A 60% efficient solar microconcentrator for electricity and hot water. The aim of this project is to develop a microconcentrator for deployment on house roofs that will produce both solar hot water and solar electricity with a combined efficiency above 60%. The system will have a low profile and will be nearly invisible from the street. The system will track the sun. Concentration will be accomplished by a mixture of refraction and reflection. About 20% of the sunlight will be converted to elect ....A 60% efficient solar microconcentrator for electricity and hot water. The aim of this project is to develop a microconcentrator for deployment on house roofs that will produce both solar hot water and solar electricity with a combined efficiency above 60%. The system will have a low profile and will be nearly invisible from the street. The system will track the sun. Concentration will be accomplished by a mixture of refraction and reflection. About 20% of the sunlight will be converted to electricity using lines of tiny solar cells, with the balance being converted to heat which is removed by cooling fluid and stored in hot water tanks.Read moreRead less
Topological Design of Mechanical Meta-Structures. This project aims to establish a new computational design methodology to address current challenges facing creation of ultralight structures with ultra-high-performance characteristics. The latest technologies in structural topology optimization and its correlated numerical simulation and structural analysis methods will be unified towards an integrated design framework. Expected outcomes include an advanced generative design platform for discove ....Topological Design of Mechanical Meta-Structures. This project aims to establish a new computational design methodology to address current challenges facing creation of ultralight structures with ultra-high-performance characteristics. The latest technologies in structural topology optimization and its correlated numerical simulation and structural analysis methods will be unified towards an integrated design framework. Expected outcomes include an advanced generative design platform for discovering novel geometries to underpin new meta-structure architectures, validated by appropriate fabrication techniques considering their geometric complexity. Such capabilities will benefit defence, civil, aerospace, energy and transport industries that pursue competitive advantage through innovation.Read moreRead less
Biotransport design for engineering microenvironment in scaffolds. Tissue engineering signifies an exciting opportunity to solve shortage of transplantable tissues. This project targets a critical issue in engineering thick tissue and aims to introduce computational structural optimisation to biotransport problems. The optimal scaffold is expected to create a more desirable microenvironment for better tissue growth.
Crashworthiness topology optimisation for light-weight battery compartments. This project uses computational modelling and optimisation methods to the design of battery compartments for electric vehicles. As the use of electric vehicles becomes more extensive, awareness of the consequences of catastrophic failure of high energy battery in a crash has increased. This project will develop novel design methodologies, using multi-disciplinary techniques for battery compartment structure. The methodo ....Crashworthiness topology optimisation for light-weight battery compartments. This project uses computational modelling and optimisation methods to the design of battery compartments for electric vehicles. As the use of electric vehicles becomes more extensive, awareness of the consequences of catastrophic failure of high energy battery in a crash has increased. This project will develop novel design methodologies, using multi-disciplinary techniques for battery compartment structure. The methodology will expand conventional crashworthiness design to the coupled mechanical-electrochemical-thermal problems. The proposed crashworthiness optimisation of battery compartment structure will enhance safety and reliability of electric vehicles, potentially benefiting consumers and manufacturers.Read moreRead less
Nano-Rheology and Nano-Tribology: Atomistic Simulation of Boundary Lubrication. Manufacturing in atomic level is going to transform the efficiency level in many important applications. As molecular biology transformed medical and biological sciences,so molecular level material design and the techniques involved are going to significantly affect the engineering applications and manufacturing in coming decades. We have no doubt the benefits will flow from the project to many disciplines that are c ....Nano-Rheology and Nano-Tribology: Atomistic Simulation of Boundary Lubrication. Manufacturing in atomic level is going to transform the efficiency level in many important applications. As molecular biology transformed medical and biological sciences,so molecular level material design and the techniques involved are going to significantly affect the engineering applications and manufacturing in coming decades. We have no doubt the benefits will flow from the project to many disciplines that are critical in manufacturing and commercialisation of nano-devices. The results will position Australia in the forefront of one of the most important leading edge technologies in the world. This not only will improve Australia's research profile in the world but also will enable it to capitalize on any future commercial outcomesRead moreRead less
Variable Geometry Cooling Intakes for Passenger Vehicles. Cars reject engine heat via air forced through the grille, radiator and engine bay. The associated "cooling drag" increases total aerodynamic drag by 10-15% hence increasing fuel consumption. The highest heat load that needs to be rejected by the engine determines the quantity of cooling air, resulting in systems that are over designed for typical driving. This research provides a strategy of adjusting the cooling airflow to match the ....Variable Geometry Cooling Intakes for Passenger Vehicles. Cars reject engine heat via air forced through the grille, radiator and engine bay. The associated "cooling drag" increases total aerodynamic drag by 10-15% hence increasing fuel consumption. The highest heat load that needs to be rejected by the engine determines the quantity of cooling air, resulting in systems that are over designed for typical driving. This research provides a strategy of adjusting the cooling airflow to match the engine requirements (via variable geometry intakes that can be under the control of the engine management computer) offering substantial reductions in fuel consumption and emissions.Read moreRead less
A novel multiscale model to investigate mechanical properties of cartilage. This project aims to develop a new multiscale model to investigate anisotropic and inhomogeneous mechanical properties of cartilage. It has been found that the mechanical properties of cartilage highly depend on its microstructures and components. The new model is proposed based on a new constitutive relation in the macroscale and a novel algorithm to obtain local stress distributions in the microscale as well as through ....A novel multiscale model to investigate mechanical properties of cartilage. This project aims to develop a new multiscale model to investigate anisotropic and inhomogeneous mechanical properties of cartilage. It has been found that the mechanical properties of cartilage highly depend on its microstructures and components. The new model is proposed based on a new constitutive relation in the macroscale and a novel algorithm to obtain local stress distributions in the microscale as well as through rigorous experimental validations. This model will be a powerful tool to understand cartilage mechanical properties. It will accelerate the design of mechanically viable artificial cartilage biomaterial, which will provide significant economic benefits and place Australia in the forefront of modelling and biomaterials.Read moreRead less
A Multiscale Modelling Framework for Mechanical Properties of ECM. This project aims to develop a novel hierarchical multi-scale modelling framework to understand factors that influence the mechanical deformation behaviour of the extracellular matrix (ECM) such as cartilage, whose mechanical performance is critical to human wellbeing. Modelling ECM presents significant challenges due to the need to incorporate effects at scales from atomic interactions up to the fibre network in a continuum mode ....A Multiscale Modelling Framework for Mechanical Properties of ECM. This project aims to develop a novel hierarchical multi-scale modelling framework to understand factors that influence the mechanical deformation behaviour of the extracellular matrix (ECM) such as cartilage, whose mechanical performance is critical to human wellbeing. Modelling ECM presents significant challenges due to the need to incorporate effects at scales from atomic interactions up to the fibre network in a continuum model. The proposed framework follows ECM's natural hierarchical structure and integrates efficient models for each key structural scale based on rigorous experimental validations. It is expected to provide a powerful tool for designing successful artificial ECM materials and understanding the mechanisms of the ECM degradation.Read moreRead less
Multiscale Study on Biomechanical Roles of Soft Tissue on Bone Remodelling. The project aims to increase our knowledge of the processes of bone remodelling and the role of soft tissue in this process. Mechanical force is a key stimulus for regulating bone remodelling. A significant question in biomechanics is why orthodontics only use very small forces (1 Newton) to generate significant oral bone remodelling, whereas prosthodontics that apply three orders of magnitude higher forces (~1000 Newton ....Multiscale Study on Biomechanical Roles of Soft Tissue on Bone Remodelling. The project aims to increase our knowledge of the processes of bone remodelling and the role of soft tissue in this process. Mechanical force is a key stimulus for regulating bone remodelling. A significant question in biomechanics is why orthodontics only use very small forces (1 Newton) to generate significant oral bone remodelling, whereas prosthodontics that apply three orders of magnitude higher forces (~1000 Newton) do not move dental implants. This project aims to develop new multiscale modelling and remodelling techniques in computational mechanics to explore the roles played by connective soft tissue in bone adaptation. Expected project outcomes would increase our understanding in biomechanics and affect health care disciplines such as orthodontics, prosthodontics and orthopaedics.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE160101633
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$360,000.00
Summary
Multiscale design of hierarchical structures for crashworthiness. This project intends to develop new hierarchical materials and structures for light weight and crashworthiness by mimicking impact-bearing biological materials. Environmental and road safety concerns mean that vehicles must try to compromise between light weight, to reduce fuel consumption, and crashworthiness. To some extent, design optimisation of conventional materials and structures has reached its limits. This project aims to ....Multiscale design of hierarchical structures for crashworthiness. This project intends to develop new hierarchical materials and structures for light weight and crashworthiness by mimicking impact-bearing biological materials. Environmental and road safety concerns mean that vehicles must try to compromise between light weight, to reduce fuel consumption, and crashworthiness. To some extent, design optimisation of conventional materials and structures has reached its limits. This project aims to develop new biomimetic multiscale design methods to generate novel hierarchical structures for automotive applications. The study is expected to provide the automotive industry with novel approaches and designs to improve both the weight and crashworthiness of vehicles.Read moreRead less