The fluid mechanics of dynamically constricted tubes in pulsatile flow. This project is aimed at advancing the fundamental understanding of flow instability, the transition to turbulence and the effect on wall shear stress, in a dynamically constricted tube flow. The project will provide the first accurately resolved experimental flow analysis, using tomographic particle imaging velocimetry and 3D laser doppler anemometry, conducted on a novel experimental model, and will resolve, for the first ....The fluid mechanics of dynamically constricted tubes in pulsatile flow. This project is aimed at advancing the fundamental understanding of flow instability, the transition to turbulence and the effect on wall shear stress, in a dynamically constricted tube flow. The project will provide the first accurately resolved experimental flow analysis, using tomographic particle imaging velocimetry and 3D laser doppler anemometry, conducted on a novel experimental model, and will resolve, for the first time, turbulence characteristics of the dynamic constriction, using direct numerical simulation with a novel moving boundary implementation. The outcomes will provide the key link between fluid mechanics and wall shear stress, allowing future progress to be made in elucidating the causes of cardiovascular disease.
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Optimizing blood flow in stented arteries: a fluid mechanics approach incorporating optical coherence tomography. Constriction in coronary arterial blood flow is a leading cause of death in Australia. Insertion of stents can rectify this problem but potentially lead to further complications. This project will use medical imaging data to construct computer models to study blood flow and particle motions in coronary arteries and improve stent designs.
Optimising haemodynamics in complex stented arteries. This project aims to optimise the hemodynamics (blood flow) in coronary arteries with high curvatures and bifurcations. Experience has shown that the build-up of plaque — and the resulting occlusion of blood flow — tends to occur in these complex arterial regions. The most common therapeutic strategy is the insertion of a stent to prop open the artery. However, the nature of the geometry often leads to post-stenting complications such as rest ....Optimising haemodynamics in complex stented arteries. This project aims to optimise the hemodynamics (blood flow) in coronary arteries with high curvatures and bifurcations. Experience has shown that the build-up of plaque — and the resulting occlusion of blood flow — tends to occur in these complex arterial regions. The most common therapeutic strategy is the insertion of a stent to prop open the artery. However, the nature of the geometry often leads to post-stenting complications such as restenosis and thrombosis, ultimately resulting in negative outcomes. In this project, advanced research methods from fluid dynamics and optimisation and control will be used to potentially minimise these highly undesirable effects.Read moreRead less
Horizontal convection at ocean-relevant proportions. This project aims to determine the role of buoyancy differences from solar radiation and vertical confinement. Flows created by lateral variation in heat or buoyancy are poorly understood when the horizontal length greatly exceeds the height, precisely the conditions relevant to industry and understanding the role of horizontal convection in Earth's oceans and in turn the delicate current system that maintains Earth's temperate climate. This p ....Horizontal convection at ocean-relevant proportions. This project aims to determine the role of buoyancy differences from solar radiation and vertical confinement. Flows created by lateral variation in heat or buoyancy are poorly understood when the horizontal length greatly exceeds the height, precisely the conditions relevant to industry and understanding the role of horizontal convection in Earth's oceans and in turn the delicate current system that maintains Earth's temperate climate. This project proposes computational and experimental efforts to probe the ultimate regime of heat transport in very shallow horizontal convection, benefiting humankind through improvements to future ocean and climate modelling efforts.Read moreRead less
The elusive upper bound of heat transfer in horizontal convection. The question as to whether lateral variation in global ocean buoyancy resulting from low solar radiation near the poles and higher temperatures in the tropical regions (known as horizontal convection) is a driver for global ocean currents is critical to our understanding of this complex and delicate system that maintains Earth's temperate climate. This question hinges on the relationship between heat transport and strength of buo ....The elusive upper bound of heat transfer in horizontal convection. The question as to whether lateral variation in global ocean buoyancy resulting from low solar radiation near the poles and higher temperatures in the tropical regions (known as horizontal convection) is a driver for global ocean currents is critical to our understanding of this complex and delicate system that maintains Earth's temperate climate. This question hinges on the relationship between heat transport and strength of buoyancy forcing towards global scales; this project proposes a landmark experimental effort supported by detailed simulations to probe the ultimate regime of heat transport in horizontal convection. The project is expected to inform the direction of future ocean and climate modelling efforts to the benefit of humanity.Read moreRead less
Dynamics and control of fluid-structure-free surface interactions. This project aims to research the apparently opposing effects of vortex shedding and free surface damping, individually and jointly, and the control or excitation of the vibrations for two generic bluff bodies: the cylinder and the sphere. Flow-induced vibrations of bluff bodies under or piercing water surfaces can damage floating off-shore marine structures and tethered bodies. On the other hand, harvesting energy from ocean cur ....Dynamics and control of fluid-structure-free surface interactions. This project aims to research the apparently opposing effects of vortex shedding and free surface damping, individually and jointly, and the control or excitation of the vibrations for two generic bluff bodies: the cylinder and the sphere. Flow-induced vibrations of bluff bodies under or piercing water surfaces can damage floating off-shore marine structures and tethered bodies. On the other hand, harvesting energy from ocean currents needs large flow-induced vibrations. The intended outcomes are new modes of body vibration, wake transitions and means to control fluid-structure interactions. This research could benefit many processes in offshore marine engineering, submarine bodies and mixing vessels, where understanding and controlling fluid-structure interactions of bluff bodies can mitigate costly and dangerous induced vibrations.Read moreRead less
The Mechanisms determining the Rolling Motions of Bodies. This project aims to investigate the mechanisms affecting the rolling motions of spheres and cylinders. This international project expects to generate new knowledge of the effect of surface roughness, cavitation and compressibility using novel experimental and computational methods. Expected outcomes of this project include the discovery of the explicit role of surface roughness in allowing bodies to roll, the means of modifying these mo ....The Mechanisms determining the Rolling Motions of Bodies. This project aims to investigate the mechanisms affecting the rolling motions of spheres and cylinders. This international project expects to generate new knowledge of the effect of surface roughness, cavitation and compressibility using novel experimental and computational methods. Expected outcomes of this project include the discovery of the explicit role of surface roughness in allowing bodies to roll, the means of modifying these motions, the wake mechanisms leading to body vibration, and the mixing induced by rolling bodies. This will provide significant benefits to the understanding of the motion of particles and bodies in a range of situations such as particle reactors and sedimentation processes.
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Wake Transitions and Fluid-Structure Interactions of Rotating Bluff Bodies. Flow-induced vibrations of bluff bodies can lead to severe damage in many applications, such as off-shore marine structures and tethered bodies. Rotation of bluff bodies can result in huge increases in lift forces, which may promote these vibrations, whereas a nearby free surface may stabilise the vibrations. This project aims to discover the mechanisms underpinning the apparently opposing effects of vibration and free s ....Wake Transitions and Fluid-Structure Interactions of Rotating Bluff Bodies. Flow-induced vibrations of bluff bodies can lead to severe damage in many applications, such as off-shore marine structures and tethered bodies. Rotation of bluff bodies can result in huge increases in lift forces, which may promote these vibrations, whereas a nearby free surface may stabilise the vibrations. This project aims to discover the mechanisms underpinning the apparently opposing effects of vibration and free surface, individually and jointly, and the excitation of two- and three-dimensional instabilities in the wakes of two generic bluff bodies: the cylinder and the sphere. The expected outcomes are the discovery of new modes of body vibration, wake transitions and means to control fluid-structure interactions.Read moreRead less
Dynamics of bluff body interactions with walls. Spherical bodies are continually impacting or rolling on solid surfaces, from leukocytes to dust grains to golf balls, and larger. A joint Australian-French team will pioneer new research on the flow and mixing created by these bodies and understand the role these play in important commercial and environmental flows.
Catastrophic transition to turbulence in rotation-dominated flows. Rotation-dominated flows are very common in engineering applications and fluid dynamics of the Earth's atmosphere, oceans, and core. Such flows are known to make a sudden transition from an orderly to an energetic turbulent state and this project aims to discover the reason why.