Using acoustic retroreflection in architecture to improve rooms for speech. This project aims to discover how a novel form of acoustic treatment can improve acoustics for speech in rooms such as classrooms and open-plan offices. The project will generate new knowledge on the theory, design, and effects of acoustically retroreflective surfaces in room acoustics. Expected outcomes include solutions for effective acoustic retroreflectors, knowledge on how retroreflection influences people’s voice r ....Using acoustic retroreflection in architecture to improve rooms for speech. This project aims to discover how a novel form of acoustic treatment can improve acoustics for speech in rooms such as classrooms and open-plan offices. The project will generate new knowledge on the theory, design, and effects of acoustically retroreflective surfaces in room acoustics. Expected outcomes include solutions for effective acoustic retroreflectors, knowledge on how retroreflection influences people’s voice regulation and sound quality perception, and guidelines and simulation tools for integrating retroreflective treatments to improve speaking comfort. This should provide significant benefits including opportunities to resolve seemingly intractable design dilemmas in the acoustics of education and workplace environments.Read moreRead less
Development of Novel Metaconcrete to Resist Impulsive Loads. This project aims to develop innovative metaconcrete for structural protection by utilising the concept of phononic crystals and metamaterials which has been recently developed by physicists. Traditional construction materials are used in new structural forms to mitigate dynamic loading effects by exploiting the unique characteristics of the proposed metaconcrete. Theoretical, numerical and experimental methods will be used to derive t ....Development of Novel Metaconcrete to Resist Impulsive Loads. This project aims to develop innovative metaconcrete for structural protection by utilising the concept of phononic crystals and metamaterials which has been recently developed by physicists. Traditional construction materials are used in new structural forms to mitigate dynamic loading effects by exploiting the unique characteristics of the proposed metaconcrete. Theoretical, numerical and experimental methods will be used to derive the best performing metaconcrete and verify its static and dynamic load resistant capacities. The expected outcomes of the project will lead to innovative extreme-loading resistant designs and provide significant benefit to the Australian construction industry, general public and economy.Read moreRead less
Developing innovative concrete composites by upscaling material properties. This project aims to develop an upscaling process to correlate micro-nano properties of engineering materials to their comprehensive physicochemical properties based on systematic mechanical and statistical analysis approaches and nanoindentation technology. The process will enable assessing material mechanical and viscoelastic properties at a microscale level thus will generate a new knowledge in structural engineering ....Developing innovative concrete composites by upscaling material properties. This project aims to develop an upscaling process to correlate micro-nano properties of engineering materials to their comprehensive physicochemical properties based on systematic mechanical and statistical analysis approaches and nanoindentation technology. The process will enable assessing material mechanical and viscoelastic properties at a microscale level thus will generate a new knowledge in structural engineering discipline including health monitoring, assessment of existing structures, historical buildings, and strengthening and repairing materials in structures. The outcomes are a multiscale link model for upscaling material properties and a development of innovative reinforced concrete composites which are cost-effective and efficient.Read moreRead less
A 21st century laboratory testing device for geotechnical engineering. This project aims to use advanced image analysis and cloud computing technologies to replace manual, time-consuming and subjective geotechnical engineering practices with a rapid, automated, and more rational approach. A new geo-materials testing system based on the existing triaxial apparatus will be developed that employs three-dimensional image capture hardware and advanced image analysis techniques. The data measured over ....A 21st century laboratory testing device for geotechnical engineering. This project aims to use advanced image analysis and cloud computing technologies to replace manual, time-consuming and subjective geotechnical engineering practices with a rapid, automated, and more rational approach. A new geo-materials testing system based on the existing triaxial apparatus will be developed that employs three-dimensional image capture hardware and advanced image analysis techniques. The data measured over the entire sample surface will feed into an automated, intelligent parameter selection procedure combining finite element analysis with numerical optimisation techniques. Application of the proposal’s findings will allow more accurate and efficient engineering design of transport and energy infrastructure that supports modern economies.Read moreRead less
Design Optimisation and Advanced Manufacturing of Structural Connections. This project aims to establish a new approach to designing and fabricating complex connections in spatial structures by taking advantage of latest technologies in topological optimisation and additive manufacturing. The project intends to develop new optimisation algorithms considering special constraints of additive manufacturing and to determine a cost-effective process for fabricating large metal connections. Expected o ....Design Optimisation and Advanced Manufacturing of Structural Connections. This project aims to establish a new approach to designing and fabricating complex connections in spatial structures by taking advantage of latest technologies in topological optimisation and additive manufacturing. The project intends to develop new optimisation algorithms considering special constraints of additive manufacturing and to determine a cost-effective process for fabricating large metal connections. Expected outcomes of the project include a new methodology and an advanced digital design tool, validated by experiments, for designing and fabricating efficient structural components. This should provide significant benefits to the construction industry in terms of performance enhancement, weight reduction and waste minimisation.Read moreRead less
Improved seismic resilience against life-safety hazard of masonry buildings. This project aims to develop a cost-effective technique to mitigate the safety risk posed by the many unreinforced brick masonry parapets and walls which are vulnerable to seismic shock. Every Australian city has many streets lined with older unreinforced brick masonry buildings (now cafes, pubs, boutique shops) which feature parapets. The project will provide benefits to society by reducing the potential for parapet co ....Improved seismic resilience against life-safety hazard of masonry buildings. This project aims to develop a cost-effective technique to mitigate the safety risk posed by the many unreinforced brick masonry parapets and walls which are vulnerable to seismic shock. Every Australian city has many streets lined with older unreinforced brick masonry buildings (now cafes, pubs, boutique shops) which feature parapets. The project will provide benefits to society by reducing the potential for parapet collapse and therefore reduce the total number of fatalities in an earthquake. Building owners and engineers will be benefit from the design guidance provided by this project, which will lead to a suite of fully-tested and low-cost retrofit techniques.Read moreRead less
Time Dependent Behaviour of Fibre Reinforced Concrete Structures. . The project aims to quantify the initial and long-term cracking and deformation of fibre reinforced concrete structures such as tunnel linings and slabs under sustained in-service loads and conditions. Concrete structures with and without conventional steel reinforcement and containing either steel or polypropylene fibres mixed in the concrete will be tested experimentally and modelled analytically and numerically. Expected outc ....Time Dependent Behaviour of Fibre Reinforced Concrete Structures. . The project aims to quantify the initial and long-term cracking and deformation of fibre reinforced concrete structures such as tunnel linings and slabs under sustained in-service loads and conditions. Concrete structures with and without conventional steel reinforcement and containing either steel or polypropylene fibres mixed in the concrete will be tested experimentally and modelled analytically and numerically. Expected outcomes are benchmark experimental data on structural behaviour under sustained loads, development of reliable simulation models and robust design procedures for the control of time-dependent cracking and deformation in fibre reinforced concrete, with reduced maintenance costs and more sustainable concrete structures.Read moreRead less
Mitigating Vehicular Crashes into Masonry Buildings . Around 2000 vehicles crash annually into school, home and shop buildings located at close proximity to heavily trafficked roads in Australia and cause significant distress to occupants of building and vehicle. The impacted walls mostly of masonry, suffer severe damage often with vehicle intrusion into the building. Despite this, the intrusion mechanism is not understood and no effective mitigation strategies exist at present. This project wi ....Mitigating Vehicular Crashes into Masonry Buildings . Around 2000 vehicles crash annually into school, home and shop buildings located at close proximity to heavily trafficked roads in Australia and cause significant distress to occupants of building and vehicle. The impacted walls mostly of masonry, suffer severe damage often with vehicle intrusion into the building. Despite this, the intrusion mechanism is not understood and no effective mitigation strategies exist at present. This project will uncover the mechanics of vehicle intrusions through masonry walls and develop novel mitigation strategies using high energy absorbing auxetic composite render and innovative vibration isolation at wall edges. These innovations will lead to new theories that can save lives in the building and vehicle.Read moreRead less
Gas Explosion Resistance of Non-Cement Based High Performance Concrete. This project aims to study gas explosion resistance of non-cement-based ultra-high performance concrete after fire hazards. Fuel gases such as natural gas and hydrogen are becoming increasingly more popular in Australia. Due to their wide flammability range, there is considerable concern about the potential fire and explosion hazard. Until now, there is limited knowledge on this topic and conventional concrete has been prove ....Gas Explosion Resistance of Non-Cement Based High Performance Concrete. This project aims to study gas explosion resistance of non-cement-based ultra-high performance concrete after fire hazards. Fuel gases such as natural gas and hydrogen are becoming increasingly more popular in Australia. Due to their wide flammability range, there is considerable concern about the potential fire and explosion hazard. Until now, there is limited knowledge on this topic and conventional concrete has been proved incapable of handling this multi-hazard scenario. The expected outcomes of this project include a detailed knowledge of multi-hazard scenario and a safety design with the non-cement-based ultra-high performance concrete. Successful delivery of this project ensures structural safety in Australia and wider community.Read moreRead less
Structural safety and reliability of unreinforced masonry shear walls. This project aims to investigate and quantify the role of spatial variability of material properties in the failure behaviour and safety of unreinforced masonry shear walls. In masonry buildings, shear walls provide the primary means for safely resisting lateral loads due to wind and earthquake. Failure of the shear walls can result in building collapse causing injuries and death and significant economy losses. Through experi ....Structural safety and reliability of unreinforced masonry shear walls. This project aims to investigate and quantify the role of spatial variability of material properties in the failure behaviour and safety of unreinforced masonry shear walls. In masonry buildings, shear walls provide the primary means for safely resisting lateral loads due to wind and earthquake. Failure of the shear walls can result in building collapse causing injuries and death and significant economy losses. Through experimental testing and numerical modelling the project will enable improved techniques for the assessment and design of masonry walls which account, for the first time, for the influence that spatial variability of material properties has in determining the failure behaviour and capacity of masonry shear walls.
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