Our Built and Natural Environments

To build the next Burj Khalifa and Golden Gate Bridge, we need stronger materials. However, these materials cause extensive damage to the environment! Enter ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) made with fine recycled aggregate (FRA). This material can simultaneously reduce the environmental damage of aggregate harvesting, minimise the deposition of construction and demolition waste, and create longer lasting structures. Although UHPC with FRA seems like a wonder material, a key concern is that its behaviour over time is unknown, therefore preventing widespread adoption in the construction industry. Specifically, how the material shrinks throughout the early phases of construction has yet to be fully explored. This project investigates how the incorporation of FRA into UHPC can reduce early-age shrinkage, thereby improving the durability of future infrastructure. Through extensive laboratory testing, we have found that FRA can provide the mechanical benefits of traditional aggregates whilst reducing early-age shrinkage.

Project by: 

• Will Pihir 
• Kern Mitchell 
• Travis Wildy 

Structures that aren't correctly monitored and maintained throughout their lifespan pose significant risk to the inhabitants through critical structural failure. Out project aims to improve the efficiency, accuracy and availability of non-destructive testing (NDT) for structural elements, reducing the risk of catastrophic structural failure. This will be achieved through the application of ultrasonic guided waves in conjunction with machine learning techniques. The project will develop a model that inputs data collected by Ultrasonic Guided Waves (UGW) into a basic machine learning algorithm that will determine the presence, size and location of damage within a structural member. Simulated data sets were used to train and validate the machine learning algorithm developed in MATLAB, data produced from real world experiments were used for the final validation of the algorithm. This final validation stage shows that the Ultrasonic Guided Wave and machine learning method is suitable for real world applications.

Project by:

• Nicholas Davies 
• Charles Tembo

Why fight the flood when you can float? Amphibious houses present innovative solutions to flood resilience, through rising and falling with varying water levels. This project proposes developing amphibious homes through retrofitting an existing impacted dwelling, as a prototype for innovation.  Given the significant proportion of Australia's population residing in flood prone areas, there is urgent need for resilient housing solutions to meet increasing environmental challenges. The approach modifies an existing home to float during flood conditions, adapting to varying water levels while remaining securely anchored. The retrofit design uses buoyant foundations and vertical guidance systems, ensuring stability and functionality, while largely maintaining existing structures to minimise cost. Magnitude of hydraulic forces and structural stability are evaluated through testing under simulated flood scenarios. This project delivers a scalable, climate responsive housing model to be replicated across flood affected communities, advancing Australia’s efforts to adapt to the realities of changing climates.

Project by: 

• Lily Holman 
• Patrick West 
• Alastair Thorpe 
• Kailee Morris 

Winemaking is an art, but it's powered by engineering. We partnered with Treasury Wine Estates to solve a crucial puzzle: how to perfectly blend wine received from several different source tanks with absolute precision. Many current systems face inconsistencies from complex networks of pumps and pipes, risking product quality and creating waste. Our project brought a modern engineering toolkit to this challenge. We created a sophisticated computer simulation to visualise the blending process, allowing us to design and test innovative solutions virtually. The outcome is a ranked portfolio of practical upgrades, evaluated by cost, efficiency, and ease of use, providing a clear strategy to modernise operations and guarantee perfect wine consistency in every bottle.

Project by: 

• Emma Cooper-Baldock 
• Isabella Govey 

This project is to conduct a gravity survey in the Adelaide Hills and combine this information with pre-existing data to create a model of gravity in the Adelaide region which can be used to predict likelihood and severity of earthquakes. The Flinders Active Seismic zone is one of the most seismically active areas in Australia, some of the faults extend down into the Adelaide region and cut through the metropolitan and suburban areas of the city. when a fault occurs the sediment laid down is of a lower density and so causes an anomaly in the gravity of the region. This anomaly can be measured and the underlying fault can be modelled from the collected data. Modelling these faults will allow for the chance of earthquakes at varying levels of severity to be evaluated.

Project by: Royce Butler

Many of Australia’s animals are disappearing, and some, like the black-flanked rock wallaby, are at risk of vanishing from the wild forever. My project aims to help bring them back by learning where they used to live. To do this, I studied dirt collected from caves and rocky areas in Central Australia. Even though the animals are gone, tiny bits of their DNA—like invisible fingerprints—can still be found in the soil.

I used a method called qPCR, which works a bit like a DNA “detector test.” By adding special primers (like keys) made up if molecules that fit the wallaby’s DNA complementarily, the test lights up if the DNA is present. I checked many soil samples to see if any wallaby DNA remained.

The outcome was simple but powerful: we showed that wallaby DNA can still be found in ancient soils. This means scientists can use these tests to choose the best places for future reintroductions.

Project by: Tyson Ewer 

How often have you gone off-trail in a National Park? Leaving trails in National Parks is done for many reasons. Some may seem harmless, such as to get closer to nature while others, such as poaching, are more nefarious. There is a dearth of knowledge on off-trail behaviours, particularly where and how frequently they occur, due to limitations of time and resources. The aim of this investigation is to pilot the use of mobile phone app ping data for monitoring off-trail behaviours in 3 South Australian National Parks. Location data is combined with trail map layers from Avenza and mapped on ArcGIS. These results will assist National Parks on understanding off-trail behaviours and hopefully provide a methodology that can be expanded upon in the future.

Project by: Laura Murray

Wineries generate large volumes of wastewater containing high levels of potassium from grape juice and cleaning chemicals. While membrane filtration (MF/RO) improves water quality for irrigation reusage, it also produces a concentrated brine by-product. Usually seen as a waste stream, this potassium-rich brine poses disposal challenges but also offers opportunities for sustainable reuse. Our project investigates pathways to repurpose winery brine into a direct application as a cleaning solution. By analysing brine composition and evaluating reuse concepts, we aim to identify practical strategies that reduce environmental impact, cut waste management costs, and support a more sustainable wine industry. This work aligns with circular economy principles by transforming a waste challenge into a potential resource, offering benefits for both wineries and the environment.

Project by: 

• Lily Di Cola 
• Oliver Smart 
• Emily McGrory 

Climate change and rapid urbanisation are making floods more frequent and severe, while our existing stormwater pipes and storages —designed for the past— struggle to keep up. The usual solution is costly: bigger pipes, larger tanks, and major disruptions. But what if the system could adapt on its own? This project explores smart stormwater systems that use real-time data to manage water dynamically. Unlike conventional systems that are fixed and fail once they hit capacity, smart systems can “think” for themselves, deciding when to hold water back, when to release it, and how much to let through, helping to prevent floods before they happen. Through computer simulations across multiple catchment conditions and future climate scenarios, we tested how well these systems perform. The results show that smart controls can significantly reduce flood risk, offering a flexible and cost-effective way to build resilience in a changing climate.

Project by:

Jumana Al Raisi 
Nyamjargal Namsraijav 
Yulin Yang 

Woodland birds in the Mount Lofty Ranges are in steep decline after decades of clearing and degradation. With 12 species already locally extinct and the clock ticking for more, the region needs a clear, defensible way to show which habitat changes benefit birds and to direct restoration funding accordingly. This project delivers a simple ‘bush barometer’ to do just that. By combining 25 years of woodland bird monitoring with detailed vegetation data across more than 100 matched sites, the project tests which vegetation indicators best track bird-community condition. The goal is a short list of implementable, site-level indicators that are practical for field programs, robust enough for environmental accounting, and suitable for generating higher-value biodiversity certificates – so restoration dollars in the Mount Loft Ranges flow to actions that measurably bring birds back.

Project by: Jackson Richards

We’re aiming to make setting up beach events, particularly beach volleyball events, faster, quitter and easier. We are doing this but fixing the, slow, noise, and high effort method of hammering in the 200+ metal posts. Instead of whacking the posts into the ground we wiggle it at high speeds to cause the sand to behave like a liquid. We’ve studied and researched how the sand behaves at different speeds and built a device that will wiggle the post at the optimal speeds to insert the pole within minimal effort. Early tests of the prototype suggested that the required effort drops a lot when the wiggling occurs at high speeds. In the future we expect this to be battery power and converted into a small handheld device.

Project by:

• Taliesin Ivory 
• Ryan Moore 
• Cooper Spencer 

Clean water is vital in commercial industries like brewing, and even the smallest traces of impurities can have serious consequences.

For a South Australian Brewery, water is purified via reverse osmosis, however small traces of iron have been found in the product water. While these levels are very low, the brewery has requested the complete removal of all iron from the product water.

This project explores a simple, low-cost way to solve this problem without the stresses of major equipment installation & redevelopment. The method involves chemicals, known as 'chelates' (key-lates), that act a bit like magnets, pumped into the water stream and latching onto the iron, stopping the iron from passing through. The project tests different chelates to find the most suitable solution, while preserving the original purity of the water.

The outcome of the project will be a recommendation to the brewery, for the most effective and affordable way to deliver 100% iron-free water. This solution could help the brewery— and other industries — maintain high-quality products with less waste and cost.

Project by: Lucas Di Sotto

Did you know that Australia's shores annually experience 5x our energy needs in the form of ocean waves? With the onset of climate change, higher ocean levels, and more extreme weather, this number is expected grow. But what happens to this energy if we aren't using it? It hits the shore, causing erosion and damage to coastal communities. This project investigates the concept of graded vertical barrier arrays (GVBAs) as a solution to absorb water waves and protect our shorelines. An attractive trait of GVBAs is that they work over a range of wave and weather conditions, providing coastal protection all year-round. We compare experimental and theoretical wave absorption performance by conducting experiments on a scaled model in the University of Adelaide's wave flume. The outcomes highlight engineering challenges behind the devices and recommend some adjustments to the theory, however, they show promise in being an effective coast protector.

Project by: Hayden Schultz 

What if Adelaide’s empty buildings could be reborn stronger, safer, and more sustainable? As South Australians struggle with the cost of living and housing crisis, creative solutions to providing new homes, such as adaptive reuse, are of increasing interest. Across Adelaide’s Central Business District (CBD), many buildings sit empty, waiting for new life, but recycling these spaces is not as simple as changing their purpose. The introduction of modern earthquake standards makes any change of use for buildings difficult. By using the University of Adelaide’s Schulz Building as a case study, our project explores how adaptive reuse can breathe life back into vacant structures while ensuring they meet seismic requirements. Through utilising structural analysis software to simulate proposed retrofitting strategies, feasible options for adaptive reuse can be identified. These methods may then be applied more broadly to low-seismic regions comparable to Adelaide.

Project by:

• Allende Camblor Diez 
• Danilo Chiappe 
• Balin Hampton 
• Hannah Jureidini 

In the last 5 years, many lives have been lost on South Australian roads, with about half occurring on regional roads primarily due to lane departure crashes. These happen when a vehicle leaves its lane and either runs off the road or veers into another lane. While road safety infrastructure can prevent many of these crashes, it is expensive, making targeted implementation essential.

The aim of this project is to understand how traffic volume on high-speed regional roads influences lane departure crash risk. We analysed road crashes, infrastructure and operational datasets to evaluate the relative risk of head-on and road departure crashes. We found that as traffic volume changes, the risk of these crash type also changes and so does the benefit of different road safety infrastructure. From this, we were able to identify where such infrastructure would be most effective and economically viable.

Project by: 

• Hamish Burns
• Harsh Shah
• Sophana Chhiv
• Hetong Xu

Metals like steel and aluminium are used everywhere, from cars to bridges, but they slowly break down when exposed to air, water and salt. This process is called corrosion, and our project aims to make a smart paint that heals itself when damaged, protecting metal surface for longer than normal paints. We do this by putting tiny capsules in the paint, filled with special corrosion-fighting chemicals called corrosion inhibitors. When the paint is damaged, these particles release the protective chemicals, which fix the scratch by forming a protective layer like a tiny repair team. We tested our coatings in different conditions to see how they prevent rust and how strong and durable they are. The results show that our self-healing paint keeps metals safer for longer, saving money and helping protect important structures.

Project by:

Lukas Suphke 
Yuki Matsuura 

Bushfire risk assessment in Australia underwent a major shift in 2022 with the introduction of the Australian Fire Danger Rating System (AFDRS). As a relatively new system, the AFDRS still faces limitations in model accuracy. To address this, the project aimed to investigate the AFDRS by quantifying the uncertainty associated with its fire danger ratings and evaluated how spatial variations in fuel attributes affected fire danger ratings. This project focused on three prevalent vegetation models: grassland; spinifex; and mallee-heath. Sensitivity and uncertainty analysis was conducted on these vegetation models to understand the uncertainty associated with its fire danger ratings. To investigate impact of spatial variations in fuel attributes, the vegetation models were then applied to geospatial data. The findings will be of great significance for the broader field of managing bushfire risk.

Project by: 

• Jaival Desai 
• Clare Flaherty 
• Lachlan Mann 

Seagrass meadows are complex underwater habitats which offer shelter and abundant food to many fish species. Juvenile fish inhabitants have higher growth and survival rates than in other environments, with more recruited to adult populations. Unfortunately, seagrass has significantly declined on the South Australian coast due to pollution in stormwater run-off, marine heatwaves and physical damage. This study assesses the nursery value of the Port Gawler seagrass habitat by comparing fish size distributions in two types of seagrass—Posidonia and Amphibolis—with adjacent unvegetated sandy areas. Fish length will be measured using synchronised stereo-BRUV (Baited Remote Underwater Video) footage, analysed in the SeaGIS EventMeasure software. The efficacy of this approach will also be assessed as accurate measurements depend on fish being clearly visible in a lateral orientation. This research aims to promote seagrass restoration by demonstrating its ecological and economic importance.

Project by: Eliza Allan

PFAS, polyfluoroalkyl or perfluoroalkyl substances, are a class of chemicals that were produced starting in the 1940’s for a wide range of consumer products and industrial applications. They had been used in water, soil and stain-resistant coatings, in firefighting foams and in aviation hydraulic fluids due to their high chemical stability and resistance which also lead to their high environmental persistence. In recent years there has been an effort to degrade these materials or remove them from the environment such as thermal, biological and reductive or oxidative pathways. One such method is photocatalysis where materials known as photocatalysts absorb light and become highly reactive and able to break down PFAS molecules. The aim of using photocatalyst materials is to demonstrate that photocatalyst materials can break down PFAS, preventing possible health complications to the environment and society.

Project by: Adam Kingsley Winkworth

Over three-quarters of terrestrial environments worldwide have been significantly altered by human activities. Focus has turned to restoring these damaged ecosystems with the United Nations declaring 2021-2030 as the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. However, studies show that restoration fails to return the full suite of biodiversity lost. To improve restoration practice, it needs to be supported by sound restoration science. This is vital for the critically endangered temperate grasslands of Australia. Research on their restoration is very limited, with no studies ever conducted in South Australia. Furthermore, the long-term resistance of restored grasslands to invasive species has seldom been investigated. This project aims to test the proportion of invasive species under scalping, solarisation, and passive recovery treatments. We will further explore how multiple facets of functional diversity differ under these treatments, and how introduced species shape this functional diversity. These results will inform grassland restoration throughout southeastern Australia.

Project by: Lucinda Trenorden

The River Murray supports a unique ecosystem of plants and animals, but the changing climate and human water use are putting this under threat. Our project looks at the internationally significant Banrock Station wetland, a privately owned and managed wetland in South Australia’s Riverland that supports vulnerable aquatic species along with local and migratory bird populations. This project aims to improve water use and ecological management in the wetland by producing a computer model of wetland flows and water levels, along with modelling an alternate wetland design that splits the lagoon in two. Our results are being shared with our industry partner, Vinarchy Wines, so they can work to achieve better water supply to the different ecological communities of the wetland and protect this valuable icon in an uncertain future.

Project by: 

• William Dodsworth 
• Katerina Tsimbinos 
• Talia Robinson 
• Cameron Size 

Adelaide is increasingly experiencing the effects of climate change, yet the behaviour of its soils remains insufficiently understood. Expansive soils, specifically Keswick Clay, undergo significant volume changes where they shrink when dry and swell when wet. These fluctuations can lead to ground movement, causing cracking in pavements, damage to building foundations, and long-term deterioration of infrastructure. Our project focuses on quantifying the changes in soil suction in Keswick Clay, as suction plays a critical role in governing soil strength, stiffness, and deformation. By combining both in situ measurements and laboratory testing, we developed insights into how suction influences soil behaviour at micro and macro scales. This comprehensive approach allows for a deeper understanding of soil-water interactions under varying conditions. From these findings, we critically evaluated the adequacy of current Australian Standards and questioned their continued relevance in addressing the challenges posed by a changing climate.

Project by: 

• Muhammad Alif Aqra Mohd Azli 
• Dan Raymond Reano 
• Junhan Lin 
• Yongkun Li 

The aim of this project is to improve the efficiency of a centrifugal pump by altering the geometry to determine the optimal configuration. Centrifugal Pumps are used extensively across a wide range of industries and so by creating a systematic method to increase the efficiency presents an opportunity to reduce energy consumption and running cost of future centrifugal pump designs. This will be done using a computational fluid dynamics program to simulate the pump allowing for hundreds of configurations to be tested in a fraction of the time that it would take to test real life models.

Project by:

• Joseph Parsons 
• Sayyam Bhujbal 

A single earthquake can transform stable slopes into catastrophic landslides. This project explores how seismic forces can drive slope failure by developing a computational model that simulates soil behaviour under dynamic loading. Using Bishop's simplified method and advanced MATLAB coding, the model incorporates groundwater effects, seismic accelerations, and soil strength parameters to evaluate the factor of safety across potential slip surfaces. By applying a grid-search approach, the program identifies the most critical failure circle and visualises the slope's response during seismic events. The project not only provides a practical tool for engineers assessing landslide risk in earthquake-prone regions but also highlights the importance of integrating geotechnical mechanics with modern computational methods. Overall, this work contributes to safer slope design, better disaster preparedness, and more resilient infrastructure during earthquake events.

Project by: 

• Ayesha Akhter 
• Anika Mangla 
• Hien Khanh Nguyen (Lizzy) 

A chain is only as strong as its weakest link, and for timber structures, this is the joint. Fibre-reinforced polymer rods can be embedded in timber in various ways, and this study investigates how these configurations can influence the joint performance. A series of single-rod pull-out tests explored bond mechanics, while grouped rod tests examined interaction effects between reinforcements. These experiments informed the calibration and validation of a mathematical model, developed to predict rod behaviour under loading. A key focus was assessing whether splitting governs joint strength and how this may constrain design. Together, the experimental results and modelling provide insights into the limits of reinforced timber joint design and contribute valuable data to the growing knowledge base on polymer–timber joints. 

Project by: 

• Addison Martin 
• Mark Jones 
• Caleb Jones 
• Omar Afify 

Recent disasters such as outback flooding and the COVID-19 pandemic have exposed the vulnerabilities in the supply of essential services such as power, food and medicine, particularly in regional Australia. Disasters such as flooding and bushfire are forecast to become more frequent and severe under a changing climate. Outback communities and infrastructure are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of these disasters. This project uses spatial analysis and a systems approach to assess the current disaster resilience of outback infrastructure and towns, making a meaningful contribution to improving disaster resilience for the Department for Infrastructure and Transport. The project identifies the infrastructure likely to be affected by a fire or flood event and quantifies the impact of that affect by assessing the value of the services supplied by that infrastructure.

Project by: Kieran Wheal

This project investigates the reintroduction of vaulted roofs - curved, arch-like structures - into modern housing. The aim is to explore whether these designs can provide stronger, more sustainable, and energy-efficient homes by relying less on costly and carbon-intensive materials. This approach uses computer modelling to test different roof geometries and materials under Australian standards. Simulations are run to measure how well the roofs perform under weight, wind, and temperature changes, allowing comparisons of structural strength, thermal comfort, and overall efficiency. The expected outcomes include identifying roof designs that reduce material use, improve insulation, and lower long-term energy needs. The findings could encourage architects and builders to reconsider vaulted forms as a practical alternative, offering both environmental and economic benefits for residential construction.

Project by:

• Adam Bunworth 
• Laurence Galluccio 
• Patrick Singleton 
• Oscar Clark 

Goodbye concrete, hello trees! Not what you would expect to hear in the conversation of flood mitigation, but what is needed in a changing climate. Existing hard infrastructure like dams are no longer dynamic enough for a new world of unprecedented flood risk. Nature-based solutions (NBS) like urban forests and bioswales not only slow flows, improve water infiltration and protect assets, they offer ecosystem services, public amenities and are scalable and adaptable. This project investigates the feasibility of NBSs in Australian urban and rural case studies, to explore their potential in future town planning and flood mitigation. Through modelling and theoretical research, the implementation of multiple NBS configurations have shown to reduce runoff flow and volume in two high flood risk catchments, thereby supporting the potential effectiveness of NBS against floods. We present approaches for both NBS modelling and NBS selection for application in Australia and other global contexts.

Project by:

• Elijah Bruijn 
• Catherine Dang 
• Jessica Ineza 
• Georgia Kehagias 
• Sadman Khan 

What if concrete could have not one life, but four? Every demolished building leaves behind a lot of rubble, which can be spared from landfill through recycling. This is even more crucial given that 8% of global carbon dioxide emissions is caused by concrete industry. We wanted to determine whether the unlikely combination of recycled aggregate and glass waste can still keep its strength and resistance to cracking and bending after four generations of recycling. To find out, concrete containing glass and recycled aggregates was cast to form reinforced beams and loaded to failure, measuring cracking and bending. After each generation was tested, the beams would be crushed up and the next cycle would begin. Once our project concludes, we will either show that recycled concrete with glass aggregates is ineffective after multiple generations, or that this material combination represents a smarter and resilient path into the future of concrete.

Project by: 

• Xavier Georgitsis 
• Ritesh Jung Khadka 
• Josh Eteuati 
• Andrew Galanis 
• Ivy Bui 

The concrete industry consumes significant natural resources and contributes to 8% of global COâ‚‚ emissions, driving the need for circular economy practices. Recycled concrete in porous concrete (PC) supports both sustainability and low-impact urban design. However, little research exists on the properties of multi-generational recycled aggregates (MGRA) and their potential to improve PC performance. This project investigates the material properties and feasibility of multi-generational recycled aggregate porous concrete (MGRAPC). Laboratory testing evaluates 10mm and 20mm aggregate sizes across virgin aggregate PC (VAPC) and three generations of recycled aggregate PC (RAPC). Mix designs are assessed for mechanical, hydraulic, and environmental performance, including compressive and flexural strength, permeability, leachate behaviour, plant growth compatibility, void ratio, and porosity. VAPC trials established optimal cement/aggregate ratios and pouring methods, enabling refined MGRAPC mix design. The study will provide insights into the performance and viability of MGRAPC, contributing to more sustainable practices in concrete production and urban infrastructure.

Project by: 

• Charlie Knowles 
• Nick Martin 
• Harrison Lemon 
• Bailey Collins 

Have you ever wondered how to build a shower for giants? Asian elephants are some of the largest land animals on Earth and, keeping them healthy and happy is very important. At Monarto Safari Park, a new elephant herd is arriving, and they need ways to cool down, play, and stay enriched in their new home. My project set out to design a unique environmental enrichment device that uses water to provide comfort and fun for the herd. We studied how water flows through pipes, how showers spray, and how to make a system that is safe, reliable, and enjoyable for elephants. Using design drawings, models, and calculations, we created a design for a shower system that elephants can interact with to cool and wash themselves with. The outcome is a working design that not only helps elephants stay cool but also enriches their daily lives, giving them joy and stimulation in a sustainable and safe way.

Project by: Hannah Furina

When oceans turn toxic, the impacts ripple from coastal ecosystems to local industries and communities. South Australia is in the midst of an extensive harmful algal bloom of Karenia mikimotoi, disrupting marine life and threatening coastal resilience. This project aims to model the bloom and investigate the “catchment to coast” flows that contributed to its development. By combining hydrological, environmental, and climatic data, we will identify the key drivers and interactions that triggered the event. The findings will provide insights into how nutrient inflows, weather conditions, and broader climate variability shape the risk of harmful algal blooms. From here, we will explore potential strategies to manage and prevent future blooms, ranging from catchment management to coastal monitoring and treatment approaches. Ultimately, the project seeks to deliver both a deeper understanding of bloom dynamics and practical pathways to protect South Australia’s marine environments.

Project by: 

Navindra Munasinghe 
Lucy Wright 
Qayyimah Zamri 

This project investigates the effectiveness and feasibility of using nature-based solutions (NBSs) to mitigate the adverse effects of a flood event on a community. In literature, one form of a NBS for flood control are leaky barriers. Leaky barriers are typically made of pervious and permeable material such as natural vegetation (e.g. fallen tree branches, logs, trunks). The presence of these barriers in a river system can slow the speed of a flood flow as well as retain the volume of the flood water in a flood event.

Through 3 phases of physical and software modelling, the hydrological behaviour of rivers with leaky barriers can be measured and evaluated. This analysis was conducted at various scales. By obtaining the results from this modelling, reviewing literature and council artefacts regarding the impact of flood events; the outcomes of this project can determine whether leaky barriers are a suitable solution.

Project by: 

Jake Bunworth 
Amatullah Mansurwala 
Manikya Maxim 

With cities facing both housing shortage and the urgent need to reduce carbon emissions, reusing existing buildings offers a sustainable alternative to demolition and reconstruction. Adaptive reuse can save materials, lower costs, and cut greenhouse gas emissions – but many older structures do not comply with current earthquake design standards. This project investigated the University of Adelaide’s Schulz Building, a 13-storey office tower built in 1964, to test whether it could be converted into student accommodation. Using SPACE GASS – a structural modelling software – we analysed the building’s seismic performance and trialled retrofitting techniques such as horizontal and vertical steel bracing and lift shaft strengthening. Results showed that with targeted, low-intensity upgrades, the Schulz Building can be brought up to code, making reuse both safe and feasible. This work demonstrates how seismic retrofitting can unlock the hidden potential of Adelaide’s aging offices, turning obsolete buildings into sustainable housing for the future.

Project by: 

• Ella Homer 
• Rachael Donnelly 
• Vera Khalil 
• Layla Deacy

Many parts of the world struggle to get enough clean drinking water, especially in remote areas. My project looks at a system called Humidification-Dehumidification (HD) desalination, which can turn salty/dirty water into fresh water. The idea is to use warm air to pick up water as vapour, then cool it down so the water condenses into clean liquid.

We worked with a small pilot plant, which is a real machine built to test the process. My role was to get the system running safely, check what sensors and controls were needed, and see how it performs at different temperatures.

The outcome was that the plant can operate safely at low heat, meaning it could use waste heat from factories or even solar energy on farms. This makes it a practical and environmentally friendly way to produce fresh water where it's needed most.

Project by: Mehtab Sahi 

How can we make timber strong enough to rival concrete and steel? With the growing need to cut carbon in construction, this project explores reinforcing laminated veneer lumber (LVL) beams using glass fibre reinforced polymer (GFRP). By combining an eco-friendly material with advanced composites, we aim to unlock timber’s potential for larger, stronger structures. Twelve LVL beams were built with three different GFRP reinforcement layouts and tested against four unreinforced beams. Using four-point bending tests, we measured load capacity, deflection, and strain, while also studying bond strength and debonding between the timber and GFRP. Analytical modelling was carried out to compare results and predict performance. These findings will help engineers design lighter, stronger, and more sustainable buildings, replacing high-emission materials with renewable options and reducing the environmental footprint of future infrastructure.

Project by: 

• Teja Hasani 
• Alex Manton 
• Hanin Amro 
• Isaac Tyrer 
• Zarifa Kashmiri