FRICTION AND CONTACT IN SOIL-STRUCTURE INTERACTION AT LARGE DEFORMATION. The proposed research addresses the fundamental mechanics of contact for a wide range of civil engineering structures such as piles, retaining walls, and soil anchors. Piles and anchors are essential parts of off-shore platforms which, in turn, are key elements of the Australian oil and gas industry. The numerical tool the project aims to develop is capable of analysing the entire process of installation and loading of a pi ....FRICTION AND CONTACT IN SOIL-STRUCTURE INTERACTION AT LARGE DEFORMATION. The proposed research addresses the fundamental mechanics of contact for a wide range of civil engineering structures such as piles, retaining walls, and soil anchors. Piles and anchors are essential parts of off-shore platforms which, in turn, are key elements of the Australian oil and gas industry. The numerical tool the project aims to develop is capable of analysing the entire process of installation and loading of a pile foundation. Such a tool does not currently exist and will result in safer and cheaper geotechnical design. The methods developed in this project can also be extended to study human joints and joint replacements.Read moreRead less
Fuzzy finite element analysis of smart structures using concepts of optimization. The major aim of this research is to develop an innovative approach using fuzzy finite element method for the analysis and design of smart control systems for civil engineering structures subjected to vibrations due to earthquakes. The significance of this project is the proposal to combine, for the first time, techniques such as finite element, fuzzy logic and optimization in a unified manner. The final result wil ....Fuzzy finite element analysis of smart structures using concepts of optimization. The major aim of this research is to develop an innovative approach using fuzzy finite element method for the analysis and design of smart control systems for civil engineering structures subjected to vibrations due to earthquakes. The significance of this project is the proposal to combine, for the first time, techniques such as finite element, fuzzy logic and optimization in a unified manner. The final result will produce an efficient design tool for a structural system integrated with smart sensors/actuators for vibration control.Read moreRead less
Influence of tunnelling on pile foundations. The effects of tunnel construction on the behaviour of existing pile foundations will be investigated. In particular, models will be developed to predict the influence of tunnel excavation on the bearing capacity, average settlement, differential settlement and tilt of pile groups and the loads and bending moments induced in the piles of the group and the pile cap. These models will allow rational assessment of the effects on buildings undermined by ....Influence of tunnelling on pile foundations. The effects of tunnel construction on the behaviour of existing pile foundations will be investigated. In particular, models will be developed to predict the influence of tunnel excavation on the bearing capacity, average settlement, differential settlement and tilt of pile groups and the loads and bending moments induced in the piles of the group and the pile cap. These models will allow rational assessment of the effects on buildings undermined by tunnels. This work is significant and timely because of the growing trend to place transport infrastructure underground in many cities of the world.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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Micro-macro modelling of collapse problems in geomaterials by strain gradient plasticity. The proposed research aims to improve our fundamental understanding of the collapse of geomaterials, which is directly related to the failure of offshore structures, mining operations, tunnels, cuttings and foundations. The advanced mathematical model developed will be capable of accurately predicting the collapse of geomaterials and will be founded on measurable microscopic information. The fruits of the r ....Micro-macro modelling of collapse problems in geomaterials by strain gradient plasticity. The proposed research aims to improve our fundamental understanding of the collapse of geomaterials, which is directly related to the failure of offshore structures, mining operations, tunnels, cuttings and foundations. The advanced mathematical model developed will be capable of accurately predicting the collapse of geomaterials and will be founded on measurable microscopic information. The fruits of the research will be implemented in an advanced nonlinear finite element program, and will lead to safer and more cost-effective designs for a wide range of geostructures.Read moreRead less
Assessment and Prediction of Particle Breakage under Cyclic Loading. Every year, transport industries spend millions of dollars to maintain existing tracks suffering excessive settlement due to heavy traffic. In railways, differential settlement and track fouling are mostly due to ballast breakage. Frequent maintenance requires large amounts of quarried ballast causing environmental degradation. Simulation of particle breakage subject to cyclic loading is pioneering fundamental research that wi ....Assessment and Prediction of Particle Breakage under Cyclic Loading. Every year, transport industries spend millions of dollars to maintain existing tracks suffering excessive settlement due to heavy traffic. In railways, differential settlement and track fouling are mostly due to ballast breakage. Frequent maintenance requires large amounts of quarried ballast causing environmental degradation. Simulation of particle breakage subject to cyclic loading is pioneering fundamental research that will have significant impact on the design and maintenance of future rail and road networks. A full understanding of the breakage mechanisms of aggregates will lead to innovative techniques in design and construction, including faster trains carrying heavier loads with reduced maintenance costs.Read moreRead less
Rigorous Three Dimensional Plasticity Solutions for Soil and Rock Slopes. Slope failures and landslides are a persistent cause of economic loss in Australia. Damages resulting from landslides include both property damage and loss of life. One such recent catastrophic slope failure is the landslide that occurred at Thredbo Village in New South Wales in 1997. This monumental landslide resulted in the deaths of 18 people and was considered by the coroner as the worst natural disaster in Australian ....Rigorous Three Dimensional Plasticity Solutions for Soil and Rock Slopes. Slope failures and landslides are a persistent cause of economic loss in Australia. Damages resulting from landslides include both property damage and loss of life. One such recent catastrophic slope failure is the landslide that occurred at Thredbo Village in New South Wales in 1997. This monumental landslide resulted in the deaths of 18 people and was considered by the coroner as the worst natural disaster in Australian history. The primary aim of this research project is to apply recently developed computational tools to better understand 3D slope behaviour and to develop rigorous stability solutions that can be used by design engineers. A better understanding of 3D slope failure will lead to more economic and safer slope designs.Read moreRead less
Variational Plasticity Models and Algorithms for Frictional Geomaterials. Although the proposed project makes use of a number of advanced concepts in mathematics, thermodynamics, and numerical analysis, and in this way could be labelled 'theoretical', its main ambition is to formulate models and methods that are much more practical than the ones currently in use. Ultimately, this will result in cheaper and safer designs of both standard and non-standard geotechnical structures. The project build ....Variational Plasticity Models and Algorithms for Frictional Geomaterials. Although the proposed project makes use of a number of advanced concepts in mathematics, thermodynamics, and numerical analysis, and in this way could be labelled 'theoretical', its main ambition is to formulate models and methods that are much more practical than the ones currently in use. Ultimately, this will result in cheaper and safer designs of both standard and non-standard geotechnical structures. The project builds on and extends the tradition which has been established in Australia over the past 15-20 years of applying mathematical programming methods to plasticity problems, many of these in the field of geotechnical engineering.Read moreRead less
The effect of tunelling on existing rock bolts. As more underground facilities such as rail, road, sewerage and service tunnels are constructed in our major cities, more and more frequently new tunnels have to cross over or run alongside existing tunnels. As the roofs of tunnels are generally supported by rock bolts and lined with shotcrete, the support system can be damaged by the rock movements caused by the excavation of the new tunnel. Little research has been carried out on this problem, an ....The effect of tunelling on existing rock bolts. As more underground facilities such as rail, road, sewerage and service tunnels are constructed in our major cities, more and more frequently new tunnels have to cross over or run alongside existing tunnels. As the roofs of tunnels are generally supported by rock bolts and lined with shotcrete, the support system can be damaged by the rock movements caused by the excavation of the new tunnel. Little research has been carried out on this problem, and so often expensive deviations have to be made to tunnels to avoid going near existing ones. The proposed research will provide numerical tools to allow prediction of loads induced into rock bolts by nearby tunnels, leading to more economical and safer tunnel design.
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