University of Wollongong

About: University of Wollongong is a education organization based out in Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Context (language use). The organization has 15674 authors who have published 46658 publications receiving 1197471 citations. The organization is also known as: UOW & Wollongong University.

The role of ballast fouling characteristics on the drainage capacity of rail substructure

Abstract: The ballast layer is designed to be free draining, but when the voids of the granular medium are wholly or partially filled because of the intrusion of fine particles, the ballast is considered to be “fouled.” To ensure acceptable track performance, it is necessary to maintain good drainage within the ballast layer. This paper critically examines the current methods commonly used for evaluating the degree of ballast fouling and, because of their limitations, a new parameter, “void contaminant index” is introduced. A series of large-scale constant head hydraulic conductivity tests were conducted with different levels of fouling to establish the relationship between the void contamination index and the associated hydraulic conductivity. Subsequently, a numerical analysis was executed to simulate more realistic two-dimensional flow under actual track geometry capturing the drainage capacity of ballast in relation to the void contamination index. In the context of observed test data, the drainage condition of the track could be classified into different categories together with a classification chart capturing the degree of fouling. The contents of this paper have already been considered in track maintenance schemes in the states of Queensland and New South Wales.

Holocene sea-level change on the southeast coast of Australia: a review

Abstract: A revised Holocene sea-level curve for the southeast coast of New South Wales, Australia, is presented based on a review of previously published geochronological results for fossil molluscs, organi...

Toward Resource Recovery from Wastewater: Extraction of Phosphorus from Digested Sludge Using a Hybrid Forward Osmosis–Membrane Distillation Process

Abstract: We demonstrate the simultaneous extraction of phosphorus and clean water from digested sludge centrate using a forward osmosis (FO)–membrane distillation (MD) hybrid process. In this FO–MD hybrid process, FO concentrates orthophosphate and ammonium for subsequent phosphorus recovery in the form of struvite (MgNH4PO4·6H2O), while MD is used to recover the draw solution and extract clean water from the digested sludge centrate. A decline in water flux was observed during the FO process, but fouling was largely reversible after a brief, simple membrane flushing using deionized water. The FO process also provides an effective pretreatment capacity to the subsequent MD process, which exhibited stable water flux. The use of MgCl2 as the draw solute for the FO process is another novel aspect of the system. The reverse salt flux of magnesium to the concentrated digested sludge across the FO membrane and the diffusion of protons away from the digested sludge create favorable conditions for the formation of struvit...