Australian Maritime Hydrodynamics Research Centre (AMHRC) Research strategy and directions

This summary of research strategy and directions in the AMHRC follows from discussions at several meetings of the AMHRC research group and the external AMHRC Advisory Committee.

Strategic aims:

1. Our research should make an impact at the international level.
2. We must expand our supervision of HDR students and completions, our publication outputs and our levels of funding.
3. Our publications should be a strategic mix of scientific research journal papers, engineering research journal papers, conference papers, presentations to our user group, books, etc.
4. We recognize that the research contribution of all National Centre for Marine Engineering and Hydrodynamics academic staff, however small, is important to the research activity of the group.
5. We should nurture some research “stars”, but not “prima donnas”.
6. We should strive for the highest quality and excellence in our research.
7. We should focus on research we do well, be proud to take new exciting directions and not try to catch up or emulate other groups.
8. We should build on our engagement with industry and other user groups and lever funding from these sources against competitive grant funding.

The discussions identified industry and technology areas of interest or potential interest. There are areas where we have done research that has made an impact internationally, including wave wake, seakeeping and propulsion of high speed catamarans, aspects of marine propulsion (e.g. azimuthing thrusters, powering performance prediction, waterjet intakes),  CFD modeling of heavy fuel oil combustion and autonomous underwater vehicle operations. Our numbers of research staff in project groups are small and issues of “critical mass” are pertinent.

The following industry areas are strategically important to the AMHRC. Under each heading, examples (which are not comprehensive) are given of past, continuing and potential research:

• Defence industry and operations
• Cavitation and noise signatures
• Seakeeping and manoeuvering of new designs of surface craft and submarines
• Fisheries
• Selective and energy efficient trawl gear, reduction of bycatch
• Scaling of gear tests in flume tanks;
• High speed craft and shipbuilding (including some aspects of large shipbuilding)
• Structural design including hydro-elastic response and composites
• Resistance and propulsion including waterjets, wave making and environmental impact
• Vessel safety and damage stability
• Marine engine
• Diesel spray dynamics including CFD of marine diesel engine combustion and emissions
• Alternative fuels
• Ocean engineering
• Underwater vehicles and their missions
• Propulsion, development and control of underwater vehicles and subsea equipment
• Offshore oil and gas
• Hydrodynamic performance of platforms, risers and pipelines
• Modelling of tropical cyclone populations and their extreme winds, waves and water levels.
• Ocean renewable energy
• Wave energy and energy generation from currents
• Low environmental impact craft including electric, solar and wind assisted vessels
• Ports
• Ship handling simulation and control
• Behaviour of berthed ships
• Recreational craft
• Hydrodynamics of high performance craft including sailing and surfing
• Composite structures