A new generation high crash energy absorbing barrier for improved road safety. The new, high energy absorbing road safety barrier developed in this project will provide better protection for all road users than current barriers by reducing the severity of car crashes. Current road barriers result in an average loss of 1600 lives in Australia annually, including a disproportionate number of young lives. The new barrier will be highly efficient in absorbing collisions from vehicles travelling at s ....A new generation high crash energy absorbing barrier for improved road safety. The new, high energy absorbing road safety barrier developed in this project will provide better protection for all road users than current barriers by reducing the severity of car crashes. Current road barriers result in an average loss of 1600 lives in Australia annually, including a disproportionate number of young lives. The new barrier will be highly efficient in absorbing collisions from vehicles travelling at speeds between 60 to over a 100 kilometres per hour. Installation of the new road safety barrier systems in high accident zones will save lives by reducing the severity of accidents involving road barriers. This will significantly benefit the community by reducing injury, medical, rehabilitation and property damage costs, and improve quality of life for all road users.Read moreRead less
Optimum design of hydraulic structures in rural and urban Australia: dealing with floods and droughts. Australia's long-term forecast suggests the occurrence of longer and more frequent droughts, and more intense flood events. The project will study the fundamental hydrodynamic processes in hydraulic structures and aims to develop new innovative designs derived from process based approach for optimum operation in rural and urban Australia.
Novel hybrid silica membranes for desalination. This project aims to produce high flux, highly stable ceramic membranes for use in desalination. This will result in novel, low energy desalination processes, delivering potable water at a greatly reduced cost.
Properties of nanomaterials determine their disposal by liver cells. This project aims to understand how the liver handles and is affected by nanomaterials in the body. Nanomaterials are widely used in industrial, environmental, consumer and drug products, but how they affect human health is poorly understood. This project will characterise the spatiotemporal distribution of a set of nanomaterials with defined attributes in naïve and modified livers using chemistry, imaging and biological method ....Properties of nanomaterials determine their disposal by liver cells. This project aims to understand how the liver handles and is affected by nanomaterials in the body. Nanomaterials are widely used in industrial, environmental, consumer and drug products, but how they affect human health is poorly understood. This project will characterise the spatiotemporal distribution of a set of nanomaterials with defined attributes in naïve and modified livers using chemistry, imaging and biological methods. This work is expected to determine how nanomaterials’ attributes direct pathways for liver cell disposal and describe nanomaterial–liver interactions at the cellular level, information crucial in enabling safer nanomaterials for use in products such as drug formulations, sunscreens and cosmetics.Read moreRead less
New nanotechnology controlling wettability in unconventional gas reservoirs. This project aims to develop new nanoparticle technologies to change rock wettability and significantly increase gas production from shale and coal seam gas fields. The project plans to use a unique combination of new theoretical models for suspension transport in fractures and innovative mathematical modelling supported by laboratory studies and validated against field results, to test and develop the new strategies fo ....New nanotechnology controlling wettability in unconventional gas reservoirs. This project aims to develop new nanoparticle technologies to change rock wettability and significantly increase gas production from shale and coal seam gas fields. The project plans to use a unique combination of new theoretical models for suspension transport in fractures and innovative mathematical modelling supported by laboratory studies and validated against field results, to test and develop the new strategies for Australian gas fields. The project is expected to improve understanding of complex physical phenomena associated with natural gas production and to deliver economic benefit to the Australian gas industry.Read moreRead less
Towards autonomous structural safety prognostics: integrating in-situ imaging and predictive modelling. This project aims to advance a scientific basis for autonomous safety prognostics by developing predictive models and in-situ damage imaging principles. Development of this new health prognostic approach will overcome the significant challenge of safety assurance of composite structures in the presence of in-service damage, which is largely hidden.
Biosolid flow, separation and activity in anaerobic lagoons. This project aims to develop a fundamental model of the complex, non-steady state flow behaviour in anaerobic lagoons. The project will develop new operating procedures and designs for large municipal, industrial and agricultural anaerobic lagoons. This will improve the efficiency of anaerobic digestion and reduce wastewater treatment costs, as well as increase renewable and sustainable biogas production. The intended outcome is a va ....Biosolid flow, separation and activity in anaerobic lagoons. This project aims to develop a fundamental model of the complex, non-steady state flow behaviour in anaerobic lagoons. The project will develop new operating procedures and designs for large municipal, industrial and agricultural anaerobic lagoons. This will improve the efficiency of anaerobic digestion and reduce wastewater treatment costs, as well as increase renewable and sustainable biogas production. The intended outcome is a validated 3D model that captures the physical and biological complexities of anaerobic lagoons. This will impact the design and operation of partner organisation lagoons, reducing capital and operating costs and improving biogas production.Read moreRead less
Efficient Pipeline Transport of Highly Concentrated Wastewater Sludge . This project aims to investigate the rheology and fluid mechanics of highly concentrated wastewater sludges and develop tools to support effective pipeline designs for wastewater treatment plants. The project expects to generate new knowledge about the complex flow of concentrated wastewater which will enable predictive models to support the design and optimization of pipeline transport systems. Expected outcomes of the proj ....Efficient Pipeline Transport of Highly Concentrated Wastewater Sludge . This project aims to investigate the rheology and fluid mechanics of highly concentrated wastewater sludges and develop tools to support effective pipeline designs for wastewater treatment plants. The project expects to generate new knowledge about the complex flow of concentrated wastewater which will enable predictive models to support the design and optimization of pipeline transport systems. Expected outcomes of the project include a new toolkit that will enable wastewater treatment plants to design and optimize both existing and future pipeline systems. This will support the Australian wastewater industry to plan for future growth, increase throughput and efficiency, reduce environmental pollutants, and capital and operating costs.Read moreRead less
Nonlinear frequency mixing methods for materials and damage evaluation. This project aims to investigate new approaches for frequency mixing in nonlinear ultrasonics, and to demonstrate their potential for the non-destructive evaluation of material degradation and early damage detection. The anticipated outcomes will be increased detection sensitivity relative to current inspection techniques and an enhanced capability for quantifying the damage. This will provide the basis for more cost efficie ....Nonlinear frequency mixing methods for materials and damage evaluation. This project aims to investigate new approaches for frequency mixing in nonlinear ultrasonics, and to demonstrate their potential for the non-destructive evaluation of material degradation and early damage detection. The anticipated outcomes will be increased detection sensitivity relative to current inspection techniques and an enhanced capability for quantifying the damage. This will provide the basis for more cost efficient safety management of high-value assets and infrastructure, and for enhancing Australia’s competitiveness in advanced manufacturing.Read moreRead less
Protein biosensors for detecting smoke exposure of grapes. Bush fires and controlled burns that take place in the vicinity of vineyards can lead to grape contamination with tasteless phenolic glucosides. Their hydrolysis during wine making leads to “smoke taint” – an unpleasant medicinal taste that can render wine undrinkable. We will apply a combination of organic synthesis, protein engineering and directed evolution to develop protein-based biosensors of phenolic glucosides. These biosensors w ....Protein biosensors for detecting smoke exposure of grapes. Bush fires and controlled burns that take place in the vicinity of vineyards can lead to grape contamination with tasteless phenolic glucosides. Their hydrolysis during wine making leads to “smoke taint” – an unpleasant medicinal taste that can render wine undrinkable. We will apply a combination of organic synthesis, protein engineering and directed evolution to develop protein-based biosensors of phenolic glucosides. These biosensors will be used to devise a simple portable colorimetric test that can be performed in the vineyard or the winery. The ability to rapidly determine the level of grape contamination with phenolic glucosides would give Australian wine growers and wine makers a powerful tool to mitigate the effects of bushfires.Read moreRead less