Mechanics of dynamic loading and rapid penetration of soils. The project will produce improved understanding and new numerical tools that will permit cost effective simulation and modelling of rapid penetration of objects into the ground, and of the compaction processes used on the majority of construction sites. The free fall penetrometer will be developed to enable soil strength to be determined at remote sites, e.g. ocean seabed, jungles, swamps. The project will also assist in the selection ....Mechanics of dynamic loading and rapid penetration of soils. The project will produce improved understanding and new numerical tools that will permit cost effective simulation and modelling of rapid penetration of objects into the ground, and of the compaction processes used on the majority of construction sites. The free fall penetrometer will be developed to enable soil strength to be determined at remote sites, e.g. ocean seabed, jungles, swamps. The project will also assist in the selection of compaction equipment and procedures.Read moreRead less
The Influence of Cement Type, Age and Curing Conditions on the Flexural Capacity of Masonry Walls. The use of cements containing waste products such as fly ash and blast surface slag has increased markedly. This has desirable environmental and economic consequences, but the influence of these cements on the bond strength of masonry constructed from mortars containing these cements is unknown and in urgent need of clarification. This investigation studies this effect as well as the influence of ....The Influence of Cement Type, Age and Curing Conditions on the Flexural Capacity of Masonry Walls. The use of cements containing waste products such as fly ash and blast surface slag has increased markedly. This has desirable environmental and economic consequences, but the influence of these cements on the bond strength of masonry constructed from mortars containing these cements is unknown and in urgent need of clarification. This investigation studies this effect as well as the influence of age and curing conditions on masonry flexural strength at both a fundamental and applied level, thus allowing the impact of the use of mortars containing these cements on actual building performance to be assessed.Read moreRead less
Sustainable usage of dredged clay materials as land reclamation fills. Millions of cubic metres of dredged materials are removed from river and sea beds every year in dredging projects. It is common to dump a significant portion of the dredged spoils into the sea which can result in serious environmental problems such as deterioration of water quality, damage to aquatic habitats, disruption of ecosystems and dispersion of fine clay particles in seawater. The proposed use of dredged clays as land ....Sustainable usage of dredged clay materials as land reclamation fills. Millions of cubic metres of dredged materials are removed from river and sea beds every year in dredging projects. It is common to dump a significant portion of the dredged spoils into the sea which can result in serious environmental problems such as deterioration of water quality, damage to aquatic habitats, disruption of ecosystems and dispersion of fine clay particles in seawater. The proposed use of dredged clays as land reclamation fill will lead to a substantial reduction in or even eliminate the need for dumping dredged clays into offshore dumping locations. The stabilized dredged clays have great potential if their geotechnical characteristics are adequately understood.Read moreRead less
Fundamental theoretical investigation of the chemomechanical properties of clays. Australia faces significant environmental challenges, one of the most important being soil degradation. The aim of this project is to develop new and state-of-the art mathematical models describing the behaviour of clays in soils. This proposal addresses five fundamental problems in clay soil behaviour that have so far remained unanswered. The primary outcomes of this project will be new theoretical insights into t ....Fundamental theoretical investigation of the chemomechanical properties of clays. Australia faces significant environmental challenges, one of the most important being soil degradation. The aim of this project is to develop new and state-of-the art mathematical models describing the behaviour of clays in soils. This proposal addresses five fundamental problems in clay soil behaviour that have so far remained unanswered. The primary outcomes of this project will be new theoretical insights into the chemomechanical properties of clay soils, so providing the understanding required to intelligently engineer and manage our natural and built environments.Read moreRead less
Cracking of Embankment Dams Under Normal Operating, and Flood Conditions, and the Implications for Internal Erosion and Piping Failure. Internal erosion and piping causes half of embankment dam failures and accidents. Historically about two percent of dams have been affected. The most common cause of initiation of erosion is in cracks or by hydraulic fracture in low stress zones. This project will develop methods for predicting the opening width and depth of desiccation and stress induced cra ....Cracking of Embankment Dams Under Normal Operating, and Flood Conditions, and the Implications for Internal Erosion and Piping Failure. Internal erosion and piping causes half of embankment dam failures and accidents. Historically about two percent of dams have been affected. The most common cause of initiation of erosion is in cracks or by hydraulic fracture in low stress zones. This project will develop methods for predicting the opening width and depth of desiccation and stress induced cracking in the dam crest, and for assessing whether the cracks will close before erosion begins as the reservoir water rises, or whether erosion will self limit or continue.Read moreRead less