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
Modelling greenhouse gas emissions associated with commercial building construction. A reliable model of greenhouse gas emissions for commercial building construction is required. Construction product manufacturing emissions are well known, but those associated with the construction process (representing up to 25% of the energy embodied in construction products) have not been fully elucidated. Commercial building construction requires more energy per square metre than residential building constr ....Modelling greenhouse gas emissions associated with commercial building construction. A reliable model of greenhouse gas emissions for commercial building construction is required. Construction product manufacturing emissions are well known, but those associated with the construction process (representing up to 25% of the energy embodied in construction products) have not been fully elucidated. Commercial building construction requires more energy per square metre than residential building construction, due mainly to lifting of heavy items. The results will be used to develop cost effective strategies for optimising greenhouse gas emissions associated with the total emissions from commercial building construction and operation. This will improve the environmental performance of the Australian construction industry.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
INVESTIGATION OF THE MECHANISM CAUSING SHRINKAGE STRAINS IN CONCRETES MADE WITH SLAG BLENDED CEMENTS. Slag, an industrial by-product, can partially substitute portland cement. High slag contents produce highly durable concretes and help reduce the CO2 emissions due to cement manufacture. Major problem of high slag content is often the high shrinkages resulting in the concrete. This project will systematically study all the factors affect the shrinkage behaviour in slag-blended cement concrete ....INVESTIGATION OF THE MECHANISM CAUSING SHRINKAGE STRAINS IN CONCRETES MADE WITH SLAG BLENDED CEMENTS. Slag, an industrial by-product, can partially substitute portland cement. High slag contents produce highly durable concretes and help reduce the CO2 emissions due to cement manufacture. Major problem of high slag content is often the high shrinkages resulting in the concrete. This project will systematically study all the factors affect the shrinkage behaviour in slag-blended cement concretes including the appropriateness of the standard shrinkage measurement method. The other aim is to develop a micro-mechanical model to understand the fundamental mechanism involved. This model will also lead to a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in shrinkage in all concretes.Read moreRead less
Embodied energy modelling of individual commercial buildings. This research will develop a method for modelling the energy embodied in individual commercial building construction. Construction material manufacturing emissions are well known in most industries, but the total embodied energy of the construction supply chain is difficult to model for individual buildings. For efficient commercial buildings, the embodied energy can represent up to 40 years of operational energy. The results will be ....Embodied energy modelling of individual commercial buildings. This research will develop a method for modelling the energy embodied in individual commercial building construction. Construction material manufacturing emissions are well known in most industries, but the total embodied energy of the construction supply chain is difficult to model for individual buildings. For efficient commercial buildings, the embodied energy can represent up to 40 years of operational energy. The results will be used to develop cost effective strategies for optimising the total life cycle energy of individual commercial buildings. This will in part improve the environmental performance of the Australian construction industry.Read moreRead less
Highly Crosslinked Poly(urea-co-urethane) Copolymer Concrete Floor Coatings. Recently developed, poly(urea-co-urethane) concrete floor screeds are used, in the construction industry, to provide protection against corrosive chemicals and abrasive wear; properties unmatched by other commercial floor treatments. Significantly such material has reduced environmental emissions and toxicity hazards. Factors, which affect the cure and performance of poly(urea-co-urethane) flooring materials will now ....Highly Crosslinked Poly(urea-co-urethane) Copolymer Concrete Floor Coatings. Recently developed, poly(urea-co-urethane) concrete floor screeds are used, in the construction industry, to provide protection against corrosive chemicals and abrasive wear; properties unmatched by other commercial floor treatments. Significantly such material has reduced environmental emissions and toxicity hazards. Factors, which affect the cure and performance of poly(urea-co-urethane) flooring materials will now be studied, including the uncontrolled release of carbon dioxide, which results in sporadic blister formation, leading to the on-site product failures that have severely limited the product's commercial growth. Clear understanding of cure chemistry and adhesion will be established for the first, allowing for the products further development.Read moreRead less