Researcher

Professor Serkan Saydam

My Expertise

Ground Control in Mining, Mining Systems, Mine Planning and Design, Advanced Mining Technologies and Space Resources Engineering

Keywords

Fields of Research (FoR)

Mining engineering, Geomechanics and resources geotechnical engineering, Technology management

SEO tags

Biography

Serkan Saydam received his BSc, MSc and PhD degrees in Mining Engineering from the Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey and completed his Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. He then worked at De Beers for 3 years as a project manager in Johannesburg, South Africa. Serkan joined the School of Mining Engineering as a Senior Lecturer in 2006 and since 2017 he has been working as a professor. He...view more

Serkan Saydam received his BSc, MSc and PhD degrees in Mining Engineering from the Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey and completed his Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. He then worked at De Beers for 3 years as a project manager in Johannesburg, South Africa. Serkan joined the School of Mining Engineering as a Senior Lecturer in 2006 and since 2017 he has been working as a professor. He is currently Chair of Mining Engineering at the School of Minerals and Energy Resources Engineering at UNSW. A key focus of his research is to address the current needs and future challenges the minerals industry faces. These are generally complex engineering problems as mining environments become more extreme and constraints are imposed due to increasing social, environmental, and health and safety standards. His fields of research include space resources engineering, ground control, mine systems design, mine internet of things, and technology integration and management. He established research collaborations with NASA, ESA and Luxembourg Space Agency, and KICT, as well as more than 40 research organisations and universities globally. He has more than 250 publications and graduated with 19 PhD students. Serkan attracted more than $15M in research grants. Serkan is known for founding and chairing the AusIMM’s International Future Mining Conference Series and co-chairs AusIMM’s AusRock Conference Series and Off-Earth Mining Forums. Professor Saydam is the High-Level Advisory Board Member of EU funded illuMINEation Project and the Advisory Board Member of 7Sisters Mission, the first Australian Mission for the Moon. Serkan also invented the Virtual Mine – ViMINE mining engineering game. Professor Saydam received multiple academic awards, including the 2020 UNSW Dean’s Award for Global Impact, the 2019 UNSW Vice Chancellor’s Postgraduate Research Supervision Award and the 2017 Society of Mining Professors’ International Tim Shaw Innovation in Teaching Award. Serkan is currently a Fellow Member of the AusIMM; President of the ISRM Commission on Planetary Rock Mechanics; Deputy Director of the Australian Centre for Space Engineering Research (ACSER) at UNSW; Deputy Secretary-General and Council Member of the SOMP (The Society of Mining Professors). Prof Saydam is also President-Elect 2023 for the SOMP.  


My Grants

  1. DeepIoT – A New Hybrid Wireless IoT Platform for Underground Mines. D Forshaw, B Li, S Saydam. 2020-2022. Cooperative Research Centres Projects Round 8. CRCPEIGHT000094.
  2. Microbiologically Induced Stress Corrosion Cracking in Underground Mines. S Saydam, H Lamei Ramandi, N Kumar, M Manefield, A Crosky, I Canbulat, Scott Rice. 2020-2022. ARC Linkage Projects.
  3. Effectiveness of Shotcrete in Underground Coal Mines. ACARP. J OH, I Canbulat, S Saydam, HL Ramandi.
  4. Prevention techniques for stress corrosion cracking failures of rock and cable bolts. J Oh, H Lamei Ramandi, I Canbulat, S Saydam. Australian Coal Association Research Program (ACARP) 2020-2021.
  5. A Cost-Effective Communication Mechanism for Underground Mine IoT. Li, Hu (CUMT), Saydam, Wang (CUMT). Global Connections Fund Bridging Grant. 2018-2019
  6. Management of Coal Burst Research. Australian Coal Association Research Program (ACARP) I Canbulat, B Hebblewhite, J Galvin, S Saydam, P Hagan. 2017-2018
  7. Floor Stability – A comprehensive investigation into failure mechanisms and controlling factors. Australian Coal Association Research Program (ACARP) S Saydam, I Canbulat, H Masoumi, B Hebblewhite, W Timms. 2017-2019
  8. Network Lab: Tyree Micro-Ct Network Laboratory: UNSW Research Infrastructure Scheme (RIS). UNSW Grant number RG163084. A Russell, D Cohen, R Bonduriansky, S Saydam, T Barber, C Marjo, F Hussain, G Pearce, I Graham, P Mostaghimi, R Nordon, R Armstrong, W Timms, C Arns, E Ambikairajah, G Cassis, G Yeoh, K Regenauer-Lieb, M Van Kranendonk, M Knothe Tate, M Archer, N Khalili, S Rahman, S Foster, S Hand, D Waite, R Amal, 01 Jan 2017.
  9. Comprehensive Modelling for Off-Earth Mining Optimization and Resource Processing STTR. The US Government research grant with Ascentech, Virginia Tech and NASA KSC. L Sibille, S Saydam, M Karmis. 2017
  10. Stage 1: Review of Australian and International Coal Burst Experience and Control Technologies - Australian Coal Association Research Program (ACARP). I Canbulat, S Saydam, C Zhang, B Hebblewhite.
  11. Scoping of ACARP’s Coal Burst Project - Australian Coal Association Research Program (ACARP) 2016. I Canbulat, S Saydam, C Zhang, B Hebblewhite.
  12. Third Generation of Positioning System for Underground Mine Environments: ARC Linkage Project– 2015.
  13. NASA- JPL: AN INTEGRATED ECONOMICS MODEL FOR ISRU IN SUPPORT OF
    A MARS COLONY Economic Research for Space Development, Emerging Space Office. 2015.
  14. 2015 Major Research Equipment and Infrastructure Scheme (MREII) Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar. F Suorineni, S Saydam.
  15. Gas Control and Management using Thin Spray-on Liners for Underground Coal Mines. BHP Billiton Illawarra Coal Appin West Mine Research Project. S Saydam, D Chalmers.
  16. Determination of cable bolt performance under axial loading and subject to varying geotechnical conditions. Australian Coal Association Research Program (ACARP) 2014. P Hagan, S Saydam.
  17. Avoiding Catastrophic Failure of Cable Bolts in Underground Coal Mines: ARC Linkage Project (Phase 2) – July 2014.
  18. Optimising the Selection of Fully Grouted Cable bolts in Varying Geotechnical Environments - Australian Coal Association Research Program (ACARP) 2013. P Hagan, S Saydam.
  19. Avoiding Catastrophic Failure of Rock Bolts in Underground Coal Mines: ARC Linkage Project, July 2010-2014.
  20. ViMINE – An Innovative Interactive Learning System Approach to Mining Engineering Education: UNSW Faculty of Engineering Learning and Teaching (FRLT) Grant - Strategic Learning and Teaching Development Fund (SLTDF), September 2010 – ongoing (As Chief Investigator).
  21. The Development of Virtual Reality Tools for Mining Engineering: UNSW Faculty of Engineering Learning and Teaching (FRLT) Grant - Strategic Learning and Teaching Development Fund (SLTDF), January 2010 (As Chief Investigator).
  22. Investigation of the Potential Use of Thin Spray-on Liners for Gas Management in Underground Coal Mines: UNSW Faculty of Engineering Early Career Research Grant, January – December 2009 (As Chief Investigator – CI1)
  23. Investigation of Support Mechanism of Thin Spray-on Liners: UNSW Faculty Early Career Research Grant, January – December 2007 (As Chief Investigator – CI1).
  24. Wireless Sensor Networks for Remote Monitoring of Underground Mines: UNSW Faculty Research Grant, January – December 2007 (As Associate Investigator).

My Qualifications

  • PhD (Mining Engineering), Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey, December 2000
  • MSc (Mining Engineering), Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey, June 1995
  • BSc (Mining Engineering), Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey, July 1992

My Awards

  1. Postdoctoral Fellowship Award (2002) – 12-month postdoctoral fellowship at the School of Mining Engineering, The University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa, 2002-2003.
  2. 2019 Postgraduate Research Supervision Award. UNSW.
  3. 2017 Tim Shaw Teaching Award Nomination, SOMP.
  4. 2013 AaEe - Department of Industry Award for Industry Engagement in Engineering Education to MEA.
  5. 2012 Lecturer of The Year – Mining Society.
  6. 2010 Australian Learning and Teaching Council Awards for Programs that Enhance Learning - Educational Partnerships and Collaborations with Other Organisations to Mining Education Australia.
  7. 2008 MEA Award for Staff Excellence in Teaching and Innovation – Presented to the Resource Estimation Course Team.
  8. 2008 Teaching Staff Excellence Award – MEA – UNSW Academic Team School of Mining Engineering, Faculty of Engineering UNSW, Dated 18 December 2008.

My Research Activities

Developing high-capacity dynamic rock reinforcement for underground mines. P Roberts, P Criag, S Saydam, C Zhang, J Oh. Jennmar Australia Pty Ltd / DIIS - Cooperative Research Centre Projects (CRC-P's) Shared Grant.

DeepIoT – A New Hybrid Wireless IoT Platform for Underground Mines. D Forshaw, B Li, S Saydam. Cooperative Research Centres Projects Round 8. CRCPEIGHT000094.

Microbiologically Induced Stress Corrosion Cracking in Underground Mines. S Saydam, H Lamei Ramandi, N Kumar, M Manefield, A Crosky, I Canbulat, Scott Rice. ARC Linkage Projects.

Effectiveness of Shotcrete in Underground Coal Mines. ACARP. J Oh, I Canbulat, S Saydam, HL Ramandi.

Vibration Energy Harvesting for Self Powered Sensors at Mine Sites. ACARP. B Li, S Saydam, B hebblewhite.

 

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Location

Room 159, 1st Floor, Old Main Building, Kensington, 2052, Sydney, NSW, Australia

Map reference (Google map)

Contact

+61 2 9385 4525
+61406876629
+61 2 9313 7269

Research Activities

The aim of this work is to identify the factors responsible for the emerging problem of catastrophic stress corrosion cracking failure of rock bolts in underground mines and to develop strategies for resisting rock bolt failure. The work is of very substantial significance since rock bolt failure is already occurring in several mines in Australia and is expected to become a problem world-wide. The work is novel since it will be the first comprehensive study of catastrophic rock bolt failure conducted at fundamental level. The expected outcome is the development of economically viable…

Videos

The motivation for Off-Earth Mining is clear: an abundance of valuable resources that can feed our technologically driven society, the necessity and demand of discovering new places that our society can colonise, and the development of new technologies and processes to enable these missions will create spin-off technologies that can be used in our terrestrial operations.

Near-Earth Objects, asteroids and comets that circle the Sun at about the same speed and same distance as the Earth orbits the Sun, contain an abundance of valuable resources. We are entering an exciting period in which commercial launch systems and advanced robotics are making space-based industries, including mining, potentially financially viable!