Assessment of the Seismic Hazard in South-East Queensland utilizing earthquake simulations. Assessment of seismic hazard in Australia is hampered by relatively few instrumental records of past earthquakes. Supercomputer simulations of long-term earthquake activity and strong ground motion, provide an alternative method for estimating the risk posed by earthquakes. The aim of this project is to construct a physical model for South-East Queensland incorporating the major faults and rock units of ....Assessment of the Seismic Hazard in South-East Queensland utilizing earthquake simulations. Assessment of seismic hazard in Australia is hampered by relatively few instrumental records of past earthquakes. Supercomputer simulations of long-term earthquake activity and strong ground motion, provide an alternative method for estimating the risk posed by earthquakes. The aim of this project is to construct a physical model for South-East Queensland incorporating the major faults and rock units of the region. In conjunction with earthquake simulation software of the Australian Computational Earth Systems Simulator, this model will be employed to analyse the spatial and temporal variability of earthquake activity and the ground motion resulting from these earthquakes.Read moreRead less
APEC Cooperation for Earthquake Simulation Visitors Program. This project aims to improve understanding of earthquakes through development of numerical simulation models for the earthquake generation process. Its centerpiece is a major international collaboration, achieved via a visitor exchange program between the headquarters of the APEC Cooperation for Earthquake Simulation in Australia and overseas centres of excellence. Earthquakes are one of the most costly and deadly natural disasters, a ....APEC Cooperation for Earthquake Simulation Visitors Program. This project aims to improve understanding of earthquakes through development of numerical simulation models for the earthquake generation process. Its centerpiece is a major international collaboration, achieved via a visitor exchange program between the headquarters of the APEC Cooperation for Earthquake Simulation in Australia and overseas centres of excellence. Earthquakes are one of the most costly and deadly natural disasters, and APEC member economies have a high earthquake risk. Recent analyses suggest earthquakes may dominate the loss potential in Australia. The complementary research programs offer an opportunity to achieve breakthrough advances in improved methods of earthquake forecasting and hazard quantification.Read moreRead less
ARC Centre in Bioinformatics. The Australian Centre for Genome-Phenome Bioinformatics will examine how the genome comes to life in the mammalian cell during differentiation and development. We will model, visualise and experimentally validate the complex cellular systems and regulatory networks that control the transformation of genomic information into biological structure and function. We will develop novel approaches and tools to improve health, optimise agricultural production and exploit ne ....ARC Centre in Bioinformatics. The Australian Centre for Genome-Phenome Bioinformatics will examine how the genome comes to life in the mammalian cell during differentiation and development. We will model, visualise and experimentally validate the complex cellular systems and regulatory networks that control the transformation of genomic information into biological structure and function. We will develop novel approaches and tools to improve health, optimise agricultural production and exploit new cell technologies. The Centre will build critical mass and national focus in bioinformatics to generate the human capital and intellectual property that Australia needs to compete in advanced bioscience and biotechnology.Read moreRead less
Improved Monte Carlo Methods for Estimation, Optimisation and Counting. The project will benefit the Australian society by building the theoretical and methodological foundations for the next generation of Monte Carlo techniques. The advancement of the knowledge in this area will provide important tools for solving complex estimation, optimisation and counting problems in engineering, statistics, computer science, mathematics and the physical and life sciences. As a result it will generate a com ....Improved Monte Carlo Methods for Estimation, Optimisation and Counting. The project will benefit the Australian society by building the theoretical and methodological foundations for the next generation of Monte Carlo techniques. The advancement of the knowledge in this area will provide important tools for solving complex estimation, optimisation and counting problems in engineering, statistics, computer science, mathematics and the physical and life sciences. As a result it will generate a competitive advantage for various sections of the Australian industry, including telecommunications, biotechnology and finance. The project will enable Australian researchers to continue to work at the forefront of this fast moving and exciting area of international research.Read moreRead less
Rare Event Simulation with Heavy Tails. The project provides a rigorous way to enhance our understanding of the mechanisms that bring about catastrophic rare events such as urban flooding, electricity shortages and financial bankrupcy. Australia is at the forefront of exciting recent developments in rare event simulation. The advancement of the knowledge in this area will generate a competitive advantage for various sections of the Australian industry, including the areas of industrial reliabili ....Rare Event Simulation with Heavy Tails. The project provides a rigorous way to enhance our understanding of the mechanisms that bring about catastrophic rare events such as urban flooding, electricity shortages and financial bankrupcy. Australia is at the forefront of exciting recent developments in rare event simulation. The advancement of the knowledge in this area will generate a competitive advantage for various sections of the Australian industry, including the areas of industrial reliability, finance and insurance, were accurate simulation techniques are becoming increasingly important.Read moreRead less
Micromechanical modelling of fault gouge dynamics: towards an improved fault constitutive relation. The human and economic costs of geological and other particulate media related problems in Australia are staggering. These include geological hazards (e.g. landslides and earthquakes; the Newcastle earthquake cost around $4 billion and 13 lives), to particulate processes prevalent in Australia's major export industries (e.g. coal export valued at $9.3 billion, iron ore at $3.8 billion, and wheat ....Micromechanical modelling of fault gouge dynamics: towards an improved fault constitutive relation. The human and economic costs of geological and other particulate media related problems in Australia are staggering. These include geological hazards (e.g. landslides and earthquakes; the Newcastle earthquake cost around $4 billion and 13 lives), to particulate processes prevalent in Australia's major export industries (e.g. coal export valued at $9.3 billion, iron ore at $3.8 billion, and wheat at $3.4 billion), to Australia's 810,000 km granular paved road network that costs around $5.5 million per day to maintain. The program will deliver new knowledge and advanced analytical and predictive modelling tools capable of fuelling breakthroughs in earthquake forecasting research and industrial innovations.
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The Development of High Strength Aluminium and Magnesium Alloys Using "Edge-to-edge" Matching Model. The theoretical, crystallographic "edge-to-edge" matching model for diffusion-controlled phase transformations will be applied to the practical development of improved industrial aluminium and magnesium alloys with assistance of computer simulations. The model will be used to enhance the precipitation hardening response and to identify more effective grain refiners in these light alloys. The aim ....The Development of High Strength Aluminium and Magnesium Alloys Using "Edge-to-edge" Matching Model. The theoretical, crystallographic "edge-to-edge" matching model for diffusion-controlled phase transformations will be applied to the practical development of improved industrial aluminium and magnesium alloys with assistance of computer simulations. The model will be used to enhance the precipitation hardening response and to identify more effective grain refiners in these light alloys. The aims will be the development of one high strength aluminium alloy with good ductility and one high strength magnesium alloy with good creep resistance at elevated temperatures. A computer program that will help to identify the most effective grain refiners for specific light alloys will also be produced.Read moreRead less
Neural mechanisms for human form perception. This project aims to determine if there is a single cortical mechanism underlying the human ability to discriminate and recognise objects. It has been speculated that different classes of objects, or forms require different processes. Demonstrating a single process would be a significant advance towards understanding the neural mechanisms giving rise to our ability to segment visual fields into meaningful objects and background. This research provides ....Neural mechanisms for human form perception. This project aims to determine if there is a single cortical mechanism underlying the human ability to discriminate and recognise objects. It has been speculated that different classes of objects, or forms require different processes. Demonstrating a single process would be a significant advance towards understanding the neural mechanisms giving rise to our ability to segment visual fields into meaningful objects and background. This research provides a means for testing models of the neural interactions thought to be generating human form perception and will help us discover how the visual cortex converts raw sensory input into object and form perception.Read moreRead less
Theatres Online: Achieving Theoretical and Practical Solutions to Problems of Theatre Space via Virtual Reality Computational Modeling. This project merges theoretical and practical approaches to theatre production to make the complex phenomenon of theatre space more accessible to both researchers and industry professionals. It achieves this by providing a virtual reality model of selected theatres, so that users might better comprehend a venue's spatial dynamics. This dimensionally-accurate rep ....Theatres Online: Achieving Theoretical and Practical Solutions to Problems of Theatre Space via Virtual Reality Computational Modeling. This project merges theoretical and practical approaches to theatre production to make the complex phenomenon of theatre space more accessible to both researchers and industry professionals. It achieves this by providing a virtual reality model of selected theatres, so that users might better comprehend a venue's spatial dynamics. This dimensionally-accurate representation permits a full understanding of a theatre space (and its potential for performance) even from remote locations, thus potentially making the production of theatre more cost effective. There is no other such project in the theatre world or in computer modelling research.Read moreRead less
Coding Error Isolation in Computerised Simulation Models with Application to Wastewater Treatment Systems. Simulation code verification through program testing and debugging is crucially important, but is tedious and often difficult. A novel approach will be studied in this project. The approach involves detecting coding errors through back-to-back testing using two independently implemented versions of a given mathematical model, and isolating the coding errors through systematically analysing ....Coding Error Isolation in Computerised Simulation Models with Application to Wastewater Treatment Systems. Simulation code verification through program testing and debugging is crucially important, but is tedious and often difficult. A novel approach will be studied in this project. The approach involves detecting coding errors through back-to-back testing using two independently implemented versions of a given mathematical model, and isolating the coding errors through systematically analysing the test error signal generated (the difference between the outputs of the two models). This is possible because one of the two versions is implemented in such a way that the test error carries an easily identifiable feature. This project could revolutionize the area of model verification.Read moreRead less