Numerical Modelling of Three-dimensional Scour below Offshore Pipelines. Australia's increasing offshore oil and gas exploration has demanded more accurate and reliable methods for evaluating the safety and serviceability of pipelines. Local scour around pipelines is one of the major causes of pipeline failures, and is a major concern in Australian waters. This project not only addresses these concerns in its direct application to the design and management of offshore pipelines, but also will co ....Numerical Modelling of Three-dimensional Scour below Offshore Pipelines. Australia's increasing offshore oil and gas exploration has demanded more accurate and reliable methods for evaluating the safety and serviceability of pipelines. Local scour around pipelines is one of the major causes of pipeline failures, and is a major concern in Australian waters. This project not only addresses these concerns in its direct application to the design and management of offshore pipelines, but also will contribute to the nation's development and competitiveness in offshore exploration, and produce high quality research students. The improved design and management of pipelines in Australian waters will reduce the risk of potential environmental damages caused by leaking gas and oil.Read moreRead less
Hydroelasticity of compliant offshore structures. Australia's rich offshore oil and gas reserves are awaiting extensive deepwater extraction. However, there is still a lack of in-depth knowledge in the dynamic behavior of deepwater structures to ensure safe and cost-effective production. We hereby propose hydroelasticity theories and modelling techniques to investigate dynamic fluid-structure interaction problems for compliant offshore structures. We also propose innovative experiments to verify ....Hydroelasticity of compliant offshore structures. Australia's rich offshore oil and gas reserves are awaiting extensive deepwater extraction. However, there is still a lack of in-depth knowledge in the dynamic behavior of deepwater structures to ensure safe and cost-effective production. We hereby propose hydroelasticity theories and modelling techniques to investigate dynamic fluid-structure interaction problems for compliant offshore structures. We also propose innovative experiments to verify the theoretical work. One application is to configure a freestanding compliant tower to suit prospective deepwater oil and gas fields off North-West Australia. Expected outcomes include theoretical and experimental advances in deepwater offshore mechanics and practical computation tools for industry applications.Read moreRead less
Development of Models for the Three-Dimensional Analysis of Jack-Up Structures. Mobile jack-up structures perform most of the world's offshore drilling in water depths up to 120m, but have a higher accident rate then fixed installations. To improve their safety, this research will develop the framework for the integrated assessment of jack-up behaviour in three dimensions. To achieve this, an advanced plasticity model that describes cyclic behaviour of the circular shallow foundations of jack-up ....Development of Models for the Three-Dimensional Analysis of Jack-Up Structures. Mobile jack-up structures perform most of the world's offshore drilling in water depths up to 120m, but have a higher accident rate then fixed installations. To improve their safety, this research will develop the framework for the integrated assessment of jack-up behaviour in three dimensions. To achieve this, an advanced plasticity model that describes cyclic behaviour of the circular shallow foundations of jack-ups in both clay and sand will be developed and incorporated with random wave loading of seas in a dynamic structural analysis program. The anticipated advantages of the modelling techniques will be assessed against existing two dimensional industry guidelines and monitored field data. Read moreRead less
MODAL AND DIRECTIONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF SEASTATES AND THEIR IMPACT ON DYNAMICS OF MOORED OFFSHORE SYSTEMS. Under certain conditions a typical sea can becomes bimodal comprising of wind-driven seas and long period swells interacting from two directions. Using a nonlinear model, the occurrence and characteristics of bimodal and bi-directional seastates are quantified.
Low frequency oscillations of a moored offshore structure have profound design influence on the mooring system. A nonlinear res ....MODAL AND DIRECTIONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF SEASTATES AND THEIR IMPACT ON DYNAMICS OF MOORED OFFSHORE SYSTEMS. Under certain conditions a typical sea can becomes bimodal comprising of wind-driven seas and long period swells interacting from two directions. Using a nonlinear model, the occurrence and characteristics of bimodal and bi-directional seastates are quantified.
Low frequency oscillations of a moored offshore structure have profound design influence on the mooring system. A nonlinear response model for a floating vessel in bimodal and bi-directional seastates, will be developed using nonlinear dynamics techniques. The numerical models for the environment and the floating platform will be validated by experiments at the Ocean Basin in Canada.
The project adopts a holistic approach by considering the environment and the moored platform as a complex natural system. With excellent opportunities for technology transfer, the project also benefits from substantial in-kind contributions of the overseas PIs.
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Advancing predictions of ecosystem-based coastal flood defence. This project aims to develop a new framework to accurately predict how a diverse range of coastal ecosystems (seagrasses, corals, mangroves) act to reduce coastal flooding. The project aspires to develop novel theory and models to quantify how the large, complex roughness of these ecosystems interacts with coastal flows to attenuate extreme water levels at coastlines. Expected outcomes include new predictive models and guidelines th ....Advancing predictions of ecosystem-based coastal flood defence. This project aims to develop a new framework to accurately predict how a diverse range of coastal ecosystems (seagrasses, corals, mangroves) act to reduce coastal flooding. The project aspires to develop novel theory and models to quantify how the large, complex roughness of these ecosystems interacts with coastal flows to attenuate extreme water levels at coastlines. Expected outcomes include new predictive models and guidelines that can be immediately incorporated into coastal hazard forecasts and engineering practice. This will allow greatly-improved predictions of how coastal ecosystems support the safety and resilience of coastal communities worldwide, and new design guidelines to boost nature-based coastal defence projects.Read moreRead less
The deep history of Sea Country: Climate, sea level and culture. This project aims to investigate the records of the now-submerged Pilbara coast (50,000 to 7000 years ago). Nearly a third of Australia’s landmass was drowned after the last ice age, and sea-level change displaced generations of people. Submerged landscape archaeology will help reveal past sea-level rise, population resilience, mobility and diet. The project integrates cultural and environmental studies and material analysis, and a ....The deep history of Sea Country: Climate, sea level and culture. This project aims to investigate the records of the now-submerged Pilbara coast (50,000 to 7000 years ago). Nearly a third of Australia’s landmass was drowned after the last ice age, and sea-level change displaced generations of people. Submerged landscape archaeology will help reveal past sea-level rise, population resilience, mobility and diet. The project integrates cultural and environmental studies and material analysis, and adapts a method from the world’s only confirmed submarine middens. It will use marine and aerial survey techniques to investigate physical and cultural submerged landscapes. This project expects to influence heritage and environmental management and the marine heritage sector.Read moreRead less
Numerical prediction of train and vehicle induced ground vibrations and their effects on structures. This project will develop an innovative new method based on coupled finite element and scaled boundary finite-element analysis for predicting the ground vibrations induced by road traffic and underground or surface trains. The method will have immediate application in transportation engineering to predict traffic-induced ground vibrations, in geotechnical engineering to design isolation trenches ....Numerical prediction of train and vehicle induced ground vibrations and their effects on structures. This project will develop an innovative new method based on coupled finite element and scaled boundary finite-element analysis for predicting the ground vibrations induced by road traffic and underground or surface trains. The method will have immediate application in transportation engineering to predict traffic-induced ground vibrations, in geotechnical engineering to design isolation trenches and wave barriers to dissipate wave propagation, and in structural engineering to estimate in-structure vibration level and design isolators for sensitive equipment housed within. The technique will involve fundamental advances in the scaled boundary finite-element method, as calculations will be performed in a moving reference frame.Read moreRead less
Future Proofing Transportation Infrastructure Assets. This project seeks to develop a model to predict construction project overruns. Transportation infrastructure assets are prone to cost and schedule overruns during their construction, which have negative impacts on asset owners and users. This project aims to develop a systemic model that can be used to determine the causal nature of cost and schedule overruns and their probability of occurrence. By enabling the predication of overruns, the p ....Future Proofing Transportation Infrastructure Assets. This project seeks to develop a model to predict construction project overruns. Transportation infrastructure assets are prone to cost and schedule overruns during their construction, which have negative impacts on asset owners and users. This project aims to develop a systemic model that can be used to determine the causal nature of cost and schedule overruns and their probability of occurrence. By enabling the predication of overruns, the project aims to ensure that the public and private sector are able to put in place mitigation strategies to reduce the impact of the economic and productivity issues that arise due to overruns.Read moreRead less
Rapid structural condition assessment using adaptive model updating. The proposed project has potential to significantly enhance the accuracy with which the condition (and hence load bearing capacity) of existing infrastructure can be determined. By providing a technique of model updating that can be applied effectively in real time, location of damage will be able to be determined accurately. Economic benefits will be reaped, both through saving infrastructure from demolition where the conditio ....Rapid structural condition assessment using adaptive model updating. The proposed project has potential to significantly enhance the accuracy with which the condition (and hence load bearing capacity) of existing infrastructure can be determined. By providing a technique of model updating that can be applied effectively in real time, location of damage will be able to be determined accurately. Economic benefits will be reaped, both through saving infrastructure from demolition where the condition is found to be adequate, and by replacing or repairing inadequate structures before costly failure occurs. This is particularly important as much of Australia's infrastructure is aging, and unnecessary periodic replacement of infrastructure is not sustainable.Read moreRead less
Efficient reinforced concrete design using linear elastic finite element analysis. It is expected that this project will bring about changes in the design practice for reinforced concrete structures, particularly those of complex geometry, which will enhance the competitiveness of the Australian design community. Through reduction of the overuse of concrete often present in current conservative design procedures for such structures, the project will lead to a reduction in the impact of reinforce ....Efficient reinforced concrete design using linear elastic finite element analysis. It is expected that this project will bring about changes in the design practice for reinforced concrete structures, particularly those of complex geometry, which will enhance the competitiveness of the Australian design community. Through reduction of the overuse of concrete often present in current conservative design procedures for such structures, the project will lead to a reduction in the impact of reinforced concrete construction on the environment and contribute to sustainable engineering practise.Read moreRead less