Motorway management system integrating safety, efficiency & sustainability. This project aims to develop a motorway management system that holistically optimises motorway safety, efficiency, and sustainability via intervening the traffic flow dynamics. In the current practice of motorway traffic flow management, safety, efficiency, and sustainability are fundamentally connected but separately managed as they are modeled by distinct methodologies. The new system is based on a proposed traffic flo ....Motorway management system integrating safety, efficiency & sustainability. This project aims to develop a motorway management system that holistically optimises motorway safety, efficiency, and sustainability via intervening the traffic flow dynamics. In the current practice of motorway traffic flow management, safety, efficiency, and sustainability are fundamentally connected but separately managed as they are modeled by distinct methodologies. The new system is based on a proposed traffic flow theory which includes a microscopic model for safety analysis and a derived macroscopic model for efficiency and sustainability analysis. This theory can be used to resolve the above-mentioned long unsettled challenge and significantly improve our motorway performance.Read moreRead less
Advancement of Vacuum Pressure Application via Prefabricated Vertical Drains for Stabilising Soft Ground. Coastal Australia is under ever increasing pressure from rapid population growth which requires continual capital investment in civil infrastructure, such as road and rail links and large buildings. Many regions have soft compressible clays that present challenges for infrastructure design and construction. The use of vacuum preloading, together with vertical drains for soft soil stabilisati ....Advancement of Vacuum Pressure Application via Prefabricated Vertical Drains for Stabilising Soft Ground. Coastal Australia is under ever increasing pressure from rapid population growth which requires continual capital investment in civil infrastructure, such as road and rail links and large buildings. Many regions have soft compressible clays that present challenges for infrastructure design and construction. The use of vacuum preloading, together with vertical drains for soft soil stabilisation, can reduce construction and maintenance costs, while the increased soil strength will enhance the stability of infrastructure. This project will deliver design guidelines and specifications of enhanced vacuum consolidation application, as well as improving industrial competitiveness and export earnings through increased technology transfer.Read moreRead less
Effectiveness of prefabricated vertical band drains (PVD) in the stabilisation os soft clays. Stabilisation of structures in low-lying coastal Australia is affected by excessive settlement, low bearing capacity, and high lateral displacement of soft clays upon loading. The use of prefabricated vertical drains (PVD) prior to main construction can ensure pre-compression of soft clays by rapid pore water pressure dissipation, thereby increasing the soil strength and minimising its post construction ....Effectiveness of prefabricated vertical band drains (PVD) in the stabilisation os soft clays. Stabilisation of structures in low-lying coastal Australia is affected by excessive settlement, low bearing capacity, and high lateral displacement of soft clays upon loading. The use of prefabricated vertical drains (PVD) prior to main construction can ensure pre-compression of soft clays by rapid pore water pressure dissipation, thereby increasing the soil strength and minimising its post construction deformation. The main goal is to fully understand the stabilising mechanisms of PVD in soft clay, and to minimise the unfavourable effects of soil disturbances (smear) during installation. Extensive laboratory and field studies plus computer modelling will result in innovative design concepts and enhanced construction practices.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0228900
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$603,000.00
Summary
Testing facility for heavily loaded bridge and barrier systems. Government and industry are increasing truck masses from current single articulated 42.5 tonne trucks to 160 tonne multi-bogie trucks. This will provide Australia with over $1 billion of potential benefits and an efficient and competitive transport industry. To capture these benefits and further progress Australia's economy, considerable collaborative research on a number of fronts must be carried out investigating how bridges and b ....Testing facility for heavily loaded bridge and barrier systems. Government and industry are increasing truck masses from current single articulated 42.5 tonne trucks to 160 tonne multi-bogie trucks. This will provide Australia with over $1 billion of potential benefits and an efficient and competitive transport industry. To capture these benefits and further progress Australia's economy, considerable collaborative research on a number of fronts must be carried out investigating how bridges and barriers can perform safely when subjected to very heavy traffic and impact loads under laboratory and typical service conditions. This application seeks funds for establishing a unique hi-tech testing facility in Australia vital for advancing such infrastructure technology.Read moreRead less
Development of a novel mobile sensory system for bridge health monitoring. The aim of this project is to provide accurate, rapid and cost-effective ‘health checks’ for bridges. Transportation infrastructures are subject to continuous degradation due to the environment, ageing and excess loading. This project plans to develop a vehicle equipped with sensors as a mobile sensing platform to catch the dynamic interaction between the vehicle and the bridge. The interaction information would be used t ....Development of a novel mobile sensory system for bridge health monitoring. The aim of this project is to provide accurate, rapid and cost-effective ‘health checks’ for bridges. Transportation infrastructures are subject to continuous degradation due to the environment, ageing and excess loading. This project plans to develop a vehicle equipped with sensors as a mobile sensing platform to catch the dynamic interaction between the vehicle and the bridge. The interaction information would be used to assess the health of the bridge infrastructure through substructuring techniques. The expected output of this project would enable managers to monitor the structural conditions and provide an economical infrastructure asset management scheme to protect the structure and human lives.Read moreRead less
Performance of Soft Clay Consolidated by Biodegradable and Geosynthetic Vertical Drains under Vacuum Pressure for Transport Infrastructure. Along Australia's coast, the abundance of soft clay often hampers the design and construction of transport infrastructure including embankments. The use of vacuum pressure and prefabricated vertical drains (PVD) ensures rapid drainage and consolidation of the clay, thus increasing its shear strength and bearing capacity while reducing long term deformation. ....Performance of Soft Clay Consolidated by Biodegradable and Geosynthetic Vertical Drains under Vacuum Pressure for Transport Infrastructure. Along Australia's coast, the abundance of soft clay often hampers the design and construction of transport infrastructure including embankments. The use of vacuum pressure and prefabricated vertical drains (PVD) ensures rapid drainage and consolidation of the clay, thus increasing its shear strength and bearing capacity while reducing long term deformation. The main aim of this project is to achieve technological advancement in sustainable and cost effective PVD-vacuum systems by minimising the time to achieve the desired degree of consolidation, thereby controlling post construction settlement and lateral movement. Extensive laboratory and field studies supported by numerical modelling aim to result in new industry guides and standards.Read moreRead less
Fundamental study of fracture-controlled compensation grouting for ground movement. This project aims to investigate the fundamentals of fracture-controlled compensation grouting in various types of soil, so as to optimise the compensation efficiency and to minimise the risk of collapse of nearby structures. This will result in the minimisation of ground movements induced by underground excavations, which pose a major threat to existing infrastructure and communities worldwide. Small-scale labor ....Fundamental study of fracture-controlled compensation grouting for ground movement. This project aims to investigate the fundamentals of fracture-controlled compensation grouting in various types of soil, so as to optimise the compensation efficiency and to minimise the risk of collapse of nearby structures. This will result in the minimisation of ground movements induced by underground excavations, which pose a major threat to existing infrastructure and communities worldwide. Small-scale laboratory experiments, centrifuge tests and numerical analyses will be conducted to develop an effective and economical grouting method that will provide a valuable design tool for engineers.Read moreRead less
Stabilisation of erodible and dispersive soils with natural wood processing by-products. Lignosulfonate is a by-product of paper and wood processing industry, which is an environmentally friendly organic compound with an immense potential for stabilising erodible and dispersive soils when mixed in small quantities. This project will deliver practical design guidelines and specifications for sustainable performance of road and rail embankments that are treated with lignosulfonates. Utilisation of ....Stabilisation of erodible and dispersive soils with natural wood processing by-products. Lignosulfonate is a by-product of paper and wood processing industry, which is an environmentally friendly organic compound with an immense potential for stabilising erodible and dispersive soils when mixed in small quantities. This project will deliver practical design guidelines and specifications for sustainable performance of road and rail embankments that are treated with lignosulfonates. Utilisation of lignosulfonates in soil stabilisation is not only cost-effective, but also has the benefit of eliminating a waste disposal problem. The proposed project will improve industrial competitiveness and Australia's export earnings through increased commercialisation and technology transfer in the region.Read moreRead less
Load-displacement and consolidation behaviour of soft soils stabilised by stone columns for transport infrastructure. The project outcomes will guarantee better understanding of the benefits of stone columns for stabilising soft soil foundations through numerical and experimental processes. The enhanced load-carrying capacity and mitigation of excessive soil movements will contribute to sustainable development of transport infrastructure.
Cyclic behaviour of unstable soils stabilised by lignosulfonate with special reference to rapid transport infrastructure. The project will pioneer the use of the paper industry by-product, lignosulphonate, to stabilise unstable soils in rural and regional Australia. The prevention of unacceptable erosion, settlement and mass movement of these soils will enable efficient operation of high speed rail and busy highways that are vital for agriculture and mineral industries.