HyPoCrete: Hydrogen storage using an innovative concrete composite system. This project aims to develop an innovative polymer concrete composite system for the safe and efficient storage of hydrogen. New knowledge is expected to be generated on the novel use of polymer and concrete materials in hydrogen storage technologies. The expected outcomes include a new class of prefabricated, modular storage system that is highly efficient and low cost. The scalability and resilience of the system will b ....HyPoCrete: Hydrogen storage using an innovative concrete composite system. This project aims to develop an innovative polymer concrete composite system for the safe and efficient storage of hydrogen. New knowledge is expected to be generated on the novel use of polymer and concrete materials in hydrogen storage technologies. The expected outcomes include a new class of prefabricated, modular storage system that is highly efficient and low cost. The scalability and resilience of the system will be achieved by using concrete, a material widely used in the construction industry for its mechanical performance, durability and affordability. This should provide significant benefits in fostering the hydrogen economy by providing an efficient and resilient storage system for industrial quantities of hydrogen.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE160100086
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
Electro-mechanical behaviours of carbon nanotube composite structures. This project aims to investigate the electro-mechanical behaviours of carbon nanotube reinforced polymer composite structures. Such structures demonstrate considerable potential in structural health monitoring and strengthening due to their unique electro-mechanical behaviours. However, the electro-mechanical behaviours of these composites remain unclear due to the multiscale nature of the problems and the constraint of curre ....Electro-mechanical behaviours of carbon nanotube composite structures. This project aims to investigate the electro-mechanical behaviours of carbon nanotube reinforced polymer composite structures. Such structures demonstrate considerable potential in structural health monitoring and strengthening due to their unique electro-mechanical behaviours. However, the electro-mechanical behaviours of these composites remain unclear due to the multiscale nature of the problems and the constraint of current techniques to capture nanoscale features that underpin the macroscopic behaviours. This project aims to investigate the electro-mechanical behaviours of these composites and their structures via atomistic simulation and continuum mechanics modelling. The outcomes are intended to enhance the application of these multifunctional composites and improve the performances and sustainability of engineering structures.Read moreRead less
Performance of safety critical anchors in early age concrete with SCM. This project aims to examine the performance of anchors in a range of cements, to contribute to new safety and building guidelines. Demands for faster construction cycles and increased productivity require anchors for lifting and joining concrete elements to be installed and loaded in early age concrete. Yet, best practice for evaluation of anchors is based on mature concrete. There is also increasing use of supplementary cem ....Performance of safety critical anchors in early age concrete with SCM. This project aims to examine the performance of anchors in a range of cements, to contribute to new safety and building guidelines. Demands for faster construction cycles and increased productivity require anchors for lifting and joining concrete elements to be installed and loaded in early age concrete. Yet, best practice for evaluation of anchors is based on mature concrete. There is also increasing use of supplementary cementitious materials with unknown effects on anchors. This project aims to address this construction industry challenge. The project plans to study experimentally and analytically the effect of early age creep on anchor installation and the factors affecting the slip behaviour and ultimate performance of cast-in and post-installed mechanical anchors in concretes. It is intended that these studies will then inform new design guidelines.Read moreRead less
Innovative composite systems with enhanced resilience to extreme loads. The rapidly increasing global population (projected to be 9.8 billion by 2050) and global urbanisation have created a demand for the construction industry, thereby increasing the pressure on our planet’s limited resources for the construction industry. This high demand can yield detrimental effects to the environment due to the high carbon footprint of conventional construction materials, and is amplified by the threat of ac ....Innovative composite systems with enhanced resilience to extreme loads. The rapidly increasing global population (projected to be 9.8 billion by 2050) and global urbanisation have created a demand for the construction industry, thereby increasing the pressure on our planet’s limited resources for the construction industry. This high demand can yield detrimental effects to the environment due to the high carbon footprint of conventional construction materials, and is amplified by the threat of accidental or deliberate extreme loadings to buildings, which can trigger fatal progressive collapse events. The proposed project aims to develop an innovative structural system with that possesses superior structural resilience to extreme loads and progressive collapse using lightweight eco-friendly materials. Read moreRead less
Industrial Transformation Training Centres - Grant ID: IC150100023
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$4,000,000.00
Summary
ARC Training Centre for Advanced Manufacturing of Prefabricated Housing. ARC Training Centre for Advanced Manufacturing of Prefabricated Housing. This training centre aims to unlock the potential for growth of Australia’s prefabricated building industry by creating a sustainable training ecosystem including both industry and universities. It seeks to enable the next generation of engineers and architects to apply advanced manufacturing principles to prefabricated modular buildings. This emerging ....ARC Training Centre for Advanced Manufacturing of Prefabricated Housing. ARC Training Centre for Advanced Manufacturing of Prefabricated Housing. This training centre aims to unlock the potential for growth of Australia’s prefabricated building industry by creating a sustainable training ecosystem including both industry and universities. It seeks to enable the next generation of engineers and architects to apply advanced manufacturing principles to prefabricated modular buildings. This emerging highly trained workforce, driven by the needs of the customer, should identify innovations in the use of advanced materials, designs for manufacturing, and assembly. The centre aims to secure a competitive advantage for Australia in the global value chain leading to local employment growth and increased exports of prefabricated products and services.Read moreRead less
Blended calcium-magnesium binders for improved and more sustainable building materials. The project will explore the potential of new blended calcium-magnesium cements to significantly improve the sustainability and properties of concrete produced with Portland cement (PC). Concrete based on PC contributes to around 10% of global anthropogenic carbon dioxide. PC Concrete has many weaknesses such as rapid deterioration when exposed to aggressive environments, delayed reactions and early age crack ....Blended calcium-magnesium binders for improved and more sustainable building materials. The project will explore the potential of new blended calcium-magnesium cements to significantly improve the sustainability and properties of concrete produced with Portland cement (PC). Concrete based on PC contributes to around 10% of global anthropogenic carbon dioxide. PC Concrete has many weaknesses such as rapid deterioration when exposed to aggressive environments, delayed reactions and early age cracking caused by shrinkage. The proposed research will investigate ways of using the new binder system to overcome these weaknesses and to reduce carbon dioxide emission. The expected outcome will be a proven technology for manufacturing new building materials that are environmentally more sustainable and with enhanced properties.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE190100217
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$408,000.00
Summary
Facade fire failures in buildings: a robust nanocomposite solution. This project aims to develop an innovative fire resistant composite façade system which is also strong, lightweight, thermally efficient, environmentally friendly and cost-effective. The project expects to develop new knowledge in areas of fire safety and advanced manufacturing of a nanocomposite facade utilising advanced computational fluid dynamics simulations to model the external flame spread. The outcomes will provide impro ....Facade fire failures in buildings: a robust nanocomposite solution. This project aims to develop an innovative fire resistant composite façade system which is also strong, lightweight, thermally efficient, environmentally friendly and cost-effective. The project expects to develop new knowledge in areas of fire safety and advanced manufacturing of a nanocomposite facade utilising advanced computational fluid dynamics simulations to model the external flame spread. The outcomes will provide improved insight into the mechanism of external fire spread and development of the façade system which is safe, resilient and fire resistant. This work will be useful for building owners, construction authorities and researchers to tackle the global issues of combustible façades and provide better fire design strategies to protect occupants.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE130100006
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$500,000.00
Summary
X-ray Microscopy Facility for Imaging Geo-materials (XMFIG). The X-ray Microscopy Facility for Imaging Geo-Materials (XMFIG) will allow the investigation, with near-synchrotron capabilities, of the three dimensional internal structures and chemical compositions of geo-materials under relevant environmental conditions by engineers, geologists and materials scientists.
Soft-Rigid Bonded Granular Mixes: Particle Scale Study to Field Predictions. Globally 1.5 Billion and in Australia 56 million tyres reach their end of life with less than 5% recycled. This project aims to create new knowledge and predictive models for the behaviour of bonded soft tyre and rigid rock aggregates through a multi-scale approach from particle scale investigation to large-scale observation and modelling. This will create new knowledge into the behaviour of this unconventional three-p ....Soft-Rigid Bonded Granular Mixes: Particle Scale Study to Field Predictions. Globally 1.5 Billion and in Australia 56 million tyres reach their end of life with less than 5% recycled. This project aims to create new knowledge and predictive models for the behaviour of bonded soft tyre and rigid rock aggregates through a multi-scale approach from particle scale investigation to large-scale observation and modelling. This will create new knowledge into the behaviour of this unconventional three-phase granular mixes; soft, rigid aggregates bonded with polymer binders. The project will provide significant benefits in diverting millions of tyres from landfills and illegal dumps and a more competitive and environmentally sensitive infrastructure industry.Read moreRead less
A holistic integrated design approach for building envelopes incorporating sustainability, security and safety. This project aims to develop a highly secure and sustainable facade system for buildings with a significant enhancement over other conventional facades in terms of both protection against extreme loads and life cycle energy performance. The outcome of this project can be used to improve the sustainability and safety of buildings in Australia.