University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ) researchers are making major strides in developing resilient, sustainable maritime infrastructure built to withstand Queensland's harsh coastal conditions and increasingly severe weather events.
UniSQ project co-lead Professor Allan Manalo said the project addresses Queensland's rapidly ageing maritime infrastructure, where timber piles deteriorate from biological degradation and steel piles corrode under environmental exposure.
"More than $10 million is spent every year by the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) on maintenance and replacement of boating and maritime infrastructure – and that figure is only set to rise as climate change fuels more frequent and destructive storms," Professor Manalo said.
"The 2022 floods alone caused $492 million worth of critical public infrastructure damage across Queensland.
"This project tackles an urgent need for infrastructure that can not only survive Queensland's harsh marine environments but also support the shift to low-carbon, durable construction materials."
In partnership with Wagners Composite Fibre Technologies and TMR's Maritime Safety Queensland, and supported by funding from the Advanced Composites Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre (ACM CRC), the project has achieved two key milestones: filament winding trials of high-performance composites and field measurements during pile driving.
At UniSQ's state-of-the-art 8-axis filament winding facility – the only one of its kind in Australia – researchers have completed four full-scale winding trials using strong glass fibres and thermosetting resins.
Different fibre patterns and curing methods were evaluated and monitored to identify the most efficient manufacturing processes for structural composites in a marine environment.
At the same time, field trials have been carried out at two waterfront sites on the Gold Coast – Beree-Badalla Reserve and Phil Hill Park – where high-performance composite piles were installed and monitored using advanced sensors.
UniSQ co-lead researcher Dr Shanika Kiriella said the trials are providing vital insights for future work.
"These trials are helping us refine our designs and develop practical guidance for engineers, ensuring composite piles can be deployed safely and reliably across Queensland and beyond," Dr Kiriella said.
"The data collected will validate analytical models and examine how composites can be driven safely to the ground using different hammer types."
These project outcomes contributed to the design and modelling of a piled boat ramp at Kurrimine Beach project and aids-to-navigation structure in Cleveland Point, which will be constructed by TMR in early 2026 for technology demonstration and in-field performance evaluation.
"By advancing composite manufacturing and installation methods, we are laying the foundation for a new generation of long-lasting, climate-resilient maritime infrastructure," Dr Kiriella said.
