List of Titles

Efficient texture descriptors for image segmentation

- Tania, Sheikh

Authors: Tania, Sheikh
Date: 2022
Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
Full Text: false
Description: Colour and texture are the most common features used in image processing and computer vision applications. Unlike colour, a local texture descriptor needs to express the unique variation pattern in the intensity differences of pixels in the neighbourhood of the pixel-of-interest (POI) so that it can sufficiently discriminate different textures. Since the descriptor needs spatial manipulation of all pixels in the neighbourhood of the POI, approximation of texture impacts not only the computational cost but also the performance of the applications. In this thesis, we aim to develop novel texture descriptors, especially for hierarchical image segmentation techniques that have recently gained popularity for their wide range of applications in medical imaging, video surveillance, autonomous navigation, and computer vision in general. To pursue the aim, we focus in reducing the length of the texture feature and directly modelling the distribution of intensity-variation in the parametric space of a probability density function (pdf). In the first contributory chapter, we enhance the state-of-the-art Weber local descriptor (WLD) by considering the mean value of neighbouring pixel intensities along radial directions instead of sampling pixels at three scales. Consequently, the proposed descriptor, named Radial Mean WLD (RM-WLD), is three-fold shorter than WLD and it performs slightly better than WLD in hierarchical image segmentation. The statistical distributions of pixel intensities in different image regions are diverse by nature. In the second contributory chapter, we propose a novel texture feature, called ‘joint scale,’ by directly modelling the probability distribution of intensity differences. The Weibull distribution, one of the extreme value distributions, is selected for this purpose as it can represent a wide range of probability distributions with a couple of parameters. In addition, gradient orientation feature is calculated from all pixels in the neighbourhood with an extended Sobel operator, instead of using only the vertical and horizontal neighbours as considered in WLD. The length of the texture descriptor combining joint scale and gradiet orientation features remains the same as RM-WLD, but it exhibits significantly improved discrimination capability for better image segmentation. Initial regions in hierarchical segmentation play an important role in approximating texture features. Traditional arbitrary-shaped initial regions maintain the uniform colour property and thus may not retain the texture pattern of the segment they belong to. In the final contributory chapter, we introduce regular-shaped initial regions by enhancing the cuboidal partitioning technique, which has recently gained popularity in image/video coding research. Since the regions (cuboids) of cuboidal partitioning are of rectangular shape, they do not follow the colour-based boundary adherence of traditional initial regions. Consequently, the cuboids retain sufficient texture pattern cues to provide better texture approximation and discriminating capability. We have used benchmark segmentation datasets and metrics to evaluate the proposed texture descriptors. Experimental results on benchmark metrics and computational time are promising when the proposed texture features are used in the state-of-the-art iterative contraction and merging (ICM) image segmentation technique.
Description: Doctor of Philosophy

Machine learning-based optimal load balancing in software-defined networks

- Sharma, Aakanksha

Authors: Sharma, Aakanksha
Date: 2022
Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
Full Text: false
Description: The global advancement of the Internet of Things (IoT) has poised the existing network traffic for explosive growth. The prediction in the literature shows that in the future, trillions of smart devices will connect to transfer useful information. Accommodating such proliferation of devices in the existing network infrastructure, referred to as the traditional network, is a significant challenge due to the absence of centralized control, making it tedious to implement the device management and network protocol updates. In addition, due to their inherently distributed features, applying machine learning mechanisms in traditional networks is demanding. Consequently, it leads to an imbalanced load in the network that affects the overall network Quality of Service (QoS). Expanding the existing infrastructure and manual traffic control methods are inadequate to cope with the exponential growth of IoT devices. Therefore, an intelligent system is necessary for future networks that can efficiently organize, manage, maintain, and optimize the growing networks. Software-defined network (SDN) has a holistic view of the network and is highly suitable for handling dynamic loads in the traditional network with a minimal update in the network infrastructure. However, the standard SDN architecture control plane has been designed for a single controller or multiple distributed controllers that faces severe bottleneck issues. Our initial research created a reference model for the traditional network, using the standard SDN (SDN) in a network simulator called NetSim. Based on the network traffic, the reference models consisted of light, modest and heavy networks depending on the number of connected IoT devices. Furthermore, the research was enhanced with a priority scheduling and congestion control algorithm in the standard SDN, named extended SDN (eSDN), which minimized the network congestion and performed better than the existing SDN. However, enhancement was suitable only for the small-scale network because, in a large-scale network, the eSDN does not support dynamic controller mapping in the network. Often, the same controller gets overloaded, leading to a single point of failure. Our exhaustive literature review shows that the majority of proposed solutions are based on static controller deployment without considering flow fluctuations and traffic bursts that lead to a lack of load balancing among controllers in real-time, eventually increasing the network latency. Often, the switch experiences a traffic burst, and consequently, the corresponding controller might overload. Therefore, to maintain the Quality of Service (QoS) in the network, it becomes imperative for the static controller to neutralize the on-the-fly traffic burst. Addressing the above-mentioned issues demands research critical to improving the QoS in load balancing, latency minimisation, and network reliability for next- generation networks. Our novel dynamic controller mapping algorithm with multiple- controller placement in the SDN is critical in solving the identified issues. In the dynamic controller approach (dSDN), the controllers are mapped dynamically as the load fluctuates. If any controller reaches its maximum threshold, the rest of the traffic will be diverted to another controller, significantly reducing delay and enhancing the overall performance. Our technique considers the latency and load fluctuation in the network and manages the situations where static mapping is ineffective in dealing with the dynamic flow variation. In addition, our novel approach adds more intelligence to the network with a Temporal Deep Q Learning (tDQN) approach for dynamic controller mapping when the flow fluctuates. In this technique, a multi-objective optimization problem for flow fluctuation is formulated to dynamically divert the traffic to the best-suited controller. The formulated technique is placed as an agent in the network controller to take care of all the routing decisions, which can solve the dynamic flow mapping and latency optimization without increasing the number of optimally placed controllers. Extensive simulation results show that the novel approach proposed in this thesis solves dynamic flow mapping by maintaining a balanced load among controllers and outperforms the existing traditional networks and SDN with priority scheduling and congestion control. Compared to traditional networks, tDQN provides a 47.48% increase in throughput, a 99.10% reduction in delay and a 97.98% reduction in jitter for heavy network traffic. The thesis also presents a few future research directions as possible extensions of the current work for further enhancement.
Description: Doctor of Philosophy

Toxicity of opal Australian paper weak black liquors towards actinobacillus succinogenes 130Z

- Halder, Dibyadeep

Authors: Halder, Dibyadeep
Date: 2022
Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
Full Text: false
Description: The objective of this study was to gain a better understanding of Opal Australian Paper’s (AP’s) waste streams as a potential substrate for biomanufacturing. Three low-value process streams were included in this study: Continuous Kraft Mill (CKM) weak black liquor (WBL), Neutral Sulphite Semi-Chemical (NSSC) WBL and WBL extracted from NSSC clean-pulp (CP). The primary focus of the study was to determine the chemical composition and extent of toxicity of these WBLs towards Actinobacillus succinogenes 130Z. This genetically engineered bacterium can produce a valuable platform chemical, succinic acid, using various carbohydrate sources. This project sought to increase knowledge of AP’s WBL and its suitability as a biomanufacturing substrate. Literature has been reviewed on various pre-treatment pathways for this waste stream, A. succinogenes 130Z and its effectiveness on producing succinic acid, and the analytical techniques that have been used to answer the project objectives. The effectiveness of pre-treating the NSSC and CP WBLs was measured using the following characteristics: (a) the colour content (specific absorbance) using UV-Vis spectroscopy, (b) indicative yields of several organic constituents through pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy, (c) the atomic H/C and S/C ratios using an elemental analysis and (d) toxicity of the samples using a combination of semi-quantitative (plating trials) and quantitative (determination of minimum bactericidal concentration) techniques. The impact of an additional pre-treatment step of granular activated carbon for NSSC WBL was also researched here. InfraRed spectroscopy and toxicity analysis helped to conclude that CKM WBL is extremely toxic to Actinobacillus succinogenes 130Z and contained negligible amounts of residual sugar units. Characterising the NSSC and CP WBLs at the molecular level revealed the untreated WBLs are rich in lignin-derived methoxyphenols (up to 160 mg/kg) and contained low concentrations of elemental sulphur (up to approx. 1 mg/kg). Infra-red spectroscopy and gas chromatography indicated that the fermentable sugars in the WBLs were very low (< 1.2 mg/kg) even after pre-treatment. Both methoxyphenols and sulphur are known to be toxic to many bacteria and A. succinogenes 130Z could not tolerate more than 0.45 mg/ml (db, dry basis) and 0.78 mg/ml (db) of NSSC and CP WBLs respectively. Employing Amberlite® XAD7HP resins to pre-treat the NSSC and CP WBLs reduced their toxicity 2- to 5-fold, enabling the bacterium to survive in about 2.5 mg/ml (db) and 1 mg/ml (db) of NSSC and CP WBLs respectively. One possible reason for this is the significant reduction in lignin content afforded by this pre-treatment technique. These results conclude that AP’s WBLs are toxic and need to undergo pre-treatment prior to utilisation as a substrate for succinic acid production via fermentation.
Description: Masters by Research

Toxicity of opal Australian paper weak black liquors towards actinobacillus succinogenes 130Z

- Halder, Dibyadeep

Authors: Halder, Dibyadeep
Date: 2022
Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
Full Text: false
Description: The objective of this study was to gain a better understanding of Opal Australian Paper’s (AP’s) waste streams as a potential substrate for biomanufacturing. Three low-value process streams were included in this study: Continuous Kraft Mill (CKM) weak black liquor (WBL), Neutral Sulphite Semi-Chemical (NSSC) WBL and WBL extracted from NSSC clean-pulp (CP). The primary focus of the study was to determine the chemical composition and extent of toxicity of these WBLs towards Actinobacillus succinogenes 130Z. This genetically engineered bacterium can produce a valuable platform chemical, succinic acid, using various carbohydrate sources. This project sought to increase knowledge of AP’s WBL and its suitability as a biomanufacturing substrate. Literature has been reviewed on various pre-treatment pathways for this waste stream, A. succinogenes 130Z and its effectiveness on producing succinic acid, and the analytical techniques that have been used to answer the project objectives. The effectiveness of pre-treating the NSSC and CP WBLs was measured using the following characteristics: (a) the colour content (specific absorbance) using UV-Vis spectroscopy, (b) indicative yields of several organic constituents through pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy, (c) the atomic H/C and S/C ratios using an elemental analysis and (d) toxicity of the samples using a combination of semi-quantitative (plating trials) and quantitative (determination of minimum bactericidal concentration) techniques. The impact of an additional pre-treatment step of granular activated carbon for NSSC WBL was also researched here. InfraRed spectroscopy and toxicity analysis helped to conclude that CKM WBL is extremely toxic to Actinobacillus succinogenes 130Z and contained negligible amounts of residual sugar units. Characterising the NSSC and CP WBLs at the molecular level revealed the untreated WBLs are rich in lignin-derived methoxyphenols (up to 160 mg/kg) and contained low concentrations of elemental sulphur (up to approx. 1 mg/kg). Infra-red spectroscopy and gas chromatography indicated that the fermentable sugars in the WBLs were very low (< 1.2 mg/kg) even after pre-treatment. Both methoxyphenols and sulphur are known to be toxic to many bacteria and A. succinogenes 130Z could not tolerate more than 0.45 mg/ml (db, dry basis) and 0.78 mg/ml (db) of NSSC and CP WBLs respectively. Employing Amberlite® XAD7HP resins to pre-treat the NSSC and CP WBLs reduced their toxicity 2- to 5-fold, enabling the bacterium to survive in about 2.5 mg/ml (db) and 1 mg/ml (db) of NSSC and CP WBLs respectively. One possible reason for this is the significant reduction in lignin content afforded by this pre-treatment technique. These results conclude that AP’s WBLs are toxic and need to undergo pre-treatment prior to utilisation as a substrate for succinic acid production via fermentation.
Description: Master by Research

Analytical and numerical approaches to evaluate the effect of time-dependent and time-independent soil characteristics on the stability of deep excavations

- Ghadrdan, Mohsen

Authors: Ghadrdan, Mohsen
Date: 2021
Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
Full Text: false
Description: Excavating the ground for different purposes, such as extracting valuable materials or undertaking urban construction, may cause concerns regarding the stability of the formed slopes, which can affect the environment, the economy, and human lives. Slope stability analysis in large-scale and deep excavations such as open-pit mines is challenging due to uncertainties regarding varying material parameters, complex field conditions and lack of or insufficient data such as pore water pressure distribution, in-situ stress conditions, and discontinuities. Despite different advanced analytical and numerical slope stability techniques having been developed, slope stability analysis may produce unreliable conclusions due to these uncertainties and challenges. This study’s objective is to investigate the effect of different factors associated with slope stability through a case study of the Yallourn brown coal open pit mine in Australia. In this study, the two most common slope stability methods—the Limit Equilibrium Method (LEM) and the Finite Element Method (FEM)—were employed. A comprehensive study was conducted to determine how the generation and dissipation of Negative Excess Pore-Water Pressure (NEPWP) affect slope stability assessments. Additionally, due to the complex geological stratigraphy of the site, different scenarios for geological layering were defined and investigated for the slope stability analyses. Moreover, the sensitivity of the slope stability assessment to not only different material characteristics but also different formulations and assumptions of LEM and FEM are presented.
Description: Doctor of Philosophy

Elastoplasticity of Victorian brown coal and its interaction with interseam clay

- Karami, Mojtaba

Authors: Karami, Mojtaba
Date: 2021
Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
Full Text: false
Description: Batter instability is one of the major geotechnical concerns in open-cut mining of recent decades. A key factor in undertaking any stability assessment of batters and determining their Factor of Safety (FoS) against instability is understanding the geotechnical properties of the material comprising the batters. These geotechnical properties usually include stiffness and strength under various loading conditions such as compression, extension and creep. This thesis presents a comprehensive study of the geotechnical properties of materials comprising the batters in the Yallourn open-cut mine in Victoria, Australia, located at one of the largest sources of brown coal in the world. The materials studied in this research are Victorian Brown Coal (VBC) and fine-grained interseam material (containing mainly silt and clay particles). The presented study is based on four key steps undertaken during the research project: 1. Field investigation This step included drilling boreholes at the mine floor and mine crest and recovering samples of VBC and interseam for laboratory testing. Sample trays were logged to provide lithology data required for model generation for numerical modelling undertaken by other PhD students. 2. Laboratory testing This step involved a wide range of laboratory tests on undisturbed samples of VBC and interseam material to investigate soil characteristics, stiffness and strength of tested materials. 3. Data analysis and parameter determination This step included analysing the laboratory test results, preparing stress-strain plots and determining material properties such as pre-consolidation pressure, stiffness and strength. 4. Numerical analysis and model calibration This step included selecting proper constitutive models and determining the models’ parameters based on laboratory tests. The capability of models was then examined by verifying numerical model simulation against laboratory test results. The laboratory tests indicated that VBC shows a hardening feature in compression, leading to brittle failure, while also showing a sharp post-peak softening behaviour. The tests also showed that the interseam material is heavily over-consolidated with a dilative hardening feature. The stiffness and shear strength of the interseam were found to be sensitive to the applied strain rate. The conducted creep tests (applying constant shear stress for a selected period) under triaxial undrained conditions resulted in developing pore water pressure leading to creep failure. Based on the laboratory test results and the obtained geotechnical features of the tested materials, Hardening Soil (HS) and Soft Soil Creep (SSC) models were chosen to describe the geotechnical behaviour of both VBC and interseam material. Both models were calibrated using test results and employed in simulated laboratory tests, including oedometer and triaxial Consolidated Undrained (CU) tests using the Finite Element Method (FEM). This study indicates that, although most of the models’ parameters were determined successfully based on laboratory test results, engineering judgement and back calculating were required to find the best fit for the numerical simulations. The numerical modelling of oedometer and triaxial tests showed that the nonlinear hardening behaviour of VBC and interseam material was captured by the HS model. The stress path in triaxial CU tests and the stress-strain curve in unloading-reloading were simulated well by the HS model. The strain-rate dependency and creep behaviour of interseam material were simulated well by the SSC model, indicating that this model can predict the long-term behaviour of interseam material.
Description: Doctor of Philosophy

Manifestation of token behaviours on corporate boards; a qualitative study

- Bhardwaj, Sneh

Authors: Bhardwaj, Sneh
Date: 2021
Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
Full Text: false
Description: As boards are central to organisational performance, an ineffective board functioning has long remained a matter of concern among corporate governance researchers, board practitioners, policy makers and the media not only in India – the context of this study – but also across the regions of Asia-Pacific, Africa, Europe, and the Americas. An important aspect of boards’ ineffective working concerns directors’ token board behaviours. This debate in corporate governance circles however continuously adheres to a gender/minority-focused approach, attributing token board behaviours to the gender of minority directors on corporate boards (i.e., women directors). The study aims to examine, firstly, the selection process and criteria for corporate board directors’ appointments in India. Secondly, this thesis examines how the quota appointees are being recruited, integrated, and treated by corporate boards in India, to explain the ensuing participation of quota appointees. The third contribution is (from the third and fourth study aims) a more nuanced explanation of token board behaviours of Indian men and women directors (beyond the commonplace explanation of token board behaviours based on the number of minority directors on corporate boards) from an in-depth examination of directors’ board conduct. The research draws on three theories. Firstly, the resource dependence theory (RDT) lens is used to review the literature on board appointments. RDT supports an argument that board composition impacts board processes, dynamics, and culture, and vice versa. Secondly, the token theory, which identifies the inclusion of minority groups as a perfunctory gesture, is used as a putative explanation for effective/ineffective board participation of directors. Thirdly, the institutional theory is applied to examine the findings related to directors’ quota-based board appointments in response to institutional pressures, namely, coercive, normative, and mimetic. An interpretative phenomenological approach informs this study’s research design. I developed four research questions and, to answer these, conducted twenty-seven semi-structured interviews with Indian board directors to obtain first-hand narration of lived experiences in this context. The findings indicate that a majority of directors consider the pre-, during and post-meeting board dis-engagement, impaired board culture, poorly structured board processes, lacunae in director selection including those of the law-supported women directors and board inexperience of directors as determinants of token behaviour on boards, rather than attributing this understanding to the gender of board minorities alone. These results provide an enhanced understanding of token behaviours manifested by board directors. In so doing, new proposals for restructuring directors’ selection processes, quota law’s implementation, directors’ board roles and boards’ internal functioning are offered. The research has implications for regulators, companies, and governments attempting to enhance the corporate governance effectiveness of corporate boards by putting an end to directors’ token behaviours.
Description: Doctor of Philosophy

The effect of swimming training load on supraspinatus tendon thickness and shoulder pain in elite swimmers

- Jabornik, Kirsten

Authors: Jabornik, Kirsten
Date: 2021
Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
Full Text: false
Description: Swimming is one of the top three participant sports in Australia and enjoys a high public profile. Shoulder injuries are commonly sustained by swimmers and are associated with significant morbidity as well as impaired swimming performance. Supraspinatus tendinopathy has been found to be present in a large proportion of competitive swimmers. The use of ultrasound has been found to be a reliable and valid tool in assessing supraspinatus tendon thickness changes. Primarily this thesis investigated the relationship between changes in supraspinatus tendon thickness and shoulder pain among elite Australian swimmers. The thesis investigated how swimming practice load and intensity resulted in supraspinatus tendon thickness changes. Furthermore, retrospective data investigates the link between training related supraspinatus tendon thickness changes and future incidence of shoulder pain. The research ascertained that swimming practice results in significantly greater increases in supraspinatus tendon thickness in swimmer’s shoulders with a history of shoulder pain. The evaluation of volume and intensity demonstrated a greater increase in thickness as a result of high intensity low volume practice compared with that of high volume low intensity practice in swimmer’s shoulders without a history of pain. While retrospective data identified a significant association between the increase in tendon thickness immediately post a swimming practice and the tendon thickness at six hours post practice and the incidence of significant interfering shoulder pain at both three and six months post testing. These findings provide an evidence base for the use of supraspinatus tendon thickness measures to assess a swimmer’s readiness to train when returning from an episode of shoulder pain. Additionally, the shoulder tendon response to varying training loads, including different intensity and volume and how this may be associated with future incidence of pain may guide coaches and clinical staff in the planning of training programs and training periodisation to manage shoulder pain incidence
Description: Doctor of Philosophy

A Ballarat chinese family biography – an intergenerational study

- Horsfield, Yvonne

Authors: Horsfield, Yvonne
Date: 2020
Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
Full Text: false
Description: This thesis addresses the gap that has existed in Ballarat’s historiography regarding the historical neglect and ignorance of Chinese family narratives and their life experiences. In doing so this thesis presents a longitudinal, three generational study of an immigrant Ballarat Chinese family from the early 1860s until the 1950s. It examines how members of each Tong Way generation strove to gain acceptance and establish an enduring sense of cultural belonging in a former regional, Victorian gold mining city. An ancestor, Liu Chou Hock, was a sojourner who arrived on the Haddon goldfield in 1862 and successfully worked a claim. Within three years, he returned to his village, Wang Tung, in Taishan, China. His experience was in sharp contrast to that of his son John Tong Way (Liu’ Zongwei) who permanently settled in Ballarat. The family strived to integrate against a background of migrant adjustment, ethnic discrimination and later a policy of assimilation. These factors represented a challenge for all Chinese who remained until the White Australia Policy was abandoned by the Whitlam Labor government in 1973. Unlike Caucasian immigrants, who could assimilate, whilst retaining certain features of their ethnic identification, the Chinese were culturally alienated and often excluded from everyday cultural life and practice. They represented a demographically significant ethnic minority. The thesis also compares the experiences of the Ballarat and Bendigo Chinese communities in order to examine the similarities and differences. In doing so, it analyses how they were able to establish a sense of belonging in their respective communities. The analysis of the Ballarat family’s experiences, combined with that of other Chinese descent families forms the basis of an extended case study. One that argues that adaptation was necessitated by their individual aspirations for acceptance, respectability and success.
Description: Doctor of Philosophy

Exploring the interior : performing situated responsibility in postcolonising Australia

- Berger, Karen

Authors: Berger, Karen
Date: 2020
Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
Full Text: false
Description: Theatre is a powerful way to investigate the operation of borders due to its live, immediate focus on representation and its potential to test a society’s boundaries. This practice-led research incorporates a performance and an exegesis to ask, ‘How can site-specific theatre that investigates the performance of borders and heterotopia enhance understanding of individual responsibility in postcolonising Australia?’ I take the term postcolonising from Aileen Moreton-Robinson, who argues that the beneficiaries of settler-colonialism (such as myself) must accept responsibility for the past before attempting to address its injustices. As an artist, I am inspired by anthropologist, Deborah Bird Rose, who privileges storytelling as a way of breaking boundaries between the past and present. Michel Foucault coined the term heterotopia (other place) to denote a single real space that juxtaposes several sites that are incompatible. This evokes the contemporary Australian situation of contested sovereignty. As Joanne Tompkins argues, heterotopic theatre can enact such a space in order to raise awareness and work towards societal change. My research demonstrates this both theoretically and practically. My exegesis crosses borders to create a heterotopia by juxtaposing past, present and possible futures, stories and theoretical understandings from diverse sources. The performance created at my home, rather than in a theatre, layers family, local, Australian and international histories to highlight the continuum between the personal and political, and to question current structures of power and knowledge. I use site-specific theatre to diminish the boundaries between performer and audience, creating a visceral heterotopia that facilitates a deeper understanding of personal responsibility in the context of postcolonising Australia.
Description: Doctor of Philosophy

FEM and XFEM approaches to Investigate the Hydromechanical Interactions within a jointed soft-rock slope

- Shaghaghi, Tahereh

Authors: Shaghaghi, Tahereh
Date: 2020
Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
Full Text: false
Description: One of the most significant challenges of open-cut mining is to provide stability for the excavated slopes. Unrealistic predictions of the slopes’ behaviour during and after mining operations can lead to the failure of slopes, and this may pose a threat to human lives, the economy, and the environment. By excavating soft rock masses in open-cut mines, pre-existing joints can open and new joints can form behind excavated slopes. This phenomenon is due to the geotechnical character of the materials and stress relief movements of the excavated slopes. The stability of slopes in the rock masses is significantly influenced by the existence of discontinuities such as joints. The water flows in the opened joints can change the pore water pressure distribution in the slopes. The interaction between the joints and the water may impose different loading scenarios on the open-cut mines and put the safety of mining operations at risk. The analysis of slope stability can become more complicated because of the presence of water, discontinuities, and their interaction within the slopes in open-cut mines. This study investigates the hydromechanical interactions in the saturated jointed slopes due to pore water pressure changes. The second-largest open-cut mine in Australia, the Yallourn brown coal open-cut mine located in Victoria, was chosen as the case study for this research. In this study, several coupled pore fluid diffusion and stress-strain analyses are conducted using the extended finite element method (XFEM) in conjunction with the finite element method (FEM). This study firstly examines a joint aperture and pore water pressure changes of the excavated jointed slope due to installing a drainage system and backfilling in front of the slope. Secondly, a series of sensitivity analyses are carried out on the pore water pressure distribution changes to the variation of the permeability magnitude of the material and leakage properties of the joint surfaces. Finally, to control the pore water pressure of the saturated jointed slope, a series of drainage systems is designed. The arrangement and length of the drains are optimised by conducting a series of sensitivity analyses on the leakage properties of the joint and the permeability of the soft rock.
Description: Doctor of Philosophy

Impact of workplace guanxi on knowledge sharing and innovative work behaviour : a study of academic staff of Chinese local universities in Guangdong Province

- Liu, Li

Authors: Liu, Li
Date: 2020
Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
Full Text: false
Description: This thesis aims to investigate the impact of workplace guanxi upon knowledge sharing and innovative work behaviour. Knowledge sharing and innovative work behaviour are two behavioural variables which have been linked to various positive individual and organisational outcomes. Against the changing landscape of Chinese higher education, the two behaviours are particularly important for the success of Chinese academic staff and the local universities where they work. Extant literature has demonstrated that workplace interpersonal relationships such as leader-member exchange and team-member exchange are positively associated with individual’s work behaviours, such as knowledge sharing and innovative work behaviour. However, there is a scant literature on the impact of workplace guanxi upon the two workplace behaviours. Using conservation of resource theory and social exchange theory, this research conceptualised a structural model to study the impact of workplace guanxi upon knowledge sharing and innovative work behaviour. A positivist approach with cross-sectional design and structural equation modelling was adopted to test the conceptualised model. Data were extracted from 479 academic staff of seven local universities in Guangdong Province of China, through selfreport questionnaire. A positive relationship was found between coworker guanxi and knowledge sharing. In contrast, no relationship was found between supervisor-subordinate guanxi and knowledge sharing. The relationship between coworker guanxi and knowledge sharing was fully mediated by teammember exchange and job satisfaction. In terms of innovative work behaviour, both supervisorsubordinate guanxi and coworker guanxi displayed a positive relationship with innovative work behaviour. Coworker guanxi showed a stronger relationship with innovative work behaviour than supervisor-subordinate guanxi did. The relationship between supervisorsubordinate guanxi and innovative work behaviour was direct. The relationship between coworker guanxi and innovative work behaviour was indirect, with full mediation of teammember exchange, job satisfaction and knowledge sharing. This thesis contributes to the literature on explaining the role of workplace guanxi, including supervisor-subordinate guanxi and coworker guanxi on knowledge sharing and innovative work behaviour. The study also demonstrates to higher education institute managers that the cultivation of academic staff’s workplace guanxi, and particularly their guanxi with peer academics, promotes academic staff’s displays of knowledge sharing and innovative work behaviour which are beneficial at both individual and organisational levels within the higher education context.
Description: Doctor of Philosophy

'You Beauty' Alex Jesaulenko An historical exploration of the migrant who became a legend

- Eddy, Daniel

Authors: Eddy, Daniel
Date: 2019
Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
Full Text: false
Description: The Austrian-born Alex Jesaulenko played football in the Victorian Football League (VFL) from 1967 to 1981. His rise to national prominence emerged during a period of great change within both Australian society and Australian rules football. This thesis, through a critical biographical approach, examines for the first time Jesaulenko’s early life, looking at his migrant experience and the role that Australian rules football played in aiding his integration into Australian society. It is not a kick-and-handball analysis of Jesaulenko’s entire football career; that has been extensively covered within copious amounts of primary and secondary sources. Instead, it explores his migrant journey – an important aspect of Jesaulenko’s life which has been largely overlooked – and the key developmental years of sporting education prior to emerging as a VFL champion. It concludes with one of, if not the most, iconic moments in the game’s history: Jesaulenko’s mark in the 1970 VFL grand final, which cemented his name within the Australian sporting consciousness. Australian rules football, and sport more generally, holds a unique place within society. Footballers, it can be argued, are archetypes for our daily dreams and aspirations; exalted figures that we afford status which few will experience in their everyday lives. Therefore, it is through the prism of Jesaulenko’s journey that we can learn more about the role Australian rules football has played for migrants integrating into Australian society.
Description: Doctor of Philosophy

Regeneration of sulfur rich amines in a combined capture system aimed to lower the cost of PCC in Australian coal fired power plants

- Garg, Bharti

Authors: Garg, Bharti
Date: 2019
Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
Full Text: false
Description: Coal is the dominant and most reliable source of energy in Australia. However, the increasing global temperatures and its impact on the climate raises concerns on the use of coal worldwide. Due to availability of abundant, cheap quality coals, Australia is researching how it and its international customers can continue to use its abundant coal resources whilst limiting greenhouse emissions. Hence, low CO2 emitting energy technologies like carbon capture and storage (CCS) have an important role to play not only in power but also the cement and steel industries Post-combustion CO2 capture (PCC), the most developed technology in CCS using aqueous amines to capture CO2, still face challenges for its large-scale commercialisation. The cost of electricity with PCC rises to almost double that produced without integrating PCC technology in new power stations. The retrofit of PCC technology into existing power stations is very site specific and costs can be around half of the cost of building a new power plant. Apart from this, the implementation of PCC poses an energy penalty to the power station as the efficiency of the plant can drop almost by 10-11% due to the increased solvent heating and CO2 compression loads. Particularly with the nations like Australia, the cost of PCC installation is even higher as there are no flue gas desulfurisation (FGD) units in Australian power stations. The presence of harmful gases like SO2 in coal-fired power plant flue gases affect CO2 capture performance during PCC due to the higher affinity of amines to absorb stronger acidic gases against CO2 which is a weaker acid gas than SO2. These stronger acidic gases tend to form heat stable salts with the absorbent amines used to capture CO2 . Heat stable salts refer to the thermally non-regenerable protonated amines which are usually produced when the amine solution is contaminated by organic acids (Weiland et al., 2004). Hence, the bonded amine is not available for CO2 capture, increasing the requirement for makeup amine resulting in higher operating cost. Therefore, FGD units are an essential requirement before the installation of PCC facilities in a coal-fired power station. This results in a levelised cost of electricity in Australian power plants that is high compared to nations which have FGD installed in their power stations. CSIRO has developed a combined capture process to simultaneously capture CO2 and SO2 from Australian power plant flue gases using a single amine absorbent in order to lower the cost of PCC installation in Australia. The process generates a unique sulfur rich amine absorbent which needs regeneration. This thesis investigates various amine regeneration processes, using MEA as a reference, and their commercial viability to the CS-Cap process. Due to the unique nature of the sulfur rich absorbent generated in the CS-Cap process, its amine is recoverable through many other regeneration processes besides standard thermal reclamation. My thesis investigates the effectiveness of regeneration techniques like Ion exchange, Electro-dialysis, Crystallisation, Nano-filtration in regenerating the sulfur rich amine. Initially the theoretical investigation was carried as a part of literature review and further a brief exploratory laboratory scale evaluation of the most suited technologies was carried out. The results obtained from laboratory scale experimentation were fed to an Aspen Plus simulation model in order to understand the behaviour of the system under various operating conditions. Further a cost estimation was carried out in order to produce a high level cost for the selected regeneration technologies in the CS-Cap process. The cost of the regeneration technologies were further integrated into the overall CO2 capture process in order to compare the cost of standard FGD + PCC process against the CS-Cap process which answers the broader research question whether the CS-Cap process will be economical for Australian coal power plants. Overall this thesis reveals the effectiveness of various technologies in regenerating sulfur rich amines. It suggests CSIRO’s patented CS-Cap process is a cost-effective approach for capturing CO2 from Australian coal fired power plants despite its sensitivity to regeneration cost.
Description: Doctor of Philosophy

The Esoteric Osteopath : Thomas Ambrose Bowen (1916-1982) and his contemporaries : exploring influences, networks, creativity and embodiment

- Strachan, Shirley

Authors: Strachan, Shirley
Date: 2019
Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
Full Text: false
Description: This PhD is the first prosopographical study of two generations of Australian manual healers in the twentieth century. The central historical figure is Thomas Ambrose Bowen (1916-1982) a self-titled Australian osteopath and arguably a therapeutic genius turned victim of health politics of the twentieth century. Bowen was stripped of his osteopathic identity as a result of political machinations that occurred during regulation of the industry in the late-1970s and early-1980s. This thesis reveals the legitimacy of Bowen’s claim to osteopathic stature and how his career is representative of the experience of a number of osteopaths during regulation of chiropractic and osteopathy. Bowen’s career was obscured in two respects. Firstly, in the lead up to the Chiropractors and Osteopaths Act 1978, overseas educated interests sought to disenfranchise Australian practitioners. This was offset by a successful response from the Australian chiropractic lobby. Secondly, posthumous commercial popularisation of Bowen’s claimed work, absent observer consensus and historical research, has further served to obfuscate Bowen’s prowess and marginalised his legacy. This thesis is the first to link Bowen’s practice to the influence of F G Roberts, an early Australian pioneer of naturopathic osteopathy. It explores Bowen’s emergence from a network of prominent football masseurs to his professional engagement with osteopathic advocates. This thesis is the first historical study to present the clinical life and times of Bowen among his contemporaries. In doing so it examines his broader significance as a consummate Australian osteopath. New historical narratives founded on extensive primary sources, oral histories as well as discourse analysis, ethnography, biography, hermeneutics and cultural mapping are used to place Bowen in context with his peers on the Australian osteopathic stage. Posthumous narratives that underpin commercial global marketing are challenged to the extent they obscure a clear historical view of Bowen and his marginalised contemporaries as unique actors in their struggle for recognition
Description: Doctor of Philosophy

Lime stabilisation of an Australian silty clay and its application in construction of excavation retaining walls by cutter soil mixing

- Ranjbar Pouya, Kaveh

Authors: Ranjbar Pouya, Kaveh
Date: 2018
Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
Full Text: false
Description: Coode Island Silt (CIS) is one of the predominant geological units in Melbourne, Australia. Having high compressibility and low shear strength, CIS is considered a problematic soft soil that challenges the construction of infrastructure in the region. To tackle such challenges, one practical approach is the application of ground improvement techniques such as in situ soil mixing. This PhD study focuses on the application of Cutter Soil Mixing (CSM) for the construction of excavation retaining walls in CIS. Although cement is widely used in most CSM projects, this study investigates the suitability of different lime types available in the Australian market as a potential alternative to cement for the stabilisation of CIS. To investigate the effect of lime stabilisation, a comprehensive geotechnical characterisation of untreated and lime treated CIS is performed. Four different lime types are used: agricultural lime, quicklime, hydrated lime and slag lime. Based on the results obtained from strength tests, slag lime was found to be the most effective among the four types that were tested. The optimum slag lime to CIS ratio is then found for the construction of retaining walls in CIS. Having the geotechnical characterisation of untreated and treated CIS from the laboratory experiments, a series of two-dimensional and three-dimensional finite element method (FEM) analyses were conducted to investigate the applicability and reliability of the selected mixing ratio for the construction of CSM excavation retaining walls in CIS. A nonlinear constitutive soil model was employed, calibrated and verified to be used in FEM analyses to investigate both the stability factor of safety and excavation-induced deformations. The results obtained for both undrained and fully coupled flow deformation analyses prove that CSM panels can be constructed by mixing slag lime and CIS to act as retaining walls to allow for deep excavation in CIS.
Description: Doctor of Philosophy

A kinship of creatures : Exploring the mutuality of lived experience

- Ní Shíocháin, Máirín

Authors: Ní Shíocháin, Máirín
Date: 2017
Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
Full Text: false
Description: This practice-led research explores questions of interspecies empathy, mutuality and kinship within the context of visual art. The study is situated broadly within the cross-disciplinary field of Animal Studies and espouses an animal advocacy stance within contemporary arts practice. It addresses concerns about the role of animals in contemporary art and proposes that creating art should not subordinate the ethical treatment of animals. The parameters of this investigation are defined by empathy theory, or Einfühlung. This was deemed an appropriate foundation to underpin the research given its historical association with aesthetic perceptions of works of art as well as empathic responses to other living entities including non-humans. Einfühlung and other contributing conceptual frameworks, including compassionate conservation and animal individuality are thoroughly evaluated in a review of relevant literature. Current arts practice in which the ‘animal’ plays a role is critically examined. The consequences for animals in contemporary art are more often malign than benign and this contrasts with progressive thinking about animal sentience in other areas of philosophical research. In a distillation of the above theoretical concepts, the research further references issues relating to selective application of care for non-human animals, in which the level of consideration is often dependent on human perceptions of the creatures’ status, for example native or introduced animals. The results of the research were revealed through a body of practical work including sculpture, collage, prints and artists’ books which depict a variety of animals and birds, both native and non-native, encountered as part of everyday experience; a visual exploration in which human-perspective classification of animals does not play a part.
Description: Doctor of Philosophy

The assumed divide : Examining gender, feminism and relationships through visual art

- Hollis, Sylvia

Authors: Hollis, Sylvia
Date: 2017
Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
Full Text: false
Description: The Assumed Divide is a visual arts based, practice-led research project which explores expectations of gender within the context of interpersonal relationships, structured through feminist theory. I created a collection of small, figurative sculptures inspired by experiences of animosity and misunderstanding, to locate areas of gendered interpersonal ambivalence. This thesis proposes that feminism might enhance gender relations by deconstructing harmful stereotypes and by encouraging empathy and respect for diversity. Issues such as reproductive choice, intergenerational debate, and uncertainty in aims are discussed as apparent impediments to the unity of feminism, against a patriarchal tradition that grants men categorical universality. I argue that by dismantling the perception of male unification and by elucidating the multitudinous similarities and variances of human experience, feminism makes advances in eliminating sexism. I also examine how binary gender division, with an assumption of distinct difference between male and female, generates conflict and power dynamics advantageous to men, diminishing the quality of heterosexual and social relationships. The observation that overlapping gender traits blur boundaries of male and female, and that rigid categorisations are not indisputably representative of all people, may offer more points of connection to bridge the divide of gender. Each artwork in The Assumed Divide reflects on gendered experience, with sculpted depictions of disintegrated flesh acting as visual manifestations of the psyches and social conditions of the figures. Working realistically on a small scale, and integrating found silver trays as motifs of domesticity and relationships, my intent is to directly stimulate contemplation of the themes in context to viewers’ lives, recognising that the audience is free to find their own meaning in the works. Discussion of these pieces, alongside works by other artists who broach topics of feminism, gender, and relationships, exemplifies the capacity for art to infuse theory with personal insight, inspired and derived from the lives of both artist and viewer.
Description: Masters by Research

Multiple perspectives on the development of a safe school culture within a new educational setting : a case study of cultural change in a Prep to Year 12 school in regional Victoria

- Iles, Lyndsey

Authors: Iles, Lyndsey
Date: 2014
Type: Text , Thesis , EdD
Full Text: false
Description: "This thesis explores the impact of the implementation and embedding of the Restorative Practices philosophy and practices into a Year Prep to Year Twelve College in Victoria from the perspective of the students, staff and community members. The amalgamation of a number of small regional primary, specialist and secondary schools in 2005 resulted in a less than satisfactory consolidated school environment. Students and staff reported that they felt unsafe in the new college, and that, consequently, the opportunities for learning were severely compromised. The school and community were thus required to attempt a reinvigoration of the school culture to meet the needs of the students and staff of the new college. It was found that within the context of developing a safe and supportive learning environment, relationships were central to the new approaches towards learning. In this process, it was found that the notion of cultural change became intertwined with the building of relationships between students and students, and students and staff. Thus, this study centred on understanding, from a case study perspective, how the approaches developed by this school for behaviour management have changed over the duration of the research, and how the iterative process of cultural change reflected a growing awareness among staff of the key issues in promoting mutual respect across the whole school.
Description: Doctor of Education

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