Closing Date

30^th June 2020*

Applicants should contact the primary supervisor, and submit their Expression of Interest (EOI) and Application as soon as possible.

*unless filled earlier

Funding

This scholarship provides a $27,596pa (2019 rate) living allowance for 3.5 years with no extension, plus a top-up of $8,000pa.

The Research Project

Cavitation is the process of phase change from liquid to vapour due to pressure reduction, as opposed to boiling that occurs with heat addition. It is a highly transient and violent phenomenon that occurs in natural and engineered fluid systems causing problems that range from ocean noise pollution to vibration and metal erosion. Nucleation and inception of hydrodynamic cavitation that occurs in complex turbulent or vortical flows remains a challenging problem relevant to many fields of science and engineering.

In this research project we seek to gain new insights into nucleation mechanisms and the inception and development of cavitation in canonical flows through new experimental capabilities developed in the Cavitation Research Laboratory at the Australian Maritime College. Test flows have been developed in which the microbubble content and hence nucleation sites can be controlled and measured. For this project cavitation inception and development in a pair of two interacting vortices will be investigated through a range of measurements including velocity and microbubble measurements using optical diagnostic techniques simultaneous with other high speed imaging and sensing techniques.

This work is part of a United States Office of Naval Research, Multi-University Research Initiative (MURI) ‘Predicting turbulent multi-phase flows with high fidelity: a physics-based approach’. US universities collaborating on the MURI include the University of Minnesota, University of California, California Institute of Technology, University of Iowa, University of Michigan, Johns Hopkins University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The University of Tasmania will work in close collaboration with the Universities of Michigan and Minnesota, and the Johns Hopkins University providing the experimental outcomes for comparison with computational predictions provided by the US collaborators.

Eligibility

The following eligibility criteria apply to this project:

• Honours degree or equivalent in mathematics, science or engineering.

Applicants with the following skills will rank highly:

• Experience in experimental fluid mechanics
• Advanced data analysis skills

For More Information

Please contact Prof Paul Brandner for more information.

Closing Date

30^th June 2020*

Applicants should contact the primary supervisor, and submit their Expression of Interest (EOI) and Application as soon as possible.

*unless filled earlier

The Research Project

Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS) are attracting increasing attention and interest from all stakeholders in the global maritime community. While advocates of MASS remain optimistic about the benefits of MASS including safety improvement, cost reduction and environmental friendliness, significant regulatory gaps exist to deal with MASS-introduced risks that may not be adequately addressed by the current regulatory framework. Among the issues related to the regulatory framework, civil liability in the era of MASS is a common concern to many stakeholders in the global maritime community. The project aims to identify the regulatory gaps in re-defining civil liability under MASS and develop an integrated framework to clarify civil liability of parties involved in MASS. In doing so, industrial codes of practices relevant to MASS will be critically examined as to their effectiveness and appropriateness.

Eligibility

Essential Skills

• Understanding of IMO Conventions, Codes and Regulations
• Understanding of civil liability in the maritime context
• Good communication skill
• Good analytical skill

Desirable Skills

• Knowledge about maritime autonomous surface ships
• Graduated with an LLB or an LLM degree from a recognised university with distinction or with First-class Honours
• Had academic publishing experiences

See the following web page for entry requirements: www.utas.edu.au/research/degrees/what-is-a-research-degree

Application Process

Applicants who require more information or are interested in this specific project should first contact the listed Supervisor. Information and guidance on the application process can be found on the Apply Now website.

Information about scholarships is available on the Scholarships webpage.

More Information

Please contact, Jiangang Fei for further information.

Closing Date

30^th June 2020*

Applicants should contact the primary supervisor, and submit their Expression of Interest (EOI) and Application as soon as possible.

*unless filled earlier

The Research Project

The shipping industry plays an important role in today's global economy as it is a facilitation mechanism for more than 90% of the world trade. However only in recent history thousands of incidents and accidents involving ships have resulted in loss of life and property—not to mention environmental damages of different magnitudes.

It is estimated that over 80% of all maritime mishaps are presently attributable to human element and onboard human actions. However, from early in their career, mariners have to attend formal learning environment to gain skills and knowledge that they need to practice safely onboard ships. Yet, little is known about how this learning applied practically on the job, i.e., what is transferred from one setting to another and how this transfer occurs.

Through the investigation of the mariners in their formal learning environment (marine colleges) and in their workplace (on board ships), it is the utmost purpose of the present ethnographic study to understand the implications of this discussion in reducing the shipping accidents. The database will be composed of videotapes, field notes, interviews and documents. The implications of this study are relevant to workplace learning research in general and to maritime education and safe shipping practice in particular.

Eligibility

• The scholarship is open to Australian (domestic) candidates and to International candidates
• The PhD must be undertaken on a full‐time basis
• Applicants must already have been awarded a first class Honours degree or hold equivalent qualifications or relevant and substantial research experience in an appropriate sector
• Applicants must be able to demonstrate strong research and analytical skills
• Applicants from variety of disciplines are eligible to apply

See the following web page for entry requirements: http://www.utas.edu.au/research/degrees/what-is-a-research-degree

Assessment Criteria

Applicants with maritime background who are familiar with qualitative research are preferred.

Application Process

Applicants who require more information or are interested in this specific project should first contact the listed Supervisor. Information and guidance on the application process can be found on the Apply Now website.

Information about scholarships is available on the Scholarships webpage.

More Information

Please contact, Reza Emad for further information.

Closing Date

30^th June 2020*

Applicants should contact the primary supervisor, and submit their Expression of Interest (EOI) and Application as soon as possible.

*unless filled earlier

The Research Project

The main focus of the project is on sustainable development of cruise/passenger terminals for cruise ships within a seaport without compromising the port's operational functions. While the three aspects of sustainable development i.e. social, economic and environmental will be covered, the project will also consider potential differences between a cruise/passenger terminal and cargo terminal within a seaport.

Given resource constraints, it will identify potential areas where resource sharing and saving can be made without compromising the operational requirements, service quality and competitiveness of the two types of terminals within a seaport. In addition, the project will consider both types of cruise terminals, i.e. dedicated terminals and multipurposed terminals, and the potential application of automation and new technologies for optimal investment and use of resources. It is expected that the project will involve participation from port management and stakeholders.

Eligibility

• Students are expected to have a background in business economics and at least basic knowledge in statistical/econometric analysis
• Applicants from variety of disciplines are eligible to apply

See the following web page for entry requirements: www.utas.edu.au/research/degrees/what-is-a-research-degree

Assessment Criteria

• Students are expected to be familiar with statistical/econometric analysis software such as SPSS, EViews, RATS, R
• Experience in the maritime sector is desirable
• Students without previous maritime knowledge are expected to attend JNB521 Maritime Economics for Managers as an elective for the Graduate Certificate in Research program

Application Process

Applicants who require more information or are interested in this specific project should first contact the listed Supervisor. Information and guidance on the application process can be found on the Apply Now website.

Information about scholarships is available on the Scholarships webpage.

More Information

Please contact Owen Nguyen through email: o.nguyen@utas.edu.au for further information.

Closing Date

30^th June 2020*

Applicants should contact the primary supervisor, and submit their Expression of Interest (EOI) and Application as soon as possible.

*unless filled earlier

The Research Project

Until now electricity generation in Constructed Wetlands (CWs) integrated with Microbial Fuel Cell for coastal areas is very low. The improvement in electricity generation or electron flow to the conductive material can be applied for real time applications such as pollutant sensing. In addition, transfer of electron to conductive material can also enhance the treatment of wastewater in CW.  It is reported by several studies with bioelectrochemical cells such as MFC, a large fraction of electron transfers to the methanogenic bacteria for the production of methane gas. This is the reason why the production rate of methane gas is high in CW-MFC systems whereas electricity generation is low. In this project, we are trying to inhibit methanogenic bacteria so that the entire or maximum electron goes directly to the conductive material. With extracting more electrons from the microbes, electricity generation of CW-MFC can be enhanced. This strategy can also be beneficial for producing greenhouse gases of low potential.

So, the objectives of this PhD research are:

1. Enhance the electricity generation in MFCs by inhibiting the methanogenic activities
2. Investigating the potential of MFC for real time applications such as pollution sensing

Eligibility

Essential Skills

• The potential candidate for this PhD project should have previous working experience in measurement and analysis of different contaminants in environmental laboratory

Desirable Skills

• Having previous experience in application of different machine learning techniques is an extra advantage in selecting the PhD candidate

See the following web page for entry requirements: www.utas.edu.au/research/degrees/what-is-a-research-degree

Application Process

Applicants who require more information or are interested in this specific project should first contact the listed Supervisor. Information and guidance on the application process can be found on the Apply Now website.

Information about scholarships is available on the Scholarships webpage.

More Information

Please contact, Vikram Garaniya for further information.

Closing Date

30^th June 2020*

Applicants should contact the primary supervisor, and submit their Expression of Interest (EOI) and Application as soon as possible.

*unless filled earlier

The Research Project

Global demand for fast and efficient sea transportation has led to the evolution of large high-speed and lightweight vessels for both commercial and military use. Different types of high-speed craft have been designed to satisfy this requirement, but some factors such as large deck area, relatively large deadweight to displacement ratios, the ability to provide lightweight Ro-Ro vessels (Roll-on/Roll-off vessels capable of carrying wheeled cargo such as cars and trucks) and high hydrostatic and hydrodynamic stability have proven catamarans to be particularly popular.

High-speed catamarans, due to their slender twin hull geometry and high operating Froude number, frequently experience larger heave and pitch motions and accelerations than those of conventional monohulls operating at lower Froude number. The vessel motions are directly influenced by increases in the operating speed, leading to passenger discomfort and potential structural damage when operating in higher sea states and severe sea conditions. A motion control system is therefore required to reduce these large motions, increase passenger comfort and improve the vessel performance.

There have been some prior studies of Ride Control Systems (RCS) relevant to this type of fast ships. The current project aims to continue the study of RCS and the influence of ride control algorithms on the motion and load response of high-speed catamarans by numerical and experimental investigations using an existing 2.5m hydroelastic segmented catamaran model based on an Incat 112m wave-piercer catamaran.

Eligibility

The following eligibility criteria apply to this scholarship:

• The scholarship is open to domestic (Australian and New Zealand) and international candidates;
• The degree must be undertaken on a full-time basis;
• Applicants must already have been awarded a First-Class Honours degree or hold equivalent qualifications or relevant and substantial research experience in an appropriate sector;
• Applicants must be able to demonstrate strong research and analytical skills;
• Applicants must be the first author of at least two published (or accepted) high-ranked journal papers.

Applicants must be from at least one of the following disciplinary backgrounds:

• Mechanical Engineering
• Naval architecture
• Maritime engineering

Applicants with the following skills will rank highly:

• Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)
• Hands-on in experimental work specially towing tank testing
• Computer programming skills

For More Information

Please contact Dr Javad AlaviMehr for more information.

Closing Date

30^th June 2020*

Applicants should contact the primary supervisor, and submit their Expression of Interest (EOI) and Application as soon as possible.

*unless filled earlier

The Research Project

Global concerns about air pollution and human's health are continuously forcing manufacturers to improve the performance of engines and reduce emissions. This has been more focused on the diesel engines since the conventional CI engine sustains with high nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM) emissions.

One solution to this is replacing conventional fossil fuels by alternative fuels. Among the alternative fuels, ethanol and methanol have been considered as suitable diesel fuel replacement. Methanol is a clean-burning fuel that produces fewer smog-causing emissions such as nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulphur oxides (SOx) and particulate matter, and can improve air quality and related human health issues. Methanol can be produced from not only natural gas but also renewable sources such as biomass and recycled carbon dioxide.

This project aims to investigate the effect of methanol fumigation on the performance, operation and combustion emission of diesel engines.

Eligibility

• The scholarship is open to domestic (Australian and New Zealand) and international candidate
• The degree must be undertaken on a full-time basis
• Applicants must have already been awarded a First-Class Honours degree or hold equivalent qualifications or relevant and substantial research experience in an appropriate sector
• Applicants must be able to demonstrate strong research and analytical skills
• Applicants must be the first author of at least two published (or accepted) high-ranked journal papers

Desirable skills/experience

• Good knowledge of diesel engines, fuel injection system and fumigation
• Hands-on in experimental work specially engines
• Computer programming skills
• Good knowledge of LabVIEW programming
• Experience in Data Acquisition & Signal Processing
• Good understanding of thermodynamics and fluid mechanics specifically in the framework of high-pressure and compressible flows

See the following web page for entry requirements: www.utas.edu.au/research/degrees/what-is-a-research-degree

Application Process

Applicants who require more information or are interested in this specific project should first contact the listed Supervisor. Information and guidance on the application process can be found on the Apply Now website.

Information about scholarships is available on the Scholarships webpage.

More Information

Please contact, Javad Mehr for further information.

Closing Date

30^th June 2020*

Applicants should contact the primary supervisor, and submit their Expression of Interest (EOI) and Application as soon as possible.

*unless filled earlier

The Research Project

This project involves development of an experimental programme based on the investigation of the flow associated with a gas jet in a liquid cross-flow. The injection of gas through discrete holes has been proposed as a novel method for drag reduction of marine vehicles and it has been a topic of interest in a several recent publications. Within this project the influence of the flow parameters on the physics of the resulting flow, as well as practicability of its application, will be investigated in a water tunnel.

The ability to independently and precisely control the parameters of interest, such as momentum flux ratio, cross-flow velocity, boundary layer thickness to gas outlet diameter ratio and free-stream pressure will be used to determine the resulting gas cavity topology for the different flow modes and provide an advice on optimal flow conditions for the prototype realization of a drag-reduction system.

The basic understanding of the underlying flow physics will be further assessed through the analysis of the flow unsteady characteristics. In addition, due to its canonical character, the examined flow is well suited for numerical modelling, and therefore the obtained experimental dataset could be of an archival value for a future comparison with computational results.

Eligibility

The following eligibility criteria apply to this project:

• Bachelor degree in engineering

Applicants with the following skills will rank highly:

• Experience in experimental fluid mechanics
• Advanced data analysis skills

For More Information

Please contact Dr Bryce Pearce for more information.

Closing Date

30^th June 2020*

Applicants should contact the primary supervisor, and submit their Expression of Interest (EOI) and Application as soon as possible.

*unless filled earlier

The Research Project

Supply chains are frequently subject to disruptions resulting in growing supply chain volatility. Supply chain volatility not only affects businesses but consumers as well. Due to the perishability of agri-food products, the consequences of disruptions become much severer than manufactured products. Supply chain resilience, as the collective ability of supply chain participants to deal with disruptions and develop strategies for rapid recovery to ensure sufficient and stable supplies, has attracted much research interest in recent years. This research aims to improve resilience in agri-food supply chains.

Eligibility

• Basic understanding of supply chain management and operations management
• Good communication skill
• Good analytical skills
• Work or research experience in supply chain management and operations management
• Knowledge about agri-food supply chains

See the following web page for entry requirements: www.utas.edu.au/research/degrees/what-is-a-research-degree

Application Process

Applicants who require more information or are interested in this specific project should first contact the listed Supervisor. Information and guidance on the application process can be found on the Apply Now website.

Information about scholarships is available on the Scholarships webpage.

More Information

Please contact, Jiangang Fei for further information.

Closing Date

30^th June 2020*

Applicants should contact the primary supervisor, and submit their Expression of Interest (EOI) and Application as soon as possible.

*unless filled earlier

The Research Project

In recent years, the advent of technology especially in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) brings about the possibility of developing fully autonomous systems. Recently, with the introduction of commercially sensible solutions, design and operation of unmanned and autonomous cargo and passenger ships are gaining momentum. Soon this would persuade shipping companies to add autonomous ships into their fleet. Therefore, this research is timely as autonomous shipping is not a promise to be delivered in the future, but a reality which has already started.

This research will conduct an extensive investigation to identify the education and training requirements for seafarers who will operate the autonomous ships in the near future. The findings of this research will provide guidelines and a recommendatory framework which can be used by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and the maritime regulators to revise training needs towards mentoring seafarers and equipping them with the expertise required.

Eligibility

• The scholarship is open to Australian (domestic) candidates and to International candidates
• The PhD must be undertaken on a full‐time basis
• Applicants must already have been awarded a first class Honours degree or hold equivalent qualifications or relevant and substantial research experience in an appropriate sector
• Applicants must be able to demonstrate strong research and analytical skills
• Applicants from any disciplines are eligible to apply

See the following web page for entry requirements: www.utas.edu.au/research/degrees/what-is-a-research-degree

Assessment Criteria

Applicants with maritime background who are familiar with qualitative research are preferred

Application Process

Applicants who require more information or are interested in this specific project should first contact the listed Supervisor. Information and guidance on the application process can be found on the Apply Now website.

Information about scholarships is available on the Scholarships webpage.

More Information

Please contact, Reza Emad for further information.

Closing Date

30^th June 2020*

Applicants should contact the primary supervisor, and submit their Expression of Interest (EOI) and Application as soon as possible.

*unless filled earlier

The Research Project

A combined consideration of design and operation aspects can effectively be used to achieve a sufficient safety level. In application, this principle requires further investigation to be provided for the preparation of operational measures, consistent with the vulnerability assessment and for the specification of direct stability assessment.

The Second Generation of Intact Stability Criteria (SGISC) in near future requires implementation of the operational limitations and operational guidance in specific areas, routes or season to prevent five stability failure modes: 1. pure loss of stability; 2. parametric roll; 3. surf riding/broaching; 4. dead ship condition; and 5. excessive acceleration. Limitations imposed on the operation, limit the loading capacity, the intended sailing routes and the desired speed. However, that is not received favourably by ship owners and operators.

The objectives of this project are:

1. Developing an algorithm to identify aforesaid stability failure modes, using real-time sea state prediction,

2. Maximising the operational capacity by minimising the adverse effect of operational limitations imposed by SGISC.

3. Implement this understanding into a state-of-the-art numerical simulation

Eligibility

• Indepth understanding of ship's hydrodynamics
• Experience with CFD codes/software
• Applicants from variety of disciplines are eligible to apply

See the following web page for entry requirements: www.utas.edu.au/research/degrees/what-is-a-research-degree

Assessment Criteria

• Basic understanding of signal processing techniques
• Exposure to ship model testing
• Ship sailing experience

Application Process

Applicants who require more information or are interested in this specific project should first contact the listed Supervisor. Information and guidance on the application process can be found on the Apply Now website.

Information about scholarships is available on the Scholarships webpage.

More Information

Please contact, Hossein Enshaei for further information.

Closing Date

30^th June 2020*

Applicants should contact the primary supervisor, and submit their Expression of Interest (EOI) and Application as soon as possible.

*unless filled earlier

The Research Project

Among sea surface parameters recorded by merchant ships, the wave characteristics are estimated with least accuracy through visual observation. The inaccuracy in estimation of wave length is in the range of tens of meters and up to a few meters for the wave heights. Therefore, ocean wave forecasting is currently achieved by the surface winds from a weather forecast model to determine the growth of the ocean waves. The waves along the coasts can be measured by utilising the heave, pitch and roll motions of a buoy to simulate the passing incident waves, but only if the moored buoy’s dynamics are ignored. A similar analogy can be applied to the measurement of ocean waves using a ship's motion, as the ship can be considered an unmoored buoy encountering incident waves. Since the ship’s hull is not a known geometric object, then dynamics of motion are strongly influenced by each different hull shape.

A novel theory of a ship’s dynamic shows that the spectrum of heave and pitch motion response has a strong correlation to the ocean wave spectrum. Motion spectrum is sustained by wave energy induced to the ship’s hull, while the ship’s relative speed and direction is considered. Overall, changes of wave configuration are slow, hence the ship’s motion response is affected gradually, which provides sufficient time for the required analysis. Measurement of wave spectrum is not possible while a ship is underway thus the transfer and distribution of energy in the ocean is uncertain.

A ship’s motion is of a complex, 6 degrees of freedom time-varying nature, and can be measured by a means of suitably-positioned sensors to record the motion as a continuous time signal.

Ships’ motions are good reflections of the local sea conditions and probably one of the most practical means for measuring the wave spectrum in a real-time by way of reverse engineering. Because of the strong coupling nature, these motions are in tune with irregular wave patterns and therefore actively monitoring their responses could be utilised to estimate the influence of wave parameters.

The aims of this project are to:

1. Improve wave measurement processes using a direct, innovative approach; and
2. Implement this understanding into a state-of-the-art numerical simulation.

Aim 1 will be carried out by conducting hydrodynamic model experiments and developing process-oriented numerical simulations. The results will be validated by full-scale ship trials.

Aim 2 will explore wave characteristics and a novel ship-wave interaction feedback.

Eligibility

The following eligibility criteria apply to this project:

• In dept understanding of ship’s hydrodynamics
• Experience with CFD codes/software

Applicants with the following skills will rank highly:

• Basic understanding of signal processing techniques
• Exposure to ship model testing

For More Information

Please contact Dr Hossein Enshaei for more information.

Closing Date

30^th June 2020*

Applicants should contact the primary supervisor, and submit their Expression of Interest (EOI) and Application as soon as possible.

*unless filled earlier

The Research Project

Global concerns to reduce emissions are continuously forcing manufacturers to improve the efficiency of engines by optimising fuel injection systems and combustion process. Despite the wide use of injectors, the key physics of the fuel injection processes are not yet fully understood imposing a significant challenge for the development of more efficient injection system and combustion process. The primary atomisation of the liquid fuel jet occurs in the region close to the nozzle exit, influences secondary atomisation, spray dynamics, air-fuel mixture quality, and ultimately the entire combustion process. Complex and concurrent physics associated with primary and secondary atomisation of liquid fuel induce more constraints for researchers to experimentally characterise the effect of phenomena such as swirl flow, flow separation, cavitation, and turbulence on spray dynamics.  

These limitations can be tackled by the means of numerical modellings which provide a clearer understanding of spray dynamics involving transition from liquid jets to fine droplets. Numerical models which are used in the design of fuel injectors are subjected to further developments through the inclusion of recent research findings. Experimental tests conducted within the AMC's constant volume high-pressure spray chamber provide a qualitative and quantitative database to evaluate and validate numerical modelling results. The present work focuses on processes in the nozzle and the first several nozzle diameters after the nozzle exit of a single-hole solid cone injector.

High fidelity numerical model can be utilised to characterise detailed evolution of fuel spray from liquid jets to dispersed small scale droplets. The use of high-resolution numerical scheme and flux reconstruction algorithm can deal with highly turbulent flow phenomenon that occur with a great variation in spatial and time scales. Highly accurate results predicted by the developed high-resolution numerical methods can act as an indispensable supplement to existing experimental observations and measurements, which contribute to the optimisation/development of next generation low emission and high thermal efficiency combustion engines.

Eligibility

• The project is open to domestic (Australian and New Zealand) and international candidates
• The degree must be undertaken on a full-time basis
• Applicants must have already been awarded a First-Class Honours degree or hold equivalent qualifications or relevant and substantial research experience in an appropriate sector
• Applicants must be able to demonstrate strong research and analytical skills
• Applicants must be the first author of at least two published (or accepted) high-ranked journal papers

Essential Skills/Experience/Requirements

• Good understanding of fluid mechanics specifically in the framework of high-pressure and compressible flows
• Good understanding of CFD theories including pressure-velocity coupling, heat and mass transfer, multiscale-modelling in the framework of compressible flow
• Experience in OpenFOAM (experience in structured mesh generation and high order numberical scheme are preferred)

Desirable Skills/Experience

• Experience in high pressure fuel injection system
• Experience in developing explicit/implicit method for all March number flows
• Experience in data processing using Python
• Experience in C++
• Ability to conduct spray chamber testing and work to assemble, disassemble and commission new injection systems

See the following web page for entry requirements: www.utas.edu.au/research/degrees/what-is-a-research-degree

Application Process

Applicants who require more information or are interested in this specific project should first contact the listed Supervisor. Information and guidance on the application process can be found on the Apply Now website.

Information about scholarships is available on the Scholarships webpage.

More Information

Please contact, Javad Mehr for further information.

Closing Date

30^th June 2020*

Applicants should contact the primary supervisor, and submit their Expression of Interest (EOI) and Application as soon as possible.

*unless filled earlier

The Research Project

Current offshore renewable wind energy practice requires the installation of large fixed and floating structures offshore. The mooring system is one of the important components for a floating offshore wind turbine (FOWT). Accurate assessment of the mooring lines is fundamental both in normal/operating and survival conditions. Recent accidents due to extreme weather events have highlighted the risk that improper design of floating structures can have on the structure’s integrity and the environment. Studies shall be performed to investigate the mooring system effect on the overall performance of an FOWT structure. Moreover, the investigation of the importance of the interconnection between the FWOT and the mooring line is therefore crucial.

The goal of this project proposal is to fill this gap in the knowledge by conducting a PhD investigation into the effects of the mooring systems on the operability and survivability of an FWOT structure. Both numerical and experimental approaches are considered in this project to investigate the role of the mooring systems. The numerical approach considers the development of the NewWave and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) techniques due to their compatibility with the modelling of extreme waves. The study aims at establishing efficient numerical modelling techniques for dynamic motion response and structural assessment, including fatigue analysis due to extreme weather conditions.

The experimental investigation considers a systematic series of scale model test at AMC testing facilities that will be used for the validation of the numerical models.

The following eligibility criteria apply to this scholarship:

• The scholarship is open to Australian and New Zealand (domestic) candidates and to International candidates.
• Research must be undertaken on a full-time basis.
• Applicants must already have been awarded a first-class Honours degree or hold equivalent qualifications or relevant and substantial research experience in an appropriate sector.
• Applicants must be able to demonstrate strong research and analytical skills.
• Strong understanding of wave-structure interaction problems
• Experience with CFD codes

Knowledge and skills that will rank highly include:

• Degree-level undergraduate education in mathematics or a related subject.
• Experience with open source numerical codes such as OpenFoam and FAST

Application Process

Applicants who require more information or are interested in this specific project should first contact the listed Supervisor. Information and guidance on the application process can be found on the Apply Now website.

Information about scholarships is available on the Scholarships webpage.

More Information

Please contact the Dr Nagi Abdussamie for further information.

Closing Date

30^th June 2020*

Applicants should contact the primary supervisor, and submit their Expression of Interest (EOI) and Application as soon as possible.

*unless filled earlier

The Research Project

Ocean acidification is a process whereby carbon dioxide (CO2), mainly from the atmosphere, dissolves in seawater and form carbonic acid. This weak acid triggers changes in the seawater chemistry that lead to the decrease of ocean's pH. It is estimated that oceans absorb about 30% per cent of CO2 produced by humans. As such, CO2 emissions reduction is probably the only sustainable way to minimise this acidification process. However, the present trend of CO2 release to atmosphere does not support this effort. According to the Third IMO Green House Gas Study 2014, the mid‐range forecasted scenarios project a potential increase of CO2 emissions from international shipping between 50% to 250% by year 2050. The magnitude of this increment depends on the aggressiveness of world economic growth as well as energy developments.  

In line with the effort of Goal 14 (Life Below Water) of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, target 14.3 to "Minimize and address the impacts of ocean acidification, including through enhanced scientific cooperation at all levels", the goal of this research is to establish potential port policy that can effectively contribute to the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions from maritime activities within port limits through efficient port operations.

Eligibility

• Maritime transport, port development, environmental management

See the following web page for entry requirements: www.utas.edu.au/research/degrees/what-is-a-research-degree

Assessment Criteria

• Quantitative and qualitative analysis, shipping industry experience

Application Process

Applicants who require more information or are interested in this specific project should first contact the listed Supervisor. Information and guidance on the application process can be found on the Apply Now website.

Information about scholarships is available on the Scholarships webpage.

More Information

Please contact, Vera Zhang for further information.

Closing Date

30^th June 2020*

Applicants should contact the primary supervisor, and submit their Expression of Interest (EOI) and Application as soon as possible.

*unless filled earlier

The Research Project

The project involves development of novel prediction and control algorithms for parametric roll motion. The mechanism to cause parametric roll, especially the resonance phenomenon, is investigated and the parametric roll motion in head and follow sea waves is predicted by CFD modelling approach and validated by experimental data using the model scaled contained vessel of which the height of metacentre can be adjusted. Once the parametric roll motion can be predicted, a roll reduction control algorithm will be proposed and tested.

Methodology

The project is going to use a combined numerical and experimental methods to analyze the collected data. As for simulations, the anti-roll systems (anti-roll tubes and stable fins) will design digital versions including 2D and 3D ones by technical software (Auto CAD, Rhino, Inventor). Hoorn vessel will be developed an intensive 3D model from the previous version which based on my design in the master course at AMC by Maxsurf and Rhino software packages. The 3D Hoorn model will be tested and measured the parametric rolling in several different head sea conditions by ANSYS Workbench software packages. In term of experiments, the project will make a real model of the anti-roll systems and will install on Hoorn model. Then, Hoorn model will be tested at the towing tank, AMC with the different head sea conditions. The data will be collected and validated between numerical and experimental outcomes.

Eligibility

• Skills and experiences required include surface vessel dynamics/hydrodynamics, motion in waves, CFD techniques for investigation of hydrodynamics, C/C++ at code developer level, MATLAB simulation for control algorithm design, hardware and software development for control algorithms
• Technical report and scientific writing skill for publication is a must
• Applicants from variety of disciplines are eligible to apply

See the following web page for entry requirements: www.utas.edu.au/research/degrees/what-is-a-research-degree

Assessment Criteria

• Priority will be given to those who got the first-class honours for his/her bachelor degree and master by coursework course with research components and/or publications
• Experience in electric/electronic wiring
• Some experience in conducting experiments using towing tank, model test basin or model scaled board
• Experience in collaborative research/publication with the existing AMC staff is also a plus

Application Process

Applicants who require more information or are interested in this specific project should first contact the listed Supervisor. Information and guidance on the application process can be found on the Apply Now website.

Information about scholarships is available on the Scholarships webpage.

More Information

Please contact, Hung Nguyen for further information.

Closing Date

30^th June 2020*

Applicants should contact the primary supervisor, and submit their Expression of Interest (EOI) and Application as soon as possible.

*unless filled earlier

The Research Project

Worldwide thrust to utilise clean energy sources is driving the development of electrically powered transportation systems. "Battery powered electric ferries" is a promising new advancement in this trend with the world's first being deployed in 2015, in Norway. Even though such ferries do not burn fossil fuels on-board and thus eliminate emissions in waters, batteries require grid power for charging resulting in a shift of emissions from one place to the other, rather than achieving zero emissions. Therefore, a real zero emission solution should have an on-board charging solution as well.

The most promising and practically achievable solution that meet this requirement is the battery-fuel cell hybrid power systems which is self-sustained and "totally green" in current terminology. Nevertheless, the engineering challenge of this solution is associated with the slow response and complex operation of fuel cells which require advanced power management strategies to operate on more than seven variables including current density, anode humidification temperature, cathode humidification temperature, pressures, oxygen flow rate, air flow rate and active surface area to maintain maximum efficiency.

The power management optimization strategies developed so far operate on a few variables listed above while keeping/assuming the others constant. A comprehensive optimization study which takes all the fuel cell variables, and also the load profile of an electric ferry, into account is not reported so far. Therefore, the aims of this project are to develop a laboratory prototype of a battery-fuel cell hybrid power system, test the behaviour of the fuel cell in various operating conditions and develop an artificial intelligence (AI) based power management optimization method targeting electric ferry applications.

Eligibility

• Optimization algorithms, Power electronics, Fuel Cells
• Applicants from variety of disciplines are eligible to apply

See the following web page for entry requirements: www.utas.edu.au/research/degrees/what-is-a-research-degree

Assessment Criteria

Ship power systems

Application Process

Applicants who require more information or are interested in this specific project should first contact the listed Supervisor. Information and guidance on the application process can be found on the Apply Now website.

Information about scholarships is available on the Scholarships webpage.

More Information

Please contact, Shantha Jayasinghe Arachchillage for further information.

Closing Date

30^th June 2020*

Applicants should contact the primary supervisor, and submit their Expression of Interest (EOI) and Application as soon as possible.

*unless filled earlier

The Research Project

Increasing complexity and demands on the safety and integrity of offshore installations requires a risk-based approach for the optimization and management of resources and physical assets. It is of great importance for the oil and gas industries operating in harsh environments to have highest level of safety, due to the challenge of harsh operating conditions and uncertainty of the degradation mechanism and integrity. This PhD research project would focus on the development of engineering models using advanced probabilistic techniques integrated within a risk-based framework to help answering the following important questions:

• What is the current status (i.e. integrity) of an asset?
• What is the expected remaining life of an asset?
• When should the next inspection be conducted? What data should be collected? What inspection method or tool should be used at least cost with greatest utility?
• What are the engineering and scheduling requirements for maintenance procedures and mitigation techniques to be used?
• How effective is the inspection and maintenance in reducing the risk?

The answers to these questions would help the operator in making a well-informed decision which will result in more effective maintenance management, higher level of safety, improved asset integrity and reduced uncertainty. The proposed methodology in Risk-based Integrity Assessment (RIA) will integrate engineering models to assess material degradation, structural integrity and system reliability. The outcome will define engineering requirements and obtain optimum inspection and maintenance schedules for maintaining the integrity of offshore structures.

Eligibility

The following eligibility criteria apply to this project:

• The project is open to domestic (Australian and New Zealand) and international candidates;
• The degree must be undertaken on a full-time basis;
• Applicants must already have been awarded a First-Class Honours degree or hold equivalent qualifications or relevant and substantial research experience in an appropriate sector;
• Advanced Knowledge of probabilistic techniques in engineering applications
• Basic knowledge of asset integrity management
• Knowledge of computer programming with MATLAB

Applicants with the following skills will rank highly:

• In-depth Knowledge of corrosion engineering particularly corrosion phenomena in sewer pipelines.
• Knowledge of using different machine learning techniques.

For More Information

Please contact Dr Vikram Garaniya for more information.

Closing Date

30^th June 2020*

Applicants should contact the primary supervisor, and submit their Expression of Interest (EOI) and Application as soon as possible.

*unless filled earlier

The Research Project

Nowadays, companies do not compete against each other but their supply chains. The service quality management is regarded as important tool in supply chains in gaining the competitive advantages in terms of achieving the maximum customer value while maintaining the lowest cost. Maritime transport is an essential section in the global supply chain system and is necessary to incorporate to the service quality management in the global supply chains. A maritime supply chain contains series of shipping activities concerning transporting cargoes from point of origin to the point of the destination. As such, service quality is a key factor in the utility function in the competitive maritime supply chain management. The service quality also has the impact on the pricing strategy for the maritime supply chain management. The research aims to provide reference for policy makers and industrial practitioners in maritime supply chains in terms of service quality management and gaining the competitive advantages.

Eligibility

• Operations Research, supply chain management, data analytics, maritime business
• Industrial experience in supply chain management and shipping-related areas

See the following web page for entry requirements: www.utas.edu.au/research/degrees/what-is-a-research-degree

Application Process

Applicants who require more information or are interested in this specific project should first contact the listed Supervisor. Information and guidance on the application process can be found on the Apply Now website.

Information about scholarships is available on the Scholarships webpage.

More Information

Please contact, Vera Zhang for further information.

Closing Date

30^th June 2020*

Applicants should contact the primary supervisor, and submit their Expression of Interest (EOI) and Application as soon as possible.

*unless filled earlier

The Research Project

The era of autonomous shipping is coming, driven by the intensive investment of several world leading organizations in development of commercial solutions for autonomous shipping. For example, Rolls-Royce is partnering with Intel to build self-driving ships into reality and it is expected their first unmanned vessel comes into operations by 2025. From the perspective of technologies, autonomous shipping is more and more viable. However, from the perspective of commercial operations and business models, the deployment of autonomous ships in a commercial fleet would bring remarkable changes to marine operations. For instance, it is expected that unmanned vessels operate with lower speeds to satisfy the safety and operational requirements. This would challenge the level of service (e.g. transit times) provided by the current shipping service network. In the meantime, autonomous ships will have a different shape and structure, particularly with the bridge removed, which provides higher capacity for cargoes. From the view angle of a shipping company, changes in ship capacities often mean the restructure of the whole shipping service network, including changes of service frequencies and fleet deployment. If both conventional man-operated ships and autonomous ships are adopted in a fleet, the design of the shipping service network will be much more complicated.

This project aims to address the shipping service network design problem when a shipping company is phasing in autonomous ships to the fleet, through optimisation approaches. All the essentials of the shipping service network design problem, including service frequency determination, ship routing, fleet deployment to services, and schedule design, will be considered. Optimisation models will be developed to account for the challenges brought by autonomous ships, such as lower sailing speeds, higher capacities, cargo-type limitation, and operational limitations of ships, in the forms of objectives and constraints.  Since the shipping service network design problem is intrinsically a NP-hard problem, we will designate efficient solution algorithms by taking advantages of heuristic rules, meta-heuristics, matheuristics.

The state-of-the-art commercial optimisation solvers, such as IBM ILOG CPLEX, Gurobi, and Mosek, will be adopted for benchmark purposes and/or an algorithmic component in matheuristics. Numerical experiments will be conducted to reveal the managerial implications of adopting autonomous ships in a commercial fleet. These implications are paramount for shipping companies before they actually deploy autonomous ships to their fleets.

Eligibility

The following eligibility criteria apply to this project:

• The project is open to domestic (Australian and New Zealand) and international candidates
• The degree must be undertaken on a full-time basis
• Applicants must already have been awarded a First Class Honours degree or hold equivalent qualifications (e.g. master’s degree) or relevant and substantial research experience in an appropriate sector
• Applicants must be able to demonstrate strong research and analytical skills

Candidates from a variety of disciplinary backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Knowledge and skills that will be ranked highly include:

• Computer programming in C++/Java/.Net/Python/Julia/Matlab
• Operations research and optimisation

For More Information

Please contact Dr Yuquan (Bill) Du for more information.

Closing Date

30^th June 2020*

Applicants should contact the primary supervisor, and submit their Expression of Interest (EOI) and Application as soon as possible.

*unless filled earlier

The Research Project

The Tasmanian Government has developed a food security strategy to ensure affordable, healthy food for Tasmanians . The Tasmania population (0.515 million people) is less than 10% of the Singaporean population (5.61 million people). Yet, its land area (68,401 km2) is about 95 times that of Singapore (721.5 km2). While the availability of land and natural resources is a great advantage for Tasmania, low population density goes against it especially in terms of the supply and distribution costs, as well as social and economic connectivity. This affects the efficacy of the State's food security strategy. 

Study objective and research questions:

The project's main objective is to study the role, operations and performance of the Tasmanian food supply network to ensure food security for Tasmanians. The study aims to answer the following research questions (RQ):

• RQ1: How can food supply network in Tasmania be mapped?
• RQ2: What are the roles of the stakeholders in the food security in Tasmania?
• RQ3: How well is the food supply network connected in Tasmania?
• RQ4: How can the food supply network in Tasmania be evaluated?

Research method:

The project aims to conduct network analysis of the food supply network in Tasmania to improve the efficiency and resilience of food security for the population, especially vulnerable people and families of with social and economic conditions in Tasmania. The study will involve the following:

• Food supply network mapping for Tasmania
• Calculation of network measures including density, degree distribution, degree centrality, betweenness centrality, closeness centrality, eigenvector centrality, cluster coefficient, assortativity
• Network analysis using the exponential/random network models to evaluate the effect of various factor on network formation and connectivity
• Stakeholder survey to study the issues and obstacles facing the food supply chain network and food security in Tasmania

How is this study expected to support food security for vulnerable Tasmanians?

RQ1 seeks to develop and gain an understanding of the structure of the food supply network in Tasmania. Based on this, RQ2 and RQ3 seek further insights into the role of and relationship between stakeholders in the food supply network respectively. RQ4 aims to gain a better understanding of the issues and improve the efficiency of the food supply network in Tasmania.

Eligibility

• Students are expected to be familiar with statistical/econometric analysis software such as SPSS, EViews, RATS, and R
• Work experience in business management, international organisations, the government or logistics sector is desirable
• Applicants must have research experience through in their previous study programs and background in logistics and supply chain management, and, or economics with at least basic knowledge in statistical/econometric analysis.

See the following web page for entry requirements: www.utas.edu.au/research/degrees/what-is-a-research-degree

Application Process

Applicants who require more information or are interested in this specific project should first contact the listed Supervisor. Information and guidance on the application process can be found on the Apply Now website.

Information about scholarships is available on the Scholarships webpage.

More Information

Please contact, Oanh Nguyen for further information.

Closing Date

30^th June 2020*

Applicants should contact the primary supervisor, and submit their Expression of Interest (EOI) and Application as soon as possible.

*unless filled earlier

The Research Project

Although Australia is one of largest island countries on earth, with 85% of the population living within 50km of the coast, the potential benefits of coastal shipping has not been achieved. Coastal shipping is not only the safest and greenest mode of transport, but can arguably provide 50% cost savings of transport cost and even more, for sufficiently large shipments. Despite the constraints of over dimensional cargo, fragile cargoes and increase interstate freight rate associated with road transportation yet close to 90% of interstate cargoes are moved by rail and road.

This project aims to investigate the obstacles and constraints on Australian coastal shipping and seeks to promote this sector. To achieve the objective, the project consists of three parts. The first part estimates the potential coastal freight task. The second part identifies and evaluates the effect of various factors on the cost and efficiency of intermodal coastal transport, especially the moving of cargoes from road to coastal shipping in the country to its potential capacity. The study considers various obstacles and constraints, including but not limited to demand-related demographic characteristics, distribution of shipment size; supply-related coastal fleet and port infrastructure; the institutional environment e.g. policy; and other factors e.g. technology and sustainable development. The third part aims at the developing of a strategic plan for Australian coastal shipping development.

Eligibility

• Applicants must be able to demonstrate strong research and analytical skills
• Applicants must already have been awarded a First Class Honours degree or hold equivalent qualifications (e.g. master's degree) or relevant and substantial research experience in an appropriate sector
• Applicants must have knowledge and skills in the following areas: Shipping operations; international trade; and freight operations

See the following web page for entry requirements: www.utas.edu.au/research/degrees/what-is-a-research-degree

Application Process

Applicants who require more information or are interested in this specific project should first contact the listed Supervisor. Information and guidance on the application process can be found on the Apply Now website.

Information about scholarships is available on the Scholarships webpage.

More Information

Please contact, Peter Fanam for further information.