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Dr. Jianfeng Xue from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) Canberra has received $450,000 for a project that aims to develop the mechanics of geosynthetic-reinforced flexible pavements as an urgent need for the Australian pavement industry to build more sustainable and economical roads. The outcomes will enable reliable prediction of reinforced pavement behavior, leading to better-performing geosynthetic products and more resilient pavements, reduced material usage and damage in pavements, and less environmental impact and maintenance cost.
The Australian Research Council (ARC) awarded six UNSW researchers grants totalling more than $2.8 million in its latest round of Linkage Projects. The funding will support projects ranging from next-generation ocean current forecasting to improve maritime safety to addressing regional Australia’s skills shortages and high-skill refugees’ employment. The ARC Linkage Program promotes national and international long-term strategic research partnerships between researchers and business, industry, community organizations and other publicly funded research agencies.
UNSW professor Nicholas Fisk, deputy vice-chancellor, research and enterprise, congratulated the university’s six lead researchers and their teams on being awarded these highly innovative industry projects. “With six ARC Linkage grants this round, UNSW is once again on the front foot of collaborative research, so fundamental to transforming industries, building communities, and strengthening the Australian economy,” Fisk said. “It’s fantastic to see such breadth in the major challenges being addressed, everything from nuclear fusion and satellite minoring of ocean currents, through to carers and caring, and refugee employment to address regional skill shortages.”