RESEARCH DIRECTIONS

Research in civil and environmental engineering explores the role and significance of, and interrelationship between materials and structures, the environmental impact of engineering development and the innovative use of resources.  Sustainable infrastructure is the main focus of the research within the School.

KEY RESEARCH INSTITUTE AND CENTRE

Research in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering predominantly takes place in the following key centre and institute:

> Centre for Built Infrastructure Research (CBIR)

> Institute for Water and Environmental Resource Management (IWERM)

MAJOR RESEARCH CAPABILITIES

Built infrastructure   

Our work on structural vibration control is increasing the safety and functionality of buildings, and reducing construction costs. Research into timber bridge technologies is extending the life of Australia’s bridges through retrofitting, rehabilitation and other life expansion and risk management techniques. The recycling of construction waste materials, marries environmental and engineering issues.  Development of green cement and other environmentally friendly construction materials, damage detection and structural health monitoring are among recent areas of endeavour. A $10m project will commence in 2009 focusing on development of sustainable engineered timber products for use in non residential buildings.

Water and environmental resource management   

Research in water and environmental resource management can be undertaken in a number of areas through our superbly equipped analytical laboratories, through field laboratories, and through access to the latest software systems.  A current focus of research activities is the estimation of flood flows (extending from annual freshes to extreme floods) and is aimed at developing techniques for predicting the effects of climate change on flow in river systems, improving the predictive reliability of complex catchment models, and the development of effective flood warning systems.  Other research is aimed at developing tools and guidance for the management of water quality in surface and groundwater systems and the interface between these systems.  Further research is being undertaken into urban water systems and development of guidance and methodologies for the more efficient utilisation of available water.

Water and Wastewater Treatment Engineering     

The water and waste-water treatment (WWT) research group contributes substantially to innovative solutions for water reuse, desalination and stormwater treatment. The WWT group view water reuse and desalination as alternative water sources and is partnering with European Universities and Industries team in two major projects worth 10 million euros. In addition to this, the group obtains significant number of commonwealth competitive grants for their work on new generation of membrane bioreactor and hybrid systems for advanced municipal wastewater treatment, integrated approach for membrane-based desalination, nano technology applications in wastewater treatment, high rate stormwater treatment for reuse and technologies for contaminant removal from sub-surface environment

Geotechnical Engineering

The research activities of the School cover: Ground improvement techniques including reinforced soils, vertical drains, applications of geosynthetics in geotechnical projects and  grouting techniques; Rail track geomechanics including ballast and sub-ballast design and subgrade improvement ; Strategic embankment dam and granular filtration design; and Unsaturated soil mechanics consisting of modelling of the hydro-mechanical behaviour of unstable soils

The School also has a very strong research focus on geo-environmental engineering including: Environmental geomechanics (soil-water interaction, numerical methods in geo-environmental engineering, geotechnical aspects of landfills and remediation techniques for contaminated sites); Treatment of acid sulphate soils; Bioengineering ground modification.

The research team has sound experience in practical based research as well as in numerical modelling using FEM and FDM in the area of geomechanics. Our research and consulting activities are supported by the Geotechnical Laboratory equipped with conventional equipment and fully automated advanced apparatus.

Current research projects include:

> On-site remediation of micropollutants from stormwater for reuse.

> Cost effective in-line filtration system to improve water quality in rainwater tanks.

> Development of a new, efficient and cost effective advanced membrane bioreactor for municipal wastewater treatment.

> Membranes Coupled With Physico Chemical Treatment In Water Reuse: New Hybrid Systems Development And Fouling Assessment.

> Supported biomass membrane bioreactor: optimisation of aeration for better fouling control.

> Integration of sponge based technology and membrane bioreactor: A sustainable treatment system for water recycling

> Cost effective treatment system for stormwater harvesting for medium scale developments

> Innovative retrofitting techniques for the protection of anchorage zones in cable staged bridges subjected to blast loads

> An optimal integrated immersed membrane system as pre-treatment for reverse osmosis desalination

> Establishing the relationship between water characteristics and fouling of membrane used in water reuse.

> Fluidised bed biosorption-flocculation granular activated carbon (FBBSF-GAC) for membrane filtration in water reuse.

> Gradient permeable reactive barrier for groundwater remediation

> Healthier water: innovative processes for arsenic removal and sludge management

> Australian Rainfall and Runoff (ARR) – development of guidelines for estimation of design flood flows inclusive of the potential changes derived from climate change

> Parameter estimation methodologies for complex urban catchment models which consider the parameter and prediction uncertainty

> Methodologies for assessing alternative predictions from models which include consideration of predictive uncertainty

> Flood warning systems inclusive of the use of radar technologies for improved rainfall estimation

> Natural treatment systems for effluent management

> Methodologies and techniques for stormwater and sewer harvesting for urban water reuse

> Use of sustainable materials (for example, compost) as filtration media in natural environments

> The development of a model for confined Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) stormwater filtration/infiltration systems for Australian conditions

> A new Photocatalysis Hybrid System in wastewater treatment for reuse

> Retrofit of reinforced concrete beam-column connections with fibre reinforced polymer

> Development of robust control systems for magneto-rheological fluid-based smart structures

> Behaviour and critical limit states of transversely laminated timber cellular bridge decks.

> Vibration control of buildings by utilising liquid column vibration absorbers and/or fuzzy control techniques.

> Hybrid control system for seismic hazard mitigation.

> Microfiltration – Magnetic Ion – exchange system in tertiary wastewater treatment with Orica Water Care.

> New-generation autoclaved fibre-cement building materials using waste fired clay products.

> Damage detection and structural health monitoring of timber, concrete and steel structures

> Development of a model for assessment of future condition of bridges

> Development of new engineered timber products for commercial and industrial buildings in Australia and New Zealand.

> Development of reliability based design procedures for heritage and other timber bridges owned by State Road and Local Government Authorities

> Development of modular timber bridge decks with a 50 year design life for replacement of old growth timber girder bridges, using sustainable plantation species

> Development of an expert system for geotechnical aspects of rail tracks

> Improvement of geotechnical properties of closed landfills sites for  re development

THE NEXT STEP

Contact a supervisor to discuss your proposal, click here for the list of supervisors in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering

For information on how to apply, click here