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Scott Sloan (1954–2019) was a leader of academic engineering in Australia and beyond, as evidenced by his numerous professional accolades and important research achievements, which have had significant impact on his chosen profession of geotechnical engineering. Educated in Australia and the United Kingdom, he returned to Australia in 1984 and developed a large and active research group at the University of Newcastle, and tackled a wide range of important problems in civil and mining engineering. These include the development of computational methods to predict the mechanical behaviour of soil and rock masses, and his pioneering methods to predict the collapse states of structures made of, on, and in, earth materials, allowing engineers to design cheaper and safer civil infrastructure around the globe. Sloan established long-standing international collaborations and was awarded many honours for his research achievements. He was also a keen and skilful fisherman and a more than competent blues guitar player. Scott William Sloan, AO, FAA, FTSE, FREng, FRS, was a distinguished Australian geotechnical engineer, who pioneered many advances in computational methods that are now used routinely to design structures constructed in and of earth materials. This paper describes his career development and his numerous research achievements, as well as his role in mentoring other engineers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While there have been improvements in Australian engineering education since the 1990s, there are still strong concerns that more progress needs to be made, particularly in the areas of developing graduate competencies and in outcomes-based curricula. This paper comments on the findings from a two-day Australian Learning and Teaching Council funded forum that sought to establish a shared understanding with the thee stakeholders (students, academics and industry) about how to achieve a design-based engineering curriculum. This paper reports on the findings from the first day's activities, and reveals that there is a shared desire for design and project-based curricula that would encourage the development of the "three-dimensional" graduate: one who has technical, personal, and professional and systems-thinking/design-based competence. In addition, the data also reveal industry willingness to engage in the engineering curriculum to enhance authentic learning experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lack of appropriate structural design standards for composite materials is a major inhibitor to the wider usage of these materials in mainstream civil engineering. In 2000, the Composites Institute of Australia (CIA) moved to address this problem on a national level and initiated a programme to develop an Australian industry code of practice for the structural design of fibre composites. This paper discusses two of the initial topics addressed by this programme: the development of a national system of grading and certification for composite constituents, and an alternative approach to the characterisation of unidirectional lamina behaviour. The paper outlines the basis for investigation of each of these topics, and discusses the research approach that has been adopted. In the case of characterisation of lamina behaviour, the paper also presents initial results from associated experimental programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Product design is the convergence point for engineering and design thinking and practices. Until recently, product design has been taught either as a component of mechanical engineering or as a subject within design schools but increasingly there is global recognition of the need for greater synergies between industrial design and engineering training. Product design engineering (PDE) is a new interdisciplinary programme combining the strengths of the industrial design and engineering. This paper examines the emergence of PDE in an environment of critique of conventional engineering education and exemplifies the current spread of programmes endorsing a hybrid programme of design and engineering skills. The paper exemplifies PDE with the analysis of the programme offered at Swinburne University of Technology (Australia), showing how the teaching of 'designerly' thinking to engineers produces a new graduate particularly suited to the current and future environment of produce design practice. The paper concludes with reflections on the significance of this innovative curriculum model for the field of product design and for engineering design in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Behaviour of low rise cold-formed steel-framed residential structures when subject to lateral loading (e.g. wind and earthquake loads) is significantly influenced by both structural and non-structural elements. The ceiling is normally considered as a horizontal diaphragm for the distribution of such lateral loads to the bracing walls. In Australia, the ceiling diaphragm, in single and two storey cold-formed steel-framed houses, is made of plasterboard lining fixed to ceiling battens which in turn are screwed to the roof trusses. Determination of the stiffness and strength of the ceiling diaphragm is crucial for accurate distribution of the lateral load to the lateral resisting elements (e.g. bracing walls). This paper presents experimental results from tests of typical ceiling diaphragms. Further, a detailed finite element model is described which was validated against the experimental results. The model is capable of reproducing the initial stiffness, non-linear deformation and ultimate strength. The finding from this work would assist engineers in designing the lateral load resisting system for houses. • Performance of steel-framed ceiling diaphragms is mainly governed by the behavior of the sheathing-to-framing connections. • Ceiling diaphragm test showed a failure of the plasterboard connections at the corners of the specimen. • Presence of end-wall top plate increased the load carrying capacity and displacement capacity of ceiling diaphragm. • Finite element model results showed good agreement with the experimental results. • Design engineer can prepare design charts to provide maximum spacing of bracing walls for houses constructed in Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regional understanding of severe surface winds produced by convective processes [severe convective winds (SCWs)] is important for decision-making in several areas of society, including weather forecasting and engineering design. Meteorological studies have demonstrated that SCWs can occur due to a number of different mesoscale and microscale processes, in a range of large-scale atmospheric environments. However, long-term observational studies of SCW characteristics often have not considered this diversity in physical processes, particularly in Australia. Here, a statistical clustering method is used to separate a large dataset of SCW events, measured by automatic weather stations around Australia, into three types, associated with strong background wind, steep lapse rate, and high moisture environments. These different types of SCWs are shown to have different seasonal and spatial variations in their occurrence, as well as different measured wind gust, lightning, and parent-storm characteristics. In addition, various convective diagnostics are tested in their ability to discriminate between measured SCW events and nonsevere events, with significant variations in skill between event types. Differences in environmental conditions and wind gust characteristics between event types suggests potentially different physical processes for SCW production. These findings are intended to improve regional understanding of severe wind characteristics, as well as environmental prediction of SCWs in weather and climate applications, by considering different event types. Significance Statement: The purpose of this study is to improve regional understanding of different types of severe wind events in Australia, specifically those associated with atmospheric convection. We did this by constructing a dataset of 413 severe convective wind events, using weather station and radar data within 20 regions around Australia. We then split those events into three different types, based on the environmental conditions that they occur within. We found that each event type tends to occur at different times of the year and in different regions, while also having different wind gust and lightning characteristics. In addition, the atmospheric conditions that are helpful for prediction of severe wind events differs between each type. These results are intended to be useful for prediction of severe wind events associated with convection and assessing their variability, characteristics, and impacts, in both weather forecasting and climate analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Abstract: This paper presents a study that extends on previous empirical research, which examined the role of enabling ‘climate for innovation’ constructs in determining the level of innovation diffusion outcomes, and subsequent business performance in architectural and engineering design (AED) firms. Whilst this previous study elucidated the relationships between broad theoretical constructs, the present study was focused on targeting the significant enabling factor interrelationships with the core outcomes that result from the innovation diffusion process. To achieve this objective, a sequential mixed-method research design combining quantitative and qualitative analysis techniques was employed. The quantitative techniques included a correlation analysis to identify the strong factor relationships, followed by Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) to determine the critical pathways for enhancing innovation diffusion and ultimately heightened levels of client satisfaction. Following path model extraction, qualitative interviews with five Australian AED firms were conducted. The interview findings confirmed the uncovered significant pathways, and provided in-depth insights into how the improvement of critical enabling factors could leverage improved innovation diffusion outcomes and business performance. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Local climate is a critical element in the design of energy efficient buildings. In this paper, ten years of historical weather data in Australia's eight capital cities were profiled and analysed to characterize the variations of climatic variables in Australia. The method of descriptive statistics was employed. Either the pattern of cumulative distribution and/or the profile of percentage distribution are presented. It was found that although weather variables vary with different locations, there is often a good, nearly linear relation between a weather variable and its cumulative percentage for the majority of middle part of the cumulative curves. By comparing the slopes of these distribution profiles, it may be possible to determine the relative range of changes of the particular weather variables for a given city. The implications of these distribution profiles of key weather variables on energy efficient building design are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Constructed shallow waterbodies are often designed and built to limit harmful algal blooms in urban regions. Efforts to reduce algal bloom occurrence in these waterbodies have largely focused on waterbody design, catchment criteria and onsite engineering options. However, many constructed shallow waterbodies that comply with design guidelines still experience harmful algal blooms. Identifying the knowledge gaps in current guidelines and examining their recommended design criteria can improve their effectiveness to reduce algal outbreaks. Here, we reviewed 66 global guidelines and identified common design criteria. The use of a 'one size fits all' empirical approach and dated literature are common issues associated with the design criteria recommended. Further, only approximately one third of the guidelines that were analyzed directly mentioned harmful algal bloom‐related design criteria. To test the validity of these design values in a real‐world setting, the suitability of design factors in limiting harmful algal blooms was assessed by analyzing 222 shallow waterbodies monitored over a 9 year period in southeastern Australia. The site analysis indicated that macrophyte area to surface area ratio, shoreline development index, and fetch are the three most influential single design factors associated with harmful algal bloom reduction. The analyses highlighted the ineffectiveness of the existing design criteria globally, with blooms occurring even though some waterbodies were designed in accordance with recommended parameters. The analysis suggested that understanding interactions between multiple design factors may be a useful approach, for example, when considering the macrophyte area to surface area ratio in combination with the shoreline development index. Plain Language Summary: Constructed shallow waterbodies, including wetlands, lakes and ponds used for stormwater management, are vulnerable to harmful algal blooms (HABs). Appropriate engineering design is important to reduce the risk of HAB occurrence in these waterbodies. A review of current design criteria in these guidelines was conducted to understand the recommended controls for HABs and whether sufficient design advice is available. The effectiveness of these criteria was then tested by statistically analyzing over 200 waterbodies in southeastern Australia over 9 years. Comparing the guideline review and the data analysis indicated that three lake factors, including macrophyte area to surface area ratio, shoreline development index and fetch, could reduce HAB risk. It also showed that the current design criteria may not be adequate to minimize HABs. This study provides a practical approach for investigating waterbody design guidelines and is important for water managers, government staff and industry consultants involved in planning activities related to harmful algal blooms. Key Points: Sixty six shallow waterbody design guidelines from around the world related to harmful algal blooms were reviewedTo assess the effectiveness of current guidelines on harmful algal bloom control, over 200 constructed shallow waterbodies were analyzedSuggested improvements to waterbody design guidelines are provided [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wind‐wave hindcast data have many applications including climatology assessments for renewable energy projects, maritime engineering design, event‐based impact assessments, generating boundary conditions for further downscaling, amongst others. Here, we present a global wave hindcast with nested high‐resolution grids for the Exclusive Economic Zones of Australia and south west Pacific Island Countries, that is extended in time monthly. The model employs strategic methods to incorporate the effects of subgrid sized features such as small islands and islets. Various bulk wave parameters are available hourly from January 1979 to present, along with the full wave spectra at a set of 3,683 predetermined points distributed globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tropical Cyclone (TC) wind and wave models are used to quantify meteorological and oceanographic conditions in the application of offshore engineering design criteria. In regions such as the North West Shelf of Australia, a statistically sound 'risk of failure' design assessment can require historical records far longer than are typically available, even with meteorological datasets of several decades length. To address this mismatch between design requirements and observational history, synthetic tropical cyclone wind and wave datasets can be developed to mimic long records with the objective of estimating extreme event average recurrence intervals of 10,000 years. Modelling large numbers of TC storms in practice requires a trade-off between time (computational efficiency) and accuracy (model skill). The development of the synthetic dataset in this study draws the balance by combining computationally efficient parametric models, and computationally intensive fully dynamic models, with different model grid resolutions. This paper outlines performance differences between the various model approaches and make recommendations for engineering. • Large number of high resolution wave model runs compared against parametric wave models under tropical cyclones (TCs). • Parametric wave models are limited to predict parameters other than significant wave height (e.g. peak wave period). • A coarse resolution dynamic wave model is strongly preferred for estimates of TC wave parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Damaging earthquakes in Australia and other regions characterised by low seismicity are considered low probability but high consequence events. Uncertainties in modelling earthquake occurrence rates and ground motions for damaging earthquakes in these regions pose unique challenges to forecasting seismic hazard, including the use of this information as a reliable benchmark to improve seismic safety within our communities. Key challenges for assessing seismic hazards in these regions are explored, including: the completeness and continuity of earthquake catalogues; the identification and characterisation of neotectonic faults; the difficulties in characterising earthquake ground motions; the uncertainties in earthquake source modelling, and; the use of modern earthquake hazard information to support the development of future building provisions. Geoscience Australia recently released its 2018 National Seismic Hazard Assessment (NSHA18). Results from the NSHA18 indicate significantly lower seismic hazard across almost all Australian localities at the 1/500 annual exceedance probability level relative to the factors adopted for the current Australian Standard AS1170.4-2007 (R2018). These new hazard estimates have challenged notions of seismic hazard in Australia in terms of the recurrence of damaging ground motions. This raises the question of whether current practices in probabilistic seismic hazard analysis (PSHA) deliver the outcomes required to protect communities and infrastructure assets in low-seismicity regions, such as Australia. This manuscript explores a range of measures that could be undertaken to update and modernise the Australian earthquake loading standard, in the context of these modern seismic hazard estimates, including the use of alternate ground-motion exceedance probabilities for assigning seismic demands for ordinary-use structures. The estimation of seismic hazard at any location is an uncertain science, particularly in low-seismicity regions. However, as our knowledge of the physical characteristics of earthquakes improve, our estimates of the hazard will converge more closely to the actual - but unknowable - (time independent) hazard. Understanding the uncertainties in the estimation of seismic hazard is also of key importance, and new software and approaches allow hazard modellers to better understand and quantify this uncertainty. It is therefore prudent to regularly update the estimates of the seismic demands in our building codes using the best available evidence-based methods and models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Australia consortiums will come together and create an initial design concept or sketch design at the public–private partnership (PPP) bid stage. If the bid is successful this initial design is then developed further. However, a winning bid may have been evaluated on financial criteria alone and the consortium’s capability to develop the design through to project delivery may not have been thoroughly evaluated. In theory, design is a key process in PPP projects and the aim of the research was to understand what capabilities are important in the development of a design through this process. To clarify these issues, a range of activities and organizational factors linked to design development are proposed using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) method. This method was chosen in order to see which design development factors were ranked more highly by experts. In this research the hierarchy was designed employing the categories of exploratory and exploitative design development. Below each of these overarching categories, there were four design development functional distinctions: the two exploratory distinctions were Design (D) and Design Management (DM). The two exploitative distinctions were Design Support (DS) and Design Infrastructure (DI). A further list of 36 design development sub-criteria was developed under the above categories. These sub-criteria formed the basis of a survey of respondents drawn from a database of industry sources in the public domain as well as a list gathered from a large developer involved in PPP projects. It included relatively senior managers, PPP project managers and architects. Survey respondents identified a recent PPP project that they had worked on. From the 36 responses it can be seen that the exploratory Design (D) and Design Management (DM) activities were ranked more highly than the exploitative activities of Design Support (DS) and Design Infrastructure (DI) associated with a PPP project organization. This suggests that PPP frameworks should account for these exploratory factors as well as the exploitative factors associated with compliance, quality systems and project team infrastructure. This indicates that in PPP projects design development through the effective management of an initial design is a critical factor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]