Industrial Transformation Research Hubs - Grant ID: IH200100009
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$5,000,000.00
Summary
ARC Research Hub for Transforming Energy Infrastructure Through Digital Engineering. This Research Hub will harness the strengths of data-based and physics-based sciences to transform the operation of Australia’s offshore energy infrastructure. This essential research will create, use and embed observations of past and ongoing activity to engineer tools and approaches necessary to enhance our understanding of the offshore environment, optimise critical operations for existing facilities (includi ....ARC Research Hub for Transforming Energy Infrastructure Through Digital Engineering. This Research Hub will harness the strengths of data-based and physics-based sciences to transform the operation of Australia’s offshore energy infrastructure. This essential research will create, use and embed observations of past and ongoing activity to engineer tools and approaches necessary to enhance our understanding of the offshore environment, optimise critical operations for existing facilities (including installation and maintenance), and efficiently design future infrastructure. The integrated multidisciplinary approach will not only help Operators achieve high productivity through low downtime and optimised maintenance, but also demonstrate, in research and industry, the transformative potential of digital engineering.Read moreRead less
Optimising artificial reef structures for nature-based coastal protection . This project aims to develop a novel framework for predicting how artificial reef structures can be optimally designed to protect coastlines from erosion and flooding. It will develop new theory and models to quantify how waves interact with complex reef structures to reduce wave heights and extreme water levels at the shoreline. Expected outcomes include new practical tools and design guidelines that can be adopted by c ....Optimising artificial reef structures for nature-based coastal protection . This project aims to develop a novel framework for predicting how artificial reef structures can be optimally designed to protect coastlines from erosion and flooding. It will develop new theory and models to quantify how waves interact with complex reef structures to reduce wave heights and extreme water levels at the shoreline. Expected outcomes include new practical tools and design guidelines that can be adopted by coastal engineers and managers to maximise coastal protection by reefs. This will boost Australia’s capacity to protect populations and critical infrastructure from coastal hazards and support Australian industries to lead the international development of innovative nature-based coastal protection strategies.Read moreRead less
Erosion processes in soils across scales. This project aims to develop a monitoring tool for predicting the evolution of internal erosion in dams based on innovative electromagnetic observation methods. Internal erosion is an insidious process occurring in the obscurity of the soil’s pore system until its consequences become visible and threaten the stability of the dams. These water retaining structures are vital for the future water and energy supply for our society and their failure can be ca ....Erosion processes in soils across scales. This project aims to develop a monitoring tool for predicting the evolution of internal erosion in dams based on innovative electromagnetic observation methods. Internal erosion is an insidious process occurring in the obscurity of the soil’s pore system until its consequences become visible and threaten the stability of the dams. These water retaining structures are vital for the future water and energy supply for our society and their failure can be catastrophic. By establishing an improved understanding of internal erosion as a sequence of processes on various scales, from the onset of erosion until the failure of the structure, this project will place Australia at the forefront of dam safety assessment.Read moreRead less
Failure Mechanisms of Roof Cladding under Fluctuating Wind Loads. Wind damage to low-rise buildings cause disruption to communities and result in economic losses. Improvements to the most vulnerable part (i.e. roof) will therefore have national benefits and associated economic benefits. Currently, roofing systems used in cyclonic areas are evaluated to DABM in the Northern Territory and to TR440 elsewhere, requiring the same product be tested under two different (and unsatisfactory) specificat ....Failure Mechanisms of Roof Cladding under Fluctuating Wind Loads. Wind damage to low-rise buildings cause disruption to communities and result in economic losses. Improvements to the most vulnerable part (i.e. roof) will therefore have national benefits and associated economic benefits. Currently, roofing systems used in cyclonic areas are evaluated to DABM in the Northern Territory and to TR440 elsewhere, requiring the same product be tested under two different (and unsatisfactory) specifications. This is due to the limited understanding of wind-induced fatigue of cladding. This project will provide the framework for understanding and minimizing cladding fatigue. A realistic single test will also reduce cost and result in better design systems.Read moreRead less
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
Harnessing properties of liquid metals for future devices. This project aims to hybridise low toxicity liquid metal alloys of gallium with surface confined functional micro/nano materials and explore fundamental new fluidic and physical-chemistry phenomena. Liquid metals are an under-used group of materials, but their combination of flexibility, bestowed by their room temperature fluidity, and metallic properties means they demonstrate startling behaviour. The expected outcomes are new devices a ....Harnessing properties of liquid metals for future devices. This project aims to hybridise low toxicity liquid metal alloys of gallium with surface confined functional micro/nano materials and explore fundamental new fluidic and physical-chemistry phenomena. Liquid metals are an under-used group of materials, but their combination of flexibility, bestowed by their room temperature fluidity, and metallic properties means they demonstrate startling behaviour. The expected outcomes are new devices and systems such as reconfigurable and highly efficient actuators/generators, catalysts, sensors, and electronic and optical components.Read moreRead less
Role of Reactive Particles in Explosive Emulsions. Concentrated water-in oil explosive emulsions are widely used in the minerals industry because they are cheap, easily detonated and relatively safe to handle. Their explosive energy can be significantly increased when reactive particles are introduced into the emulsion matrix. To do this, the interaction between the solid, oil, and water phases needs to be optimised. This investigation will increase our basic understanding of the physical and ch ....Role of Reactive Particles in Explosive Emulsions. Concentrated water-in oil explosive emulsions are widely used in the minerals industry because they are cheap, easily detonated and relatively safe to handle. Their explosive energy can be significantly increased when reactive particles are introduced into the emulsion matrix. To do this, the interaction between the solid, oil, and water phases needs to be optimised. This investigation will increase our basic understanding of the physical and chemical interactions that occur between the particle and the oil-water interface, and develop a more efficient explosive that can be produced continuously on a commercial scale.Read moreRead less
Multifunctional Structural Panels for Next-generation Infrastructure. This project aims to develop a multifunctional prefabricated structural panel for current and future infrastructure applications for both land and offshore environments. Prefabrication enables enhanced product control as well as the ability to rapidly construct whole structures or their components. The panels utilise an inner lightweight foam and fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) composite core with strong outer panels made from ....Multifunctional Structural Panels for Next-generation Infrastructure. This project aims to develop a multifunctional prefabricated structural panel for current and future infrastructure applications for both land and offshore environments. Prefabrication enables enhanced product control as well as the ability to rapidly construct whole structures or their components. The panels utilise an inner lightweight foam and fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) composite core with strong outer panels made from FRP sheets and high-strength concrete. The expected outcomes include experimental and numerical validation of the system, that will give designers and asset owners the confidence to adopt this new panel. The panel system presents an upward step change in construction technology and built infrastructure performance.Read moreRead less