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In roof systems, a high strength steel profiled sheeting fastened to high strength steel cold-formed purlins of a lipped C- or Z-section is commonly used throughout the world. The design of such systems is performed according to the provisions of the limit states Australia/New Zealand Standard for Cold-Formed Steel Structures in Australia and the North American Specification for the Design of Cold-Formed Steel Structural Members in the United States. In both standards, which include the newly developed direct strength method of design (DSM), the method presented is limited to pure compression and pure bending. The situations of pure shear and combined bending and shear as occurs in a continuous purlin system are not considered. In order to extend the DSM to purlin systems, three different test series on high strength cold-formed C-section purlins have been performed at the University of Sydney. The test series include predominantly shear, combined bending and shear, and bending only test series. Two different section depths and three different thicknesses of the lipped channel section were tested in this study. Further, tests with and without torsion/distortion restraint straps screwed on the top flanges adjacent to the loading points were also considered. This paper summarizes the test results and formulas developed from the effective width method and the DSM. Proposals for design are included in this paper. Comparisons with the Australian Steel Structures Standard are also included to take account of the tension field action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tea tree oil use is increasing, with considerable interest in it being a ‘natural’ antimicrobial. It is found in many commercially available skin and hair care products in Australia. We retrospectively reviewed our patch test data at the Skin and Cancer Foundation Victoria over a 4.5-year period and identified 41 cases of positive reactions to oxidized tea tree oil of 2320 people patch-tested, giving a prevalence of 1.8%. The tea tree oil reaction was deemed relevant to the presenting dermatitis in 17 of 41 (41%) patients. Of those with positive reactions, 27 of 41 (66%) recalled prior use of tea tree oil and eight of 41 (20%) specified prior application of neat (100%) tea tree oil. Tea tree oil allergic contact dermatitis is under-reported in the literature but is sufficiently common in Australia to warrant inclusion of tea tree oil, at a concentration of 10% in petrolatum, in standard patch-test series. Given tea tree oil from freshly opened tea tree oil products elicits no or weak reactions, oxidized tea tree oil should be used for patch testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reflecting on the atomic test sites in the South Australian desert, this article analyses the bisociation of cultural and historical spaces with geographical and geological formations. We expand Michel Foucault's concept of heterotopias to include complex intersections with natural environments. Given the close association of human intervention and landform, these atomic test sites are also important indicators of the Anthropocene, marking transitional geo-spaces influenced by both human and pre-human geological action. Crossing dimensions of colonial contest, tourism, atomic science and geology, we demonstrate that temporal and physical intersections of multiple human cultures at atomic test sites both influence and are influenced by deep-time geological history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conventional bridge systems make use of expansion joints to accommodate movements caused primarily by thermal changes. These joints may accelerate the deterioration of bridge elements and often require significant maintenance costs. Originally proposed in Australia, the seamless bridge concept eliminates the need for expansion joints between bridge decks and roadway pavements. Past applications of seamless bridges have utilized a continuously reinforced concrete pavement (CRCP) in which a transition zone is employed between the bridge deck and the CRCP to accommodate the longitudinal expansion and contraction of the bridge and pavement. A critical aspect of the system response is the longitudinal load transfer mechanism in the transition zone, which is governed by the restraint at the concrete pavement–base interface. This paper presents an experimental investigation of the concrete slab–base interaction through unit-cell direct shear tests and cyclic full-scale push-off tests. The load (shear) versus displacement behavior at the interface was evaluated for different interface materials (geotextiles, polyethylene sheets, and felt paper). Test results indicated double-sided textured linear low-density polyethylene sheets and felt paper, which presented coefficients of friction of around 0.4 and 0.7, respectively, were the most promising interface materials to be considered for the transition zone. Seamless bridges provide a structural system that eliminates joints that permit corrosion-causing agents that adversely impact the super and substructure components. In seamless bridge systems, the bridge deck connects directly to a transition slab that provides a link with conventional pavement systems. The transition slabs deform to dissipate the thermal movements of the bridge. A critical element in the system is a bond breaker that allows the transition slabs to slide relative to the base foundation element. Too large of a coefficient of friction results in excessively wide cracks in the transition slabs, while too low of a friction coefficient results in excessive lengths of the transition slab region. This paper documents experimental studies on the performance of bond breakers to meet the needs of seamless bridge systems. The research considers the behavior of a wide variety of bond breakers with common bases used in bridge applications and recommends the most promising materials. These recommendations are critical to the successful implementation of seamless bridge systems in practice. The paper presents the results of a two-phase experimental program to identify the best bond breakers for seamless bridge systems and quantifies their interface resistance (coefficients of friction). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Australia's relationship with India has been improving over the past two decades, particularly in areas such as trade, immigration, and sports. Andrew Charlton, a federal MP for Parramatta, discussed India's growing influence in Australia's foreign and trading relations in a speech at The Sydney Institute. India's rise as a global superpower, along with its population and economic growth, is expected to have a significant impact on Australia. The book "Australia's Pivot to India" by Andrew Charlton explores the historical weaknesses in the Australia-India relationship and examines the potential role of India in Australia's future. The relationship has evolved over time, with India historically preferring non-alignment and Australia engaging in alliances and regional conflicts. However, events in the 1990s, such as the end of the Cold War, India's economic liberalization, and changes in Australia's migration patterns, brought the two countries closer together. The growing Indian diaspora in Australia has also played a significant role in strengthening the relationship, with Indian Australians making contributions to various sectors and influencing Australian culture. The current strength of the diplomatic relationship is a result of efforts from both countries, but the future of the relationship depends on further development and building a genuine partnership beyond transactional engagement. [Extracted from the article]

World Series Cricket (WSC), a breakaway competition established by the Australian media proprietor Kerry Packer that operated between 1977 and 1979, was arguably the biggest shock to occur in world cricket. While there is some commentary about the financial cost of WSC, there has been little empirical analysis on the monetary effects of WSC on State Cricket Associations affiliated to the Australian Cricket Board (ACB). Analysis of state cricket association financial reports between 1974 and 1982 shows the substantial negative financial impact of WSC, and a relatively quick recovery through increased post-WSC distributions from the ACB. Non-financial information highlights the initial negative, then positive, feelings between the ACB and WSC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Games and sport during the colonial period in Australia were rarely hospitable to First Nations people. However, the first Australian cricket team to tour England in 1868 were predominantly First Nations men. While such a tour might appear to be a 'triumph' for race relations in Australia, the details of the tour and treatment of the young men were haunting. The 1868 tour has been glorified in contemporary cricket circles, however, despite this, the promotion of the game to First Nations Australians is relatively recent. Over the last decade, Australian cricket has attempted to combat racism and promote First Nations player development through initiatives such as their Reconciliation Action Plan. One example of promoting the Black Lives Matter message and anti-racism has been carried out by Australia's national women's cricket team and the women's national T20 competition. In 2020, the Australian women cricketers made a conscious decision to promote the Black Lives Matter movement by engaging in a 'barefoot circle' to acknowledge country before each match. This manuscript will explore the importance of the Australian women cricketers' actions and advocacy against the backdrop of Australia's history and interactions with First Nations Australians in cricket. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: Lightweight cold‐formed steel (CFS) construction solutions are increasingly adopted in low and mid‐rise buildings. Many different materials are used to construct CFS wall systems, without a full understanding of their thermal properties. For many of these materials, only ambient temperature thermal properties are available from their manufacturers. This creates difficulty in classifying the materials for use at elevated temperatures. In this study, a series of elevated temperature thermal property tests to measure specific heat, thermal conductivity, and mass loss was conducted for a range building materials from wallboards, insulation, and phase‐change materials (PCMs), used in Australia and several other countries. Simultaneous Thermal Analyser and Laser Flash Apparatus were used to determine the elevated temperature thermal properties of the selected materials, gypsum plasterboard, PCM incorporated gypsum plasterboard, magnesium sulphate board, fibre cement board, cellulose insulation, vacuum insulation panel, microencapsulated paraffin PCM, and bio‐based PCM. Their elevated temperature thermal properties are presented in this article, which also includes analyses of their chemical composition and associated chemical reactions at elevated temperatures. These results can be used in the selection of suitable energy‐efficient and fire‐resistive materials, and in heat transfer modeling to identify wall configurations with increased fire resistance and energy efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trillions of cigarette butts (CBs) are dumped into landfills globally. CBs leach toxic components into the soil, including heavy metals, tar, and many other chemical compounds. Approximately 7.2 billion CBs are discarded every year in Australia, and 16.8 billion CBs accumulate in the waste management system annually. In previous work, the encapsulation method for CB with bitumen and paraffin wax was developed and encapsulated CB in dense graded asphalt (DGA) was evaluated using bitumen classes C320, C170, and C600. In recent studies, the encapsulation method was improved, and the possible use of bitumen-encapsulated CB (BECB) in stone mastic asphalt (SMA) was demonstrated. To build on this foundational research, the current work aimed to investigate the use of improved BECB in heavy-duty DGA prepared with polymer-modified bitumen (PMB) class A10E. Samples were prepared following VicRoads and Austroads guidelines. In this research, the Marshall stability and flow, resilient modulus, dynamic creep, tensile strength ratio, and indirect tension fatigue test were performed to evaluate the performance of BECB-modified DGA. The results were compared with the control DGA prepared with industry-standard conventional materials. Test results suggested that using 0.5% and 1% BECB in DGA met the industry requirements and endorsed the recycling method of CB in asphalt concrete. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Investigated the behaviour of slender screw-fastened nested channel (NC) members. • Torsional and flexural–torsional buckling are not critical for NC members. • NC member capacity can be higher than the sum of individual capacities in some cases. • Effects of screw fastener arrangements and end group fasteners are marginal. • Proposed a simplified and reliable design method based on the current DSM equations. Built-up nested channel (NC) members, which are made of asymmetric cold-formed steel (CFS) lipped channel sections are commonly used in various building applications in Australia. The aim of this research study is to provide suitable design guidelines for NC compression members, which fail by global or local–global interaction buckling. Firstly, the design rules in the current CFS design standards and recently published research studies were reviewed, and their limitations for NC members were discussed. A test series was then conducted on single channel and NC compression members, which failed by local–global interaction buckling. Based on the test results, validated finite element (FE) models were developed, followed by a detailed parametric study of NC members failing in global or local–global interaction buckling for different sections, lengths, end support boundary conditions as well as screw sizes and arrangements. The test and FE analysis results were used to: (1) compare the compression capacities of NC members with the sum of their individual member capacities, (2) evaluate the effect of screw characteristics and arrangements, and (3) investigate the design methods in the current design standards and past research studies. Finally, based on the Direct Strength Method in the current design standards, a simple and reliable design method was proposed. This paper presents the details of this research study and the results including its findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As urban populations increase, the need for more efficient and less-polluting transport follows. Local air quality considerations are a crucial factor in the design and assessment of transport systems and infrastructure. Road tunnels play an important role in our built environment. In recent years Australia, and Sydney in particular, has seen a rise in road tunnels built in densely populated areas. Air pollution from tunnels longer than one kilometre is usually dispersed through elevated ventilation outlets which, whilst effective, often have large implications for design and operation. The venting of tunnel exhaust air from portals is common in other parts of the world, but it remains an operating restriction for several recent tunnels in NSW. For this reason, the air quality impacts of tunnel portals emissions have not been extensively assessed in Australia. The GRAL model was developed at the Graz University of Technology in 1999, with one of the main drivers for its development being the need to assess dispersion from road tunnel portals. GRAL has been used for this purpose across Europe, and now more widely. This paper summarises the results of a micro-simulation dispersion modelling study using GRAL for a small urban area. The focus of the study was to test the sensitivity of the concentrations predicted by GRAL to model configuration, inputs and assumptions. The effects of topography, receptor placement and the portal air temperature increment are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]