Research

I work on climate downscaling, flood forecasting, hydrodynamics, and water resources.

Core Areas

• Regional climate modeling & bias correction
• Real-time flood forecasting & early warning
• Hydraulic/hydrodynamic modelling (1D/2D)
• Reservoir operation & river basin management
• Dam-breach parameterization & risk analysis

Methods & Tools

• WRF, HEC-HMS / HEC-RAS / HEC-ResSim / HEC-RTS
• Delft3D-FLOW
• Python, GIS/Remote Sensing workflows

Publications

View publications annualy

Full papers (Journals - Peer reviewed)

• Madumalsha, C., Nawoda, I., Neluwala, P. and Revel, M., 2025. Estimation of Water Elevation Using ICESat-2 Satellite. Engineer: Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Sri Lanka, 58(1). https://doi.org/10.4038/engineer.v58i1.7674
• Athuraliya, V.D., Neluwala, P. and Pathirana, K.P.P., 2025. Assessing the impacts of sea level rise on salinity intrusion in the Kelani River, Sri Lanka. Journal of Water and Climate Change, 16(2), pp.607-624. https://doi.org/10.2166/wcc.2025.607
• Peramuna, P.D.P.O., Neluwala, N.G.P.B., Wijesundara, K.K., De Silva, S., Venkatesan, S. and Dissanayake, P.B.R., 2024. Enhancing 2D hydrodynamic flood model predictions in data-scarce regions through integration of multiple terrain datasets. Journal of Hydrology, 648, p.132343 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2024.132343.
• Daranagama, D.A.R., Neluwala, P. and Wijetunge, J.J., 2024. Joint probability of cyclonic wind speed and maximum rainfall for cyclones affecting Sri Lanka. Engineer: Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Sri Lanka, 57(4) https://doi.org/10.4038/engineer.v57i4.7663.
• Perera, P.L.L.N., Neluwala, N.G.P.B. and Wijetunge, J.J., 2024. Influence of weather research and forecasting model microphysics and cumulus schemes for forecasting monsoon rainfall over the Kelani River basin, Sri Lanka. Journal of Water and Climate Change, p.jwc2024291https://doi.org/10.2166/wcc.2024.291.
• Peramuna, P.D.P.O., Neluwala, N.G.P.B., Wijesundara, K.K., Venkatesan, S., De Silva, S. and Dissanayake, P.B.R., 2024. Novel approach to the derivation of dam breach parameters in 2D hydrodynamic modeling of earthquake induced dam failures. Science of the total environment, 927, p.171505 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171505
• Sadushan, S. and Neluwala, N.G.P.B., 2024. Application of GIS & RS in Rainwater Harvesting for an Arid Region. ENGINEER, 57(02), pp.69-80 https://doi.org/10.4038/engineer.v57i2.7650
• Koswaththa, H.M.S.A., Ranasinghe, S.K., Ekanayake, I., Herath, D. and Neluwala, N.G.P.B., 2024. Downscaling Future Precipitation over Mi Oya River Basin using Artificial Neural Networks. ENGINEER, 57(02), pp.57-67 https://doi.org/10.4038/engineer.v57i2.7649
• Abeyratne, W.M.L.K., Weerakoon, S.B., Neluwala, P. and Ratnaweera, H., 2023. Suspended solid removal efficiency of plate settlers and tube settlers analysed by CFD modelling. Water Science & Technology, 87(9), pp.2116-2127 https://doi.org/10.2166/wst.2023.107
• Gimhan, P.G.S., Neluwala, P., Acierto, R.A. and Raghavan, S.V., 2022. Assessment of WRF microphysics and cumulus parameterizations in simulating heavy rainfall events over Badulu Oya catchment, Sri Lanka. Journal of Water and Climate Change, 13(12), pp.4213-4233 https://doi.org/10.2166/wcc.2022.371
• Peramuna, P.D.P.O., Neluwala, N.G.P.B., Wijesundara, K.K., DeSilva, S., Venkatesan, S. and Dissanayake, P.B.R., 2023. Review on model development techniques for dam break flood wave propagation. Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Water, p.e1688 https://doi.org/10.1002/wat2.1688
• Wijetunge, J.J. and Neluwala, N.G.P.B., 2023. Compound flood hazard assessment and analysis due to tropical cyclone-induced storm surges, waves and precipitation: a case study for coastal lowlands of Kelani river basin in Sri Lanka. Natural Hazards, pp.1-29 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-023-05846-w
• Wanasinghe, W.M.A.Y., Gamage, K.H., Neluwala, N.G.P.B. and Gimhan, P.G.S., 2023. Performance of Different Parameterization Configurations of WRF-ARW Model during Heavy Rainfall over Mi Oya River Basin. ENGINEER, 56(01), pp.31-41 https://doi.org/10.4038/engineer.v56i1.7558
• Gimhan, P.G.S., Neluwala, P. & Acierto, R.A., 2023. High-resolution WRF simulations of a monsoon event (2019) over the Badulu Oya Catchment, Sri Lanka: Role of cumulus parameterization condition and microphysics schemes. J Earth Syst Sci 132, 166 https://doi.org/10.1007/s12040-023-02186-y
• Tennekoon Mudiyanselage, S., Wijesundara, K., Venkatesan, S., De Silva, S., Dissanayake, R., & Neluwala, P., 2023. Significance of construction sequence and the initial behaviour in concrete-faced rockfill dams. Australian Journal of Structural Engineering, 25(2), 125–143 https://doi.org/10.1080/13287982.2023.2268288
• Edirisooriya, E.M.N.T., Neluwala, N.G.P.B. and Weerakoon, W.M.S.B., 2022. Flood Inundation Modelling in Greater Colombo Region Using HEC-RAS 2D. ENGINEER, 55(03), pp.21-27 https://doi.org/10.4038/engineer.v55i3.7518
• Athukorala, R., Thol, T., Neluwala, P., Petri, M., Sengxeu, S., Lattada, L., Keomanivong, S. and Sithivong, V., 2021. Evaluating the Performance of a WRF Physics Ensemble in Simulating Rainfall over Lao PDR during Wet and Dry Seasons. Advances in Meteorology, pp.1-16 https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/6630302
• Samarasingha, S.M.T.C., Sandaruwan, M.S., Sampath, D.S. and Neluwala, N.G.P.B., 2021. Dynamic downscaling of rainfall data for Deduru Oya River Basin using WRF weather model. ENGINEER, 54(02), pp.69-75 https://doi.org/10.4038/engineer.v54i2.7443
• Toride, K., Neluwala, P., Kim, H. and Yoshimura, K., 2017. Feasibility study of the reconstruction of historical weather with data assimilation. Monthly Weather Review, 145(9), pp.3563-3580.https://doi.org/10.1175/MWR-D-16-0288.1
• Neluwala, N.G.P.B., Karunanayake, K.T.S., Sandaruwan, K.B.G.M. and Pathirana, K.P.P., 2013. Characteristics of hydraulic jumps over rough beds–an experimental study. Engineer: Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Sri Lanka, 46(3) https://doi.org/10.4038/engineer.v46i3.6779

Full papers (conferences- Peer reviewed)

• Bandara, W.H.M.Y.D., Dinelka, K.H.S., Neluwala, N.G.P.B., 2022. Discharge Observations Assimilation to Improve Flood Prediction Skills. In: Dissanayake, R., Mendis, P., Weerasekera, K., De Silva, S., Fernando, S. (eds) ICSBE 2020. Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering, vol 174. Springer, Singapore https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-4412-2_12
• Peramuna, P.D.P.O., Neluwala, N.G.P.B., Wijesundara, K.K., Dissanayake, P.B.R., De Silva, S., Venkatesan, S., 2023. Development of a Digital Elevation Model Integrating Different Datasets for an Area of Mahaweli Basin, Sri Lanka. In: Dissanayake, R., Mendis, P., Weerasekera, K., De Silva, S., Fernando, S., Konthesingha, C. (eds)ICSBE 2022. Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering, vol 266. Springer, Singapore https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-2886-4_30
• Abeyratne, W.M.L.K., Weerakoon, S.B., Neluwala, N.G.P.B., 2022. Clarification Efficiency of Plate Settlers Analyzed by CFD Modelling. In: Dissanayake, R., Mendis, P., Weerasekera, K., De Silva, S., Fernando, S. (eds) ICSBE 2020. Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering, vol 174. Springer, Singapore https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-4412-2_42
• Niwunhella D.R.T., Kalpadeep D.N.S., Neluwala N.G.P.B. and Dammika A.J., 2023. Experimental Investigation on Porous Concrete for Sustainable Drainage Systems. 14th International Conference on Sustainable Built Environment -2023, Kandy, Sri Lanka. https://www.kandyconference.org/
• Athuraliya V.D., Neluwala N.G.P.B. and Pathirana K.P.P., 2023. Dynamic Behavior of Salinity Intrusion in Kelani River, Sri Lanka. 14th International Conference on Sustainable Built Environment -2023, Kandy, Sri Lanka. https://www.kandyconference.org/
• Perera P.L.L.N., Neluwala N.G.P.B. and Wijetunge J.J., 2023. Optimizing Physics Parameters for Heavy Rainfall Forecasting in the Kelani River Basin Using the WRF Model. 14th International Conference on Sustainable Built Environment -2023, Kandy, Sri Lanka. https://www.kandyconference.org/

Abstracts

• Neluwala, N.G.P.B., Dammika, A.J., Rathnayake, R.M.L.D., Niwunhella, D.R.T. and Kalpadeep, D.N.S., 2023. Experimental Investigation on Porous Concrete for Sustainable Drainage. In: Proceedings of Peradeniya University International Research Sessions, 20th & 21st September 2023, Sri Lanka, Vol. 24.
• Neluwala, P., Yoshimura, K., Toride, K., Hirano, J., Ichino, M. and Okazaki, A., 2017, December. Reconstruction of Historical Weather by Assimilating Old Weather Diary Data. In AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts, Vol. 2017, pp. PP31A-1264.

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