Displacement-based assessment of the seismic resistance of unreinforced masonry buildings. Earthquakes have caused over $1,000 billion of damage and more than 100,000 deaths in the last decade. This devastation occurred mainly in unreinforced brick masonry (URM) buildings which constitute the bulk of the domestic building stock in low seismicity regions, including Australia. These buildings were designed to resist forces, not the displacements, caused by earthquake ground shaking. This projec ....Displacement-based assessment of the seismic resistance of unreinforced masonry buildings. Earthquakes have caused over $1,000 billion of damage and more than 100,000 deaths in the last decade. This devastation occurred mainly in unreinforced brick masonry (URM) buildings which constitute the bulk of the domestic building stock in low seismicity regions, including Australia. These buildings were designed to resist forces, not the displacements, caused by earthquake ground shaking. This project will develop a new displacement-based method for assessing the earthquake resistance of URM buildings. Research outcomes will be in the form of improved analytical methods for the design of new buildings and the seismic assessment and retrofit of existing buildings.Read moreRead less
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
Development of innovative fibre reinforced polymer plating techniques to retrofit existing reinforced concrete structures. The demand for retrofitting reinforced concrete structures in Australia is estimated at $500 million per annum. However, with improved understanding of emerging retrofitting techniques the cost of retrofitting may be reduced. The innovative retrofitting techniques investigated in this project will address the shortcomings of existing techniques with particular emphasis on th ....Development of innovative fibre reinforced polymer plating techniques to retrofit existing reinforced concrete structures. The demand for retrofitting reinforced concrete structures in Australia is estimated at $500 million per annum. However, with improved understanding of emerging retrofitting techniques the cost of retrofitting may be reduced. The innovative retrofitting techniques investigated in this project will address the shortcomings of existing techniques with particular emphasis on the ductility of the system which is a particularly important characteristic when retrofitting for earthquake or explosive loads. It also reinforces Australia's high international standing in developing innovative retrofitting alternatives using advanced materials in this rapidly developing area.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
Non-linear dynamics of magnetic bearing systems. The aim of this project is to gain a much deeper insight into the effects of non-linearities on the dynamic behavior and on the performance of active magnetic bearings(AMBs). This project will focus attention on stability analysis, bifurcation control, malfunction analysis, and nonlinear dynamic behavior. The expected outcomes are better understanding and prediction of nonlinear behavior and control of AMBs and improved guidelines for designing sa ....Non-linear dynamics of magnetic bearing systems. The aim of this project is to gain a much deeper insight into the effects of non-linearities on the dynamic behavior and on the performance of active magnetic bearings(AMBs). This project will focus attention on stability analysis, bifurcation control, malfunction analysis, and nonlinear dynamic behavior. The expected outcomes are better understanding and prediction of nonlinear behavior and control of AMBs and improved guidelines for designing safer and more effective AMBs.Read moreRead less
Optimising permeable pavements with underlying reservoirs to enhance urban tree performance. This project will determine the optimal configuration of permeable pavements with underlying storage reservoirs and water delivery system to resolve the water security challenges that trees face in urban environments. This project will promote the healthy growth of urban trees and will lead to more liveable and healthier cities.
An Integrated Biotechnological Process for Production of Lactic Acid from Carbohydrate-Waste Streams by Rhizopus sp. Lactic acid is the most widely occurring multifunctional organic acid. It has enormous applications in food and food-related industries, and great potential use for production of biodegradable and biocompatible polylactate polymers. The aim of this research is to develop an innovative biotechnological process, incorporating simultaneous saccharification and fermentation, which int ....An Integrated Biotechnological Process for Production of Lactic Acid from Carbohydrate-Waste Streams by Rhizopus sp. Lactic acid is the most widely occurring multifunctional organic acid. It has enormous applications in food and food-related industries, and great potential use for production of biodegradable and biocompatible polylactate polymers. The aim of this research is to develop an innovative biotechnological process, incorporating simultaneous saccharification and fermentation, which integrates the production of lactic acid with the treatment of high strength food industry ?effluent? streams - carbohydrate waste streams. The proposed SSF process will cultivate an identified fungal Rhizopus sp strain on the waste streams, as production substrates, leading to an environmentally friendly and economically sustainable new technology for the food industry.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
Viscous extensional flow and drop breakoff. Honey falling from a spoon is an everyday example of a viscous fluid in a free extensional flow which may eventually break up into drops. Such flows are important in modern technologies including ink-jet printing, welding, soldering and molten metal processing, polymer and glass fibre spinning, and for rheological measurement. We seek to increase understanding of the mechanisms governing such flows, particularly the role of initial conditions and the ....Viscous extensional flow and drop breakoff. Honey falling from a spoon is an everyday example of a viscous fluid in a free extensional flow which may eventually break up into drops. Such flows are important in modern technologies including ink-jet printing, welding, soldering and molten metal processing, polymer and glass fibre spinning, and for rheological measurement. We seek to increase understanding of the mechanisms governing such flows, particularly the role of initial conditions and the geometry of the original containing vessel, together with balances between forces such as inertia, gravity, viscosity, viscoelasticity, and surface tension, through a theoretical, computational and experimental study of the fluid mechanics.Read moreRead less
Investigation of the audio spotlight for active noise control. The focus of this project is to investigate a new technology - the audio spotlight - with the aim of developing an active noise control (ANC) system that incorporates the audio spotlight as a control source. The audio spotlight offers the potential to overcome or significantly modify the fundamental physical constraints that limit the performance of ANC systems that use conventional loudspeakers as control sources. Just as audio spot ....Investigation of the audio spotlight for active noise control. The focus of this project is to investigate a new technology - the audio spotlight - with the aim of developing an active noise control (ANC) system that incorporates the audio spotlight as a control source. The audio spotlight offers the potential to overcome or significantly modify the fundamental physical constraints that limit the performance of ANC systems that use conventional loudspeakers as control sources. Just as audio spotlights may be the most radical technological development in acoustics since the invention of the coil loudspeaker, successful incorporation of an audio spotlight into an active noise control system will revolutionise active noise control.Read moreRead less