Utsav Adhikari
Doctoral Student
Research subject: Urban Water Engineering
Division: Urban Water Engineering
Department of Civil, Environmental and Natural Resources Engineering
-
Luleå, T3009
About me
Utsav Adhikari researches how Blue–Green Infrastructure (BGI), such as rain gardens, swales, and detention basins, can improve urban stormwater management and reduce flood risk. These systems help cities cope with intense rainfall by storing, infiltrating, and slowing stormwater runoff. However, their performance depends on local conditions, including available space, soil properties, topography, and drainage characteristics.
His research focuses on how BGI can be optimally placed and designed at the neighborhood scale. Using hydrological modeling, field calibration, and biofilter analysis, he evaluates different design strategies in Swedish cities such as Malmö, Östersund, and Uppsala. The work compares both nature-based and engineered solutions, as well as decentralized and centralized approaches, to identify the most effective strategies under varying urban conditions.
In addition, Utsav investigates how structural failures and insufficient maintenance affect BGI performance over time. He studies issues such as clogging, sediment accumulation, erosion, drainage failures, and vegetation decline, and assesses their impacts on runoff control and flood risk. His goal is to identify the most robust, reliable, and sustainable BGI solutions for long-term urban water management. Utsav joined the Urban Water Engineering group in May 2022 and plans to defend his PhD in 2027.
Updated:
Published: