Student research opportunities
Compression buckling of an elastic dome with anisotropic properties
Project Code: CECS_638
This project is available at the following levels:
Masters, PhD
Please note that this project is only for higher degree (postgraduate) applicants.
Supervisor:
Dr Zbigniew StachurskiOutline:
Application of composite materials to low wind velocity wind turbines for generating green energy. At present there are many wind turbines scattered around the country. These are heavy, high wind velocity turbines.
The motivation is:
The engineering interest is shifting towards turbines that are lighter in construction, and capable to operate in light winds as well as strong winds. Lighter construction will be more efficient to operate, lower costs of construction, lower costs of bearings and machinery and lower costs of supporting columns.
The project:
The aim of the project is to construct model wind turbine using the novel composite materials invented by ELACO Australian Company [http://www.elaco.com.au].
These laminated composites comprise aluminium skin, aluminium mesh or tubing, and fibre/epoxy layers. The density of these materials is between 0.9 to 1.2 tonns/m^3. These are substantially lighter than conventional fibre matrix composites, and therefore suitable for light weight constructions.
The great advantage of these materials is in fracture toughness and impact resistance. It is higher than that of GLARE as used in the skin of A380 Airbus plane.
Here at ANU we already have a solar dish [http://solar-thermal.anu.edu.au], and the outcome of this project will be a wind turbine.
The project will involve both, (i) experimental work, and well as (ii) theoretical modelling and simulation studies.
