Engineering Commons^™

Semi-Transparent Energy-Harvesting Solar Concentrator Windows Employing Infrared Transmission-Enhanced Glass And Large-Area Microstructured Diffractive Elements, Mikhail Vasiliev, Kamal Alameh, Mohsin Badshah, Seok-Min Kim, Mohammad Alam

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

We report on the study of energy-harvesting performance in medium-size (400 cm²) glass-based semitransparent solar concentrators employing edge-mounted photovoltaic modules. Systems using several different types of glazing system architecture and containing embedded diffractive structures are prepared and characterized. The technological approaches to the rapid manufacture of large-area diffractive elements suitable for use in solar window-type concentrators are described. These elements enable the internal deflection and partial trapping of light inside glass-based concentrator windows. We focus on uncovering the potential of pattern-transfer polymer-based soft lithography for enabling both the improved photon collection probability at solar cell surfaces, and the …

Muscle Activity-Driven Green-Oriented Random Number Generation Mechanism To Secure Wbsn Wearable Device Communications, Yuanlong Cao, Guanghe Zhang, Fanghua Liu, Ilsun You, Guanglou Zheng, Oluwarotimi W. Samuel, Shixiong Chen

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Wireless body sensor networks (WBSNs) mostly consist of low-cost sensor nodes and implanted devices which generally have extremely limited capability of computations and energy capabilities. Hence, traditional security protocols and privacy enhancing technologies are not applicable to the WBSNs since their computations and cryptographic primitives are normally exceedingly complicated. Nowadays, mobile wearable and wireless muscle-computer interfaces have been integrated with the WBSN sensors for various applications such as rehabilitation, sports, entertainment, and healthcare. In this paper, we propose MGRNG, a novel muscle activity-driven green-oriented random number generation mechanism which uses the human muscle activity as green energy resource to generate …

A Security Review Of Local Government Using Nist Csf: A Case Study, Ahmed Ibrahim, Craig Valli, Ian Mcateer, Junaid Chaudhry

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Evaluating cyber security risk is a challenging task regardless of an organisation’s nature of business or size, however, an essential activity. This paper uses the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) cyber security framework (CSF) to assess the cyber security posture of a local government organisation in Western Australia. Our approach enabled the quantification of risks for specific NIST CSF core functions and respective categories and allowed making recommendations to address the gaps discovered to attain the desired level of compliance. This has led the organisation to strategically target areas related to their people, processes, and technologies, thus mitigating …

Evaluating An Analytical Model To Predict Subsurface Lnapl Distributions And Transmissivity From Current And Historic Fluid Levels In Groundwater Wells: Comparing Results To Numerical Simulations, Robert J. Lenhard, Kaveh Sookhak Lari, John L. Rayner, Greg B. Davis

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

A recent analytical model predicts free, entrapped, and residual LNAPL saturations and the LNAPL transmissivity in the subsurface from current and historic fluid levels in groundwater wells. As such, the model accounts for effects of fluid level fluctuations in a well. The model was developed to predict LNAPL specific volumes and transmissivities from current fluid level measurements in wells and either recorded historic fluid level fluctuations in wells or estimates. An assumption is made in the model that the predictions are not dependent on whether the historic highest or lowest fluid level elevations in a well occur first. To test …

A Comprehensive Review Of Fruit And Vegetable Classification Techniques, Khurram Hameed, Douglas Chai, Alexander Rassau

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Recent advancements in computer vision have enabled wide-ranging applications in every field of life. One such application area is fresh produce classification, but the classification of fruit and vegetable has proven to be a complex problem and needs to be further developed. Fruit and vegetable classification presents significant challenges due to interclass similarities and irregular intraclass characteristics. Selection of appropriate data acquisition sensors and feature representation approach is also crucial due to the huge diversity of the field. Fruit and vegetable classification methods have been developed for quality assessment and robotic harvesting but the current state-of-the-art has been developed for …

Stability Analysis And Design Charts For A Sandy Soil Slope Supporting An Embedded Strip Footing, Emmanuel Baah-Frempong, Sanjay Kumar Shukla

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

In several field situations, especially in the hilly terrains, the construction of footings on slopes becomes essential. The factor of safety of a slope supporting a loaded footing on the crest is dependent on the position of the footing from the crest edge. Most studies in the past have focused on analysing the bearing capacity and settlement behaviour of a footing resting on a slope crest, but foundations in most infrastructure projects are usually built at some depth below the ground surface. Therefore, the availability of some form of design charts for determining the factor of safety of a slope …

Extraction Of Patterns In Selected Network Traffic For A Precise And Efficient Intrusion Detection Approach, Priya Naran Rabadia

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This thesis investigates a precise and efficient pattern-based intrusion detection approach by extracting patterns from sequential adversarial commands. As organisations are further placing assets within the cyber domain, mitigating the potential exposure of these assets is becoming increasingly imperative. Machine learning is the application of learning algorithms to extract knowledge from data to determine patterns between data points and make predictions. Machine learning algorithms have been used to extract patterns from sequences of commands to precisely and efficiently detect adversaries using the Secure Shell (SSH) protocol. Seeing as SSH is one of the most predominant methods of accessing systems it …

Optimisation Of Stand-Alone Hybrid Energy Systems For Power And Thermal Loads, Barun Kumar Das

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Stand-alone hybrid energy systems are an attractive option for remote communities without a connection to a main power grid. However, the intermittent nature of solar and other renewable sources adversely affects the reliability with which these systems respond to load demands. Hybridisation, achieved by combining renewables with combustion-based supplementary prime movers, improves the ability to meet electric load requirements. In addition, the waste heat generated from backup Internal Combustion Engines or Micro Gas Turbines can be used to satisfy local heating and cooling loads. As a result, there is an expectation that the overall efficiency and Greenhouse Gas Emissions of …

Next Generation Wireless Communication Networks: Energy And Quality Of Service Considerations, Md Munjure Mowla

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The rapid growth in global mobile phone users has resulted in an ever-increasing demand for bandwidth and enhanced quality-of-service (QoS). Several consortia comprising major international mobile operators, infrastructure manufacturers, and academic institutions are working to develop the next generation wireless communication systems fifth generation (5G) - to support high data rates and increased QoS. 5G systems are also expected to represent a greener alternative for communication systems, which is important because power consumption from the information and communication technology (ICT) sector is forecast to increase significantly by 2030. The deployment of ultra-dense heterogeneous small cell networks (SCNs) is expected to …

Homogenization And Growth Behavior Of Second-Phase Particles In A Deformed Zr-Sn-Nb-Fe-Cu-Si-O Alloy, Liang-Yu Chen, Peng Sang, Lina Zhang, Dongpo Song, Yanqiu Chu, Linjiang Chai, Laichang Zhang

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Homogeneous distribution of fine second-phase particles (SPPs) fabricated by cycles of deformation and annealing in zirconium alloys is a critical consideration for the corrosion resistance of fuel claddings. Different deformation degrees of zirconium alloys would result in distinctive microstructures, leading to a distinct growth of SPPs during subsequent annealing. Unfortunately, the homogenization and growth behavior of SPPs in deformed zirconium alloys have not been well studied. In this work, a β-quenched Zr–Sn–Nb–Fe–Cu–Si–O alloy was rolled and annealed at 580◦C or 680◦C. The morphologies, distributions, and sizes of SPPs resulting from the different processing procedures were investigated. A linear distribution of …

Improved Deformation Behavior In Ti-Zr-Fe-Mn Alloys Comprising The C14 Type Laves And Β Phases, Chirag D. Rabadia, Y. J. Liu, Syed F. Jawed, L. Wang, Y. H. Li, X. H. Zhang, T. B. Sercombe, Hongqi Sun, Laichang Zhang

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Laves phase alloys are promising materials for several structural applications, but the extreme brittleness is the predominant shortcoming of a Laves matrix. One potential solution to overcome this shortcoming is to alloy Laves matrix with some soft matrix. A group of Ti-35Zr-5Fe-xMn (x = 0, 2, 4, 6, 8 wt%) alloys was cast with an aim to improve deformation in Laves alloy compositions. The phase and microstructure analyses reveal dual phase matrices, including a β phase and a C14 type Laves phase in the investigated alloys. The mechanical properties such as yield strength, hardness and plastic strain for the investigated …

Near-Net Forming Complex Shaped Zr-Based Bulk Metallic Glasses By High Pressure Die Casting, Lehua Liu, Tao Zhang, Zhiyuan Liu, Chunyan Yu, Xixi Dong, Liangju He, Kuan Gao, Xuguang Zhu, Wenhao Li, Chengyong Wang, Peijie Li, Laichang Zhang, Lugee Li

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Forming complex geometries using the casting process is a big challenge for bulk metallic glasses (BMGs), because of a lack of time of the window for shaping under the required high cooling rate. In this work, we open an approach named the “entire process vacuum high pressure die casting” (EPV-HPDC), which delivers the ability to fill die with molten metal in milliseconds, and create solidification under high pressure. Based on this process, various Zr-based BMGs were prepared by using industrial grade raw material. The results indicate that the EPV-HPDC process is feasible to produce a glassy structure for most Zr-based …

Bowel Sounds Identification And Migrating Motor Complex Detection With Low-Cost Piezoelectric Acoustic Sensing Device, Xuhao Du, Gary Allwood, Katherine Mary Webberley, Adam Osseiran, Barry J. Marshall

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Interpretation of bowel sounds (BS) provides a convenient and non-invasive technique to aid in the diagnosis of gastrointestinal (GI) conditions. However, the approach’s potential is limited by variation between BS and their irregular occurrence. A short, manual auscultation is sufficient to aid in diagnosis of only a few conditions. A longer recording has the potential to unlock additional understanding of GI physiology and clinical utility. In this paper, a low-cost and straightforward piezoelectric acoustic sensing device was designed and used for long BS recordings. The migrating motor complex (MMC) cycle was detected using this device and the sound index as …

Issues And Mitigations Of Wind Energy Penetrated Network: Australian Network Case Study, Asma Aziz, Aman M. Than Oo, Alex Stojcevski

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Longest geographically connected Australian power system is undergoing an unprecedented transition, under the effect of increased integration of renewable energy systems. This change in generation mix has implications for the whole interconnected system designs, its operational strategies and the regulatory framework. Frequency control policies about real-time balancing of demand and supply is one of the prominent and priority operational challenge requiring urgent attention. This paper reviews the Australian electricity market structure in presence of wind energy and its governance. Various issues related to increased wind generation systems integration are discussed in detail. Currently applied mitigations along with prospective mitigation methods …

Development, Manufacture And Application Of A Solid-State Ph Sensor Using Ruthenium Oxide, Wade Lonsdale

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The measurement of pH is undertaken frequently in numerous settings for many applications. The common glass pH probe is almost ideal for measuring pH, and as such, it is used almost ubiquitously. However, glass is not ideal for all applications due to its relatively large size, fragility, need for recalibration and wet-storage. Therefore, much research has been undertaken on the use of metal oxides as an alternative for the measurement of pH.

Here, a solid-state potentiometric pH sensor is developed using ruthenium metal oxide (RuO2). Initially, pH sensitive RuO2 electrodes were prepared by deposition with radio frequency magnetron sputtering (RFMS) …

The Interaction Between Encapsulated Gd2o3 Particles And Polymeric Matrix: The Mechanism Of Fracture And X-Ray Attenuation Properties, Ly B. T. La, Christopher Leatherday, Peng Qin, Yee-Kwong Leong, Kevin Hayward, Bin Jiang, Lai-Chang Zhang

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

This work sheds light on the relationship between the quantities of synthesized core shell Gd₂O₃ added to epoxy matrix and the mechanical and X-ray attenuation properties of particulate epoxy composite. Then, an optimal geometric design of non-lead based X-ray protective material with light weight per volume unit is prepared. A plateau with 28–30 % increments in the value of fracture toughness (K_IC ) is observed with a specific addition of 0.08 – 0.1 volume fraction (φ_S) of Gd₂O₃ particles in pure epoxy. The same quantity of particles also optimally raises …

Universal Signal Conditioning Technique For Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors In Plc And Scada Applications, Gary Allwood, Graham Wild, Steven Hinkley

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Optical fibre sensors, such as Fibre Bragg Gratings (FBGs), are growing in their utilisation, although very niche in their applications. To enable a more diverse range of end users, expensive application-specific optical fibre interrogation hardware needs to be made compatible with and, ideally, easily incorporated into existing instrumentation and measurement hardware. The Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) is an ideal example of hardware used for data acquisition in many industries. As such, a module that can be connected into an existing PLC slot to collect data from electrically-neutral, EMI-immune and versatile FBG sensors is of significant advantage to the growing optical …

Additive Manufacturing Techniques And Their Biomedical Applications, Yujing Liu, Wei Wang, Laichang Zhang

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Additive manufacturing (AM), also known as three-dimensional (3D) printing, is gaining increasing attention in medical fields, especially in dental and implant areas. Because AM technologies have many advantages in comparison with traditional technologies, such as the ability to manufacture patient-specific complex components, high material utilization, support of tissue growth, and a unique customized service for individual patients, AM is considered to have a large potential market in medical fields. This brief review presents the recent progress of 3D-printed ­biomedical materials for bone applications, mainly for metallic materials, including multifunctional alloys with high strength and low Young’s modulus, shape memory alloys, …

Synthesis Of Magnetic Carbon Supported Manganese Catalysts For Phenol Oxidation By Activation Of Peroxymonosulfate, Yuxian Wang, Yongbing Xie, Chunmao Chen, Xiaoguang Duan, Hongqi Sun, Shaobin Wang

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Magnetic core/shell nanospheres (MCS) were synthesized by a novel and facile one-step hydrothermal method. Supported manganese oxide nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄/C/Mn) were obtained from various methods (including redox, hydrothermal and impregnation) using MCS as the support material and potassium permanganate as the precursor of manganese oxide. The Mn/MCS catalysts were characterized by a variety of characterization techniques and the catalytic performances of Fe₃O₄/C/Mn nanoparticles were tested in activation of peroxymonosulfate to produce reactive radicals for phenol degradation in aqueous solutions. It was found that Fe₃O₄/C/Mn catalysts can be well dispersed …

A Novel Privacy Preserving User Identification Approach For Network Traffic, Nathan Clarke, Fudong Li, Steven Furnell

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The prevalence of the Internet and cloud-based applications, alongside the technological evolution of smartphones, tablets and smartwatches, has resulted in users relying upon network connectivity more than ever before. This results in an increasingly voluminous footprint with respect to the network traffic that is created as a consequence. For network forensic examiners, this traffic represents a vital source of independent evidence in an environment where anti-forensics is increasingly challenging the validity of computer-based forensics. Performing network forensics today largely focuses upon an analysis based upon the Internet Protocol (IP) address – as this is the only characteristic available. More typically, …

A Feature-Based Structural Measure: An Image Similarity Measure For Face Recognition, Noor A. Shnain, Zahir Hussain, Song F. Lu

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Facial recognition is one of the most challenging and interesting problems within the field of computer vision and pattern recognition. During the last few years, it has gained special attention due to its importance in relation to current issues such as security, surveillance systems and forensics analysis. Despite this high level of attention to facial recognition, the success is still limited by certain conditions; there is no method which gives reliable results in all situations. In this paper, we propose an efficient similarity index that resolves the shortcomings of the existing measures of feature and structural similarity. This measure, called …

Excellent Performance Of Fe78si9b13 Metallic Glass For Activating Peroxymonosulfate In Degradation Of Naphthol Green B, Xue-Fen Li, Shun-Xing Liang, Xiao-Wang Xi, Zhe Jia, Shi-Kun Xie, He-Chun Lin, Jun-Ping Hu, Laichang Zhang

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The functional application of metallic glasses in the catalytic field has widely attracted research attention due to its unique atomic structure compared to crystalline materials. It has been reported that metallic glasses can effectively activate H₂O₂ and persulfate, yet the activation of peroxymonosulfate by metallic glasses is not studied well. In this work, the metallic glass with atomic composition of Fe₇₈Si₉B₁₃ was applied for investigating the peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation on degradation of naphthol green B (NGB) dye. The change of surface morphology indicated the important role of oxide films during the dye …

Corrosion Behaviour Of Selective Laser Melted Ti-Tib Biocomposite In Simulated Body Fluid, Yang Chen, Junxi Zhang, Nianwei Dai, Peng Qin, Hooyar Attar, Laichang Zhang

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The corrosion behaviour of CP-Ti and Ti-TiB composite produced by selective laser melting (SLM) in the artificial simulated body fluid (Hank's solution) at body temperature was investigated systematically by using electrochemical measurements (potentiodynamic polarisation curves and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy), together with some detailed structural characterisations. The results demonstrate that SLM-produced Ti-TiB composite samples possess better corrosion resistance than SLM-produced CP-Ti samples in Hank's solution. Due to these tiny TiB and TiB₂ particles acting as the micro-cathode uniformly distributing in titanium matrix, anodic dissolution of titanium matrix in the corrosion process is prominently facilitated in early stages, followed by rapid …

A Post-Accident Analysis Of Civil Remotely-Piloted Aircraft System Accidents And Incidents, Graham Wild, Kellie Gavin, John Murray, Jose Silva, Glenn Baxter

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

A sample of 152 accidents and incidents involving Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems, more commonly referred to as "drones", have been analysed. The data was collected from a 10-year period, 2006 to 2015, conveniently sourced from a limited population owing to the scarcity of reports. Results indicate that safety occurrences involving Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) have a significantly different distribution of contributing factors when sorted into distinct categories. This provides a thorough and up-to-date characterization of the safety deficiencies specific to RPAS. In turn, this contributes to the development of adequate safety management systems applicable to the RPAS sector. The …

Three-Dimensional Bioi/Biox (X = Cl Or Br) Nanohybrids For Enhanced Visible-Light Photocatalytic Activity, Yazi Liu, Jian Xu, Liqiong Wang, Huayang Zhang, Ping Xu, Xiaoguang Duan, Hongqi Sun, Shaobin Wang

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Three-dimensional flower-like BiOI/BiOX (X = Br or Cl) hybrids were synthesized via a facile one-pot solvothermal approach. With systematic characterizations by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET)specific surface area, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and the UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS), the BiOI/BiOCl composites showed a fluffy and porous 3-D architecture with a large specific surface area (SSA) and high capability for light absorption. Among all the BiOX (X = Cl, Br, I) and BiOI/BiOX (X = Cl or Br) composites, BiOI/BiOCl stands out as the most efficient photocatalyst under both visible and …

2d Transition Metal Dichalcogenides And Graphene-Based Ternary Composites For Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution And Pollutants Degradation, Ying Chen, Hongqi Sun, Wenchao Peng

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Photocatalysis have attracted great attention due to their useful applications for sustainable hydrogen evolution and pollutants degradation. Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) such as MoS₂ and WS₂ have exhibited great potential as cocatalysts to increase the photo-activity of some semiconductors. By combination with graphene (GR), enhanced cocatalysts of TMD/GR hybrids could be synthesized. GR here can act as a conductive electron channel for the transport of the photogenerated electrons, while the TMDs nanosheets in the hybrids can collect electrons and act as active sites for photocatalytic reactions. This mini review will focus on the application of TMD/GR hybrids as …

High-Performance Rf-Sputtered Bi-Substituted Iron Garnet Thin Films With Almost In-Plane Magnetization, Mohammad Alam, Mikhail Vasiliev, Kamal Alameh

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Bismuth-substituted iron garnet thin films of high quality are prepared by using RF magnetron sputtering technique in pure argon (Ar) plasma. All the developed garnet films show high magneto-optic (MO) response after being optimally annealed across the visible range wavelengths. The garnet films display almost in-plane magnetization component with adequate Faraday rotation and relatively low optical absorption over a wide spectral range of frequencies from visible to the infrared. These garnet-type thin films demonstrate excellent MO properties together with very low coercive field of about 30 Oe, and can be used in a wide range of magneto optical applications, especially …

Determination Of Forming Ability Of High Pressure Die Casting For Zr-Based Metallic Glass, Lehua Liu, Jiang Ma, Chunyan Yu, Xiusong Huang, Liangju He, Laichang Zhang, Peijie Li, Zhiyuan Liu

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Large-sized industrial grade Zr₅₅Cu₃₀Ni₅Al₁₀ bulk metallic glass (BMG) was fabricated by a two-step arc-melting process and adding a trace of rare earth yttrium elements. A model to calculate critical cooling rate for forming BMG was established by considering the effect of pressure. Based on the model, the most important indicator, namely the critical size of forming BMG, for design and fabrication of BMG components by high pressure die casting (HPDC) is determined in consideration of different processing parameters, including the pressure and casting temperature. Theoretical calculation and numerical simulation indicated that increasing applied …

Gradient In Microstructure And Mechanical Property Of Selective Laser Melted Alsi10mg, Yujing Liu, Zeng Qian Liu, Y Jiang, G.W Wang, Yang Yang, Laichang Zhang

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

It is known that metal parts can be made stronger, tougher and better wear resistance by introducing gradient microstructure. This work reports the cooling rate of melt pool induced discrepancy in microstructural gradient and element distribution during selective laser melting (SLM), thereby resulting in decrease in microhardness and wear resistance from surface to inside with a range of ∼100 μm of SLM- manufactured AlSi10Mg alloy. The cooling rate in the top surface of melt pool reaches ∼ 1.44 × 10⁶ K/s, which is much higher than that at the bottom ( ≤ 1 × 10³ K/s). Such a …

Fretting Wear Behaviors Of Aluminum Cable Steel Reinforced (Acsr) Conductors In High-Voltage Transmission Line, Xingchi Ma, Lei Gao, Junxi Zhang, Laichang Zhang

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

This work reports the fretting wear behavior of aluminum cable steel reinforced (ACSR) conductors for use in high-voltage transmission line. Fretting wear tests of Al wires were conducted on a servo-controlled fatigue testing machine with self-made assistant apparatus, and their fretting process characteristics, friction force, wear damage, and wear surface morphology were detailed analyzed. The results show that the running regime of Al wires changes from a gross slip regime to a mixed regime more quickly as increasing contact load. With increasing amplitudes, gross slip regimes are more dominant under contact loads of lower than 30 N. The maximum friction …