Multi-hazard resilient hybrid modular structures. This project aims to develop the next generation of multi-hazard resilient modular construction methods for efficient, affordable and sustainable buildings. New demountable modular connections will be developed and the response of hybrid modular buildings to multiple hazards such as wind, earthquake, blast and impact will be investigated through a combination of experimental, numerical, and analytical studies. The project will develop knowledge o ....Multi-hazard resilient hybrid modular structures. This project aims to develop the next generation of multi-hazard resilient modular construction methods for efficient, affordable and sustainable buildings. New demountable modular connections will be developed and the response of hybrid modular buildings to multiple hazards such as wind, earthquake, blast and impact will be investigated through a combination of experimental, numerical, and analytical studies. The project will develop knowledge of the structural behaviour of hybrid modular buildings, and expects to deliver design methods and robust simplified models for building design purposes. This project will advance construction techniques and practices for resilient hybrid modular buildings.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE160101116
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$300,000.00
Summary
Development of sandwich structures to mitigate blast and impact loading. Innovative sandwich structures with Prismatic Hexagonal-like form and polymeric foam material are proposed in this project and should lead to better designs for structure and personnel protection. Critical civil infrastructure such as government buildings might be subjected to severe blast/impact loads during their lifetime, which may lead to catastrophic consequences. Therefore, protective techniques are desired to increas ....Development of sandwich structures to mitigate blast and impact loading. Innovative sandwich structures with Prismatic Hexagonal-like form and polymeric foam material are proposed in this project and should lead to better designs for structure and personnel protection. Critical civil infrastructure such as government buildings might be subjected to severe blast/impact loads during their lifetime, which may lead to catastrophic consequences. Therefore, protective techniques are desired to increase the resistance capacity of critical structures against blast/impact loads. The expected outcome is to develop an innovative sandwich structure with new structural forms to mitigate blast/impact loads for better structure and personnel protections.Read moreRead less
Study of Blast Resistance Capacity of Basalt Fibre Strengthened Structures. This project plans to investigate the dynamic response of basalt fibre reinforced polymer (BFRP) reinforced structures against blast loading. Critical infrastructures such as embassy buildings, high-rise building, bridges and defence facilities are intensively targeted by increasing terrorist activities or accidental explosions. BFRP is a promising material for such structures because it is cheaper than carbon fibre and ....Study of Blast Resistance Capacity of Basalt Fibre Strengthened Structures. This project plans to investigate the dynamic response of basalt fibre reinforced polymer (BFRP) reinforced structures against blast loading. Critical infrastructures such as embassy buildings, high-rise building, bridges and defence facilities are intensively targeted by increasing terrorist activities or accidental explosions. BFRP is a promising material for such structures because it is cheaper than carbon fibre and has better physico-mechanical properties than glass fibre. However, there has been very limited study of the effectiveness of BFRP strengthening on structure blast-loading resistant capacities. This project aims to perform numerical and experimental studies to support the development of BFRP applications in strengthening structures against blast loads.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE150100130
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$320,000.00
Summary
An earthquake shaking table to investigate soil-structure interactions. An earthquake shaking table to investigate soil-structure interactions: This project aims to develop Australia's most advanced earthquake shaking table. Earthquakes are a problem of great significance to Australia. Infrastructure in civil, transport, mining and energy sectors may be at an unacceptable risk of damage under earthquake loading as current design practices do not account for the interaction between infrastructure ....An earthquake shaking table to investigate soil-structure interactions. An earthquake shaking table to investigate soil-structure interactions: This project aims to develop Australia's most advanced earthquake shaking table. Earthquakes are a problem of great significance to Australia. Infrastructure in civil, transport, mining and energy sectors may be at an unacceptable risk of damage under earthquake loading as current design practices do not account for the interaction between infrastructure and the ground under such loading. The shaking table will simulate earthquakes and enable controlled testing of three-tonne models of foundation and soil-structure interaction systems typical of Australia's infrastructure. The discoveries made are expected to be integral to the modernisation of Australia's seismic design standards so that earthquake-induced damage and risk exposure can be minimised.Read moreRead less
Development of Novel Metaconcrete to Resist Impulsive Loads. This project aims to develop innovative metaconcrete for structural protection by utilising the concept of phononic crystals and metamaterials which has been recently developed by physicists. Traditional construction materials are used in new structural forms to mitigate dynamic loading effects by exploiting the unique characteristics of the proposed metaconcrete. Theoretical, numerical and experimental methods will be used to derive t ....Development of Novel Metaconcrete to Resist Impulsive Loads. This project aims to develop innovative metaconcrete for structural protection by utilising the concept of phononic crystals and metamaterials which has been recently developed by physicists. Traditional construction materials are used in new structural forms to mitigate dynamic loading effects by exploiting the unique characteristics of the proposed metaconcrete. Theoretical, numerical and experimental methods will be used to derive the best performing metaconcrete and verify its static and dynamic load resistant capacities. The expected outcomes of the project will lead to innovative extreme-loading resistant designs and provide significant benefit to the Australian construction industry, general public and economy.Read moreRead less
Developing innovative concrete composites by upscaling material properties. This project aims to develop an upscaling process to correlate micro-nano properties of engineering materials to their comprehensive physicochemical properties based on systematic mechanical and statistical analysis approaches and nanoindentation technology. The process will enable assessing material mechanical and viscoelastic properties at a microscale level thus will generate a new knowledge in structural engineering ....Developing innovative concrete composites by upscaling material properties. This project aims to develop an upscaling process to correlate micro-nano properties of engineering materials to their comprehensive physicochemical properties based on systematic mechanical and statistical analysis approaches and nanoindentation technology. The process will enable assessing material mechanical and viscoelastic properties at a microscale level thus will generate a new knowledge in structural engineering discipline including health monitoring, assessment of existing structures, historical buildings, and strengthening and repairing materials in structures. The outcomes are a multiscale link model for upscaling material properties and a development of innovative reinforced concrete composites which are cost-effective and efficient.Read moreRead less
A 21st century laboratory testing device for geotechnical engineering. This project aims to use advanced image analysis and cloud computing technologies to replace manual, time-consuming and subjective geotechnical engineering practices with a rapid, automated, and more rational approach. A new geo-materials testing system based on the existing triaxial apparatus will be developed that employs three-dimensional image capture hardware and advanced image analysis techniques. The data measured over ....A 21st century laboratory testing device for geotechnical engineering. This project aims to use advanced image analysis and cloud computing technologies to replace manual, time-consuming and subjective geotechnical engineering practices with a rapid, automated, and more rational approach. A new geo-materials testing system based on the existing triaxial apparatus will be developed that employs three-dimensional image capture hardware and advanced image analysis techniques. The data measured over the entire sample surface will feed into an automated, intelligent parameter selection procedure combining finite element analysis with numerical optimisation techniques. Application of the proposal’s findings will allow more accurate and efficient engineering design of transport and energy infrastructure that supports modern economies.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE150100195
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$360,000.00
Summary
Using Sandwich Pipe for Pipeline Vibration Control. Pipelines are important structures but are vulnerable to different types of damage. This damage is often associated with pipeline vibration. It is important to control adverse vibrations to reduce the risk of catastrophic damage. This project proposes using sandwich pipe to suppress different sources of vibrations that may be experienced during the lifetime of the pipeline. Analytical, numerical and experimental investigations will be carried o ....Using Sandwich Pipe for Pipeline Vibration Control. Pipelines are important structures but are vulnerable to different types of damage. This damage is often associated with pipeline vibration. It is important to control adverse vibrations to reduce the risk of catastrophic damage. This project proposes using sandwich pipe to suppress different sources of vibrations that may be experienced during the lifetime of the pipeline. Analytical, numerical and experimental investigations will be carried out to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed method. The project aims to develop direct applications for designing pipelines to suppress different sources of vibration and to guarantee the safety of pipelines.Read moreRead less
Braced batter micropile group: New design theory and performance framework. Braced batter micropile group: New design theory and performance framework. This project aims to research the design and performance of innovative biomimetic braced battered micropile group footings. This project will test Surefoot, the new concrete free footing, in the laboratory, in the field, and through numerical and analytical modelling. Surefoot’s mechanisms of action are poorly understood but clearly more complex ....Braced batter micropile group: New design theory and performance framework. Braced batter micropile group: New design theory and performance framework. This project aims to research the design and performance of innovative biomimetic braced battered micropile group footings. This project will test Surefoot, the new concrete free footing, in the laboratory, in the field, and through numerical and analytical modelling. Surefoot’s mechanisms of action are poorly understood but clearly more complex than current micropile theory; this project will research the mechanism of load transfer from micropiles to the soil and soil response.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE130100133
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$400,000.00
Summary
National Facility for Physical Blast Simulation (NFPBS). Recent terrorist attacks employing large quantities of high explosives have prompted the international demand for experimental investigation of civil infrastructure response to shock wave loadings. The National Facility for Physical Blast Simulation (NFPBS) is one of only a few in the world that are suitable for conducting experimental research via a physically generated blast approach.