An innovative mechanism for optimising freeway traffic efficiency, safety, and sustainability via variable speed limit control. Congestion, safety, and emissions are three major traffic problems threatening the Australian economy. This project aims to develop a novel approach to collectively handle these problems for freeway traffic using variable speed limits (VSL). The project tasks address modelling, VSL controller design and automatic fine tuning of VSL controllers.
A real-time modelling of crowd dynamics for disaster prevention. This project aims to develop methods and technologies to enable urban planners to design infrastructures to ensure public safety in emergency situations and to enable emergency management to optimise effective response plans. Rapid population growth creates major challenges for urban management, which has a responsibility to ensure the safety of citizens in the case of emergencies. This project aims to develop a methodology to stud ....A real-time modelling of crowd dynamics for disaster prevention. This project aims to develop methods and technologies to enable urban planners to design infrastructures to ensure public safety in emergency situations and to enable emergency management to optimise effective response plans. Rapid population growth creates major challenges for urban management, which has a responsibility to ensure the safety of citizens in the case of emergencies. This project aims to develop a methodology to study pedestrian crowd dynamics under panic or extreme emergency conditions, using innovative experimental approaches with new multi-scale online simulation methods and optimisation techniques. The resultant methodology would support planning and prediction of pedestrian crowd movements based on data from past events as well as adaptive planning for live events as they unfold.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE110100023
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$500,000.00
Summary
Integrated command and control facility for large-scale critical infrastructure management. This is a test bed facility for achieving sustainable operation of Australia's critical infrastructure, particularly at airports. The facility will enable an integrated and coordinated strategy to increase operational resilience while not losing sight of the complex nature and dynamic requirements of critical infrastructure management.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE200100892
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$419,889.00
Summary
Next-generation, prefabricated, modular, solar heating and cooling system. This project aims to develop a new window design that can reduce the heating of buildings caused by the sun in warm weather and reduce heat loss from buildings in cool weather. This project expects to generate new knowledge on the interaction between solar radiation and the convection of air inside a cavity within the window design. The expected outcome is a framework that can be used to optimize window designs for buildi ....Next-generation, prefabricated, modular, solar heating and cooling system. This project aims to develop a new window design that can reduce the heating of buildings caused by the sun in warm weather and reduce heat loss from buildings in cool weather. This project expects to generate new knowledge on the interaction between solar radiation and the convection of air inside a cavity within the window design. The expected outcome is a framework that can be used to optimize window designs for buildings under various weather conditions. This should allow quick and easy fabrication and implementation of the designs in existing and new buildings, and the windows should significantly reduce building heating and cooling costs.Read moreRead less
Optimal trade-offs for managing environmental water in inland wetlands. This project aims to optimise long-term water trade-offs in inland wetlands on managed catchments, without compromising their environmental value. These managed wetlands compete for water allocations with irrigation and other uses. Realistic predictions of wetland status will be achieved through the development and integration of an ecohydrological model and a water management decisions model. Application of the tools will i ....Optimal trade-offs for managing environmental water in inland wetlands. This project aims to optimise long-term water trade-offs in inland wetlands on managed catchments, without compromising their environmental value. These managed wetlands compete for water allocations with irrigation and other uses. Realistic predictions of wetland status will be achieved through the development and integration of an ecohydrological model and a water management decisions model. Application of the tools will improve existing decision support models to help analyse the effects of individual local management decisions on the long-term evolution of the system and the effects of changes in operation policies and climate over the long term. The project will provide critical new information for the improved prediction of wetlands evolution and as a consequence better management.Read moreRead less
Fate of engineered nanoparticles: Challenges in informing human and ecological health risk assessments. Engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) have generated significant public and scientific excitement due to their unique properties. This has led to their application in a wide variety of industries (for example, in composite materials and drug delivery). However, there is concern that some ENPs can have detrimental environmental impacts. This project aims to quantify, for the first time, the fate of E ....Fate of engineered nanoparticles: Challenges in informing human and ecological health risk assessments. Engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) have generated significant public and scientific excitement due to their unique properties. This has led to their application in a wide variety of industries (for example, in composite materials and drug delivery). However, there is concern that some ENPs can have detrimental environmental impacts. This project aims to quantify, for the first time, the fate of ENPs that have leached out of commercial products in groundwater systems. This information is expected to assist regulators in developing appropriate legislation to balance the tremendous benefits and potential risks of nanotechnology.Read moreRead less
Economical Particleboard Product from Hardwood Sawmill Waste for Domestic and Industrial Applications. The proposed project is aimed at developing a methodology to produce particleboard using hardwood saw-mill residue. Currently, 20% of logs used to produce sawn hardwood are disposed of by burning or as fertiliser. Using innovative concepts of high-moisture pressing and understanding composite material behaviour and internal dynamics during hot-pressing of particleboard, the proposed project wil ....Economical Particleboard Product from Hardwood Sawmill Waste for Domestic and Industrial Applications. The proposed project is aimed at developing a methodology to produce particleboard using hardwood saw-mill residue. Currently, 20% of logs used to produce sawn hardwood are disposed of by burning or as fertiliser. Using innovative concepts of high-moisture pressing and understanding composite material behaviour and internal dynamics during hot-pressing of particleboard, the proposed project will have a significant potential for revolutionising particleboard technology. Outcomes will be a significant contribution towards sustainability of the Australian Timber Industry and the environment by reducing logging for custom flaked softwood chips, which will be of significant benefit to regional and rural communities as well.Read moreRead less
Optimum aeration strategies for shallow tidally flushed lakes. Shallow tidally flushed lakes frequently suffer from water quality problems which include catastrophic fish kills. Frequently these events are related to the response of a highly modified system to a natural event. One event is the change from a saline to a fresh environment with seasonal freshwater inflow, in which case the salt tolerant algal species dies. The balance between photosynthesis, sediment uptake, surface oxygen transfer ....Optimum aeration strategies for shallow tidally flushed lakes. Shallow tidally flushed lakes frequently suffer from water quality problems which include catastrophic fish kills. Frequently these events are related to the response of a highly modified system to a natural event. One event is the change from a saline to a fresh environment with seasonal freshwater inflow, in which case the salt tolerant algal species dies. The balance between photosynthesis, sediment uptake, surface oxygen transfer and flushing is lost, with the result that the lake quickly becomes anoxic, resulting in fish kills. This project examines some aeration solutions to this problem.Read moreRead less
Dynamic Release Mechanisms for Phosphorus in Shallow Ponds and Lakes. Phosphorus release from submerged sediments is controlled by the physical and chemical environment. The mechanisms are well understood where thermal stratification is persistent but the behaviour during transient episodes has not been properly addressed. The aim is to study a dynamic chemical and hydraulic environment and develop a model of phosphorus release under these conditions. Algal blooms, which rely on high nutrient co ....Dynamic Release Mechanisms for Phosphorus in Shallow Ponds and Lakes. Phosphorus release from submerged sediments is controlled by the physical and chemical environment. The mechanisms are well understood where thermal stratification is persistent but the behaviour during transient episodes has not been properly addressed. The aim is to study a dynamic chemical and hydraulic environment and develop a model of phosphorus release under these conditions. Algal blooms, which rely on high nutrient concentrations, pose a significant threat to waterways yet a process-based description of phosphorus release is not yet possible. The outcome will be a verified model of phosphorus release mechanisms suitable for a range of water bodies.Read moreRead less
Assessing risk of oligomictic conditions in sub-tropical water supply lakes. Assessing risk of oligomictic conditions in sub-tropical water supply lakes. This project aims to assess the risk of low rates of mixing in sub-tropical drinking water supply reservoirs, using environmental monitoring and numerical modelling. Emerging evidence suggests sub-tropical drinking water supply reservoirs could transition to low mixing states with increasing age and projected changes in global climate. While th ....Assessing risk of oligomictic conditions in sub-tropical water supply lakes. Assessing risk of oligomictic conditions in sub-tropical water supply lakes. This project aims to assess the risk of low rates of mixing in sub-tropical drinking water supply reservoirs, using environmental monitoring and numerical modelling. Emerging evidence suggests sub-tropical drinking water supply reservoirs could transition to low mixing states with increasing age and projected changes in global climate. While this risk is poorly understood, it could significantly affect the long-term reliability of water supply and potable water treatment costs. Addressing this knowledge gap is expected to develop effective management responses to ensure the long term sustainable use of these water resources.Read moreRead less