Topological Design of Mechanical Meta-Structures. This project aims to establish a new computational design methodology to address current challenges facing creation of ultralight structures with ultra-high-performance characteristics. The latest technologies in structural topology optimization and its correlated numerical simulation and structural analysis methods will be unified towards an integrated design framework. Expected outcomes include an advanced generative design platform for discove ....Topological Design of Mechanical Meta-Structures. This project aims to establish a new computational design methodology to address current challenges facing creation of ultralight structures with ultra-high-performance characteristics. The latest technologies in structural topology optimization and its correlated numerical simulation and structural analysis methods will be unified towards an integrated design framework. Expected outcomes include an advanced generative design platform for discovering novel geometries to underpin new meta-structure architectures, validated by appropriate fabrication techniques considering their geometric complexity. Such capabilities will benefit defence, civil, aerospace, energy and transport industries that pursue competitive advantage through innovation.Read moreRead less
Time-dependent dynamic, creep and shrinkage response of curved structural members. This project concerns curved structural members, such as bridge beams, that are subjected to dynamic excitation and to concrete shrinkage and creep. Hitherto, unified formulations for the structural behaviour of these members have not been properly developed. The proposal seeks to build on a previous ARC DP of the investigator that produces significant results for static loading, by developing a sophisticated meth ....Time-dependent dynamic, creep and shrinkage response of curved structural members. This project concerns curved structural members, such as bridge beams, that are subjected to dynamic excitation and to concrete shrinkage and creep. Hitherto, unified formulations for the structural behaviour of these members have not been properly developed. The proposal seeks to build on a previous ARC DP of the investigator that produces significant results for static loading, by developing a sophisticated methodology to handle non-static dynamic loading and for shrinkage and creep. It will develop advanced mathematical tools to enable the safe and efficient design of a multiplicity of structures that is of benefit to on and offshore Australian technology.Read moreRead less
Design of nastic cellular structures with osmotic actuation. Shape changing structures play an imperative role in aerospace, automobile, energy and other industries. This project aims to develop novel concepts extracted from nastic motion in plants and relevant computational algorithms for the design of nastic cellular structures with osmotic actuation. The project is of significance as it offers a potential solution to the shape morphing challenge in aircraft and automobile from biomimetics vie ....Design of nastic cellular structures with osmotic actuation. Shape changing structures play an imperative role in aerospace, automobile, energy and other industries. This project aims to develop novel concepts extracted from nastic motion in plants and relevant computational algorithms for the design of nastic cellular structures with osmotic actuation. The project is of significance as it offers a potential solution to the shape morphing challenge in aircraft and automobile from biomimetics viewpoint - nastic actuation. The expected outcomes will be: a new numerical method for designing nastic cellular structures; and, validated algorithms with a novel topological geometry representation and multi objectives and constraints for applications in morphing structures with multiple target shapes.Read moreRead less
Next generation nondestructive inspection using guided-wave mixing. This project aims to develop a novel approach for early damage detection. It relies on a systematic experimental investigation of nonlinear ultrasonic interaction between different input wave modes in the presence of damage, so as to identify optimal mode selections and operating parameters that will maximise the sensitivity to particular forms of structural damage. The effects of in-service loading on wave-mixing response, and ....Next generation nondestructive inspection using guided-wave mixing. This project aims to develop a novel approach for early damage detection. It relies on a systematic experimental investigation of nonlinear ultrasonic interaction between different input wave modes in the presence of damage, so as to identify optimal mode selections and operating parameters that will maximise the sensitivity to particular forms of structural damage. The effects of in-service loading on wave-mixing response, and non-contact detection suitable for hard-to-inspect surface conditions, will also be investigated. The new developments will help transform existing schedule-based maintenance practice to a condition-based maintenance paradigm, to achieve significant cost savings in maintenance.Read moreRead less
Response of Metallic Foam Core Sandwich Panels under Impact and Blast Loadings. Human or natural disasters such as vehicle crashes, terrorist attacks or tsunami take place with catastrophic consequences, including significant loss of life and considerable financial losses. For example, in Australia in 2002 over 1,700 people died as a result of vehicle crashes. Research on new materials composites and novel composite structures for use in vehicles, buildings and other man-made structures will be ....Response of Metallic Foam Core Sandwich Panels under Impact and Blast Loadings. Human or natural disasters such as vehicle crashes, terrorist attacks or tsunami take place with catastrophic consequences, including significant loss of life and considerable financial losses. For example, in Australia in 2002 over 1,700 people died as a result of vehicle crashes. Research on new materials composites and novel composite structures for use in vehicles, buildings and other man-made structures will be undertaken to evaluate their performance under extreme or disastrous conditions. This project will investigate the performance of sandwich panels with a cellular core structure under high impact or blast loading conditions. The findings will be directly applicable to structural design of military and civil vehicles and components for the aerospace industry in order to mitigate the level of impact or blast loading under extreme conditions.Read moreRead less
Fatigue Behaviour of Dragline Tubular Structures. Fatigue failure is a major concern for dragline tubular structures. Several catastrophic collapses of such structure occurred. The fatigue behaviour of such large tubular structures is unknown. Fatigue cracks were observed in many existing draglines. The latest international design codes are inadequate to address this issue. The project will develop reliable methodologies for design, inspection, strengthening and assessment of such structures. Th ....Fatigue Behaviour of Dragline Tubular Structures. Fatigue failure is a major concern for dragline tubular structures. Several catastrophic collapses of such structure occurred. The fatigue behaviour of such large tubular structures is unknown. Fatigue cracks were observed in many existing draglines. The latest international design codes are inadequate to address this issue. The project will develop reliable methodologies for design, inspection, strengthening and assessment of such structures. The outcome will be reduced manufacturing and operational costs and a reduced catastrophic failure risk. This will increase the international competitiveness of Australian mining industry. Several other industry sectors will be benefited from the technology developed in this project.Read moreRead less
Topological Optimization of Load-carrying Structural Systems with Repetitive Geometrical Patterns. Periodic structures are increasingly used in the design of the structural systems or sub-systems of buildings, bridges, aircraft, motor vehicles etc. The duplication of identical or similar modules significantly reduces the production cost and greatly simplifies the assembly process. In many cases periodic structures are also selected for their distinctive aesthetic appeal. The proposed research wi ....Topological Optimization of Load-carrying Structural Systems with Repetitive Geometrical Patterns. Periodic structures are increasingly used in the design of the structural systems or sub-systems of buildings, bridges, aircraft, motor vehicles etc. The duplication of identical or similar modules significantly reduces the production cost and greatly simplifies the assembly process. In many cases periodic structures are also selected for their distinctive aesthetic appeal. The proposed research will develop advanced techniques for the optimal design of such structures. The new design tool will enable Australian engineers and architects to create innovative and efficient structural systems for a wide range of applications and to become involved in high profile international projects. Read moreRead less
Development of a Local Spectral Method for the Computations of Thin-Walled Structures. This project will benefit Aust. society by providing a powerful tool for improving the safe and cost effective design of structures under extreme conditions (high frequency vibration, complicating supporting conditions). The method has the potential to be further developed to provide solutions to unsolved problems in acoustic wave transport, short electromagnetic wave propagation etc. The research training of ....Development of a Local Spectral Method for the Computations of Thin-Walled Structures. This project will benefit Aust. society by providing a powerful tool for improving the safe and cost effective design of structures under extreme conditions (high frequency vibration, complicating supporting conditions). The method has the potential to be further developed to provide solutions to unsolved problems in acoustic wave transport, short electromagnetic wave propagation etc. The research training of the project will help to keep Australia to be at the forefront in this research field and the published research findings will promote the reputation of Australian researchers in the field of computational engineering. The international collaboration will be strengthened between the Investigator's team and his colleagues in US. Read moreRead less
Development of Robust Control Systems for Magneto-Rheological Fluid-Based Smart Structures. Possessing the ability to withstand such destructive dynamic loading as gusty winds, fierce waves, and earthquakes, the smart structures of the future will enjoy the unprecedented safety and comfort bringing to their occupants and contents. This will directly benefit Australians. The development of the smart structure technology will also give domestic consultants the ability to compete internationally ....Development of Robust Control Systems for Magneto-Rheological Fluid-Based Smart Structures. Possessing the ability to withstand such destructive dynamic loading as gusty winds, fierce waves, and earthquakes, the smart structures of the future will enjoy the unprecedented safety and comfort bringing to their occupants and contents. This will directly benefit Australians. The development of the smart structure technology will also give domestic consultants the ability to compete internationally, resulting in obvious economic dividends and advantages benefiting Australia. Moreover, a successful effort leading to a major breakthrough of the important area of seismic protection research will have a significant impact far beyond the border of this country.Read moreRead less
Design of compliant structure systems with integrated actuators. This project will meet some key scientific challenges in finding new smart compliant structures with desired functions for products, like morphing wings, piezoelectric-based energy harvesters, bio-sensors, in aerospace, energy, medical instruments and environment industries etc., and hence support economic activities and growth in Australia.