Computerised diffraction tomography for structural health monitoring. Structural health monitoring (SHM) offers the prospect of a quantum gain in performance and efficiency for the design and structural integrity management of high-value assets (e.g. aircraft). The aims of this project are to develop and validate efficient computational tools for:
(i) Characterising the scattering of the Lamb waves by defects or boundaries, and
(ii) Implementing robust and versatile approaches to tomographic i ....Computerised diffraction tomography for structural health monitoring. Structural health monitoring (SHM) offers the prospect of a quantum gain in performance and efficiency for the design and structural integrity management of high-value assets (e.g. aircraft). The aims of this project are to develop and validate efficient computational tools for:
(i) Characterising the scattering of the Lamb waves by defects or boundaries, and
(ii) Implementing robust and versatile approaches to tomographic imaging of laminar defects or damage from experimental/synthetic scattered field data.
This project will result in the development of a validated and versatile SHM system for quantifying damage that is analogous to computerised tomography in medical imaging.Read moreRead less
Mathematical and mechanical modeling of nano particulate flow. Nano particulates are the basis for many new technologies, including coatings in the electronics industry, composite materials and medical and pharmaceutical applications. Worldwide industrial competition is increasingly determined by our capacity to handle such highly cohesive materials, and to exploit their novel physical, chemical and mechanical characteristics. Devising handling mechanisms and understanding nano particulate flows ....Mathematical and mechanical modeling of nano particulate flow. Nano particulates are the basis for many new technologies, including coatings in the electronics industry, composite materials and medical and pharmaceutical applications. Worldwide industrial competition is increasingly determined by our capacity to handle such highly cohesive materials, and to exploit their novel physical, chemical and mechanical characteristics. Devising handling mechanisms and understanding nano particulate flows depends on formulating accurate mathematical models which reflect the correct underlying physics. This APF proposal will utilise advanced continuum mechanics to develop the correct underlying conceptual ideas to resolve fundamental nanomechanical particulate flows, which will lead to the next generation of engineering tools.
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Behaviour and innovative design of drive-in steel storage racks. Drive-in steel storage racks offer the most space-effective solution to storage needs. They have become increasingly sought after as population growth concentrates in the main Australian metropolitan areas, which is pushing up the cost of land and storage. However, the high failure rate of drive-in racking systems is costly to society, as they cause disruptions to our production and supply cycles, and lead to increased costs to Aus ....Behaviour and innovative design of drive-in steel storage racks. Drive-in steel storage racks offer the most space-effective solution to storage needs. They have become increasingly sought after as population growth concentrates in the main Australian metropolitan areas, which is pushing up the cost of land and storage. However, the high failure rate of drive-in racking systems is costly to society, as they cause disruptions to our production and supply cycles, and lead to increased costs to Australian industry and the consumer of the final product. There are great national benefits to be gained from developing innovative drive-in storage systems which have minimum risk of structural failure. Such systems will also enhance the international competitiveness of the Australian rack manufacturing industry.Read moreRead less
Predictive cost and maintenance models for bidding and short term scheduling strategies in hydro power plants. The aim of this project is to develop knowledge based models that can be used to estimate the costs implicit in operating hydro-electric power generation systems in intermittent and off-design modes. These costs manifest in increased maintenance, loss of water supply and opportunity costs or values. A model of the Tasmanian system would be unique, and the application of knowledge based ....Predictive cost and maintenance models for bidding and short term scheduling strategies in hydro power plants. The aim of this project is to develop knowledge based models that can be used to estimate the costs implicit in operating hydro-electric power generation systems in intermittent and off-design modes. These costs manifest in increased maintenance, loss of water supply and opportunity costs or values. A model of the Tasmanian system would be unique, and the application of knowledge based systems to cost and decision making in this situation is novel. Opportunities exist to collaborate with Norwegian researchers. The success of the project will lead to better utilization of the Tasmanian renewable energy resource.Read moreRead less
Development of a Mathematical Model for Chatter Prediction in Multi-Stand Cold Flat Rolling Mills. On the one hand, this project will make a significant contribution to the field of study on dynamics of complex mechanical systems and on the other hand, directly assist the Australian steel industry in further improving quality and productivity and thereby maintaining its competitive edge in the international marketplace. The project will benefit the nation and community in:
(i) advanced steel ....Development of a Mathematical Model for Chatter Prediction in Multi-Stand Cold Flat Rolling Mills. On the one hand, this project will make a significant contribution to the field of study on dynamics of complex mechanical systems and on the other hand, directly assist the Australian steel industry in further improving quality and productivity and thereby maintaining its competitive edge in the international marketplace. The project will benefit the nation and community in:
(i) advanced steel manufacturing technology enabling higher rolling speed, production in more advanced thin gauge rolling, and prevention of production breakdowns caused by mill chatter;
(ii) strengthened competitiveness of the local steel industry resulting in increased exports and employment;
(iii) enhanced regional economy resulting from improved technologies.Read moreRead less
Seismic behaviour of drive-in steel storage racks. The purpose of this project is to study the behaviour, analysis and design of drive-in steel storage racks in an earthquake event. The main research outcome is the development of scientifically-based guidelines for the safe design of drive-in racks in seismic regions.
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
Structural Systems with Hollow Flange Sections in Cold-Formed Steel. Palmer Tube Mills have created a new range of hollow flange sections in cold-formed steel manufactured with the unique dual resistance welding process for use in the construction industry. The new sections combine the properties of hot-rolled open sections and cold-formed sections to create more structurally efficient sections. These new sections experience some unique and specific failure modes that are not considered in cur ....Structural Systems with Hollow Flange Sections in Cold-Formed Steel. Palmer Tube Mills have created a new range of hollow flange sections in cold-formed steel manufactured with the unique dual resistance welding process for use in the construction industry. The new sections combine the properties of hot-rolled open sections and cold-formed sections to create more structurally efficient sections. These new sections experience some unique and specific failure modes that are not considered in current design standards. This project will investigate these failure modes to devise efficient and safe guidelines for their structural design. The project will also develop new structural systems to utilise the unique properties of these sections.Read moreRead less
Engineering models for inland atmospheric corrosion of steel infrastructure considering microbiological and environmental influences. Some 2-3% of Gross Domestic Product is estimated to be lost every year to corrosion and by measures to counteract it. Of this a significant proportion relates to steel infrastructure, which includes buildings, bridges, transmission towers, ships, offshore and coastal structures, tanks and pipelines. Better understanding and modelling of corrosion will improve our ....Engineering models for inland atmospheric corrosion of steel infrastructure considering microbiological and environmental influences. Some 2-3% of Gross Domestic Product is estimated to be lost every year to corrosion and by measures to counteract it. Of this a significant proportion relates to steel infrastructure, which includes buildings, bridges, transmission towers, ships, offshore and coastal structures, tanks and pipelines. Better understanding and modelling of corrosion will improve our capability for assessing the long-term safety and serviceability of infrastructure. It may also be useful in improving the composition of steel to resist rusting and in the formulation of protective coatings. This project will contribute to better understanding of the likely involvement of bacteria in the longer-term corrosion of steel exposed to various inland environments.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