Section: Overview
Overview
Key publications
Research funding
Supervising & teaching
Career

Key details

Areas of expertise

  • Urban water management
  • Resilient urban water systems
  • Hydrologic and hydraulic modelling
  • Hydroinformatics

Available to supervise research students

Available for media queries

About Nitin Muttil

Dr Nitin Muttil is a senior lecturer and leader of the Water Resources research group in the College of Engineering & Science at Victoria University (VU), Australia.

Prior to joining VU in 2007, Nitin worked as a research fellow at the National University of Singapore and at the University of Hong Kong. During this time, he worked on various projects including developing a hydrologic model for the Marina Bay in Singapore and a data-driven model to predict algal blooms at Tolo Harbour in Hong Kong. The results of these projects have been published and well cited in highly ranked journals and international conferences.

At VU, Nitin has further developed his research expertise in the areas of urban drainage modelling and flood control, water sensitive urban design (WSUD) and impacts of climate change on water resources.

Along with colleagues from the Water Resources research group, Nitin has been extensively involved in collaborative research projects (with various local councils, water utility companies and so on) and supervision of postgraduate students.

Nitin has organised sessions on WSUD and climate change impact studies in conferences (MODSIM 2013 and MODSIM 2015) and his students regularly present their research at reputed conferences.

In recognition of his research efforts, Nitin was awarded the Vice Chancellor’s Peak Award and Citation For Excellence In Research & Research Training (Research Team Category).

Qualifications

  • PhD (National University of Singapore)
  • M. Tech. (IIT Delhi)
  • B.E. (JMI Delhi)

Key publications

Year Citation
2023 Nguyen, C. N., Tariq, M. AUR., Browne, D., & Muttil, N. (230201). Performance Evaluation of Large-Scale Green Roofs Based on Qualitative and Quantitative Runoff Modeling Using MUSICX. Water (Switzerland), 15(3),

doi: 10.3390/w15030549

2023 Muttil, N., Nasrin, T., & Sharma, A. K. (230201). Impacts of Extreme Rainfalls on Sewer Overflows and WSUD-Based Mitigation Strategies: A Review. Water (Switzerland), 15(3),

doi: 10.3390/w15030429

2023 Palliyaguru, C., Basnayake, V., Makumbura, R. K., Gunathilake, M. B., Muttil, N., Wimalasiri, E. M., & Rathnayake, U. (230101). Evaluation of the Impact of Land Use Changes on Soil Erosion in the Tropical Maha Oya River Basin, Sri Lanka. Land, 12(1),

doi: 10.3390/land12010107

2023 Muttil, N., Jagadeesan, S., Chanda, A., Duke, M., & Singh, S. K. (230101). Production, Types, and Applications of Activated Carbon Derived from Waste Tyres: An Overview. Applied Sciences (Switzerland), 13(1),

doi: 10.3390/app13010257

2022 Muttil, N., Chaudhary, S., Prasad, K. E., & Singh, S. K. (221201). Waste Tyre Recycling: A Emerging Applications with a Focus on Permeable Pavements. Indian Journal of Engineering and Materials Sciences, 29(6), (707-713).

doi: 10.56042/ijems.v29i6.70313

2022 Rajabi, Z., Tariq, M. AUR., & Muttil, N. (221201). An Estimation of Virtual Trades of Embedded Water and Land through Sri Lankan Seasonal Crops Trades to Improve the Cropping Preferences. Water (Switzerland), 14(24),

doi: 10.3390/w14244101

2022 Karunaratne, A. S., Wimalasiri, E. M., Piyathilake, U., Gunatilake, S. K., Muttil, N., & Rathnayake, U. (221201). Modelling Potential Soil Erosion and Sediment Delivery Risk in Plantations of Sri Lanka. Soil Systems, 6(4),

doi: 10.3390/soilsystems6040097

2022 Pawar, U., Suppawimut, W., Muttil, N., & Rathnayake, U. (221101). A GIS-Based Comparative Analysis of Frequency Ratio and Statistical Index Models for Flood Susceptibility Mapping in the Upper Krishna Basin, India. Water (Switzerland), 14(22),

doi: 10.3390/w14223771

2022 Abeysiriwardana, H. D., Muttil, N., & Rathnayake, U. (221101). A Comparative Study of Potential Evapotranspiration Estimation by Three Methods with FAO Penman-Monteith Method across Sri Lanka. HYDROLOGY, 9(11),

doi: 10.3390/hydrology9110206

2022 Perera, H., Senaratne, N., Gunathilake, M. B., Mutill, N., & Rathnayake, U. (221001). Appraisal of Satellite Rainfall Products for Malwathu, Deduru, and Kalu River Basins, Sri Lanka. Climate, 10(10),

doi: 10.3390/cli10100156

Research funding for the past 5 years

Please note:

  • Funding is ordered by the year the project commenced and may continue over several years.
  • Funding amounts for contact research are not disclosed to maintain commercial confidentiality.
  • The order of investigators is not indicative of the role they played in the research project.

Next Generation Water Management in the Werribee River Catchment
From: Victorian Higher Education Strategic Investment Fund
Other investigators: Ms Rowena Price, Ms Karen Jackson, Aspr Shobha Muthukumaran, Dr Ashok Sharma, Dr Dimuth Navaratna, Dr Mikel Duke, Dr Daniel Ooi
For period: 2021-2022
$500,000

Leak Management Strategy for CWW - Problem Identification
From: City West Water
For period: 2020-2020
Not disclosed

Research into Energy Recovery in the City West Water Network
From: City West Water
Other investigators: Aspr Cagil Ozansoy
For period: 2018-2018
$54,390

Development of sustainable bio-materials for mitigating climate change.
From: PVC (Research and Research Training), College of Engineering and Science
Other investigators: Dr Paul Joseph, Prof Khalid Moinuddin, Prof Vassili Novozhilov, Prof Stephen Bigger
For period: 2017-2020
$90,000

Supervision of research students at VU

Available to supervise research students

Available for media queries

Currently supervised research students at VU

No. of students Study level Role
5 PhD Principal supervisor

Currently supervised research students at VU

Students & level Role
PhD (5) Principal supervisor

Completed supervision of research students at VU

No. of students Study level Role
2 Masters by Research Principal supervisor
1 Masters by Research Associate supervisor
1 PhD Associate supervisor
1 PhD Principal supervisor
2 PhD by Publication Principal supervisor

Completed supervision of research students at VU

Students & level Role
Masters by Research (2) Principal supervisor
Masters by Research (1) Associate supervisor
PhD (1) Associate supervisor
PhD (1) Principal supervisor
PhD by Publication (2) Principal supervisor

Key academic roles

Dates Role Department / Organisation
Apr 2016 - Present
Leader of Water Resources research group
Victoria University
Dates Role & Department/Organisation
Apr 2016 -
Present
Leader of Water Resources research group
Victoria University

Professional memberships

  • Member, Asia Oceania Geosciences Society

Media appearances

01st February 2013

What’s that smell? Water saving’s unintended consequences

The Conversation A recent study from Victoria University indicates water-conservation can have unintended consequences for residents and water managers - a problem that is only set to get worse.

01st November 2013

Water saving may lead to big stink

ABC Science Water conservation can lead to smellier sewers and more corrosion in sewer pipes, according to new research.

01st April 2012

Mapping the flood

VU News Melbourne will suffer more frequent and severe floods as stormwater drains struggle to cope under climate change, according to Victoria University engineers.

13th June 2019

Tapping into a source of clean energy beneath our cities

Dr Nitin Muttil and his team are working with City West Water (CWW) on a project that uses hydro turbines to generate energy from the water pressure in pipes. The turbines use pressure that builds up in gravity-fed water pipes between elevated reservoir sources and thousands of households and businesses that CWW serves in Melbourne’s west.