Physics-informed hydrodynamic model for clay across scales. This project aims to develop a predictive model for the macroscopic behaviour of clay by combining direct observations of microscopic and mesoscopic mechanisms with rigorous physical principles. The project expects to track clay aggregates as they expand or shrink under variable loads and moistures using novel X-ray and optical methods. A key anticipated result is the development of a robust hydrodynamic model for clay that rationalises ....Physics-informed hydrodynamic model for clay across scales. This project aims to develop a predictive model for the macroscopic behaviour of clay by combining direct observations of microscopic and mesoscopic mechanisms with rigorous physical principles. The project expects to track clay aggregates as they expand or shrink under variable loads and moistures using novel X-ray and optical methods. A key anticipated result is the development of a robust hydrodynamic model for clay that rationalises the observed phenomena. Expected outcomes include the accurate predictions of clay dynamics, either fast during landslides or slow under drying and wetting. As much of Australia experiences droughts and floods, this project should benefit the longevity and safety of critical infrastructure situated on clay.Read moreRead less
Securing Australian floating wind developments with helical anchors. This project will reduce the cost of offshore floating wind energy by uniting leading academic expertise and innovative industry partners to develop the knowledge and practical tools that will enable the deployment of helical anchors as a cheap and reliable anchoring system for floating wind. Helical anchors are seen as the most promising solution to anchor wind turbines, but their deployment has been limited by uncertainties a ....Securing Australian floating wind developments with helical anchors. This project will reduce the cost of offshore floating wind energy by uniting leading academic expertise and innovative industry partners to develop the knowledge and practical tools that will enable the deployment of helical anchors as a cheap and reliable anchoring system for floating wind. Helical anchors are seen as the most promising solution to anchor wind turbines, but their deployment has been limited by uncertainties associated with the torque and vertical force required for installation in complex seabeds, and their performance under environmental loading. The project will address these specific points through a combination of physical, numerical and analytical modelling, using data and design scenarios provided by industry.
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Optimisation of shallow geothermal systems for Australian schools. This project aims to increase energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by optimising shallow geothermal systems in Australian schools. Shallow geothermal systems use the ground as a heat source and sink for heating and cooling. Their application to schools has the potential to harness energy from untapped resources such as sport grounds, reduce energy consumption by up to 75% and increase comfort and productivity of ....Optimisation of shallow geothermal systems for Australian schools. This project aims to increase energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by optimising shallow geothermal systems in Australian schools. Shallow geothermal systems use the ground as a heat source and sink for heating and cooling. Their application to schools has the potential to harness energy from untapped resources such as sport grounds, reduce energy consumption by up to 75% and increase comfort and productivity of our children at school. An expected outcome of this project is to create a full scale physical model along advanced optimisation models which will allow better understanding of energy efficiency gains, and lead towards improving geothermal design techniques tailored to educational buildings.Read moreRead less
Reducing geotechnical design conservatism to secure floating wind energy. The next frontier for offshore wind energy is moving further out to sea to avail of stronger and more consistent wind speeds. In these water depths, wind turbines are installed on floaters tethered to anchors in the seabed. Geotechnical design of anchors is inherently conservative, having been shaped by technical and economic considerations of oil and gas facilities. The offshore wind energy industry cannot afford to adopt ....Reducing geotechnical design conservatism to secure floating wind energy. The next frontier for offshore wind energy is moving further out to sea to avail of stronger and more consistent wind speeds. In these water depths, wind turbines are installed on floaters tethered to anchors in the seabed. Geotechnical design of anchors is inherently conservative, having been shaped by technical and economic considerations of oil and gas facilities. The offshore wind energy industry cannot afford to adopt such conservatism if floating wind is to become commercially viable. This project will, through numerical developments, geotechnical centrifuge modelling and field testing, develop the science that will lead to a reliability-based geotechnical design approach to make floating offshore wind energy economic and viable.Read moreRead less
Unlocking new generation physical modelling with realistic soil response. This project will improve the safety and efficiency of geo-structures associated with offshore wind developments by better characterising and replicating the behaviour of carbonate sediments. Novel characterisation techniques will be used to better understand the links between the chemical and structural composition of the sediments and their engineering properties relevant to geotechnical design, and how to better replica ....Unlocking new generation physical modelling with realistic soil response. This project will improve the safety and efficiency of geo-structures associated with offshore wind developments by better characterising and replicating the behaviour of carbonate sediments. Novel characterisation techniques will be used to better understand the links between the chemical and structural composition of the sediments and their engineering properties relevant to geotechnical design, and how to better replicate carbonate sediment behaviour in a laboratory – an outcome that has eluded researchers for decades. The main outcomes of the project will be the development of soil sample reconstitution techniques enabling high-fidelity physical modelling to be undertaken to assist in the design offshore wind turbine foundations.Read moreRead less
Non-differentiable Energy Minimisation For Modelling Fractured Porous Media. This project is aimed at advancing theoretical, computational and experimental bases for the fracturing of geomaterials, and providing scientists and engineers with much needed predictive tools for quantitative assessment of the responses. By incorporating previously neglected aspects such as energy minimisation, advanced constitutive modelling, and non-planar interacting fracture growth, confidence in the design and pl ....Non-differentiable Energy Minimisation For Modelling Fractured Porous Media. This project is aimed at advancing theoretical, computational and experimental bases for the fracturing of geomaterials, and providing scientists and engineers with much needed predictive tools for quantitative assessment of the responses. By incorporating previously neglected aspects such as energy minimisation, advanced constitutive modelling, and non-planar interacting fracture growth, confidence in the design and planning of engineering processes in fractured porous media will be increased to the point that costly over/under designs are avoided. Through the use of the tools developed, it will be possible to detect weaknesses in the design, assess the impact and implement effective measures to improve performance.Read moreRead less
Experimental investigation and constitutive modelling of reactive soils. This project aims to develop the fundamental knowledge, a mechanical framework and practical engineering design tools needed to minimise the effects of reactive soils on infrastructure. Reactive soils undergo significant swelling and weakening upon wetting or intrusion by salt-rich groundwater and shrinkage upon drying. This can result in damage to buildings and infrastructure beyond a state of repair. This project will dev ....Experimental investigation and constitutive modelling of reactive soils. This project aims to develop the fundamental knowledge, a mechanical framework and practical engineering design tools needed to minimise the effects of reactive soils on infrastructure. Reactive soils undergo significant swelling and weakening upon wetting or intrusion by salt-rich groundwater and shrinkage upon drying. This can result in damage to buildings and infrastructure beyond a state of repair. This project will develop tools, models and theories to detect weaknesses in the design of infrastructure and its foundations built on problematic reactive soils, assess the impact and implement effective remedial measures to improve performance. The project is expected to increase efficiency through improved design and reduced damage, and save infrastructure owners, government and private, tens of millions of dollars each year.Read moreRead less
Modelling creep and time-dependency in unsaturated soils. This project aims to present the most complete and rigorous modelling framework for creep and time-dependent behaviour of unsaturated soils in infrastructure. The project will address previously neglected aspects of soil behaviour, such as gradual changes in physical properties with time and strain-rate dependency. The project is expected to enable better predictions of infrastructure performance, improve confidence in design, and avoid u ....Modelling creep and time-dependency in unsaturated soils. This project aims to present the most complete and rigorous modelling framework for creep and time-dependent behaviour of unsaturated soils in infrastructure. The project will address previously neglected aspects of soil behaviour, such as gradual changes in physical properties with time and strain-rate dependency. The project is expected to enable better predictions of infrastructure performance, improve confidence in design, and avoid unwarranted over-design and the considerable cost this imposes. The project will provide a fully validated predictive computational modelling tool for quantitative assessment of long-term performance and stability of infrastructure such as dams, embankments, tunnels, slopes, buildings and foundations.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