Friction and contact in soil-structure-interaction. Frictional contact, which occurs at soil-structure interfaces, has a major influence on the behaviour of many civil engineering structures such as building foundations and soil anchor systems. To better understand this phenomenon, new theoretical models and solution algorithms are needed to simulate soil-structure interaction. This project aims to develop these models and algorithms. Its outcomes will lead to improved prediction methods and bet ....Friction and contact in soil-structure-interaction. Frictional contact, which occurs at soil-structure interfaces, has a major influence on the behaviour of many civil engineering structures such as building foundations and soil anchor systems. To better understand this phenomenon, new theoretical models and solution algorithms are needed to simulate soil-structure interaction. This project aims to develop these models and algorithms. Its outcomes will lead to improved prediction methods and better geotechnical design strategies.Read moreRead less
FRICTION AND CONTACT IN SOIL-STRUCTURE INTERACTION AT LARGE DEFORMATION. The proposed research addresses the fundamental mechanics of contact for a wide range of civil engineering structures such as piles, retaining walls, and soil anchors. Piles and anchors are essential parts of off-shore platforms which, in turn, are key elements of the Australian oil and gas industry. The numerical tool the project aims to develop is capable of analysing the entire process of installation and loading of a pi ....FRICTION AND CONTACT IN SOIL-STRUCTURE INTERACTION AT LARGE DEFORMATION. The proposed research addresses the fundamental mechanics of contact for a wide range of civil engineering structures such as piles, retaining walls, and soil anchors. Piles and anchors are essential parts of off-shore platforms which, in turn, are key elements of the Australian oil and gas industry. The numerical tool the project aims to develop is capable of analysing the entire process of installation and loading of a pile foundation. Such a tool does not currently exist and will result in safer and cheaper geotechnical design. The methods developed in this project can also be extended to study human joints and joint replacements.Read moreRead less
Contaminant Transport in Marine Sediment. Sediments in bays and estuaries are often contaminated. The inorganic contaminants in sediments can be released back into the water body through mass transfer processes. The mass transfer rate is largely controlled by the wave-driven seepage flux across the seabed. Quantification of this flux is thus a key factor in modelling water quality of coastal water bodies. This project aims to: (1) develop models forwave-induced seepage flux within sediments and ....Contaminant Transport in Marine Sediment. Sediments in bays and estuaries are often contaminated. The inorganic contaminants in sediments can be released back into the water body through mass transfer processes. The mass transfer rate is largely controlled by the wave-driven seepage flux across the seabed. Quantification of this flux is thus a key factor in modelling water quality of coastal water bodies. This project aims to: (1) develop models forwave-induced seepage flux within sediments and contaminant transport; and (2) establish the link between seepage flux and contaminant transport. Outcomes of the proposed research will enhance the understanding of the mechanism of contaminant transport in marine sediment.Read moreRead less
Integrated prediction of wave-induced liquefaction for stable breakwater heads. Breakwaters are central to the economies and lifestyles of many coastal areas around the world. The liquefaction of breakwater foundations causes the failure of breakwaters, with potentially deliterious consequences for life and property. The remedies involve large investments in maintenance and cause major disruptions to coastal activities. More accurate and reliable methods for analysing the stability of structures ....Integrated prediction of wave-induced liquefaction for stable breakwater heads. Breakwaters are central to the economies and lifestyles of many coastal areas around the world. The liquefaction of breakwater foundations causes the failure of breakwaters, with potentially deliterious consequences for life and property. The remedies involve large investments in maintenance and cause major disruptions to coastal activities. More accurate and reliable methods for analysing the stability of structures and their foundations is urgently required, and will bring major benefits to Australian coastal facilities. We will create the science to transform our understanding of the mechanisms of wave-induced liquefaction. This will enable engineers to significantly improve the stability and robustness of marine structures.Read moreRead less
Poro-elastic, single domain model of wave-induced transport and transformation of pollutants in coastal sediments. The sediments in many bays and estuaries in Australia are contaminated by pollutants due to discharge of waste from the river, groundwater or/and ocean outfall. Most previous research has had a multi-domain approach and have ignored the wave-dirven advective flow and effects of soil behaviour in coastal sediment. In this study, we will couple the procedure of pollutant transport ne ....Poro-elastic, single domain model of wave-induced transport and transformation of pollutants in coastal sediments. The sediments in many bays and estuaries in Australia are contaminated by pollutants due to discharge of waste from the river, groundwater or/and ocean outfall. Most previous research has had a multi-domain approach and have ignored the wave-dirven advective flow and effects of soil behaviour in coastal sediment. In this study, we will couple the procedure of pollutant transport near the sediment-water interface by a single domain approach, and link wave-dirven advective flow and contaminant in marine sediments. The research outcomes will provide a better prediction of the transformation behaviour of pollutants in contaminated sediments.Read moreRead less
Micro-macro modelling of collapse problems in geomaterials by strain gradient plasticity. The proposed research aims to improve our fundamental understanding of the collapse of geomaterials, which is directly related to the failure of offshore structures, mining operations, tunnels, cuttings and foundations. The advanced mathematical model developed will be capable of accurately predicting the collapse of geomaterials and will be founded on measurable microscopic information. The fruits of the r ....Micro-macro modelling of collapse problems in geomaterials by strain gradient plasticity. The proposed research aims to improve our fundamental understanding of the collapse of geomaterials, which is directly related to the failure of offshore structures, mining operations, tunnels, cuttings and foundations. The advanced mathematical model developed will be capable of accurately predicting the collapse of geomaterials and will be founded on measurable microscopic information. The fruits of the research will be implemented in an advanced nonlinear finite element program, and will lead to safer and more cost-effective designs for a wide range of geostructures.Read moreRead less
Rigorous Three Dimensional Plasticity Solutions for Soil and Rock Slopes. Slope failures and landslides are a persistent cause of economic loss in Australia. Damages resulting from landslides include both property damage and loss of life. One such recent catastrophic slope failure is the landslide that occurred at Thredbo Village in New South Wales in 1997. This monumental landslide resulted in the deaths of 18 people and was considered by the coroner as the worst natural disaster in Australian ....Rigorous Three Dimensional Plasticity Solutions for Soil and Rock Slopes. Slope failures and landslides are a persistent cause of economic loss in Australia. Damages resulting from landslides include both property damage and loss of life. One such recent catastrophic slope failure is the landslide that occurred at Thredbo Village in New South Wales in 1997. This monumental landslide resulted in the deaths of 18 people and was considered by the coroner as the worst natural disaster in Australian history. The primary aim of this research project is to apply recently developed computational tools to better understand 3D slope behaviour and to develop rigorous stability solutions that can be used by design engineers. A better understanding of 3D slope failure will lead to more economic and safer slope designs.Read moreRead less
Variational Plasticity Models and Algorithms for Frictional Geomaterials. Although the proposed project makes use of a number of advanced concepts in mathematics, thermodynamics, and numerical analysis, and in this way could be labelled 'theoretical', its main ambition is to formulate models and methods that are much more practical than the ones currently in use. Ultimately, this will result in cheaper and safer designs of both standard and non-standard geotechnical structures. The project build ....Variational Plasticity Models and Algorithms for Frictional Geomaterials. Although the proposed project makes use of a number of advanced concepts in mathematics, thermodynamics, and numerical analysis, and in this way could be labelled 'theoretical', its main ambition is to formulate models and methods that are much more practical than the ones currently in use. Ultimately, this will result in cheaper and safer designs of both standard and non-standard geotechnical structures. The project builds on and extends the tradition which has been established in Australia over the past 15-20 years of applying mathematical programming methods to plasticity problems, many of these in the field of geotechnical engineering.Read moreRead less
Rapid structural condition assessment using adaptive model updating. The proposed project has potential to significantly enhance the accuracy with which the condition (and hence load bearing capacity) of existing infrastructure can be determined. By providing a technique of model updating that can be applied effectively in real time, location of damage will be able to be determined accurately. Economic benefits will be reaped, both through saving infrastructure from demolition where the conditio ....Rapid structural condition assessment using adaptive model updating. The proposed project has potential to significantly enhance the accuracy with which the condition (and hence load bearing capacity) of existing infrastructure can be determined. By providing a technique of model updating that can be applied effectively in real time, location of damage will be able to be determined accurately. Economic benefits will be reaped, both through saving infrastructure from demolition where the condition is found to be adequate, and by replacing or repairing inadequate structures before costly failure occurs. This is particularly important as much of Australia's infrastructure is aging, and unnecessary periodic replacement of infrastructure is not sustainable.Read moreRead less
An experimental and theoretical programme of research to resolve major obstruction-to-flow problems in bins and stockpiles. Many of Australia's industries rely on the efficient storage and handling of bulk solids materials such as minerals, chemicals, food-stuffs, agricultural products and pharmeceuticals. Often the handling processes are inefficient to the extent of affecting the economics of the industry. Here we propose two projects addressing those inefficiences resulting from stable obstr ....An experimental and theoretical programme of research to resolve major obstruction-to-flow problems in bins and stockpiles. Many of Australia's industries rely on the efficient storage and handling of bulk solids materials such as minerals, chemicals, food-stuffs, agricultural products and pharmeceuticals. Often the handling processes are inefficient to the extent of affecting the economics of the industry. Here we propose two projects addressing those inefficiences resulting from stable obstructions, such as "rat-holes", and those experimental arising from the unusual flow characteristics of fine powders. The major objectives are to use experimental and advanced mathematical modelling techniques, to produce reliable design models which minimise the occurrence of stable obstructions and provide reliable methods for increasing fine powder flow rates.Read moreRead less