Analysis and modeling of driving patterns for limited-range electric vehicles. The electrification of the personal transport sector seems to be only a matter of time. It is important to study and model the effects of this sector now, in order to recommend decision makers on issues like standardization and infrastructure planning. Understanding and being able to predict EV driving and charging patterns will allow us to provide planning assistance for:
· Effects of day-time dependent energy pri ....Analysis and modeling of driving patterns for limited-range electric vehicles. The electrification of the personal transport sector seems to be only a matter of time. It is important to study and model the effects of this sector now, in order to recommend decision makers on issues like standardization and infrastructure planning. Understanding and being able to predict EV driving and charging patterns will allow us to provide planning assistance for:
· Effects of day-time dependent energy pricing structure on EV charging behavior
· Optimal energy pricing to encourage off-peak charging
· Optimal number and location of EV charging stations
· Expected uptake of PHEV/EVs depending on petrol, electricity and conversion cost
· Expected additional energy demand for EVs and PHEVs with day-time energy usage pattern
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Prediction and control of fluid-structure interactions. Fluid-flows create a pressure that can deform the surface of a structure or cause it to vibrate; an extreme example is the fluttering of a flag. Flow-induced vibration of the external panels of vehicles causes damage, noise and can adversely affect performance. This project will develop a wholly new approach for the analysis of these interactions. The versatility and completeness of the approach permits a step-change in the design of panels ....Prediction and control of fluid-structure interactions. Fluid-flows create a pressure that can deform the surface of a structure or cause it to vibrate; an extreme example is the fluttering of a flag. Flow-induced vibration of the external panels of vehicles causes damage, noise and can adversely affect performance. This project will develop a wholly new approach for the analysis of these interactions. The versatility and completeness of the approach permits a step-change in the design of panels, reducing material and manufacturing costs without compromise to safety and performance - an immense benefit for the myriad engineered products or structures that feature flow over a deformable surface. Read moreRead less
Taming turbulence: Hydrodynamic stability and flow-structure interaction using grid-free computation. Turbulence is characterized as seemingly disordered fluctuations that impede the progress of an object through a fluid by creating increased frictional or drag forces. Using a new type of fluid-flow simulation, this project will generate advanced understanding of turbulence in the flow over the surface of a vehicle, be it a ship, car, aircraft or within a pipe, with the technological objective o ....Taming turbulence: Hydrodynamic stability and flow-structure interaction using grid-free computation. Turbulence is characterized as seemingly disordered fluctuations that impede the progress of an object through a fluid by creating increased frictional or drag forces. Using a new type of fluid-flow simulation, this project will generate advanced understanding of turbulence in the flow over the surface of a vehicle, be it a ship, car, aircraft or within a pipe, with the technological objective of reducing drag by adhering a compliant skin to the surface. While the correct choice of compliance relies upon understanding very complex flow-structure dynamics, the resulting technology is simple, robust and has low capital and maintenance costs. Clearly, drag reduction reduces fuel costs and lower fuel consumption is environmentally beneficial. Read moreRead less
Designing for uncertainty in conservation auctions. Economic theory and case study evidence show that tenders or auctions are more efficient than grant mechanisms for encouraging landholders to produce environmental outcomes on private land. These studies have ignored the effects of uncertainty of both bidders and administrators about factors such as landholder participation and the level of environmental benefits that will be delivered. This project will test whether distributing environmental ....Designing for uncertainty in conservation auctions. Economic theory and case study evidence show that tenders or auctions are more efficient than grant mechanisms for encouraging landholders to produce environmental outcomes on private land. These studies have ignored the effects of uncertainty of both bidders and administrators about factors such as landholder participation and the level of environmental benefits that will be delivered. This project will test whether distributing environmental funds via tenders is still efficient when uncertainty about various important factors is considered. Results from this research are expected to inform the cost effective design of systems to pay landholders for the provision of environmental benefits even when there is high uncertainty.Read moreRead less
Redesigning Landcare policy to better coordinate across landholders. This project aims to study how landscape-sensitive economic incentives and social norms can be leveraged to enhance the short- and long-term effectiveness of conservation programs. It will yield new knowledge for innovative designs in conservation contracting that is urgently needed to address worsening environmental threats in Australia and worldwide. In collaboration with Nobel laureate Vernon Smith’s team, new methods and pr ....Redesigning Landcare policy to better coordinate across landholders. This project aims to study how landscape-sensitive economic incentives and social norms can be leveraged to enhance the short- and long-term effectiveness of conservation programs. It will yield new knowledge for innovative designs in conservation contracting that is urgently needed to address worsening environmental threats in Australia and worldwide. In collaboration with Nobel laureate Vernon Smith’s team, new methods and protocols will improve our ability to generate better data and better understand how social and incentive mechanisms can constructively interact to facilitate collaborative environmental action. Results will help make the achievement of environmental targets and the use of public funds more cost-effective. Read moreRead less
Assessing the determinants and consequences of safety climate in the maritime industry. This project will examine the predictors and outcomes of safety climate in the Australian maritime industry. Findings from this project will be used to improve safety policies, regulations and practices that aim to minimise the number of accidents and incidents in Australian waters.
Youth in Australia: Education and Work. This project examines, in an integrated way, the education decisions, transition from school to work, and the early labour market experience of youth from 1975 to the present time. The recent emphasis on Australia as a Knowledge Nation and a New Economy indicates that study of education decisions is a high priority. Similarly, pathways from school to work and the cumulative disadvantage that many youth experience in the labour market are leading contempo ....Youth in Australia: Education and Work. This project examines, in an integrated way, the education decisions, transition from school to work, and the early labour market experience of youth from 1975 to the present time. The recent emphasis on Australia as a Knowledge Nation and a New Economy indicates that study of education decisions is a high priority. Similarly, pathways from school to work and the cumulative disadvantage that many youth experience in the labour market are leading contemporary economic and social issues. The project is expected to yield insights into the determinants of educational attainment, best pathways and the channels of influence on labour market success and failure that will be policy relevant and publishable in refereed journals.Read moreRead less
Presumed Guilty: An Economics Analysis of the Efficiency of Environmental Bonds for the WA Mining Sector. Environmental bonds have two important economic effects. First they give an incentive for mining firms to manage environmental damage and second they prevent excessive costs falling on the regulator in the case of bankruptcy. The aim of this project is to assess if this policy can be redesigned to increase its economic efficiency.
Wage Determination and the New Household Economics. By linking wage outcomes and occupational attainment to home time activities and the human capital and other characteristics of partners, this project should help establish the basis for the payoffs to schooling, the gender pay gap and the marriage wage premium in Australia. A focus on the household allocation of time, with a possible emphasis on child care, may emerge as an important consideration in discussion of the gender wage gap, and of ....Wage Determination and the New Household Economics. By linking wage outcomes and occupational attainment to home time activities and the human capital and other characteristics of partners, this project should help establish the basis for the payoffs to schooling, the gender pay gap and the marriage wage premium in Australia. A focus on the household allocation of time, with a possible emphasis on child care, may emerge as an important consideration in discussion of the gender wage gap, and of the glass ceiling effects shown in recent research and in the media to be an important feature of the Australian labour market.Read moreRead less
Examining Overeducation and Undereducation in the Immigrant Labour Market: An International Case Study Approach. Overseas research has shown that wages and job satisfaction are affected by the degree to which workers' skills are matched to the requirements of their jobs. Examination of this issue for Australia within an international case study approach will identify avenues through which the matching function of the labour market can be improved, and hence economic efficiency enhanced. This wil ....Examining Overeducation and Undereducation in the Immigrant Labour Market: An International Case Study Approach. Overseas research has shown that wages and job satisfaction are affected by the degree to which workers' skills are matched to the requirements of their jobs. Examination of this issue for Australia within an international case study approach will identify avenues through which the matching function of the labour market can be improved, and hence economic efficiency enhanced. This will benefit Australia in that it will provide a basis through which worker satisfaction, lifetime outcomes and aggregate output can be enhanced through a more effective use of our skill-base, and hence permit a strengthening of our social and economic fabric. Read moreRead less