Response of residential structures to blast vibration. This proposed project combines the expertise and disciplines of residential construction, structural dynamics and blasting technology. The ultimate aim of the project is to develop a rational methodology for assessing the damage potential of ground vibration resulting from blasting on typical Australian residential structures. The project involves field blast vibration measurements, static and dynamic laboratory tests on structural sub-assem ....Response of residential structures to blast vibration. This proposed project combines the expertise and disciplines of residential construction, structural dynamics and blasting technology. The ultimate aim of the project is to develop a rational methodology for assessing the damage potential of ground vibration resulting from blasting on typical Australian residential structures. The project involves field blast vibration measurements, static and dynamic laboratory tests on structural sub-assemblages in a controlled environment, and comprehensive analytical modelling of both loading and response. The outcomes from this research will have direct application to the mining, insurance, construction and defence industries.Read moreRead less
Novel Cutting Picks for Mining Industry and an Australian Standard. This research will enable the development of highly efficient and robust mining picks and establish the methodology and techniques for setting up an Australian standard for mining picks which does not exist at present but is imperatively needed by the mining industry. The novel technology will provide effective solutions to improving mine environment and safety, and reducing nation's power consumption, green house gas emission, ....Novel Cutting Picks for Mining Industry and an Australian Standard. This research will enable the development of highly efficient and robust mining picks and establish the methodology and techniques for setting up an Australian standard for mining picks which does not exist at present but is imperatively needed by the mining industry. The novel technology will provide effective solutions to improving mine environment and safety, and reducing nation's power consumption, green house gas emission, and environmental pollution. These will in turn reduce the probability of black lung which has been the biggest killer of underground workers in mines.Read moreRead less
Uncertainty and Risk Quantifying Optimistion for Open Pit Mine Design and Production Scheduling. Open pit mine design and production scheduling (OPDPS) deals with the management of cash flows in the order of hundreds of millions of dollars, and is a critical aspect of mining ventures. To enhance decision-making under conditions of uncertainty, this proposal aims to develop a new methodology for OPDPS based on mathematical and statistical techniques which model uncertainty in key parameters, geol ....Uncertainty and Risk Quantifying Optimistion for Open Pit Mine Design and Production Scheduling. Open pit mine design and production scheduling (OPDPS) deals with the management of cash flows in the order of hundreds of millions of dollars, and is a critical aspect of mining ventures. To enhance decision-making under conditions of uncertainty, this proposal aims to develop a new methodology for OPDPS based on mathematical and statistical techniques which model uncertainty in key parameters, geological, mining and market/cost and their effects on economic forecasts. The new formulation is founded on stochastic integer programming, and its integration with spatial stochastic simulations of geological attributes. Methods developed are computerised and tested in field studies.Read moreRead less
The study and development of a 3D real-time stockpile management system. By successfully completing this project, the efficiency of existing infrastructure investments in industries involved in bulk material handling (inclusive of minerals, grain, sugar and woodchips) will be largely improved. This will allow such industries to contain costs and thus increase international competitiveness. Efficiencies gains (in these industries) to date have been in recover and processing with little attention ....The study and development of a 3D real-time stockpile management system. By successfully completing this project, the efficiency of existing infrastructure investments in industries involved in bulk material handling (inclusive of minerals, grain, sugar and woodchips) will be largely improved. This will allow such industries to contain costs and thus increase international competitiveness. Efficiencies gains (in these industries) to date have been in recover and processing with little attention to stockyard and movement within the stockyards. The industries sectors in which will receive the greatest benefits are in rural and remote Australia. There is also the ability of the system to be exported to overseas clients, particularly in the mining sector.Read moreRead less
Study of Coupled Water-Gas-Sediment (three-phase) Flows through Jointed and Stratified Rock. Coupled Water-Gas-Sediment Flows through Rock Joints project outcomes are expected to surpass the current knowledge on ground/slope stability and water inundation, enhance engineering solutions of the associated problems and provide vital improvements to public safety. The research team will publish the research outcomes through peer-reviewed journals and conferences, nationally and internationally, rais ....Study of Coupled Water-Gas-Sediment (three-phase) Flows through Jointed and Stratified Rock. Coupled Water-Gas-Sediment Flows through Rock Joints project outcomes are expected to surpass the current knowledge on ground/slope stability and water inundation, enhance engineering solutions of the associated problems and provide vital improvements to public safety. The research team will publish the research outcomes through peer-reviewed journals and conferences, nationally and internationally, raising Australia’s scientific profile within the civil engineering and mining community. The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and Institution of Engineers seminars will be organised to promote discussion with the practitioners while the Australian geotechnical community will gain expertise through the PhD program. Read moreRead less
Extraction of gold from thiosulfate leach liquors using selective magnetic ion exchange (MIEX) resins. Cyanide processes used for gold leaching can cause severe environmental problems. This proposal studies the use of thiosulfate as an alternative, concentrating on the design and synthesis of new functionalised magnetic ion-exchange resins, which will act as selective adsorbents for the gold thiosulfate complex and thereby facilitate the implementation of this efficient, low environmental impact ....Extraction of gold from thiosulfate leach liquors using selective magnetic ion exchange (MIEX) resins. Cyanide processes used for gold leaching can cause severe environmental problems. This proposal studies the use of thiosulfate as an alternative, concentrating on the design and synthesis of new functionalised magnetic ion-exchange resins, which will act as selective adsorbents for the gold thiosulfate complex and thereby facilitate the implementation of this efficient, low environmental impact process. Since the leaching is typically applied to ores rich in copper, resins for the recovery of copper will also be designed. Laboratory proving trials will be conducted and successful candidates will be considered for future commercialisation of a Resin-in-Pulp leaching and recovery process.Read moreRead less
Formally-Based Security Evaluation Procedures. Guaranteeing information security is of critical national importance, especially in the current political climate. Devices intended to safeguard Australia's electronic communications must be proven secure using leading-edge techniques. Currently, evaluation of such devices relies on informal procedures and the experience of individuals. This project will introduce more rigour into security evaluations by adapting techniques from the fields of saf ....Formally-Based Security Evaluation Procedures. Guaranteeing information security is of critical national importance, especially in the current political climate. Devices intended to safeguard Australia's electronic communications must be proven secure using leading-edge techniques. Currently, evaluation of such devices relies on informal procedures and the experience of individuals. This project will introduce more rigour into security evaluations by adapting techniques from the fields of safety analysis and formal methods. In particular, mathematical concepts will be introduced using notations suitable for use by security personnel with no prior formal methods experience. The outcomes of this project will enable more efficient and effective information security evaluations.Read moreRead less
Developing a Scalable Infrastructure for Embedded E-Security Incorporating Cryptography and Biometric Authentication. A fundamental flaw in existing embedded e-security technologies is their cryptography-plus-PIN-number infrastructure. This has generated security concerns that have proved a major obstacle to the growth of e-commerce, presently a relatively poor 2% of market share. We aim to design a new infrastructure that can solve this security problem by incorporating cryptography and biomet ....Developing a Scalable Infrastructure for Embedded E-Security Incorporating Cryptography and Biometric Authentication. A fundamental flaw in existing embedded e-security technologies is their cryptography-plus-PIN-number infrastructure. This has generated security concerns that have proved a major obstacle to the growth of e-commerce, presently a relatively poor 2% of market share. We aim to design a new infrastructure that can solve this security problem by incorporating cryptography and biometric authentication into a computing resource limited embedded e-security system. The outcomes of this project will be a set of new cryptosystems, new biometrics processing schemes and new onboard resource allocation schemes that will form the basis for the next generation of embedded systems.Read moreRead less