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
Mathematical and computational models for agrichemical retention on plants. Mathematical and computational models for agrichemical retention on plants. This project aims to build interactive software that simulates agrichemical spraying for multiple virtual plants reconstructed from scanned data. Mathematical modelling and computer simulation could offer an alternative to expensive experimental programs for agrichemical spraying of plants. This project will use contemporary fluid mechanics to bu ....Mathematical and computational models for agrichemical retention on plants. Mathematical and computational models for agrichemical retention on plants. This project aims to build interactive software that simulates agrichemical spraying for multiple virtual plants reconstructed from scanned data. Mathematical modelling and computer simulation could offer an alternative to expensive experimental programs for agrichemical spraying of plants. This project will use contemporary fluid mechanics to build practical mathematical models for droplet impaction, spreading and evaporation on leaf surfaces, and experimentally calibrate and validate the models. The software is expected to drive the development of agrichemical products that increase retention, minimise environmental impacts, and reduce costs for end-users.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE180101098
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$374,200.00
Summary
New mathematical theory for fluid motion on surfaces with holes. This project aims to develop new explicit mathematical results to enhance the understanding of potential theory – a fundamental area of mathematics - on surfaces with complicating geometrical properties. There are very few such fundamental results on complicated curved surfaces, such as those with holes. This project should provide a toolbox for solving many different mathematical problems on curved surfaces. The new results should ....New mathematical theory for fluid motion on surfaces with holes. This project aims to develop new explicit mathematical results to enhance the understanding of potential theory – a fundamental area of mathematics - on surfaces with complicating geometrical properties. There are very few such fundamental results on complicated curved surfaces, such as those with holes. This project should provide a toolbox for solving many different mathematical problems on curved surfaces. The new results should also have application to the analysis of fluid flows over porous media and practical engineering structures.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE130101571
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
Assimilation of ocean wave interactions with sea ice into climate models. Contemporary climate models do not accurately portray ocean or atmosphere interactions where the open ocean meets the expanses of floating sea ice within the polar regions, as they lack a component to determine the size of ice floes. This project will tackle the omission directly, developing from modelling advances made in recent years.
The fluid dynamics of intrusions. This project aims to investigate intrusions, the primarily horizontal flows of well-mixed fluid into density-stratified surroundings. Such flows are fundamental in the atmosphere and oceans, but they are little understood because they are controlled by strong feedback between the intrusion and internal waves generated in the stratified ambient. Existing studies rely on computationally intensive simulations, analogue experiments or ad-hoc models of limited appl ....The fluid dynamics of intrusions. This project aims to investigate intrusions, the primarily horizontal flows of well-mixed fluid into density-stratified surroundings. Such flows are fundamental in the atmosphere and oceans, but they are little understood because they are controlled by strong feedback between the intrusion and internal waves generated in the stratified ambient. Existing studies rely on computationally intensive simulations, analogue experiments or ad-hoc models of limited applicability. This project expects to develop and validate a new, broadly applicable and rigorous mathematical model for such flows. Expected benefits include improved volcanic ash dispersal modelling and improved understanding of climate-critical oceanic and atmospheric flows.Read moreRead less
A new asymptotic toolbox for nonlinear discrete systems and particle chains. This project aims to pioneer a mathematical toolbox of new asymptotic techniques for discrete systems driven by vanishingly small influences. The purpose of these techniques is to permit the asymptotic study of discrete problems in which significant effects originate due to subtle causes that are invisible to existing asymptotic methods. Discrete systems play a significant role in modern applied mathematics, and it is v ....A new asymptotic toolbox for nonlinear discrete systems and particle chains. This project aims to pioneer a mathematical toolbox of new asymptotic techniques for discrete systems driven by vanishingly small influences. The purpose of these techniques is to permit the asymptotic study of discrete problems in which significant effects originate due to subtle causes that are invisible to existing asymptotic methods. Discrete systems play a significant role in modern applied mathematics, and it is vital that mathematical tools be designed in order to explore their behaviour. The aim of this project is to open new pathways for resolving open scientific problems, providing benefits such as understanding the energy dissipation of particle chains and granular lattices contained in small-scale technological components.Read moreRead less
Dynamics of fire whirls and dust devils. The project aims to develop fundamental understanding and models to inform the development of more accurate computer models of fire front propagation. Fire whirls and dust devils are strongly swirling localised vortex flows that result from an interplay of circulation and buoyancy, may extend hundreds of metres into the air. By projecting firebrands well away from the ground strike, fire whirls can initiate spot fires well beyond a fire front, advancing f ....Dynamics of fire whirls and dust devils. The project aims to develop fundamental understanding and models to inform the development of more accurate computer models of fire front propagation. Fire whirls and dust devils are strongly swirling localised vortex flows that result from an interplay of circulation and buoyancy, may extend hundreds of metres into the air. By projecting firebrands well away from the ground strike, fire whirls can initiate spot fires well beyond a fire front, advancing fronts at much higher speeds than most fire spread models predict. The project aims to improve understanding of the sets of local conditions that produce and stabilise these flows, using computational fluid dynamics matched to laboratory experiments and dimensional analysis of results.Read moreRead less
Suspension flows and particle focusing in curved geometries. The project aims to develop fast predictive tools to investigate suspension flows in curved channels and thin ducts and the effect of channel geometry on the focusing of particles by weight to different regions of the channel. Interaction between particles and fluid in suspension flows is a fundamental problem that is little understood but which is important in a wide range of problems in nature and industry (eg for design of microscal ....Suspension flows and particle focusing in curved geometries. The project aims to develop fast predictive tools to investigate suspension flows in curved channels and thin ducts and the effect of channel geometry on the focusing of particles by weight to different regions of the channel. Interaction between particles and fluid in suspension flows is a fundamental problem that is little understood but which is important in a wide range of problems in nature and industry (eg for design of microscale segregation devices for separation of different cells in a blood sample, and of macroscale devices for separation of mineral particles from crushed ore). At present, the description of these processes is qualitative, with quantitative understanding seen as a challenge without intensive computation. The project plans to develop, solve and validate mathematical models to give a quantitative understanding of these processes.Read moreRead less
Prediction of inertial particle focusing in curved microfluidic ducts. This project aims to develop mathematical models to predict migration of particles suspended in flow through curved microfluidic ducts and their focusing by size to different regions in the cross-section of the duct. New knowledge in mathematics and engineering will be generated through models that capture the two-way force balance between fluid and particles and by a novel use of asymptotics for computational efficiency. Exp ....Prediction of inertial particle focusing in curved microfluidic ducts. This project aims to develop mathematical models to predict migration of particles suspended in flow through curved microfluidic ducts and their focusing by size to different regions in the cross-section of the duct. New knowledge in mathematics and engineering will be generated through models that capture the two-way force balance between fluid and particles and by a novel use of asymptotics for computational efficiency. Expected outcomes are understanding of the physics that drives particle migration and the parameters that may be used to control particle focusing. This will benefit design and operation of microfluidic devices for particle sorting as required for "liquid biopsy", the isolation of cancer cells in a routine blood sample.Read moreRead less
Application of exact coherent structures to transition and turbulence. This project aims to understand coherent structures and devise methods to prevent bypass transition to turbulence and reduce turbulent wall drag. Coherent structures in turbulence may be identified with nonlinear solutions of the exact equations of motion. Such "exact" coherent structures have their Reynolds number dependence described explicitly and apply for moderate to very large Reynolds numbers, well above the range of f ....Application of exact coherent structures to transition and turbulence. This project aims to understand coherent structures and devise methods to prevent bypass transition to turbulence and reduce turbulent wall drag. Coherent structures in turbulence may be identified with nonlinear solutions of the exact equations of motion. Such "exact" coherent structures have their Reynolds number dependence described explicitly and apply for moderate to very large Reynolds numbers, well above the range of full Navier–Stokes calculations. Understanding the fundamentals of turbulence is expected to lead to more efficient and cheaper air transportation, and better tools for climate prediction and short-term weather forecasting.Read moreRead less