Mgangira leads the CSIR research group that focuses on pavement design and construction. He has extensive experience in aspects of transport geotechnics. His main areas of research include prediction and behaviour of geomaterials, road material characterisation and assessment. He has led various research projects in the area of pavement engineering and has carried out projects in pavement failure investigation related to structural inadequacies and poor materials, both locally and internationally. He serves as Adjunct Professor at the Department of Civil Engineering at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University. Mgangira is also interested in engineering education research.

Expertise: Civil engineering; Geotechnical engineering; Transport infrastructure engineering