An investigation into the relationships between geology, geometry and wind blast magnitude & intensity in underground coal mining. In some underground coal mines where the roof comprises massive rock, the roof strata do not cave regularly as extraction progresses but hang up, leading to extensive areas of unsupported roof. These areas can suddenly collapse, compressing the air beneath and forcing it out of the void through surrounding openings giving rise to a potentially hazardous phenomenon kn ....An investigation into the relationships between geology, geometry and wind blast magnitude & intensity in underground coal mining. In some underground coal mines where the roof comprises massive rock, the roof strata do not cave regularly as extraction progresses but hang up, leading to extensive areas of unsupported roof. These areas can suddenly collapse, compressing the air beneath and forcing it out of the void through surrounding openings giving rise to a potentially hazardous phenomenon known as wind blast. The aim is to develop a fundamental understanding of the phenomenon and thus provide a basis on which to develop strategies to mitigate the hazard. Outcomes are expected to be improved levels of mining safety, technical viability and economics.Read moreRead less
Shear heating in granular materials: micromechanics of thermal conduction and production. Oil, gas and geothermal exploration are amongst the major energy industries in Australia and must be optimised to enable efficient production. These processes are dominated by the transfer of heat through granular soil media. Past research was based on continuum heat-flow solutions, but these problems are governed by distinct networks of particle-particle contacts and interparticle pore-fluids. Heat-flow so ....Shear heating in granular materials: micromechanics of thermal conduction and production. Oil, gas and geothermal exploration are amongst the major energy industries in Australia and must be optimised to enable efficient production. These processes are dominated by the transfer of heat through granular soil media. Past research was based on continuum heat-flow solutions, but these problems are governed by distinct networks of particle-particle contacts and interparticle pore-fluids. Heat-flow solutions depend on effective terms of thermal conduction, production and convection, but these change with loading. A systematic study must therefore be accomplished to formulate the micromechanics of the effective thermal properties, such that continuum solutions are refined to optimise energy exploration.Read moreRead less
Applicability of the Longwall Top Coal Caving in Australian Underground Coal Mines. The proposed project aims to develop an improved understanding of the geotechnical caving characteristics of the Longwall Top Coal Caving method and it's applicability in Australian underground coal mines. The practical outcomes include significant economical benefits associated with extracting thick seams, maximising production and recovery, while improving safety standards. The advantages and constraints of the ....Applicability of the Longwall Top Coal Caving in Australian Underground Coal Mines. The proposed project aims to develop an improved understanding of the geotechnical caving characteristics of the Longwall Top Coal Caving method and it's applicability in Australian underground coal mines. The practical outcomes include significant economical benefits associated with extracting thick seams, maximising production and recovery, while improving safety standards. The advantages and constraints of the mining method will be examined rigorously relative to the Australian geological and stress environment and safety requirement. The parameters influencing the applicability of the method as well as the support design criteria and performance will be researched using comparative, analytical and numerical modelling methods.Read moreRead less
Fundamental studies of the packing and compaction of fine particles. This project will investigate the fundamentals of the packing and compaction of fine particles at both microscopic and macroscopic levels through a combined theoretical and experimental program. It involves the use of advanced techniques to generate particle scale information, so that a packing and compaction process can be assessed at various time and length scales. It will produce a comprehensive understanding of the underlyi ....Fundamental studies of the packing and compaction of fine particles. This project will investigate the fundamentals of the packing and compaction of fine particles at both microscopic and macroscopic levels through a combined theoretical and experimental program. It involves the use of advanced techniques to generate particle scale information, so that a packing and compaction process can be assessed at various time and length scales. It will produce a comprehensive understanding of the underlying physics, computer models capable of predicting the micromechanic and transport properties of porous media, and an effective means to solve many packing and compaction problems widely encountered in minerals and materials processing industries.Read moreRead less
Sustainable usage of dredged clay materials as land reclamation fills. Millions of cubic metres of dredged materials are removed from river and sea beds every year in dredging projects. It is common to dump a significant portion of the dredged spoils into the sea which can result in serious environmental problems such as deterioration of water quality, damage to aquatic habitats, disruption of ecosystems and dispersion of fine clay particles in seawater. The proposed use of dredged clays as land ....Sustainable usage of dredged clay materials as land reclamation fills. Millions of cubic metres of dredged materials are removed from river and sea beds every year in dredging projects. It is common to dump a significant portion of the dredged spoils into the sea which can result in serious environmental problems such as deterioration of water quality, damage to aquatic habitats, disruption of ecosystems and dispersion of fine clay particles in seawater. The proposed use of dredged clays as land reclamation fill will lead to a substantial reduction in or even eliminate the need for dumping dredged clays into offshore dumping locations. The stabilized dredged clays have great potential if their geotechnical characteristics are adequately understood.Read moreRead less
Fundamental theoretical investigation of the chemomechanical properties of clays. Australia faces significant environmental challenges, one of the most important being soil degradation. The aim of this project is to develop new and state-of-the art mathematical models describing the behaviour of clays in soils. This proposal addresses five fundamental problems in clay soil behaviour that have so far remained unanswered. The primary outcomes of this project will be new theoretical insights into t ....Fundamental theoretical investigation of the chemomechanical properties of clays. Australia faces significant environmental challenges, one of the most important being soil degradation. The aim of this project is to develop new and state-of-the art mathematical models describing the behaviour of clays in soils. This proposal addresses five fundamental problems in clay soil behaviour that have so far remained unanswered. The primary outcomes of this project will be new theoretical insights into the chemomechanical properties of clay soils, so providing the understanding required to intelligently engineer and manage our natural and built environments.Read moreRead less
Determination of unsaturated soil properties using cone penetrometer data. Unsaturated soils account for almost 40 percent of earth's land surface. Over 70 percent of Australia's land surface consists of unsaturated soils. The research proposed aims at providing a methodology for a realistic characterisation of unsaturated soils in the field. The developments in this research will be immediately applicable to many engineering problems of national interest including dams, embankments, foundatio ....Determination of unsaturated soil properties using cone penetrometer data. Unsaturated soils account for almost 40 percent of earth's land surface. Over 70 percent of Australia's land surface consists of unsaturated soils. The research proposed aims at providing a methodology for a realistic characterisation of unsaturated soils in the field. The developments in this research will be immediately applicable to many engineering problems of national interest including dams, embankments, foundations, highways and airfields. The work will also benefit Australia and the Australian research community through the development of a new expertise within Australia, which is likely to receive wide spread attention in both scientific and engineering communities.
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CO2 sequestration in deformable, chemically interactive, double porosity media. Increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) level is emerging as one of the most serious issues affecting humanity. Models, theories and relationships derived from this research will have a direct and immediate impact on the design, construction, maintenance, management and risk assessment of sequestration systems in Australia and overseas, and will assist Australia and Australian community to meet its target reducti ....CO2 sequestration in deformable, chemically interactive, double porosity media. Increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) level is emerging as one of the most serious issues affecting humanity. Models, theories and relationships derived from this research will have a direct and immediate impact on the design, construction, maintenance, management and risk assessment of sequestration systems in Australia and overseas, and will assist Australia and Australian community to meet its target reductions in CO2 emission. The work will also benefit Australia and the Australian research community through the development of a new expertise in Australia, which will have a significant potential for export to other countries.Read moreRead less
Towards efficient development of geothermal resources in Australia: an improved simulation package for fluid flow in fractured geothermal reservoirs. Australia possesses vast deep earth geothermal resources, which are cheap, clean, reliable, sustainable and renewable. By supporting the development of geothermal resources, the fundamental research project will greatly contribute to many Australian social and economic priorities: providing immediate mitigation of climate change and greenhouse gas ....Towards efficient development of geothermal resources in Australia: an improved simulation package for fluid flow in fractured geothermal reservoirs. Australia possesses vast deep earth geothermal resources, which are cheap, clean, reliable, sustainable and renewable. By supporting the development of geothermal resources, the fundamental research project will greatly contribute to many Australian social and economic priorities: providing immediate mitigation of climate change and greenhouse gas emissions; reducing dependence on external sources of fuels and oil price uncertainty; meeting the country's growing energy needs; therefore, supporting an Environmentally Sustainable Australia. Moreover, the project enhances Australian research recognition in the fields of fractured and geothermal simulation. It also provides high level education for five research students.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0775616
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$350,000.00
Summary
Advanced Testing Facility for Geological Sequestration of Greenhouse Gases. Predicted climate changes can cause disastrous impacts on nation's human health, agriculture, infrastructure and natural ecosystems. The reduction of greenhouse emissions as required by Kyoto Protocol while protecting Australian industries and jobs is a massive challenge. The long-term sequestration of CO2 in deep geological formations is considered to be the most viable solution. This technology, however, is at its i ....Advanced Testing Facility for Geological Sequestration of Greenhouse Gases. Predicted climate changes can cause disastrous impacts on nation's human health, agriculture, infrastructure and natural ecosystems. The reduction of greenhouse emissions as required by Kyoto Protocol while protecting Australian industries and jobs is a massive challenge. The long-term sequestration of CO2 in deep geological formations is considered to be the most viable solution. This technology, however, is at its infancy and a concerted national research effort is urgently required. The multi-user Facility will enable closer collaboration with researchers in academia and industry, and will be integral in training the next generation of Australian scientists in the geological sequestration and wealth from the earth and the ocean.Read moreRead less