Understanding multi-scale reinforcement of carbon fibre composites. Addition of nano scale entities, such as nanotubes, on the surface of a carbon fibre forms a bottle-brush like architecture and strengthens fibre-matrix interface. This project will pioneer development of a systematic approach for analysis and design of such multi-scale reinforced composite materials for use in aerospace and civil industries.
Design of nastic cellular structures with osmotic actuation. Shape changing structures play an imperative role in aerospace, automobile, energy and other industries. This project aims to develop novel concepts extracted from nastic motion in plants and relevant computational algorithms for the design of nastic cellular structures with osmotic actuation. The project is of significance as it offers a potential solution to the shape morphing challenge in aircraft and automobile from biomimetics vie ....Design of nastic cellular structures with osmotic actuation. Shape changing structures play an imperative role in aerospace, automobile, energy and other industries. This project aims to develop novel concepts extracted from nastic motion in plants and relevant computational algorithms for the design of nastic cellular structures with osmotic actuation. The project is of significance as it offers a potential solution to the shape morphing challenge in aircraft and automobile from biomimetics viewpoint - nastic actuation. The expected outcomes will be: a new numerical method for designing nastic cellular structures; and, validated algorithms with a novel topological geometry representation and multi objectives and constraints for applications in morphing structures with multiple target shapes.Read moreRead less
Dynamic Properties of Mechanical Metamaterials: Optimization and Experiment. The aim of this project is to develop novel mechanical metamaterials through topology optimization for manipulating the propagation of elastic and acoustic waves. Mechanical metamaterials achieve exotic dynamic properties, which have many applications ranging from noise management and vibration control to defence. The computational tool and optimization algorithms to be developed will seamlessly integrate with additive ....Dynamic Properties of Mechanical Metamaterials: Optimization and Experiment. The aim of this project is to develop novel mechanical metamaterials through topology optimization for manipulating the propagation of elastic and acoustic waves. Mechanical metamaterials achieve exotic dynamic properties, which have many applications ranging from noise management and vibration control to defence. The computational tool and optimization algorithms to be developed will seamlessly integrate with additive manufacturing to enable the end-users to characterize, design and fabricate the next generation of mechanical metamaterials in an effective way. The outcomes of this project offer significant benefits for the long-term and sustainable development of knowledge-based economy in Australia.Read moreRead less
Experimentally validated theory for the mixing of granular materials. The project aims to develop better mixing theories to support industrial applications. Effective mixing of granular materials such as aggregates in building industry and stockpiles in mineral processing is important for creating homogeneous products, yet industrial mixers lack scientific design and operate with no control of mixture quality. The project aims to establish a new general continuum mixing theory, which will be val ....Experimentally validated theory for the mixing of granular materials. The project aims to develop better mixing theories to support industrial applications. Effective mixing of granular materials such as aggregates in building industry and stockpiles in mineral processing is important for creating homogeneous products, yet industrial mixers lack scientific design and operate with no control of mixture quality. The project aims to establish a new general continuum mixing theory, which will be validated against X-ray measurements of grain motions within small mixers. By describing the theory using an accurate computational method, the simulations of these mixers will be scalable, and would help deliver predictions for particle mixing in much larger operations. Other expected outcomes are to control mixture quality and reduce industry reliance on costly and time-consuming trial-and-error experiments.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE210101382
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$425,775.00
Summary
Metastructures for Simultaneous Vibration Suppression and Energy Harvesting. The project aims to generate a fundamental understanding of the underlying multiphysics of dual-functional locally resonating metastructures, where undesirable vibrations are suppressed while absorbed energy is converted into electricity. It will widen low-frequency vibration suppression gaps and maximise energy capture by formulating an integrated modelling framework to leverage complex dynamics of nonlinear local reso ....Metastructures for Simultaneous Vibration Suppression and Energy Harvesting. The project aims to generate a fundamental understanding of the underlying multiphysics of dual-functional locally resonating metastructures, where undesirable vibrations are suppressed while absorbed energy is converted into electricity. It will widen low-frequency vibration suppression gaps and maximise energy capture by formulating an integrated modelling framework to leverage complex dynamics of nonlinear local resonators coupled with vibration energy harvesting mechanisms and nonlinear electrical circuitry. This will promote the development of next-generation multifunctional metastructures. Knowledge produced should improve the durability of structural components and empower sustainable wireless monitoring with self-powered sensors.Read moreRead less
Optimised flush repairs for dissimilar composite material systems. The outcome of this research project will overcome a major technological challenge when designing repairs for dissimilar composite material systems, which are being utilised at an increasing pace in a multitude of industries. This new technological capability will help to improve the competitiveness of the Australian aerospace industry.
Stress Evaluation with Non-Linear Guided Waves. This project plans to investigate a novel approach for in situ measurement of stress in structures based on an internal resonance phenomenon for nonlinear guided waves. Monitoring the stress level of critical structural components is important to ensure structural safety. The project plans to derive the requirements for this internal resonance and its dependence on stress analytically and verify them experimentally for both simple waveguides and mo ....Stress Evaluation with Non-Linear Guided Waves. This project plans to investigate a novel approach for in situ measurement of stress in structures based on an internal resonance phenomenon for nonlinear guided waves. Monitoring the stress level of critical structural components is important to ensure structural safety. The project plans to derive the requirements for this internal resonance and its dependence on stress analytically and verify them experimentally for both simple waveguides and more realistic structures. The expected outcome is the demonstration of the feasibility of a new inexpensive method for continuous monitoring of applied or thermally-induced stresses, which is of great importance in several engineering contexts, such as modern railway track rails, pipelines or pre-stressed strands in concrete structures.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE170100079
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$267,000.00
Summary
Advanced digital image correlation facility. This project aims to establish a facility that analyses three-dimensional and transient events for nearly any type of application, material and size scale. Digital Image correlation technologies are widely used to measure displacements and strains due to their accuracy, robustness, versatility and overall ease of use. This project will characterise materials from quasi-static to ballistic range of loading, crucial to develop and validate advanced anal ....Advanced digital image correlation facility. This project aims to establish a facility that analyses three-dimensional and transient events for nearly any type of application, material and size scale. Digital Image correlation technologies are widely used to measure displacements and strains due to their accuracy, robustness, versatility and overall ease of use. This project will characterise materials from quasi-static to ballistic range of loading, crucial to develop and validate advanced analytical and numerical models. The proposed infrastructure is expected to enhance experimental capabilities, and foster collaborative research across mechanical, civil, mining, sports, aerospace, automotive, marine and materials engineering.Read moreRead less
Baseline-free Methods for Early Damage Diagnosis using Nonlinear Ultrasound. To address the significant limitation of existing non-destructive evaluation techniques in detecting and characterising early damage, this project aims to discover the physical nature of self-generated nonlinear waves by structural damage and to explore its potential for an entirely new class of non-destructive evaluation and structural health monitoring techniques. Major applications are expected to include a baseline- ....Baseline-free Methods for Early Damage Diagnosis using Nonlinear Ultrasound. To address the significant limitation of existing non-destructive evaluation techniques in detecting and characterising early damage, this project aims to discover the physical nature of self-generated nonlinear waves by structural damage and to explore its potential for an entirely new class of non-destructive evaluation and structural health monitoring techniques. Major applications are expected to include a baseline-free structural health monitoring technique capable of detecting and quantifying barely-visible impact damage in advanced composite materials, non-destructive evaluation of structures made by additive manufacturing, and detection of hard-to-inspect locations in unitised structures.Read moreRead less
Towards autonomous structural safety prognostics: integrating in-situ imaging and predictive modelling. This project aims to advance a scientific basis for autonomous safety prognostics by developing predictive models and in-situ damage imaging principles. Development of this new health prognostic approach will overcome the significant challenge of safety assurance of composite structures in the presence of in-service damage, which is largely hidden.