Displacement-based earthquake design of unreinforced masonry walls in two-way bending. Current design of unreinforced masonry (URM) buildings for earthquake loading is based on checking that the strength of walls and connections exceeds the earthquake-induced inertia forces. Conservative estimates of wall bending strength are used to account for the wide variability in the quality of masonry construction. This project proposes to develop a new "displacement-based" design methodology for URM wa ....Displacement-based earthquake design of unreinforced masonry walls in two-way bending. Current design of unreinforced masonry (URM) buildings for earthquake loading is based on checking that the strength of walls and connections exceeds the earthquake-induced inertia forces. Conservative estimates of wall bending strength are used to account for the wide variability in the quality of masonry construction. This project proposes to develop a new "displacement-based" design methodology for URM walls which is less conservative and more direct, reliable and easier to apply the the force-based method. Hence, this method offers substantical cost savings over current techniques for the assessment of the seismic vulnerability of URM walls in buildings.Read moreRead less
Retrofitting unreinforced masonry walls with fibre reinforced polymer strips. An efficient technique for increasing the safety of existing masonry structures under earthquake (and other) loading will be developed. This is essential to the safe continued use of existing infrastructure (avoid replacement = economic benefit). This new technique addresses many shortcomings in existing alternatives (increased performance, reduced cost). This research is particularly important in Australia where unrei ....Retrofitting unreinforced masonry walls with fibre reinforced polymer strips. An efficient technique for increasing the safety of existing masonry structures under earthquake (and other) loading will be developed. This is essential to the safe continued use of existing infrastructure (avoid replacement = economic benefit). This new technique addresses many shortcomings in existing alternatives (increased performance, reduced cost). This research is particularly important in Australia where unreinforced masonry accounts for most domestic construction, much light commercial infrastructure, as well as many heritage and post-disaster buildings. It also reinforces Australia's high international standing in developing innovative retrofitting alternatives using advanced materials in this rapidly developing area. Read moreRead less
Building and Ethics: Understanding A Corpus of Contemproary Australian Award-Winning Houses as Responses to Ecological, Social and Built Contexts. The project aims to construct an understanding from an ethical framework of the interrelationships between attitudes, perceptions, rhetorical statements about and actual behaviours of a small corpus of contemporary award-winning Australian houses. The project is significant as it will create a conceptual advance in understanding the ways in which note ....Building and Ethics: Understanding A Corpus of Contemproary Australian Award-Winning Houses as Responses to Ecological, Social and Built Contexts. The project aims to construct an understanding from an ethical framework of the interrelationships between attitudes, perceptions, rhetorical statements about and actual behaviours of a small corpus of contemporary award-winning Australian houses. The project is significant as it will create a conceptual advance in understanding the ways in which noted Australian houses respond in a cohesive ethical manner to ecological, social and built contexts. The expected outcomes include documentation of an (ethical) methodology for a cohesive analysis of buildings to assist the building design and construction industry to make informed decisions in housing design and construction in the Australian context(s).Read moreRead less