Advanced Polymer Electrolytes for Device Applications. The future of an energy sustainable society relies upon the development of a range of technologies that will involve devices such as lithium batteries, supercapacitors, sensors and fuel cells. One of the key challenges is the discovery and development of high performance materials which overcome performance limiting issues such as conductivity, durability and stability in current devices. Our recent discovery of novel successful approaches ....Advanced Polymer Electrolytes for Device Applications. The future of an energy sustainable society relies upon the development of a range of technologies that will involve devices such as lithium batteries, supercapacitors, sensors and fuel cells. One of the key challenges is the discovery and development of high performance materials which overcome performance limiting issues such as conductivity, durability and stability in current devices. Our recent discovery of novel successful approaches to the design of improved electrolyte materials will be systematically exploited to develop materials that will provide the significant advance in device performance that is required.Read moreRead less
The role of location on the effectiveness of smoke alarms. Smoke alarms in buildings are required by the Building Code of Australia (BCA), but the current requirements are less than optimal. This project will provide the basis for optimisation of smoke alarms and the number, interconnection and positioning of smoke alarms in residential buildings. This is expected to lead to reductions in fire fatalities, injuries and property loss.
Nanostructured Al Alloys: SPD Processing and Properties. The use of conventional Al alloys in automotive and airspace industries is often restricted by their low room temperature strength. Development of high strength Al alloys which could replace much more expensive Ti alloys or heavier steel in constructions is a very promising way to reduce structural weight and cost. Using the Severe Plastic Deformation (SPD) technique, namely high pressure torsion and equal-channel angular extrusion, we ai ....Nanostructured Al Alloys: SPD Processing and Properties. The use of conventional Al alloys in automotive and airspace industries is often restricted by their low room temperature strength. Development of high strength Al alloys which could replace much more expensive Ti alloys or heavier steel in constructions is a very promising way to reduce structural weight and cost. Using the Severe Plastic Deformation (SPD) technique, namely high pressure torsion and equal-channel angular extrusion, we aim to develop a new method for production of bulk nanostructured Al alloy with high room temperature strength for automotive and airspace applications.
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Extremum seeking control: analysis, design and applications. Optimal control is one of the central pillars in the field of automatic control, but is prevented from use in many engineering applications due to the computational complexity and system knowledge requirements typically associated with the technique. Extremum seeking promises the performance of an optimal approach, but with the benefit of real time implementation and very relaxed requirements on the system knowledge. Through improved u ....Extremum seeking control: analysis, design and applications. Optimal control is one of the central pillars in the field of automatic control, but is prevented from use in many engineering applications due to the computational complexity and system knowledge requirements typically associated with the technique. Extremum seeking promises the performance of an optimal approach, but with the benefit of real time implementation and very relaxed requirements on the system knowledge. Through improved understanding of extremum seeking algorithms, applications from vehicle dynamics to emissions reduction to manufacturing processes will benefit with greater levels of performance and robustness.Read moreRead less
Analysis and Design of Networked Control Systems. Drive-by-wire cars, fly-by-wire aircraft and sensor/actuator wireless networks in process and manufacturing industries are just a few examples of emerging networked control technologies that are currently reshaping our world. These technological advances have a vast potential to reduce the cost, weight and volume of engineered systems, simplify their maintenance and installation and their novel architectures and features may enable us to address ....Analysis and Design of Networked Control Systems. Drive-by-wire cars, fly-by-wire aircraft and sensor/actuator wireless networks in process and manufacturing industries are just a few examples of emerging networked control technologies that are currently reshaping our world. These technological advances have a vast potential to reduce the cost, weight and volume of engineered systems, simplify their maintenance and installation and their novel architectures and features may enable us to address significant environmental and socio-economic challenges, such as an increased demand for energy and other limited resources. This project will develop a systematic design methodology for networked control systems that will be essential in ensuring that its full potential is exploited.Read moreRead less
Congestion management in key road networks of a major city through real time data collection, intelligent forecasting and real time routing. The project researches the issues for allowing Australian Road Traffic Authorities to automatically capture road traffic data, forecast traffic flows and smartly route traffic flows to avoid congestion on road networks. This will lead to several benefits, such as (a) reducing traffic congestion, shorten travel time and lower pollution, (b) better utilizati ....Congestion management in key road networks of a major city through real time data collection, intelligent forecasting and real time routing. The project researches the issues for allowing Australian Road Traffic Authorities to automatically capture road traffic data, forecast traffic flows and smartly route traffic flows to avoid congestion on road networks. This will lead to several benefits, such as (a) reducing traffic congestion, shorten travel time and lower pollution, (b) better utilization of existing road infrastructure by diffusing traffic to alternate routes, (c) provide economic benefit by allowing one to delay infrastructure expansion, (d) monitoring of aberrant behaviour by road users to ensure a safer road environment, and (e) improved flexibility in deployment of the Wireless Sensor Network to meet the needs of the road authorities and community.Read moreRead less
Fire Risk Evaluation of Commercial Buildings. An integrated systems risk-based model for fire safety has been developed for apartment buildings. A risk-based model must also be developed for commercial high-rise buildings taking into account the sub-models most relevant for these buildings. This requires a new approach and the development and integration of new submodels. Such a model does not currently exist but its development will allow for the cost-effective design of commercial buildings wh ....Fire Risk Evaluation of Commercial Buildings. An integrated systems risk-based model for fire safety has been developed for apartment buildings. A risk-based model must also be developed for commercial high-rise buildings taking into account the sub-models most relevant for these buildings. This requires a new approach and the development and integration of new submodels. Such a model does not currently exist but its development will allow for the cost-effective design of commercial buildings whilst still maintaining appropriate levels of fire safety.Read moreRead less
Real time optimisation by extremum seeking control and learning control. Optimal control technology provides the systematic design of systems that exhibit optimal behaviour, such as maximal productivity, best efficiency, minimal cost and best quality. Real time optimisation finds the solution of the optimal control in real time, relaxing requirements on the system knowledge. The proposed research will build on Australia's well-established strength in control and optimisation, and aim to establis ....Real time optimisation by extremum seeking control and learning control. Optimal control technology provides the systematic design of systems that exhibit optimal behaviour, such as maximal productivity, best efficiency, minimal cost and best quality. Real time optimisation finds the solution of the optimal control in real time, relaxing requirements on the system knowledge. The proposed research will build on Australia's well-established strength in control and optimisation, and aim to establish within Australia world-leading expertise in real time optimisation theories and applications. This will have direct benefits to the Australian economy through various engineering applications ranging from vehicle dynamics to emissions reduction to manufacturing process to efficiency improvement of power generation systems.Read moreRead less
An Integrated Systems Analysis: Fire Growth and Severity in Enclosures. An integrated systems risk-based model for fire safety has been developed and has been internationally acclaimed. A new fire severity submodel urgently needs to be developed before ramifications of the World Trade Centre catastrophe impact on fire safety regulations. Current submodels seriously misrepresent the real fires. They were developed from 1970's experiments on 2-3 metre cube-like enclosures and predict that fires ....An Integrated Systems Analysis: Fire Growth and Severity in Enclosures. An integrated systems risk-based model for fire safety has been developed and has been internationally acclaimed. A new fire severity submodel urgently needs to be developed before ramifications of the World Trade Centre catastrophe impact on fire safety regulations. Current submodels seriously misrepresent the real fires. They were developed from 1970's experiments on 2-3 metre cube-like enclosures and predict that fires engulf enclosures. Recent preliminary experiments have revealed that real fires burn locally at windows and only appear to be all engulfing. The research will lead international collaboration involving extensive experiments and some modelling to be completed in twelve months.Read moreRead less