Explore CSIRO

About CSIRO

The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation is Australia's national science agency and one of the largest and most diverse research agencies in the world.

CSIRO's core areas of impact

Contact Enquiries: Phone - 1300 363 400 | Email - Enquiries@csiro.au | Contact Us

Capability

 
 printer friendly view
 
Night time view of traffic on a multi-lane freeway.
Increasing demands of urban populations are raising complex infrastructure issues.

Integrating urban infrastructure and systems

CSIRO is taking a leading role in enhancing the ability of the nation to maintain and renew its urban infrastructure.

Overview

Australia’s  transport systems, buildings, utilities and telecommunication networks face a complex set of challenges, most notably from the increasing water and energy demands of urban populations.

Simultaneously, Australia faces the challenge of climate change, ageing infrastructure assets and diminishing or eroded resources.

CSIRO is helping Australia improve the management, planning, delivery and operation of its urban infrastructure.

We have a long history of success in tackling the most complex infrastructure challenges.

Typically these relate to planning, design and modelling of individual facilities or entire urban systems. The expertise exists to monitor, assess and manage an entire infrastructure system.

Skills and experience

CSIRO has identified that effective evaluation and analysis tools are a prerequisite to meeting Australia’s infrastructure needs.

With the input of different engineering capabilities, we have developed computer modelling tools for city planners and the construction, transport and water industries.

Some of these tools and information management systems are already commercially available and more are being developed.

Implementation

Computer-based modelling allows information from every aspect of a complex system to be integrated with tools that enable computation-rich analysis and evaluation protocols.

CSIRO has repeatedly shown that it can solve the most complex infrastructure challenges.

These modelling technologies are the support system to a new generation of design, management and operation tools that enable:

  • the comparison of alternative design or management strategies
  • the exploration of different scenarios
  • the design of innovative new alternatives or the best mix of tried and tested approaches.

A number of infrastructure-related and computer-based modelling tools are available such as RoadCrack. It's an automated real-time and vision-based system that detects cracks in road pavement significantly reducing maintenance costs.

Partnerships

Recent and ongoing project partners include the European Union CARE-S project that is involved in the development of computer-based models such as PARMS (Pipeline Asset & Risk management System).

CSIRO is also involved in the Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for Construction Innovation and the CRC for Water Quality and Treatment.

Learn more about CSIRO's work in Urban Planning.

 
 

Fast facts

  • Increasing urban populations present major infrastructure challenges
  • Our transport systems, buildings, utilities and telecommunication networks are under pressure
  • Climate change, ageing assets and diminishing resources magnify the issues
  • CSIRO plans, designs and models individual facilities and entire urban systems
  • We continue to develop new design, management and operational tools

Contact Information

Primary Contact

Dr Matthew Inman
Program Leader - Urban Systems
Sustainable Ecosystems
Phone: 61 2 9490 5499 
Alt Phone: 61 02 9490 5444 
Fax: 61 02 9490 5537 

Contact

Ms Anne Leitch
Communication specialist
Climate Adaptation Flagship
Phone: 61 7 3214 2280 
Fax: 61 7 3214 2308 

Location

Highett VIC Site
Graham Road
Highett VIC 3190
Australia

PO Box 56
Highett VIC 3190
Australia