Laboratory and Field Testing of a Leak Detection Technique Using Fluid Transients. A major problem in fluid pipelines and pipe networks is undetected leakage. This research collaboration will develop new approaches that will enable systematic leak detection using advanced numerical modelling and inverse techniques with the ultimate goal of implementing these leak detection methods in practice. In addition to the numerical model development, an extensive series of laboratory experiments will be u ....Laboratory and Field Testing of a Leak Detection Technique Using Fluid Transients. A major problem in fluid pipelines and pipe networks is undetected leakage. This research collaboration will develop new approaches that will enable systematic leak detection using advanced numerical modelling and inverse techniques with the ultimate goal of implementing these leak detection methods in practice. In addition to the numerical model development, an extensive series of laboratory experiments will be undertaken by researchers from both universities using the laboratory facilities in Adelaide to verify and extend the new approaches. The researchers will conduct similar experiments under field conditions on much larger pipe systems in Toronto and generally in Canada.Read moreRead less
Frequency Domain Micro-Reflection Processing for Pipe Condition Assessment. Over the coming years many millions of dollars will be spent on upgrading deteriorated pipeline infrastructure that is part of water distribution systems all over Australia. Determining the condition of buried pipes is very difficult and expensive. This research will solve that problem. We will develop powerful numerical methods for non-invasive pipe condition assessment. Small controlled transients will be input by a ....Frequency Domain Micro-Reflection Processing for Pipe Condition Assessment. Over the coming years many millions of dollars will be spent on upgrading deteriorated pipeline infrastructure that is part of water distribution systems all over Australia. Determining the condition of buried pipes is very difficult and expensive. This research will solve that problem. We will develop powerful numerical methods for non-invasive pipe condition assessment. Small controlled transients will be input by a specially designed signal generation device that can determine the condition of the inside of the pipe. These new techniques will be cost-effective, accurate and able to cover very long distances of pipe. Water authorities will then be able to quickly decide which sections of pipe require further investigation.Read moreRead less
Micro-reflections for pipe condition assessment in water networks. Maintaining highly reliable water supply pipeline infrastructure for cities, towns and in rural Australia is extremely important. Our research will develop new non-invasive condition assessment techniques. Transient events will be used to create pressure waves that travel up and down a pipe. Sophisticated analysis of the micro-reflections in the measured pressure traces will be the heart of the new techniques. Water utility manag ....Micro-reflections for pipe condition assessment in water networks. Maintaining highly reliable water supply pipeline infrastructure for cities, towns and in rural Australia is extremely important. Our research will develop new non-invasive condition assessment techniques. Transient events will be used to create pressure waves that travel up and down a pipe. Sophisticated analysis of the micro-reflections in the measured pressure traces will be the heart of the new techniques. Water utility managers will be able to make a detailed assessment of the interior pipe wall to determine if significant corrosion or deterioration of the cement mortar lining has occurred. Rehabilitation strategies can then be determined. These new techniques will replace camera inspections that are extremely invasive and expensive.Read moreRead less
A new approach to systematic blockage detection and mapping in water distribution systems. Techniques to non-destructively probe and map features are common in medicine (MRI, Ultrasound, X-rays) and in other areas such as geophysics. No analogous techniques exist for water distribution systems that are an integral part of society's infrastructure. The location and mapping of blockages using pressure pulses is the focus of this research and our industry partner wants to be the first to develop ....A new approach to systematic blockage detection and mapping in water distribution systems. Techniques to non-destructively probe and map features are common in medicine (MRI, Ultrasound, X-rays) and in other areas such as geophysics. No analogous techniques exist for water distribution systems that are an integral part of society's infrastructure. The location and mapping of blockages using pressure pulses is the focus of this research and our industry partner wants to be the first to develop this technology. Experimental verification of the technique will be carried out in laboratory and field tests. The new methodology will have a significant economic impact with major savings of operation and maintenance costs for water networks worldwide.Read moreRead less
Beyond the limits of corrosion detection in inaccessible areas. The project will develop a new technology for medium-range corrosion mapping in inaccessible areas of infrastructure. This will overcome the limitations of existing corrosion inspection techniques for corrosion inspection at inaccessible areas. The project will create a new concept and generate new knowledge on accurate corrosion mapping in inaccessible areas. The expected outcomes are significant improvements in the capability and ....Beyond the limits of corrosion detection in inaccessible areas. The project will develop a new technology for medium-range corrosion mapping in inaccessible areas of infrastructure. This will overcome the limitations of existing corrosion inspection techniques for corrosion inspection at inaccessible areas. The project will create a new concept and generate new knowledge on accurate corrosion mapping in inaccessible areas. The expected outcomes are significant improvements in the capability and practicability over existing corrosion inspection technologies adopted by industry for a wide range of infrastructure, in particular the Oil and Gas, Mining, Energy and Water infrastructure, as well as improving the reliability and cost-efficiency of the corrosion inspection.Read moreRead less
Accelerating Consolidation and Closure of Mine Tailings Storage Facilities. All mining operations involve the production of waste. Many regard such waste (tailings) and their environmentally acceptable storage as constituting the largest waste problem on Earth because of the enormous damage and loss-of-life that have resulted from failures of tailings storage facilities. This project focuses on a dewatering technology, electro-osmosis (EO), which has yet to be fully operationalised, for improvin ....Accelerating Consolidation and Closure of Mine Tailings Storage Facilities. All mining operations involve the production of waste. Many regard such waste (tailings) and their environmentally acceptable storage as constituting the largest waste problem on Earth because of the enormous damage and loss-of-life that have resulted from failures of tailings storage facilities. This project focuses on a dewatering technology, electro-osmosis (EO), which has yet to be fully operationalised, for improving the strength, stability and settlement characteristics of the tailings. Sophisticated testing will be undertaken at three scales (lab, meso and, most importantly, field), as well as the development of generic numerical models, to create practical guidelines to facilitate the implementation of EO in mines around the world.Read moreRead less
Evaluating potential static liquefaction of tailings to prevent failures. This project aims to reduce risk in the mining industry from failing mine tailings by producing a methodology for predicting the susceptibility of these tailings to static liquefaction. The impact of a mine tailing failure is catastrophic to the downstream community. The project brings together a number of industry partners committed to assisting with verification and adoption of characterisation and designed tools develop ....Evaluating potential static liquefaction of tailings to prevent failures. This project aims to reduce risk in the mining industry from failing mine tailings by producing a methodology for predicting the susceptibility of these tailings to static liquefaction. The impact of a mine tailing failure is catastrophic to the downstream community. The project brings together a number of industry partners committed to assisting with verification and adoption of characterisation and designed tools development in this project. This proposal will integrate results from laboratory element, centrifuge and calibration chamber tests with numerical modelling and in-situ tests to produce a methodology for predicting the susceptibility to static liquefaction.Read moreRead less
Reinforced crumbed rubber concrete for residential construction. Reinforced crumbed rubber concrete for residential construction. This project aims to use crumb rubber from used tyres to replace natural sand aggregate in concrete used in housing construction. Globally, very few of the millions of tyres discarded annually are recycled, while natural sand used in concrete is being depleted. This project intends to provide the tyre industry with a viable market for end of life tyres, and the premix ....Reinforced crumbed rubber concrete for residential construction. Reinforced crumbed rubber concrete for residential construction. This project aims to use crumb rubber from used tyres to replace natural sand aggregate in concrete used in housing construction. Globally, very few of the millions of tyres discarded annually are recycled, while natural sand used in concrete is being depleted. This project intends to provide the tyre industry with a viable market for end of life tyres, and the premix concrete industry with a “green” product for the residential construction market. Expected benefits include the increased use of a waste resource (used tyres), reduced use of a scarce natural resource (sand), and the development of an economic but green alternative concrete option for residential builders and owners.Read moreRead less
Impact of rolling dynamic compaction. The project will lead to improved understanding and greater use of rolling dynamic compaction (RDC). RDC is a relatively new compaction technique that can be used to improve soft and derelict ground prior to the construction of roads, railways, subdivisions and structures. This project will also lead to greatly reduced ground improvement costs.
The Prediction and Analysis of Complex Morphology in Coastal Environments. Coastal features, incorporating river, tide and wave induced flows and associated sediment transport, represent highly complex systems. At present it is impossible to analyse anything but the simplest forms, yet it is often necessary to determine their overall properties and behaviour in engineering analysis and design. The aim of the project is to develop and verify a modelling approach using the concept of entropy and a ....The Prediction and Analysis of Complex Morphology in Coastal Environments. Coastal features, incorporating river, tide and wave induced flows and associated sediment transport, represent highly complex systems. At present it is impossible to analyse anything but the simplest forms, yet it is often necessary to determine their overall properties and behaviour in engineering analysis and design. The aim of the project is to develop and verify a modelling approach using the concept of entropy and an efficient optimisation algorithm to allow key properties of complex coastal systems to be determined. The proposal represents an innovative approach to the coastal modelling problem that would overcome significant limitations of current morphological models.Read moreRead less