influence and the nature of their interrelationships in the Sri Lankan context. Subsequently, expert interviews were carried out to develop thirty strategic themes directly addressing the TPB variables that shape transport mode decisions.
The resulting strategies emphasise that, beyond physical infrastructure development, context-specific interventions including age- and gender-responsive policies as well as strategies sensitive to environmental, social, and cultural values, are essential for the optimal performance of sustainable urban mobility. Ultimately, this study proposes a new paradigm in urban transport planning, arguing that sustainable urban mobility is not merely about planning for people, but people for planning, through the deep integration of environmental, social, cultural, and economic realities.
item: Thesis-Full-text
Vehicular emission trajectories in Sri Lanka : a scenario-based analysis
(2025) Jayawardhana, SS; Adikariwattage, V; Sugathapala, T
This study presents a novel, data-driven framework for estimating and forecasting vehicular emissions in Sri Lanka, addressing a critical gap in disaggregated emissions modelling on a national scale. While current estimations rely on a top-down methodology, this research introduces a bottom-up approach utilising vehicle-level data from the national Vehicle Emissions Test (VET) programme, spanning 2016– 2024. The study focuses on internal combustion engine (ICE) passenger cars, and processes raw VET data through cleaning, mileage estimation, and integration of vehicle technology/category classifications and emission factors as per EMEP/EEA Tier 02 guidelines. A Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) neural network is developed to forecast average annual mileage using time-series data, including fleet composition, economic indicators, and disruption events. The model achieved a MAE of 121.81 km and an R-squared value of 0.85 during validation, showing strong predictive accuracy and a good fit. The trained model is used to predict two scenarios, with Scenario 01 being the continuation of the national vehicle import ban and Scenario 02 being the lifting of the ban, allowing for modernisation with Euro 6-compliant vehicles. Using the predicted annual spanning mileage, annual spanning emissions of CO, NMVOC, NOₓ, N₂O, NH₃, and PM are estimated by multiplying by matched emission factors. Results indicate a divergence with Scenario 02 having higher total annual spanning emissions with an increase of 1.34% (CO), 3.68% (NMVOC), 1.62% (NOₓ), 10.5% (N₂O), 6.33% (NH₃) and 6.92% (PM), at the end of the prediction horizon, reflecting the impact of increased vehicle activity despite cleaner technologies. This study demonstrates the potential of regulatory datasets for predictive modelling in low- resource environments and supports evidence-based air quality policy planning through a scalable methodology.
item: Thesis-Abstract
Optimizing bike sharing system stations for improving usage efficiency and economic viability : a case study in New York city
(2025) Baddewela, SWYBPK; Sivakumar, T
The global population has increased from 7.4 billion to 8.2 billion during the last decade, and 55% of people live in cities, this ratio expected to rise to 68% by 2050. This has left cities with the difficult burden of controlling traffic congestion and pollution while meeting the high demand for city infrastructure. Bike sharing systems (BSS) have quickly gained popularity as an appealing and long-term solution to these issues yet their distribution is often criticized as unequal, with stations clustered in wealthier neighborhoods, and rigorous evidence on local economic impacts remains limited. This study estimates the causal economic effect of BSS station openings on visits to nearby points of interest (POIs) and derives sitting guidance to enhance both usage efficiency and inclusivity. The difference-in-differences design was applied along with propensity score matching for pairing treated POIs with comparable control POIs. The results highlight a significant average treatment effect of ≈ +17% increase in POI visits during the first 3 months after opening a bike station nearby. However, the effects are heterogeneous. By distance from POI to station, gains are largest very close to the station, 0–100 m: ~+26%; 100–200 m: ~+17%. These patterns suggest practical siting rules: prioritize locations within ≤ 300–400 m of target POIs, aiming for ≤ 100 m in high- potential areas, and tailor placement to local urban form to improve access and equity. Future work should extend the panel back to initial rollout (e.g., 2013), examine time-of- day/weekday variation, and explore broader built-environment and equity metrics across cities. The findings provide actionable evidence for policymakers, planners, operators, and local businesses on where BSS stations can most effectively stimulate nearby economic activity while supporting a more inclusive and sustainable mobility network
item: Thesis-Full-text
Study on the performance of pad footings on soft soils improved with concrete cylinders and Controlled Modulus Column
(2025) Hondamuni, DC; Damruwan, HGH; Weerasuriya, AU; LIN
In construction projects on soft soils, various methods for structural enhancement and ground improvement, such as micro-piles, concrete cylinders with filling materials, larger footings, and Controlled Modulus Columns (CMCs), are employed. However, there remains a limited understanding of the effectiveness of using concrete cylinders with filling materials. Despite increasing adoption in Europe, the performance of CMCS in building applications continues to be less studied.
This research investigated the structural and geotechnical performance of concrete cylinders with quarry dust filling and the CMC technique through three-dimensional (3D) finite element (FE) modelling using the MIDAS GTS-NX software. Soil layers are simulated, incorporating both Modified Cam Clay (MCC) and Mohr-Coulomb constitutive soil models, while all the structural elements were modelled using the elastic material model to examine both immediate and consolidation settlements. Validation of the models was carried out through a theoretical comparison, using field test data of Texas A&M University and Green Cove Springs, and through lab model tests conducted at the University of Moratuwa.
A comprehensive parametric analysis was carried out to assess the impacts of embedment depth of the footing, diameter, height, spacing, and the LTP thickness of the CMC on foundation settlement behaviour. Additionally, the impacts of concrete cylinders with the quarry dust fill were studied for various heights and diameters of the cylinders. The results showed that both methods significantly reduce both immediate and consolidation settlements, with some optimal design parameters.
This study provides a comprehensive understanding of the performance of these two techniques as an economic improvement for domestic construction on soft soils. Furthermore, the numerical models used in this research could serve as a foundation for further studies on various ground improvement techniques and will provide insights into the feasibility of these methods, supporting an economically and structurally sound foundation on soft soils.
item: Thesis-Abstract
Developing policies for transforming smallholder agri-food supply chains in developing economies : a digital pathway to sustainable value creation
(2025) Fernando,, WWPM; Gamage, AIT
Smallholder agriculture is critical for food security, engaging nearly two billion farmers in developing economies and contributing to the reduction of rural poverty. However, productivity is frequently hindered by inefficiencies in agri-food supply chains, suboptimal agricultural practices, climatic challenges, and a lack of market access. This PhD study investigates the capacity of digital transformation and policies to facilitate sustainable value generation in smallholder farmer supply chains. It addresses critical research gaps, including the lack of investigation into smallholder agricultural systems from a supply chain perspective, the absence of customized digital solutions and novel business models, and the insufficient evaluation of the impact of these solutions on farmers’ livelihoods. Guided by a pragmatic research philosophy, the study employs a three-phase mixed-methods approach encompassing diagnostic analysis, solution development, and policy integration. This project centers on the Sri Lankan tea smallholding sector as its primary case study. The research identifies structural bottlenecks and digital literacy gaps that hinder sustainability, priorities digital interventions such as digitized farm records and digital registration and evaluates the role of voluntary sustainability standards in improving market access. It further develops a fuzzy logic–based risk assessment framework to assess policy effectiveness. The study proposes a digitally enabled business model incorporating digital product passports to enhance traceability, compliance, and value creation. The findings demonstrate that integrating digital solutions with targeted policy frameworks can enhance the resilience, inclusivity, and market competitiveness of smallholders. This approach offers both theoretical contributions to sustainable supply chain management and actionable recommendations for policymakers, industry stakeholders, and development practitioners.