The effect of wastewater treatment on the ecotoxicity of chiral chemicals. This project aims to assess the environmental implications of pharmaceuticals discharged in effluents from wastewater treatment plants. Trace levels of human pharmaceuticals occur in sewage and urban waterways, but during sewage treatment, some pharmaceuticals can undergo a chemical transformation known as 'chiral inversion'. In some cases, this may convert relatively benign environmental contaminants to more ecologically ....The effect of wastewater treatment on the ecotoxicity of chiral chemicals. This project aims to assess the environmental implications of pharmaceuticals discharged in effluents from wastewater treatment plants. Trace levels of human pharmaceuticals occur in sewage and urban waterways, but during sewage treatment, some pharmaceuticals can undergo a chemical transformation known as 'chiral inversion'. In some cases, this may convert relatively benign environmental contaminants to more ecologically toxic species. This project will investigate why and how some pharmaceuticals become susceptible to chiral inversion and assess ecotoxicological differences. This work is expected to determine the significance of considering chiral inversion in environmental risk assessment, with applications to a broader range of chemicals including pesticides and industrial chemicals.Read moreRead less
Activating lazy stormwater wetlands through real time monitoring & control. Constructed stormwater wetlands are the last line of defence preventing pollution of urban waterways, but wetlands often fail, with their passive operation unable to adapt to the highly variable climate and hydrology they experience. This project aims to use advances in real-time control technology to turn these lazy wetlands into active wetland systems, optimising their performance. It aims to deliver new-generation tec ....Activating lazy stormwater wetlands through real time monitoring & control. Constructed stormwater wetlands are the last line of defence preventing pollution of urban waterways, but wetlands often fail, with their passive operation unable to adapt to the highly variable climate and hydrology they experience. This project aims to use advances in real-time control technology to turn these lazy wetlands into active wetland systems, optimising their performance. It aims to deliver new-generation technologies to enhance water quality treatment, enhance urban water security and guarantee environmental flows to maintain healthy waterways. Working in partnership with waterway managers and water retailers, this project strives to deliver a nationally and globally relevant technology to change how we manage water in cities.Read moreRead less
Assessing risk of oligomictic conditions in sub-tropical water supply lakes. Assessing risk of oligomictic conditions in sub-tropical water supply lakes. This project aims to assess the risk of low rates of mixing in sub-tropical drinking water supply reservoirs, using environmental monitoring and numerical modelling. Emerging evidence suggests sub-tropical drinking water supply reservoirs could transition to low mixing states with increasing age and projected changes in global climate. While th ....Assessing risk of oligomictic conditions in sub-tropical water supply lakes. Assessing risk of oligomictic conditions in sub-tropical water supply lakes. This project aims to assess the risk of low rates of mixing in sub-tropical drinking water supply reservoirs, using environmental monitoring and numerical modelling. Emerging evidence suggests sub-tropical drinking water supply reservoirs could transition to low mixing states with increasing age and projected changes in global climate. While this risk is poorly understood, it could significantly affect the long-term reliability of water supply and potable water treatment costs. Addressing this knowledge gap is expected to develop effective management responses to ensure the long term sustainable use of these water resources.Read moreRead less
Smart management of disinfectant in chloraminated water-supply systems. Smart management of disinfectant in chloraminated water-supply systems. This project aims to develop an adaptive, real-time control system for managing disinfectant residuals in chloraminated water supply systems. While chloramine delivers microbiologically safe drinking water in warmer climates and in long distribution systems, it is largely unpredictable, costs water utilities millions of dollars annually, and has uncertai ....Smart management of disinfectant in chloraminated water-supply systems. Smart management of disinfectant in chloraminated water-supply systems. This project aims to develop an adaptive, real-time control system for managing disinfectant residuals in chloraminated water supply systems. While chloramine delivers microbiologically safe drinking water in warmer climates and in long distribution systems, it is largely unpredictable, costs water utilities millions of dollars annually, and has uncertain benefits. This project’s control system will be guided by quantitative models formulated from multi-pronged, fundamental experiments. The project will quantify microbial chloramine decay and determine mechanisms to increase predictability. The project will develop and demonstrate a real-time control technology which delivered microbiologically safe, cost-efficient drinking water to people in warmer climates, despite warming climate and increasing population.Read moreRead less
On-line monitoring of cyanobacteria to predict coagulant doses and powdered activated carbon application in water treatment. Cyanobacteria, more commonly known as blue-green algae, can impact water quality by releasing toxins that can be harmful to human health and imparting unpleasant taste and odours to the water. This project will support the water industry in managing these risks by providing a rapid, on-line tool to assist in their removal during water treatment.
Progressive collapse resistance of concrete flat plate structures. This project aims to systematically and thoroughly investigate the progressive collapse mechanisms and resistance capacity of concrete flat plate structures. They represent one of the most common construction systems used worldwide in modern days, yet their progressive collapse mechanisms require attention and limited collapse prevention design guidelines are available. The outcomes are expected to broaden and deepen the existing ....Progressive collapse resistance of concrete flat plate structures. This project aims to systematically and thoroughly investigate the progressive collapse mechanisms and resistance capacity of concrete flat plate structures. They represent one of the most common construction systems used worldwide in modern days, yet their progressive collapse mechanisms require attention and limited collapse prevention design guidelines are available. The outcomes are expected to broaden and deepen the existing theoretical framework and knowledge base, prevent injury and loss of life in both new and existing buildings. This is expected ultimately to contribute to the establishment of a set of collapse-resistant design guidelines for further development of relevant Australian and international standards.Read moreRead less
Erosion processes in soils across scales. This project aims to develop a monitoring tool for predicting the evolution of internal erosion in dams based on innovative electromagnetic observation methods. Internal erosion is an insidious process occurring in the obscurity of the soil’s pore system until its consequences become visible and threaten the stability of the dams. These water retaining structures are vital for the future water and energy supply for our society and their failure can be ca ....Erosion processes in soils across scales. This project aims to develop a monitoring tool for predicting the evolution of internal erosion in dams based on innovative electromagnetic observation methods. Internal erosion is an insidious process occurring in the obscurity of the soil’s pore system until its consequences become visible and threaten the stability of the dams. These water retaining structures are vital for the future water and energy supply for our society and their failure can be catastrophic. By establishing an improved understanding of internal erosion as a sequence of processes on various scales, from the onset of erosion until the failure of the structure, this project will place Australia at the forefront of dam safety assessment.Read moreRead less
Failure Mechanisms of Roof Cladding under Fluctuating Wind Loads. Wind damage to low-rise buildings cause disruption to communities and result in economic losses. Improvements to the most vulnerable part (i.e. roof) will therefore have national benefits and associated economic benefits. Currently, roofing systems used in cyclonic areas are evaluated to DABM in the Northern Territory and to TR440 elsewhere, requiring the same product be tested under two different (and unsatisfactory) specificat ....Failure Mechanisms of Roof Cladding under Fluctuating Wind Loads. Wind damage to low-rise buildings cause disruption to communities and result in economic losses. Improvements to the most vulnerable part (i.e. roof) will therefore have national benefits and associated economic benefits. Currently, roofing systems used in cyclonic areas are evaluated to DABM in the Northern Territory and to TR440 elsewhere, requiring the same product be tested under two different (and unsatisfactory) specifications. This is due to the limited understanding of wind-induced fatigue of cladding. This project will provide the framework for understanding and minimizing cladding fatigue. A realistic single test will also reduce cost and result in better design systems.Read moreRead less
Development of Fibre Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete Products. The construction industry is one of the world's largest consumers of raw materials and it is widely accepted that current material usage trends are unsustainable. Development of new more efficient construction materials is paramount to overcoming this. This novel research will use advanced high strength glass and carbon fibres and polymer resins to improve the structural behaviour, versatility and economic viability of a natio ....Development of Fibre Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete Products. The construction industry is one of the world's largest consumers of raw materials and it is widely accepted that current material usage trends are unsustainable. Development of new more efficient construction materials is paramount to overcoming this. This novel research will use advanced high strength glass and carbon fibres and polymer resins to improve the structural behaviour, versatility and economic viability of a nationally significant construction material known as Autoclaved Aerated Concrete. The material technologies developed by this research will lead to more efficient material use, a more sustainable materials solution and the potential to export the technology worldwide.Read moreRead less
The response of beams subjected to axial load and lateral soil movements. Beams (piles, soil nails, and pipelines) are not only subjected to axial (vertical, axial and longitudinal)loading, but often withstand simultaneous lateral loading, due to either explicit structural loads, or due to loads induced by movement of the soils in which they are founded. Bridge piles adjacent to an approach embankment are one example. This project will provide experimental evidence to assist with the estimation ....The response of beams subjected to axial load and lateral soil movements. Beams (piles, soil nails, and pipelines) are not only subjected to axial (vertical, axial and longitudinal)loading, but often withstand simultaneous lateral loading, due to either explicit structural loads, or due to loads induced by movement of the soils in which they are founded. Bridge piles adjacent to an approach embankment are one example. This project will provide experimental evidence to assist with the estimation of capacity, axial and shear resistance, the validation of unified solutions for beams subjected to simultaneous lateral soil movements and axial loads. Such experimental evidence and analytical solutions are not currently available. The evidence will also assist with solving a contradictory, existing design principle, which will lead to an economic and efficient design approach.Read moreRead less