The response of beams subjected to axial load and lateral soil movements. Beams (piles, soil nails, and pipelines) are not only subjected to axial (vertical, axial and longitudinal)loading, but often withstand simultaneous lateral loading, due to either explicit structural loads, or due to loads induced by movement of the soils in which they are founded. Bridge piles adjacent to an approach embankment are one example. This project will provide experimental evidence to assist with the estimation ....The response of beams subjected to axial load and lateral soil movements. Beams (piles, soil nails, and pipelines) are not only subjected to axial (vertical, axial and longitudinal)loading, but often withstand simultaneous lateral loading, due to either explicit structural loads, or due to loads induced by movement of the soils in which they are founded. Bridge piles adjacent to an approach embankment are one example. This project will provide experimental evidence to assist with the estimation of capacity, axial and shear resistance, the validation of unified solutions for beams subjected to simultaneous lateral soil movements and axial loads. Such experimental evidence and analytical solutions are not currently available. The evidence will also assist with solving a contradictory, existing design principle, which will lead to an economic and efficient design approach.Read moreRead less
Rigorous Three Dimensional Plasticity Solutions for Soil and Rock Slopes. Slope failures and landslides are a persistent cause of economic loss in Australia. Damages resulting from landslides include both property damage and loss of life. One such recent catastrophic slope failure is the landslide that occurred at Thredbo Village in New South Wales in 1997. This monumental landslide resulted in the deaths of 18 people and was considered by the coroner as the worst natural disaster in Australian ....Rigorous Three Dimensional Plasticity Solutions for Soil and Rock Slopes. Slope failures and landslides are a persistent cause of economic loss in Australia. Damages resulting from landslides include both property damage and loss of life. One such recent catastrophic slope failure is the landslide that occurred at Thredbo Village in New South Wales in 1997. This monumental landslide resulted in the deaths of 18 people and was considered by the coroner as the worst natural disaster in Australian history. The primary aim of this research project is to apply recently developed computational tools to better understand 3D slope behaviour and to develop rigorous stability solutions that can be used by design engineers. A better understanding of 3D slope failure will lead to more economic and safer slope designs.Read moreRead less
New Silent Anchors for Floating Offshore Wind Turbines in Calcareous Sand . Reliable wind energy sites are in deeper waters and require offshore floating structures to harness the wind energy. Such floating structures require a reliable anchoring system that is secure and environmentally friendly. Calcareous sands, rich in carbonate content, pose unique challenges with their behaviour difficult to predict. In this project, a novel silent anchoring system is investigated that can be installed wit ....New Silent Anchors for Floating Offshore Wind Turbines in Calcareous Sand . Reliable wind energy sites are in deeper waters and require offshore floating structures to harness the wind energy. Such floating structures require a reliable anchoring system that is secure and environmentally friendly. Calcareous sands, rich in carbonate content, pose unique challenges with their behaviour difficult to predict. In this project, a novel silent anchoring system is investigated that can be installed with minimum noise and vibration compared to more traditional counterparts. Through the state of the art development in numerical modelling and centrifuge modelling, this project will advance Australian Science and Practice in designing floating wind turbines in carbonate rich soils offshore and help energy transition.Read moreRead less
Microbiological and abiotic marine corrosion of steel in particulate media. This project aims to study the complex interfacial physicochemical interaction between structural steel and inert particles in marine environments, including microbial growth influences. It will use field-testing and electrochemical laboratory experiments to understand the short- and long-term corrosion processes. It will develop mathematical models to predict likely corrosion loss and pitting, based on physicochemical c ....Microbiological and abiotic marine corrosion of steel in particulate media. This project aims to study the complex interfacial physicochemical interaction between structural steel and inert particles in marine environments, including microbial growth influences. It will use field-testing and electrochemical laboratory experiments to understand the short- and long-term corrosion processes. It will develop mathematical models to predict likely corrosion loss and pitting, based on physicochemical corrosion principles. Industry increasingly needs such models to manage major infrastructure not protected against corrosion, including offshore energy systems, coastal structures and buried pipelines. These outcomes are expected to benefit Australian engineering consultants in the offshore energy industry, with potential for large foreign exchange earnings.Read moreRead less
A Novel Surrogate Framework for evaluating THM Properties of Bentonite. Compacted bentonite as favoured engineered barrier material is widely used in environmental geotechnics and its failure can incur huge societal, economic and environmental loss. The project aims to develop a novel surrogate model to identify the optimal controllable factors' value to increase barrier's integrity and reliability. It expects to advance the fundamental knowledge of bentonite thermo-hydro-mechanical properties t ....A Novel Surrogate Framework for evaluating THM Properties of Bentonite. Compacted bentonite as favoured engineered barrier material is widely used in environmental geotechnics and its failure can incur huge societal, economic and environmental loss. The project aims to develop a novel surrogate model to identify the optimal controllable factors' value to increase barrier's integrity and reliability. It expects to advance the fundamental knowledge of bentonite thermo-hydro-mechanical properties through advanced molecular dynamics modelling, statistic learning and machine learning. It will deliver revolution design approach for bentonite used in engineered barriers in Australia and internationally. In the long-time it will bring huge economic, societal and environmental benefits to our community.Read moreRead less
Multiscale modelling of multiphase interactions in shale gas reservoirs. As conventional oil and gas become depleted in most of the producing basins, extraction of unconventional gas trapped in shale formations needs to become more viable. Since Australian shales have different characteristics from North American ones, the existing knowledge cannot be directly applied. We aim to develop a novel multiscale framework for deep understanding of the complex multiphase interactions in shale gas reserv ....Multiscale modelling of multiphase interactions in shale gas reservoirs. As conventional oil and gas become depleted in most of the producing basins, extraction of unconventional gas trapped in shale formations needs to become more viable. Since Australian shales have different characteristics from North American ones, the existing knowledge cannot be directly applied. We aim to develop a novel multiscale framework for deep understanding of the complex multiphase interactions in shale gas reservoirs. The outcomes will not only enable us to effectively assess the viability of gas extraction from Australian shale reservoirs with accurate long-term production forecasting, but help to develop strategies to effectively extract this relatively low carbon-emitting fossil fuel in the transition to a renewable economy.Read moreRead less
Qualitative and quantitative modelling of hydraulic fracturing of brittle materials. Few technologies have caused more concern in the general population than the so called hydraulic fracturing technique, applied to enhance the hydraulic conductivity of resource-bearing rocks by injecting high pressure fluids. The concern revolves around uncertainty with leakage of used chemicals to overlying aquifers, unwanted seismic events and surface subsidence. This research, combining experimental and compu ....Qualitative and quantitative modelling of hydraulic fracturing of brittle materials. Few technologies have caused more concern in the general population than the so called hydraulic fracturing technique, applied to enhance the hydraulic conductivity of resource-bearing rocks by injecting high pressure fluids. The concern revolves around uncertainty with leakage of used chemicals to overlying aquifers, unwanted seismic events and surface subsidence. This research, combining experimental and computational investigations, aims to establish fundamental understanding of key processes controlling fracture formation in brittle materials (coal seams and porous rocks) under the action of hydraulic fracturing. The research outcomes will help to assess and minimise the risks associated with the hydraulic fracturing technology. Read moreRead less
Catastrophic Rock and Concrete Brittle Failures. Brittle rocks and concrete under extreme stresses fracture spontaneously and without pre-warning. In deep mining and tunnelling this causes fatalities, injuries and serious damage. Based on recent advances by the CIs in understanding the effect of biaxial loading and the free surface on catastrophic fracture propagation, the project aims to develop a new paradigm of monitoring, prediction and prevention of dangerous skin rock burst-type failures. ....Catastrophic Rock and Concrete Brittle Failures. Brittle rocks and concrete under extreme stresses fracture spontaneously and without pre-warning. In deep mining and tunnelling this causes fatalities, injuries and serious damage. Based on recent advances by the CIs in understanding the effect of biaxial loading and the free surface on catastrophic fracture propagation, the project aims to develop a new paradigm of monitoring, prediction and prevention of dangerous skin rock burst-type failures. A unique experimental methodology, measurements and analytical and numerical models will be employed to provide a better understanding of the fundamental processes in rock fracturing. This will lead to safer and more cost-effective deep rock engineering designs.Read moreRead less
Hydraulic erosion of granular structures: experiments and computational simulations. Erosion due to hydraulic forces causes vast damage to infrastructure and buildings in Australia and overseas. The project aims to improve the predictability and controllability of flooding related disasters caused by erosion. The project involves experiments as well as cutting edge computer simulations.
Multiscale and multiphase modelling of deformable porous media. The physics of our Nation's most pressing engineering problems involve simultaneous processes on multiple scales. Our research conducts massive computer simulations of processes involving fluid flow in rock on a broad range of scales. Simulations of this kind make future technologies such as CO2 sequestration more predictable and manageable.