Development of efficient, robust and architecturally-flexible structural systems using innovative blind-bolted connections. The aim of the proposed project is to develop structural systems that have sufficient stiffness, strength, and ductility to withstand code-specified loads and that will be competitive in the marketplace. The development of demonstrable cost-effective structural systems is essential if these types of systems are to be widely adopted in practice, thus allowing Australian manu ....Development of efficient, robust and architecturally-flexible structural systems using innovative blind-bolted connections. The aim of the proposed project is to develop structural systems that have sufficient stiffness, strength, and ductility to withstand code-specified loads and that will be competitive in the marketplace. The development of demonstrable cost-effective structural systems is essential if these types of systems are to be widely adopted in practice, thus allowing Australian manufacturers of blind bolts and steel tubes to achieve a greater market share.Read moreRead less
Blast resistance of flexural ultra-high performance concrete members. Ultra high performance concrete (UHPC) has high material strengths, high material deformation and high toughness, making it an ideal material for resisting blast effects. Since there are great differences between the mechanical properties of UHPC and conventional concrete, traditional guidelines need to be significantly adapted to accommodate UHPC. This project will facilitate the development of design procedures for reinforce ....Blast resistance of flexural ultra-high performance concrete members. Ultra high performance concrete (UHPC) has high material strengths, high material deformation and high toughness, making it an ideal material for resisting blast effects. Since there are great differences between the mechanical properties of UHPC and conventional concrete, traditional guidelines need to be significantly adapted to accommodate UHPC. This project will facilitate the development of design procedures for reinforced UHPC members. It will enable design engineers to take advantage of the desirable properties of UHPC for anti-terrorism. The application of this project will lead to saving lives, reducing the extent of injury and minimizing social and economic disruption.Read moreRead less
Development of sophisticated structural design guidelines for the new building product known as Rapidwall. Rapidwall is an Australian made new composite building product made from formulated gypsum plaster and glass-fibre. This is a high-tech building product that has huge potential to be developed into a dominant building material in the future. It is economic, labor effective, eco-friendly, structural sound and fire, thermal resistant and has many advantages over the existing building material ....Development of sophisticated structural design guidelines for the new building product known as Rapidwall. Rapidwall is an Australian made new composite building product made from formulated gypsum plaster and glass-fibre. This is a high-tech building product that has huge potential to be developed into a dominant building material in the future. It is economic, labor effective, eco-friendly, structural sound and fire, thermal resistant and has many advantages over the existing building materials, such as concrete, steel and masonry. The lack of a technical design guidelines has fundamentally obstructed it from expanding its market share both in Australia and overseas. This proposal aims at developing a structural design manual for the new product.Read moreRead less
Development of design guidelines for recycled plastic material and structural components. It is estimated that by 2010 over 1.2 million tonnes of plastic will be used annually by Australians of which only 3% is currently recycled. Preliminary testing of recycled plastic products has demonstrated their potential usefulness in structural engineering applications. However, the lack of guidelines suitable for advanced applications of recycled plastic is limiting the growth of this technology. This p ....Development of design guidelines for recycled plastic material and structural components. It is estimated that by 2010 over 1.2 million tonnes of plastic will be used annually by Australians of which only 3% is currently recycled. Preliminary testing of recycled plastic products has demonstrated their potential usefulness in structural engineering applications. However, the lack of guidelines suitable for advanced applications of recycled plastic is limiting the growth of this technology. This project aims to develop a set of rational guidelines for the testing, analysis and design of recycled plastic material and structural components that will enable the continued expansion of this technology, significantly reducing waste plastic.Read moreRead less
Optimization of internal pressure for designing industrial buildings. The project seeks to understand the internal pressure in a building during windstorms, to improve safety and performance. The internal pressure in a building is dependent on its volume and flexibility and the sizes of openings in the building envelope, and is a critical loading parameter in building design. Windstorm damage investigations have shown that incorrect internal pressures are frequently used in building design, lead ....Optimization of internal pressure for designing industrial buildings. The project seeks to understand the internal pressure in a building during windstorms, to improve safety and performance. The internal pressure in a building is dependent on its volume and flexibility and the sizes of openings in the building envelope, and is a critical loading parameter in building design. Windstorm damage investigations have shown that incorrect internal pressures are frequently used in building design, leading to damage. This project aims to study the internal pressures generated in buildings with a range of volumes and openings in the envelope. A combination of model-scale and full-scale tests and theoretical analysis are planned to determine critical parameters for highly turbulent air-flow though openings. Results will inform the revision of design data in codes and of guidelines for consistent, optimal design of buildings.Read moreRead less
Reinforced crumbed rubber concrete for residential construction. Reinforced crumbed rubber concrete for residential construction. This project aims to use crumb rubber from used tyres to replace natural sand aggregate in concrete used in housing construction. Globally, very few of the millions of tyres discarded annually are recycled, while natural sand used in concrete is being depleted. This project intends to provide the tyre industry with a viable market for end of life tyres, and the premix ....Reinforced crumbed rubber concrete for residential construction. Reinforced crumbed rubber concrete for residential construction. This project aims to use crumb rubber from used tyres to replace natural sand aggregate in concrete used in housing construction. Globally, very few of the millions of tyres discarded annually are recycled, while natural sand used in concrete is being depleted. This project intends to provide the tyre industry with a viable market for end of life tyres, and the premix concrete industry with a “green” product for the residential construction market. Expected benefits include the increased use of a waste resource (used tyres), reduced use of a scarce natural resource (sand), and the development of an economic but green alternative concrete option for residential builders and owners.Read moreRead less
Laser Ultrasonic Health Monitoring for Australia’s Infrastructure Assets. This project aims to develop technologies to monitor the health of Australia’s ageing infrastructure with the use of a unique laser ultrasonic device. The laser device will be used to conduct experiments that are expected to develop a set of techniques for monitoring the critical areas of structures with most frequently observed ageing problems. Precise estimates of damage will be made by processing signals from a combinat ....Laser Ultrasonic Health Monitoring for Australia’s Infrastructure Assets. This project aims to develop technologies to monitor the health of Australia’s ageing infrastructure with the use of a unique laser ultrasonic device. The laser device will be used to conduct experiments that are expected to develop a set of techniques for monitoring the critical areas of structures with most frequently observed ageing problems. Precise estimates of damage will be made by processing signals from a combination of simulation and experimental modelling. Feedback from the user community is expected to further improve the techniques.Read moreRead less
Model Studies of the Wettability of Reservoir and Seal Rocks as Recovered and After Treatments to Alter Surface Properties. Key contributions will be made to the science that underpins petroleum recovery. The combination of diverse expertise in interfacial physics and chemistry, petroleum geology and petrophysics provides a large innovative potential for the industry. Two graduate students will be educated in a rich multi-disciplinary research environment with a strong emphasis on both academic ....Model Studies of the Wettability of Reservoir and Seal Rocks as Recovered and After Treatments to Alter Surface Properties. Key contributions will be made to the science that underpins petroleum recovery. The combination of diverse expertise in interfacial physics and chemistry, petroleum geology and petrophysics provides a large innovative potential for the industry. Two graduate students will be educated in a rich multi-disciplinary research environment with a strong emphasis on both academic and industrial aspects of the problems. The research conducted will enable the industrial partners to improve existing technologies for predicting where oil and gas is trapped and for petroleum recovery.
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Electronic and Optical Properties of Doped Titanium Dioxide. Titanium dioxide, is widely used as a white pigment, owing to its high refractive index, second, only after diamond. Yellowing of rutile pigment particles, observed on prolonged exposure to sunlight, is a serious problem that pigment manufacturers would like to overcome. It is proposed that aluminium-doping of rutile limits this discolouration by altering the electronic structure of the rutile particles. This project seeks to identify ....Electronic and Optical Properties of Doped Titanium Dioxide. Titanium dioxide, is widely used as a white pigment, owing to its high refractive index, second, only after diamond. Yellowing of rutile pigment particles, observed on prolonged exposure to sunlight, is a serious problem that pigment manufacturers would like to overcome. It is proposed that aluminium-doping of rutile limits this discolouration by altering the electronic structure of the rutile particles. This project seeks to identify the specific electronic cause of the yellowing process, the nature of the Al defect,it's effect on the electronic structure of rutile, and the electronic perturbations that may occur when other dopants are used.Read moreRead less
Enhanced sensitivity of electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Enhanced sensitivity of electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. This project aims to enhance the sensitivity of nano-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (nanoESI-MS) by an order of magnitude by simultaneously overcoming the two interdependent limitations in ion generation and transmission efficiency. This project will design glass capillaries and tubes with complex structures to enable both multiplexing ion generation fr ....Enhanced sensitivity of electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Enhanced sensitivity of electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. This project aims to enhance the sensitivity of nano-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (nanoESI-MS) by an order of magnitude by simultaneously overcoming the two interdependent limitations in ion generation and transmission efficiency. This project will design glass capillaries and tubes with complex structures to enable both multiplexing ion generation from a single capillary and geometrically matching the bore of the tube collecting the emitted ion plume. NanoESI-MS has become an indispensable analytical tool for proteomics and synthetic chemistry. The significant enhancement of nanoESI-MS sensitivity in this project is expected to accelerate progress in disease research, biomarker discovery and drug development.Read moreRead less