Could porous pavements be a part of the urban water solution? With water demand in Australia approaching, and sometimes exceeding, limits of sustainability, there is a pressing need to find alternative water sources. At the same time, urban stormwater pollution remains a major environmental threat. These problems are particularly difficult in urban areas, due to space constraints. This project will test and refine porous pavement technology, which could help solve the 'urban water problem'. R ....Could porous pavements be a part of the urban water solution? With water demand in Australia approaching, and sometimes exceeding, limits of sustainability, there is a pressing need to find alternative water sources. At the same time, urban stormwater pollution remains a major environmental threat. These problems are particularly difficult in urban areas, due to space constraints. This project will test and refine porous pavement technology, which could help solve the 'urban water problem'. Replacing impervious areas with porous pavements will allow urban stormwater to be treated and harvested for re-use. Waterways will be protected from pollution, and the vast quantity of urban stormwater generated (similar to the total reticulated water supplied in Australia) can be harvested to sustain cities.Read moreRead less
Airborne vibration isolation for geophysical exploration. Sensitive airborne instrumentation for geophysical exploration is almost always degraded in sensitivity by the high levels of vibration and acoustic noise in survey aircraft. This project will develop a prototype robust vibration isolator with exceptional isolation across the audio frequency band. The device uses advanced techniques developed for gravitational wave detection. The system will be tested in survey aircraft using both vib ....Airborne vibration isolation for geophysical exploration. Sensitive airborne instrumentation for geophysical exploration is almost always degraded in sensitivity by the high levels of vibration and acoustic noise in survey aircraft. This project will develop a prototype robust vibration isolator with exceptional isolation across the audio frequency band. The device uses advanced techniques developed for gravitational wave detection. The system will be tested in survey aircraft using both vibration sensors and actual survey instrumentation to confirm its effectiveness, robustness and durability.Read moreRead less
Future Proofing Schools: using smart green integrated design approaches to prefabricated learning environments. This project draws on multi-disciplinary approaches to set the groundwork of major transformations of prefabricated classrooms, with the use of advanced materials, smart information systems embedded in the classrooms, better placement on sites, and use of more efficient construction techniques, allowing a transformation of this Australian industry. Our research will promote an innovati ....Future Proofing Schools: using smart green integrated design approaches to prefabricated learning environments. This project draws on multi-disciplinary approaches to set the groundwork of major transformations of prefabricated classrooms, with the use of advanced materials, smart information systems embedded in the classrooms, better placement on sites, and use of more efficient construction techniques, allowing a transformation of this Australian industry. Our research will promote an innovation culture and economy within the school and for future generations, and will have flow-on effects into promoting a healthy start to life in which smart, green, and educational imperatives are aligned. This will assist in strengthening Australia's social and economic fabric. Read moreRead less
Smart Green Schools: Educational and Environmental Outcomes of Innovation in School Building Design. The research touches upon many of the key National Research Priorities. Children spend a large proportion of their waking hours within a school environment. A healthy school environment which efficiently uses energy resources and information technology will help ' strengthen Australia's social economic fabric' in the longer term and support student engagement. Children's inhabitation of virtual s ....Smart Green Schools: Educational and Environmental Outcomes of Innovation in School Building Design. The research touches upon many of the key National Research Priorities. Children spend a large proportion of their waking hours within a school environment. A healthy school environment which efficiently uses energy resources and information technology will help ' strengthen Australia's social economic fabric' in the longer term and support student engagement. Children's inhabitation of virtual space as 'native' users of information rich 'frontier technologies' will be complemented by buildings acting as 3D textbooks educating children about an 'environmentally sustainable Australia' and providing feedback on design innovations intended to save 'water' and 'minimise environment impacts' on land and climate.Read moreRead less
Geotechnical characterisation of compacted ground based on passive ambient noise techniques. The proposed research will provide our local construction and mining industries with a much needed fast and low cost technology for geotechnical investigation of very large sites which is currently not available. The project will help steer Australia to the forefront of ambient noise research for geotechnical site investigation, in the characterisation of unsaturated compacted soil and in the determinati ....Geotechnical characterisation of compacted ground based on passive ambient noise techniques. The proposed research will provide our local construction and mining industries with a much needed fast and low cost technology for geotechnical investigation of very large sites which is currently not available. The project will help steer Australia to the forefront of ambient noise research for geotechnical site investigation, in the characterisation of unsaturated compacted soil and in the determination of dynamic site characteristics which are required for seismic risk assessment. Two postgraduate students will benefit from this research by receiving research training at the highest level and it will also pave the way for exporting the technology developed overseas, particularly to our near neighbours in Asia and the Pacific. Read moreRead less
Response of residential structures to blast vibration. This proposed project combines the expertise and disciplines of residential construction, structural dynamics and blasting technology. The ultimate aim of the project is to develop a rational methodology for assessing the damage potential of ground vibration resulting from blasting on typical Australian residential structures. The project involves field blast vibration measurements, static and dynamic laboratory tests on structural sub-assem ....Response of residential structures to blast vibration. This proposed project combines the expertise and disciplines of residential construction, structural dynamics and blasting technology. The ultimate aim of the project is to develop a rational methodology for assessing the damage potential of ground vibration resulting from blasting on typical Australian residential structures. The project involves field blast vibration measurements, static and dynamic laboratory tests on structural sub-assemblages in a controlled environment, and comprehensive analytical modelling of both loading and response. The outcomes from this research will have direct application to the mining, insurance, construction and defence industries.Read moreRead less
Learning from the development and implementation of Australia's National Indigenous Forestry Strategy. The project will undertake a multi-disciplinary study of the National Indigenous Forest Strategy (NIFS) in the native title era. A team comprising three academics from the ANU and key industry partners will collaborate with a very experienced APAI on the project. There has been considerable public policy concern and debate about the development problems facing Indigenous communities, particular ....Learning from the development and implementation of Australia's National Indigenous Forestry Strategy. The project will undertake a multi-disciplinary study of the National Indigenous Forest Strategy (NIFS) in the native title era. A team comprising three academics from the ANU and key industry partners will collaborate with a very experienced APAI on the project. There has been considerable public policy concern and debate about the development problems facing Indigenous communities, particularly in regional and remote Australia. Forestry offers one option for economic initiative, especially on the significant Indigenous estate. This project will inform and monitor the evolving NIFS and canvass options for policy-realistic and culturally-acceptable ways that forestry can ameliorate Indigenous socio-economic disadvantage.Read moreRead less
PROBABILISTIC BRIDGE STRUCTURE CONDITION ASSESSMENT AND LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY PREDICTION. Bridge failures have occasionally been reported around the world. Condition assessment of bridges is vital to maintain their safety. It is difficult to assess quantitatively the deterioration and damage using traditional methods. Vibration-based methods are very sensitive to noise in vibration measurement and error in finite element modelling. This project will study the effects of measurement noises and f ....PROBABILISTIC BRIDGE STRUCTURE CONDITION ASSESSMENT AND LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY PREDICTION. Bridge failures have occasionally been reported around the world. Condition assessment of bridges is vital to maintain their safety. It is difficult to assess quantitatively the deterioration and damage using traditional methods. Vibration-based methods are very sensitive to noise in vibration measurement and error in finite element modelling. This project will study the effects of measurement noises and finite element model errors on bridge condition assessment, and develop improved techniques for predicting load carrying capacities of bridges. The technique developed will be applied to Main Roads WA bridges, will also be applicable to the assessment of other types of structures.Read moreRead less
Study of Coupled Water-Gas-Sediment (three-phase) Flows through Jointed and Stratified Rock. Coupled Water-Gas-Sediment Flows through Rock Joints project outcomes are expected to surpass the current knowledge on ground/slope stability and water inundation, enhance engineering solutions of the associated problems and provide vital improvements to public safety. The research team will publish the research outcomes through peer-reviewed journals and conferences, nationally and internationally, rais ....Study of Coupled Water-Gas-Sediment (three-phase) Flows through Jointed and Stratified Rock. Coupled Water-Gas-Sediment Flows through Rock Joints project outcomes are expected to surpass the current knowledge on ground/slope stability and water inundation, enhance engineering solutions of the associated problems and provide vital improvements to public safety. The research team will publish the research outcomes through peer-reviewed journals and conferences, nationally and internationally, raising Australia’s scientific profile within the civil engineering and mining community. The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and Institution of Engineers seminars will be organised to promote discussion with the practitioners while the Australian geotechnical community will gain expertise through the PhD program. Read moreRead less
A Cost-Effective System for Monitoring Lightning Strikes Across Australasia. Lightning causes many major fires in Australia, and rural fire managers would benefit from access to lighting data. Lightning data have been prohibitively expensive because acquiring them requires a dense monitoring network. Low Frequency Electromagnetic Research Ltd (LF*EM) has developed an alternative, cost-effective technology for monitoring lightning based on a sparse network of stations monitoring VLF radiation. We ....A Cost-Effective System for Monitoring Lightning Strikes Across Australasia. Lightning causes many major fires in Australia, and rural fire managers would benefit from access to lighting data. Lightning data have been prohibitively expensive because acquiring them requires a dense monitoring network. Low Frequency Electromagnetic Research Ltd (LF*EM) has developed an alternative, cost-effective technology for monitoring lightning based on a sparse network of stations monitoring VLF radiation. We propose to translate LF*EM's basic science results into a product that can deliver lightning data to fire managers and other users across Oceania.Read moreRead less