Retrofit of Steel Connections subject to Fatigue Load by Utilizing carbon fibre reinforced polymeric (CFRP) and Modified Epoxy Structural Adhesives. The proposed research project will challenge conventional methods of repairing or strengthening steel structures by using an advanced material (CFRP) together with modified epoxy structural adhesives. It will not only provide reliable retrofitting of existing structures but will also build safe, more economic and smarter steel structures. It will co ....Retrofit of Steel Connections subject to Fatigue Load by Utilizing carbon fibre reinforced polymeric (CFRP) and Modified Epoxy Structural Adhesives. The proposed research project will challenge conventional methods of repairing or strengthening steel structures by using an advanced material (CFRP) together with modified epoxy structural adhesives. It will not only provide reliable retrofitting of existing structures but will also build safe, more economic and smarter steel structures. It will contribute to the socio-economic wellbeing of Australia, including road and railway infrastructure, offshore, mining and recreation industries, increasing the international competitiveness of the Australian steel industry and infrastructure maintenance capability. Australia will be better positioned in the region for potential technology transfer to Asian and surrounding countries.Read moreRead less
Debonding Failure in CFRP Strengthened Steel Structures. The research will make a breakthrough in understanding the bond characteristics between CFRP and steel. It will enhance the capacity of Australian researchers to participate in a new cutting-edge research area, and help create a vibrant new industry for strengthening steel structures. The project will contribute to improved cost efficiency and safety of steel structures thereby contributing to the socio-economic well being of Australia inc ....Debonding Failure in CFRP Strengthened Steel Structures. The research will make a breakthrough in understanding the bond characteristics between CFRP and steel. It will enhance the capacity of Australian researchers to participate in a new cutting-edge research area, and help create a vibrant new industry for strengthening steel structures. The project will contribute to improved cost efficiency and safety of steel structures thereby contributing to the socio-economic well being of Australia including road, offshore, building and mining industries. It will increase the international competitiveness of Australian steel industry and infrastructure maintenance capability. Australia will be better positioned in this region for potential technology transfer to Asian countries.Read moreRead less
Microscale evolution of deformed rocks and glaciers. Scientific outcomes from this research have significant implications for predictions on material properties and are applicable to rock behaviour in mineralised systems, a focus of Australia's minerals industry, and the development of new materials for the Australian manufacturing industries. It will help maintain Australia's excellent international research reputation in the fields of microstructural geology and glaciology.
Microstructural analysis using integrated experiments and numerical modelling. Microstructures related to nano-materials and visible up to the scale of a thin section, are important tools for any material scientist, geologist or glaciologist. Microstructural evolution underpins how these disciplines unravel grain-scale structures, deformation conditions and mechanisms to estimate the intensity or amount of deformation. This project will allow us to better interpret microstructural evolution, in ....Microstructural analysis using integrated experiments and numerical modelling. Microstructures related to nano-materials and visible up to the scale of a thin section, are important tools for any material scientist, geologist or glaciologist. Microstructural evolution underpins how these disciplines unravel grain-scale structures, deformation conditions and mechanisms to estimate the intensity or amount of deformation. This project will allow us to better interpret microstructural evolution, in a range of natural, organic and composite materials, by using integrated laboratory experiments and numerical simulations. With these results we will model the conditions that prevail in composite materials, in glaciers and apply them to processes operating in of the Earth's crust.Read moreRead less
Intelligent Materials Processing: Microstructure And Texture Control In Bcc Metals. In Australia, steel companies are continuing to search for cost effective steel compositions and processing routes. Concurrently, applications for Ti alloys in chemical, medical and aerospace industries are continuing to widen. As an outcome of this project, the basis for the optimisation of processing routes in order to achieve enhanced product properties at lower cost will be established. In the course of this ....Intelligent Materials Processing: Microstructure And Texture Control In Bcc Metals. In Australia, steel companies are continuing to search for cost effective steel compositions and processing routes. Concurrently, applications for Ti alloys in chemical, medical and aerospace industries are continuing to widen. As an outcome of this project, the basis for the optimisation of processing routes in order to achieve enhanced product properties at lower cost will be established. In the course of this work, a new model for the prediction of microstructure and texture evolution during recrystallisation will be developed and new process routes will be designed. Read moreRead less
Interactions between Lattice Defects and Nanoscale Solute Aggregates: Strengthening and Creep Mechanisms in Magnesium Alloys. Advances in manufacturing and processing technologies in recent years have brought renewed interests in magnesium alloys for applications at elevated temperatures (100-200°C). Improvement in strength and creep resistance of existing alloys and development of new alloys require better understanding of strengthening and creep mechanisms and their correlations with deformat ....Interactions between Lattice Defects and Nanoscale Solute Aggregates: Strengthening and Creep Mechanisms in Magnesium Alloys. Advances in manufacturing and processing technologies in recent years have brought renewed interests in magnesium alloys for applications at elevated temperatures (100-200°C). Improvement in strength and creep resistance of existing alloys and development of new alloys require better understanding of strengthening and creep mechanisms and their correlations with deformation behaviour of the alloys. In this project, advanced imaging techniques of transmission electron microscopy and three-dimensional atom probe field-ion microscopy, combined with tensile and creep tests, will be used to study interactions between lattice defects and nanoscale solute aggregates and their quantitative effects on deformation behaviour of magnesium alloys at elevated temperatures. The aim of this project is to develop a robust theory for the design of magnesium alloys with improved strength and creep resistance.Read moreRead less
A Predictive Approach to the Formation of Plate-Shaped Strengthening and Toughening Constituents in Advanced Metallic and Ceramic Materials. Development of stronger and tougher materials has been largely empirical and the properties obtained so far are only a small fraction of the theoretical values. One of the key steps to develop stronger and tougher materials is to understand the mechanisms responsible for the formation and distribution of key strengthening and/or toughening components in the ....A Predictive Approach to the Formation of Plate-Shaped Strengthening and Toughening Constituents in Advanced Metallic and Ceramic Materials. Development of stronger and tougher materials has been largely empirical and the properties obtained so far are only a small fraction of the theoretical values. One of the key steps to develop stronger and tougher materials is to understand the mechanisms responsible for the formation and distribution of key strengthening and/or toughening components in the materials. This project seeks to make this step. The findings will provide guidance to the development of stronger and tougher materials for the aerospace, aircraft and automotive industries. This project provides opportunities to strengthen the collaboration with USA experts and to train early career researchers.Read moreRead less
States of Aggregation - Clustering, Segregation, Nucleation and Nanostructure. High strength light alloys are nanostructured materials, deriving their mechanical properties from nanoscale dispersions of strengthening precipitate phases controlled by alloy composition and thermomechanical processing. Atom-probe field-ion microscopy and high-resolution electron microscopy will be combined to study the aggregation of solute atoms that precedes formation of the precipitate phases. Experimental st ....States of Aggregation - Clustering, Segregation, Nucleation and Nanostructure. High strength light alloys are nanostructured materials, deriving their mechanical properties from nanoscale dispersions of strengthening precipitate phases controlled by alloy composition and thermomechanical processing. Atom-probe field-ion microscopy and high-resolution electron microscopy will be combined to study the aggregation of solute atoms that precedes formation of the precipitate phases. Experimental studies at high spatial resolution will be complemented by elastic strain energy calculations and first-principles modelling of the aggregation behaviour, to define its role in controlling precipitation processes and thus properties. The work will provide a basis for improved alloy design and a platform for computer-aided design of high-performance alloys.Read moreRead less
Innovative coupled composite steel-concrete shear wall and frame systems. This project aims to develop an innovative coupled composite steel-concrete shear wall and frame system that revolutionises and improves the economical design and construction of multi-storey buildings. The proposed system uses novel cost-effective composite structural components that can be prefabricated and easily assembled on-site using innovative blind bolting techniques to speed up construction. The project will offer ....Innovative coupled composite steel-concrete shear wall and frame systems. This project aims to develop an innovative coupled composite steel-concrete shear wall and frame system that revolutionises and improves the economical design and construction of multi-storey buildings. The proposed system uses novel cost-effective composite structural components that can be prefabricated and easily assembled on-site using innovative blind bolting techniques to speed up construction. The project will offer a promising opportunity to promote prefabricated and modular construction which is believed will have a major benefit in shaping the future construction industry. This will provide significant benefits to Australian structural engineers and the construction industry in advancing their knowledge in composite construction.Read moreRead less
Lightweight, durable and self-sustainable modular composites buildings. This project aims to establish a modular composites building system that is lightweight, integrated with power supply system and is highly resistant to harsh environments. Buildings today are designed and constructed using conventional craft-based labour-intensive methods and materials. This results in high cost and consequences for quality, safety, resource and environmental impact. By developing the modular building system ....Lightweight, durable and self-sustainable modular composites buildings. This project aims to establish a modular composites building system that is lightweight, integrated with power supply system and is highly resistant to harsh environments. Buildings today are designed and constructed using conventional craft-based labour-intensive methods and materials. This results in high cost and consequences for quality, safety, resource and environmental impact. By developing the modular building system using lightweight and durable fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) composites and innovative connection methods for fast assembly, the project outcomes can largely lift productivity in construction industry and further provide self-sustainable civil infrastructure not only in urban and rural regions but also in remote areas.Read moreRead less