Design and Construction Error Mitigation in Infrastructure Projects. Human errors committed during the design and construction process of infrastructure projects increase costs by as much as 25 per cent. The costs associated with such errors would be significantly higher in the event of an engineering failure and loss of life. This research will develop a model that can be used to mitigate errors and improve the performance and safety of infrastructure projects. A reduction in errors will reduce ....Design and Construction Error Mitigation in Infrastructure Projects. Human errors committed during the design and construction process of infrastructure projects increase costs by as much as 25 per cent. The costs associated with such errors would be significantly higher in the event of an engineering failure and loss of life. This research will develop a model that can be used to mitigate errors and improve the performance and safety of infrastructure projects. A reduction in errors will reduce the financial burden placed on taxpayers for cost overruns experienced as well as improve the profitability of organisations. This will lead to greater investment, and contribution to gross domestic product.Read moreRead less
Special Research Initiatives - Grant ID: SR0354727
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$20,000.00
Summary
Mathematics for Government, Industry and Community -- The *Magic* Network. The *Magic* network will promote the use of mathematics by government, industry and community to analyse real problems and implement practical solutions. It will connect the most promising young Australian mathematicians to experienced researchers with strong research teams linked directly to the broader community. Our program will demand research excellence, emphasise a sustainable society, support outstanding young mat ....Mathematics for Government, Industry and Community -- The *Magic* Network. The *Magic* network will promote the use of mathematics by government, industry and community to analyse real problems and implement practical solutions. It will connect the most promising young Australian mathematicians to experienced researchers with strong research teams linked directly to the broader community. Our program will demand research excellence, emphasise a sustainable society, support outstanding young mathematicians and create opportunities for promising postgraduate students. We will offer scholarships for professional development and fund research visits and exchanges. *Magic* will provide tangible incentives for young Australian mathematicians and a new generation of researchers and research leaders.Read moreRead less
Risk and Reliability in Stochastic Optimisation and Equilibrium. This project seeks to develop theory and methodology in optimisation which take advantage of recent progress in understanding and treating risk in decision making. Problems of optimisation in the face of uncertainty must confront the risk inherent in having to make reliable decisions before knowing the outcomes of crucial random variables on which costs and constraints may depend. Recent theoretical developments, featuring ‘measure ....Risk and Reliability in Stochastic Optimisation and Equilibrium. This project seeks to develop theory and methodology in optimisation which take advantage of recent progress in understanding and treating risk in decision making. Problems of optimisation in the face of uncertainty must confront the risk inherent in having to make reliable decisions before knowing the outcomes of crucial random variables on which costs and constraints may depend. Recent theoretical developments, featuring ‘measures of risk’ beyond just-expected values and quantiles offer hope of major new advances. This project aims to achieve such advances not only in optimisation but also in models of equilibrium that likewise have to deal with uncertainty. Extending current theory and methodology to such multi-stage stochastic models is a challenge. Besides taking up this challenge for its own sake, a major goal of this research will be to use the results in solution algorithms.Read moreRead less
Optimal control of nonlinear delay systems: theory, algorithms, and applications. Time delays are present in many engineering systems, including robots, irrigation canals, and chemical reactors. This project aims to develop state-of-the-art techniques for controlling systems with time delays in an optimal manner.
The Future of Australian Mineral Exports. Australia is among the world's largest exporters of steelmaking raw materials, specifically iron ore, coking coal and manganese. This project will develop an integrated econometric model of the global steel industry to forecast future trends in global steel production and the associated demand for raw materials. The results of this research will not only assist Australian mineral exporters in achieving better outcomes in annual pricing negotiations by im ....The Future of Australian Mineral Exports. Australia is among the world's largest exporters of steelmaking raw materials, specifically iron ore, coking coal and manganese. This project will develop an integrated econometric model of the global steel industry to forecast future trends in global steel production and the associated demand for raw materials. The results of this research will not only assist Australian mineral exporters in achieving better outcomes in annual pricing negotiations by improving market knowledge, but also help focus their longer term marketing strategies. The extensive global mine database to be assembled as part of the network flow component of this model will also allow Australian mineral exporters to assess their competitive position relative to foreign producers.Read moreRead less
Effective computational methods for nonlinear cone optimisation with industrial applications. This project brings together a number of national and international researchers whose combined expertise will focus on solving optimisation problems arising in a range of industries. The work will result in new cutting edge optimisation technology that can benefit industry and the community.
A framework for prioritising investment in natural resource management. If public funds applied to natural resource management are to achieve the highest level benefit, then the potential projects have to be prioritized. This is difficult when the expected benefits are both incommensurate (e.g. protection of roads v. areas of biodiversity) and uncertain. This project will evaluate alternative decision support methods for making such choices, with a particular focus on salinity management in We ....A framework for prioritising investment in natural resource management. If public funds applied to natural resource management are to achieve the highest level benefit, then the potential projects have to be prioritized. This is difficult when the expected benefits are both incommensurate (e.g. protection of roads v. areas of biodiversity) and uncertain. This project will evaluate alternative decision support methods for making such choices, with a particular focus on salinity management in Western Australia, although it is anticipated that the lessons learned could be applied to other NRM policies. The outcome will be a contribution to aid participatory decision making.Read moreRead less
HYBRID METHODS FOR SOLVING LARGE-SCALE OPTIMISATION PROBLEMS. Mathematical modelling and optimisation plays a crucial role in the advancement of modern business, science and technology. A significant benefit of this project is the development of a range of powerful computational tools for improving the productivity of Australian industry, including: agriculture; communications; defence; manufacturing; mining and petroleum; transport and logistics. These tools will be built upon advances in the f ....HYBRID METHODS FOR SOLVING LARGE-SCALE OPTIMISATION PROBLEMS. Mathematical modelling and optimisation plays a crucial role in the advancement of modern business, science and technology. A significant benefit of this project is the development of a range of powerful computational tools for improving the productivity of Australian industry, including: agriculture; communications; defence; manufacturing; mining and petroleum; transport and logistics. These tools will be built upon advances in the fundamental theory developed by the research team. The resulting high quality publications and associated algorithms will greatly enhance Australia's international scientific reputation and provide Australian industry with new cutting-edge optimisation technology.Read moreRead less
Forensic management approach to rework mitigation and prevention in construction. Rework is the unnecessary effort of re-doing a process or activity. The direct costs of rework in construction have been reported to be as high as 25% of project costs. These rework costs would be higher if they included the intangible, but real costs of disruption caused by schedule delays, litigation, and dysfunctional contract relationships. To reduce rework in construction projects a forensic project managem ....Forensic management approach to rework mitigation and prevention in construction. Rework is the unnecessary effort of re-doing a process or activity. The direct costs of rework in construction have been reported to be as high as 25% of project costs. These rework costs would be higher if they included the intangible, but real costs of disruption caused by schedule delays, litigation, and dysfunctional contract relationships. To reduce rework in construction projects a forensic project management model that can be used to stimulate learning and process improvement will be developed, evaluated and validated. This will enable the design of strategies to reduce rework and improve the overall performance of projects.Read moreRead less
Industrial Transformation Training Centres - Grant ID: IC200100009
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$4,861,236.00
Summary
ARC Training Centre in Optimisation Technologies, Integrated Methodologies, and Applications (OPTIMA). OPTIMA addresses industry’s urgent need for decision-making tools for global competitiveness: reducing lead times, and financial and environmental costs, while improving efficiency, quality, and agility. Despite strong expertise in academia, industry is yet to fully benefit from optimisation technology due to its high barrier to entry. Connecting industry partners with world-leading interdiscip ....ARC Training Centre in Optimisation Technologies, Integrated Methodologies, and Applications (OPTIMA). OPTIMA addresses industry’s urgent need for decision-making tools for global competitiveness: reducing lead times, and financial and environmental costs, while improving efficiency, quality, and agility. Despite strong expertise in academia, industry is yet to fully benefit from optimisation technology due to its high barrier to entry. Connecting industry partners with world-leading interdisciplinary researchers and talented students, OPTIMA will advance an industry-ready optimisation toolkit, while training a new generation of industry practitioners and over 120 young researchers, vanguarding a highly skilled workforce of change agents for transformation of the advanced manufacturing, energy resources, and critical infrastructure sectors.Read moreRead less