Characterising and suppressing vortex induced vibration. Vortex-Induced Vibration has become the design limiting factor in offshore design of elements such as the flexible pipelines that bring oil and gas to the surface. With rising oil and gas prices it is becoming more economic to explore such resources in deeper waters, which exacerbates the problem. Currently, high factors of safety must be used in the design of such pipelines because of our current lack of understanding of when the vibratio ....Characterising and suppressing vortex induced vibration. Vortex-Induced Vibration has become the design limiting factor in offshore design of elements such as the flexible pipelines that bring oil and gas to the surface. With rising oil and gas prices it is becoming more economic to explore such resources in deeper waters, which exacerbates the problem. Currently, high factors of safety must be used in the design of such pipelines because of our current lack of understanding of when the vibrations occur and their frequency and amplitude. This study will provide insight into the character of such vibrations and also look at means of suppressing them.Read moreRead less
Insect-inspired flapping wing robots: autonomous flight control systems. This project aims to design a novel control scheme for insect-inspired, flapping-wing, micro aerial vehicles. This type of micro aerial vehicle has complex, periodic, time-varying and inherently unstable dynamics, which are practically challenging to model and implement in hardware. This project will design energy-based automatic stabilization and task-dependent control, and develop the insect-inspired platform for testing ....Insect-inspired flapping wing robots: autonomous flight control systems. This project aims to design a novel control scheme for insect-inspired, flapping-wing, micro aerial vehicles. This type of micro aerial vehicle has complex, periodic, time-varying and inherently unstable dynamics, which are practically challenging to model and implement in hardware. This project will design energy-based automatic stabilization and task-dependent control, and develop the insect-inspired platform for testing nonlinear control strategies. The expected outcomes will include new system and control theories, concepts, principles and technologies in controller design that can provide reliable flight control for bio-inspired, flapping-wing systems.Read moreRead less
Co-design and dynamic mission optimisation of hypersonic flight vehicles. This project aims to deliver fundamental knowledge by integrating the modelling and control with the design of next generation hypersonic platforms. In an era where Australia's national security reliance on geographic isolation and support from allied forces are being challenged, the research outcomes of this project will play an important role in understanding the capabilities of hypersonic systems. The project will also ....Co-design and dynamic mission optimisation of hypersonic flight vehicles. This project aims to deliver fundamental knowledge by integrating the modelling and control with the design of next generation hypersonic platforms. In an era where Australia's national security reliance on geographic isolation and support from allied forces are being challenged, the research outcomes of this project will play an important role in understanding the capabilities of hypersonic systems. The project will also have significant spillover benefits into other complex system domains, where computational tools can be used to aid in design leading to high embedded-IP products for Australian industry. Furthermore, the proposal encompasses a strong research training aspect, with graduates exposed to leading edge industry and academia.Read moreRead less
Complexity-manageable methodologies and efficient computational tools for analysis and design of large-scale systems. The tools to be developed in this project have impact on a broad range of disciplines, including system analysis, feedback control technology, signal processing, communication network, and information theory. Practically, the success of this project will create cutting edge technologies applicable to design and management of important infrastructures of the modern society such as ....Complexity-manageable methodologies and efficient computational tools for analysis and design of large-scale systems. The tools to be developed in this project have impact on a broad range of disciplines, including system analysis, feedback control technology, signal processing, communication network, and information theory. Practically, the success of this project will create cutting edge technologies applicable to design and management of important infrastructures of the modern society such as communication networks, transportation systems, electrical power grids, and collaborative intelligent machines, and water distribution networks. Success of this project will bring novel methodologies and computational tools which help engineers to systematically design and validate the performance of their engineering systems.Read moreRead less
Robustness Analysis and Control Design of Distributed and Networked Systems. The theory and computational tools to be developed in this project have impact on a broad range of areas, including various engineering disciplines, biology, and medical and environmental sciences. In terms of practical interests, this project will create cutting edge technologies which are applicable to important infrastructures of the modern society such as communication networks, transportation systems, electrical po ....Robustness Analysis and Control Design of Distributed and Networked Systems. The theory and computational tools to be developed in this project have impact on a broad range of areas, including various engineering disciplines, biology, and medical and environmental sciences. In terms of practical interests, this project will create cutting edge technologies which are applicable to important infrastructures of the modern society such as communication networks, transportation systems, electrical power grids, collaborative intelligent machines, and water distribution networks. Read moreRead less
Variable Structure Control Systems in Networked Environments. This project will be the first in the world to lay the foundation for a new theory for understanding and designing new variable structure control systems in the networked environments, which is in great need due to increasing use of shared communication networks in modern industrial systems. It will firmly place Australia at the forefront of this research by developing a cutting edge technology for improving reliability and efficiency ....Variable Structure Control Systems in Networked Environments. This project will be the first in the world to lay the foundation for a new theory for understanding and designing new variable structure control systems in the networked environments, which is in great need due to increasing use of shared communication networks in modern industrial systems. It will firmly place Australia at the forefront of this research by developing a cutting edge technology for improving reliability and efficiency of industrial variable structure control systems in the networked environments, hence resulting in cost-saving and improved productivity for industry. It will provide training for new leading researchers specialised in this new theory and technology.Read moreRead less
Studying Discretisation Behaviours in Variable Structure Control Systems. Variable structure control is a technology that helps build very simple and effective switching control devices for dealing with environmental uncertainties, which are widely used, for example, in industrial control systems/processes. The outcomes from this research will help the understanding of control performance deterioration due to discretisation and developing effective measures for protection from possible ill beha ....Studying Discretisation Behaviours in Variable Structure Control Systems. Variable structure control is a technology that helps build very simple and effective switching control devices for dealing with environmental uncertainties, which are widely used, for example, in industrial control systems/processes. The outcomes from this research will help the understanding of control performance deterioration due to discretisation and developing effective measures for protection from possible ill behaviours of these control devices. This research will place Australia in the forefront of the development of this new technology, resulting in enhanced reliability of control devices, improved productivity and cost saving for industries, and consequent improvement in quality of life.Read moreRead less
Remote Delivery and Capture of Payloads using Aerial Deployed Tethers. The capability to rapidly transport payloads to and from remote locations is critical for search and rescue, disaster relief, remote communities, and military operations. Conventional technology is not well suited to this role, hence we propose to develop an intelligent system to manoeuvre a tether, towed from an aircraft, to pick-up or set-down a payload, with zero surface velocity. Because of the complex, nonlinear dynamics ....Remote Delivery and Capture of Payloads using Aerial Deployed Tethers. The capability to rapidly transport payloads to and from remote locations is critical for search and rescue, disaster relief, remote communities, and military operations. Conventional technology is not well suited to this role, hence we propose to develop an intelligent system to manoeuvre a tether, towed from an aircraft, to pick-up or set-down a payload, with zero surface velocity. Because of the complex, nonlinear dynamics of a cable-body system, advanced modelling and nonlinear optimal control will be applied in this task. The resulting world-first system will provide important economic opportunities and demonstrate Australian scientific capacity for novel developing intelligent systems.Read moreRead less
Emergence of modular structure in complex systems. Complex systems pervade our world, but are still poorly understood. Self-contained modules provide the most widespread and effective way of reducing and managing complexity, but the way they form in natural systems remains largely a mystery. This study investigates mechanisms that contribute to module formation in complex networks, including adaptation, clustering, enslavement, feedback, phase change and synchronisation. Outcomes will include in ....Emergence of modular structure in complex systems. Complex systems pervade our world, but are still poorly understood. Self-contained modules provide the most widespread and effective way of reducing and managing complexity, but the way they form in natural systems remains largely a mystery. This study investigates mechanisms that contribute to module formation in complex networks, including adaptation, clustering, enslavement, feedback, phase change and synchronisation. Outcomes will include insights into the organisation and functioning of many complex systems, including the Internet, ecological communities and genetic networks. Practical outcomes will include new modelling tools and applications both to evolutionary computation and the design and control of large information networks.Read moreRead less
Modelling, Identification and Control of Complex Networks. Australia has been well known for its leading research in systems and control and many real-world applications in, for instance, telecommunications, defence, power grids and life sciences. This project will further promote Australia's leading position in the emerging new research field - complex networks by theoretical breakthrough in modelling, identification and control of complex networks, and cutting-edge platform technology that can ....Modelling, Identification and Control of Complex Networks. Australia has been well known for its leading research in systems and control and many real-world applications in, for instance, telecommunications, defence, power grids and life sciences. This project will further promote Australia's leading position in the emerging new research field - complex networks by theoretical breakthrough in modelling, identification and control of complex networks, and cutting-edge platform technology that can help Australian energy industry to reduce greenhouse emissions. It will also result in education of the next generation research leaders in this emerging field.Read moreRead less