Consequences of water reform and changing farm adaptation in the Basin. This project aims to evaluate the consequences of, and lessons learned from, the past two decades of water reform in the Murray-Darling Basin (MDB). In particular, it will examine the recent economic and farm consequences of water recovery. Australia is over halfway through implementation of the MDB Plan, and has spent over $6 billion in water recovery to achieve basin-wide resilience, with billions more still committed. Pro ....Consequences of water reform and changing farm adaptation in the Basin. This project aims to evaluate the consequences of, and lessons learned from, the past two decades of water reform in the Murray-Darling Basin (MDB). In particular, it will examine the recent economic and farm consequences of water recovery. Australia is over halfway through implementation of the MDB Plan, and has spent over $6 billion in water recovery to achieve basin-wide resilience, with billions more still committed. Project expected outcomes include pioneering new methods to track how MDB irrigation efficiency, productivity and other farm outcomes have changed as a response to water reform. It will also draw lessons from both national and international case studies to consequently inform more effective water management.Read moreRead less
Cost Effective Pipeline Condition Assessment Using Paired Pressure Sensor Arrays. Water distribution networks represent society's most important infrastructure asset. They are buried pipes and are often old and deteriorating. Cost-effective methods to assess their physical condition are urgently needed. This research will develop a novel and advanced approach to determine the interior condition of pipes quickly and effectively using small water hammer pulses or waves. Paired pressure sensor arra ....Cost Effective Pipeline Condition Assessment Using Paired Pressure Sensor Arrays. Water distribution networks represent society's most important infrastructure asset. They are buried pipes and are often old and deteriorating. Cost-effective methods to assess their physical condition are urgently needed. This research will develop a novel and advanced approach to determine the interior condition of pipes quickly and effectively using small water hammer pulses or waves. Paired pressure sensor arrays will be used to measure reflections of the waves in pipes and these methods will enable finer resolution and identification of pipeline faults, such as wall thickness loss and leakage while at the same time allowing operational continuity. The outcome will be powerful tools to more cost effectively manage these crucial assets.Read moreRead less
Recomputing the canon: using computational methods to develop an alternative understanding of the history of 20th century architecture. Because buildings are designed to last for many generations, and they represent a substantial economic investment, architecture remains one of the most tangible and persistent reflections of a culture's spiritual, social and political values. This is why it is said, to understand architecture is to understand society and its principles. This research develops an ....Recomputing the canon: using computational methods to develop an alternative understanding of the history of 20th century architecture. Because buildings are designed to last for many generations, and they represent a substantial economic investment, architecture remains one of the most tangible and persistent reflections of a culture's spiritual, social and political values. This is why it is said, to understand architecture is to understand society and its principles. This research develops an alternative history of 20th century architecture that will not only allow for a deeper understanding of, and appreciation for, our own constructed heritage, but will also inform the design and production of future buildings which are both socially and culturally responsive.Read moreRead less
Next generation nondestructive inspection using guided-wave mixing. This project aims to develop a novel approach for early damage detection. It relies on a systematic experimental investigation of nonlinear ultrasonic interaction between different input wave modes in the presence of damage, so as to identify optimal mode selections and operating parameters that will maximise the sensitivity to particular forms of structural damage. The effects of in-service loading on wave-mixing response, and ....Next generation nondestructive inspection using guided-wave mixing. This project aims to develop a novel approach for early damage detection. It relies on a systematic experimental investigation of nonlinear ultrasonic interaction between different input wave modes in the presence of damage, so as to identify optimal mode selections and operating parameters that will maximise the sensitivity to particular forms of structural damage. The effects of in-service loading on wave-mixing response, and non-contact detection suitable for hard-to-inspect surface conditions, will also be investigated. The new developments will help transform existing schedule-based maintenance practice to a condition-based maintenance paradigm, to achieve significant cost savings in maintenance.Read moreRead less
The Formation and Development of Chinese Philosophy as an Academic Discipline in Twentieth Century China. It is in Australia's national interest to pay close attention to the orientation of intellectual and political currents in China and to how these currents are increasingly merging and interacting. This project will enhance our capacity to interpret and engage with our regional environment by contributing to a clearer understanding of the changing relationship between Chinese intellectual tra ....The Formation and Development of Chinese Philosophy as an Academic Discipline in Twentieth Century China. It is in Australia's national interest to pay close attention to the orientation of intellectual and political currents in China and to how these currents are increasingly merging and interacting. This project will enhance our capacity to interpret and engage with our regional environment by contributing to a clearer understanding of the changing relationship between Chinese intellectual traditions and cultural identity. A commitment to understanding what Chinese philosophy means to China's educated elite also demonstrates a willingness to foster dialogue and communication that is sensitive to the intellectual and cultural traditions which are a source of pride and identity for several of our major regional partners. Read moreRead less
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
A new platform for poled glass waveguides in the mid-infrared. Mid-infrared light (beyond red out to what we feel as radiant heat) underpins many crucial applications that include the remote detection of explosives, chemicals and biological agents; dramatically speeding up internet communications; and even helping us detect planets in distant solar systems. The enormous cost of generating and analysing mid-infrared light using current technology has prevented many of these life-changing applicat ....A new platform for poled glass waveguides in the mid-infrared. Mid-infrared light (beyond red out to what we feel as radiant heat) underpins many crucial applications that include the remote detection of explosives, chemicals and biological agents; dramatically speeding up internet communications; and even helping us detect planets in distant solar systems. The enormous cost of generating and analysing mid-infrared light using current technology has prevented many of these life-changing applications coming to fruition. This project aims to change this and deliver technological leadership in this crucial field to Australia, thereby generating significant social and economic benefits. This project will also enhance Australia's international links and build on a range of national research programs.Read moreRead less
The Intellectual Construction of Confucianism in Contemporary China and Taiwan. Since the 1980s China and Taiwan have witnessed the most sustained resurgence of intellectual interest in Confucianism of the twentieth century. This project will provide the first critical analysis of that revival by addressing the complex interaction of institutional, philosophical and ideological factors, rather than study one or the other in isolation. This will enable us to understand the processes by which Chi ....The Intellectual Construction of Confucianism in Contemporary China and Taiwan. Since the 1980s China and Taiwan have witnessed the most sustained resurgence of intellectual interest in Confucianism of the twentieth century. This project will provide the first critical analysis of that revival by addressing the complex interaction of institutional, philosophical and ideological factors, rather than study one or the other in isolation. This will enable us to understand the processes by which Chinese intellectuals have sought to make Confucianism a viable philosophical and cultural resource in the modern world; and to evaluate how successful they have been in achieving these goals.
Results: One monograph; one edited volume; several essays.
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Fatigue Life Assessment of Structures under Realistic Loading Conditions. The project will develop a new methodology for the assessment of fatigue life of structures subjected to realistic loading conditions. This new methodology is based on recent advances in experimental techniques which make possible, for the first time, the investigation of the crack opening/closure mechanisms and the crack driving force for large numbers of fatigue cycles (>1 million) of variable amplitude, representative o ....Fatigue Life Assessment of Structures under Realistic Loading Conditions. The project will develop a new methodology for the assessment of fatigue life of structures subjected to realistic loading conditions. This new methodology is based on recent advances in experimental techniques which make possible, for the first time, the investigation of the crack opening/closure mechanisms and the crack driving force for large numbers of fatigue cycles (>1 million) of variable amplitude, representative of real-world applications. The project will expand Australia’s knowledge base and research capabilities in structural life prognosis. It will increase the competitiveness of domestic products and industries, fostering international collaborations and leadership of Australia in this strategically important area of research.Read moreRead less
Plasma-soft tissue interactions: advancing a new era of plasma technologies. This project aims to develop the prerequisite knowledge to underpin new plasma technologies. Specifically, the project plans to provide new insight into the interaction between ionised gas plasma jets and biological soft tissue. It plans to use advanced analytical techniques and modelling simulations to investigate the physics of the plasma jet and processes occurring at the jet–tissue interface. It also plans to use (b ....Plasma-soft tissue interactions: advancing a new era of plasma technologies. This project aims to develop the prerequisite knowledge to underpin new plasma technologies. Specifically, the project plans to provide new insight into the interaction between ionised gas plasma jets and biological soft tissue. It plans to use advanced analytical techniques and modelling simulations to investigate the physics of the plasma jet and processes occurring at the jet–tissue interface. It also plans to use (bio)engineered tissue targets, chemical, biological and cellular assays to probe the transport and effects of plasma reactive species deep within tissue. This new knowledge would enable the development of new plasma sources and protocols for applications in health, medicine, biotechnology and manufacturing.Read moreRead less