Guidelines & Hints for SMCE201 – Seminar and Technical Report Writing for Engineers
| ✅ Do’s | ❌ Don’ts |
|---|---|
| Choose something you are genuinely curious about | Pick a topic just because it “sounds cool” |
| Ensure availability of research material | Choose a topic with no accessible data or papers |
| Pick a specific and focused area | Select something too broad like “Civil Engineering” |
| Check relevance to current trends | Go for outdated technology unless for historical comparison |
| Align with your career/research goals | Select random topics unrelated to your interests |
💡 You don’t have to pick from here, but these are hot areas worth exploring — many have high publication and citation potential in top journals.
| Theme | Example Topics |
|---|---|
| Sustainable Construction | Green concrete, recycled aggregates, low-carbon cement, sustainable building retrofits |
| Smart Materials | Self-healing concrete, corrosion-inhibiting admixtures, shape-memory alloys |
| Structural Health Monitoring | Sensor-based monitoring of bridges, drones for inspection, AI in damage detection |
| Condition Assessment of Structures | Non-destructive testing (NDT), corrosion assessment of RC structures, service life prediction |
| Digital Engineering | BIM integration, digital twins for infrastructure, AI-based structural analysis |
| Disaster Resilience | Earthquake-resistant design, flood mitigation systems, cyclone-proof housing |
| Transportation Innovations | Smart highways, autonomous vehicle-friendly roads, AI-based traffic optimization |
| Water Resources | AI in flood forecasting, desalination advancements, smart irrigation systems |
| Climate Change Adaptation | Urban heat island mitigation, resilient coastal infrastructure, adaptive urban drainage systems |
| Emerging Research for High-Impact Reviews | AI applications in civil engineering, sustainable infrastructure materials, advanced corrosion protection methods |
💡 Pro Tip for High Impact:
For review papers or comprehensive studies, choose topics where research activity is rapidly growing — this ensures more citations and publication relevance. Combining emerging technologies like AI, sensor networks, and sustainable materials with traditional civil engineering problems often makes for a strong seminar and publishable paper.