Development of thin bed concrete masonry structural walls. Masonry is one of the most well regarded construction systems for low and medium rise buildings, but requires skilled labour. The current skills shortage incurs project delays, leading to direct and indirect costs to the Australian community. Thin bed technology for concrete masonry will utilise special blocks and binders for easy adoption by unskilled labour, without compromising personal safety or structural integrity. As thin bed wal ....Development of thin bed concrete masonry structural walls. Masonry is one of the most well regarded construction systems for low and medium rise buildings, but requires skilled labour. The current skills shortage incurs project delays, leading to direct and indirect costs to the Australian community. Thin bed technology for concrete masonry will utilise special blocks and binders for easy adoption by unskilled labour, without compromising personal safety or structural integrity. As thin bed walls require less volume of cement reduced binders, the technology will also lead to reduced carbon emission. Thus, this project addresses two of Australia's greatest challenges: environmental degradation and our critical skills shortage.Read moreRead less
Effectiveness of deep natural clay, compacted clay and geomembranes in limiting seepage from coal seam gas production water evaporation ponds. Australia's coal seam gas reserves exceed those of the Moomba and Bass Strait gas fields combined. Queensland's coal seam gas production already accounts for more than 50% of the state's natural gas supply, and continues to grow rapidly. The production of coal seam gas will escalate in coming years, particularly to provide a clean fuel for electricity g ....Effectiveness of deep natural clay, compacted clay and geomembranes in limiting seepage from coal seam gas production water evaporation ponds. Australia's coal seam gas reserves exceed those of the Moomba and Bass Strait gas fields combined. Queensland's coal seam gas production already accounts for more than 50% of the state's natural gas supply, and continues to grow rapidly. The production of coal seam gas will escalate in coming years, particularly to provide a clean fuel for electricity generation and feed stock for liquefied natural gas to supply rapidly growing markets in Asia. As gas production increases, so too does the generation of saline water. This research will ensure that the evaporation of the saline water does not impact the underlying Great Artesian Basin, so that coal seam gas production may continue and grow.Read moreRead less