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COFS PhD student Michael Cocjin is the recipient of a 2015 Prize for Higher Degree by Research Achievement for his paper “Tolerably mobile subsea foundations – observations of performance”.Michael’s paper was judged to be the best publication in the Maths, Physical Sciences and Engineering discipline of the awards.

Michael’s paper, published in Géotechnique, the highest ranked journal in the field of geotechnical engineering and engineering geology, provides a scientific basis for designing mobile foundations. Mobile foundations are engineered to slide across the seabed while supporting subsea pipeline infrastructure for offshore oil and gas developments. The paper propounds tolerable foundation mobility, a radical but increasingly necessary design solution to current industry needs. It challenges the traditional concept that foundations remain stationary.

Through observations of the foundation under realistic field conditions, the paper is the first published scientific work that has quantitatively identified design benchmarks and aspects of operational conditions essential to create a design framework for industry for mobile foundations.

Michael’s award will be presented to him at a ceremony in early September.

The award winning paper can be found here . Further details and other award winners can be found at https://www.postgraduate.uwa.edu.au/prizes .