University of Queensland
Assembly Line
World-First Project to 'Self Heal' Cracked Concrete Using Sloppy Sludge Could Save $1.4 Billion Annual Repair Bill to Australia’s Sewer Pipes
A world-first project led by University of South Australia sustainable engineering expert Professor Yan Zhuge is trialling a novel solution to halt unprecedented levels of corrosion in the country’s ageing concrete pipelines. Self-healing concrete, in the form of microcapsules filled with water treatment sludge, could be the answer.
Corrosive acid from sulphur-oxidising bacteria in wastewater, along with excessive loads, internal pressure and temperature fluctuations are cracking pipes and reducing their life span, costing hundreds of millions of dollars to repair every year across Australia.
“Sludge waste shows promise to mitigate microbial corrosion in concrete sewer pipes because it works as a healing agent to resist acid corrosion and heal the cracks,” Prof Zhuge says.
Mining technology startup Plotlogic Announces $18M Series A
Deep-tech mining startup Plotlogic, whose mission is to improve mining to make it more sustainable, today announced it has raised an $18 million Series A led by Innovation Endeavors. The round included participation from DCVC, which led Plotlogic’s Seed round. Baidu Ventures and GRIDS Capital reinvested, and new investor Bentley iTwin Ventures also participated. The company plans to use the capital to invest in additional research and development, bolster commercialization, and support Plotlogic’s proprietary OreSense® Technology.
Plotlogic’s first commercial product combines LiDAR, hyperspectral imaging technology and advanced machine learning algorithms to produce real time ore characterization and enhance environmental performance.