A high-precision record of mid-late Holocene sea-level events from emergent coral pavements in the Houtman Abrolhos Islands, southwest Australia

Early work on sea-levels in southwest Australia claimed to recognise a Holocene sea-level highstand which was not seen in better known sea-level records elsewhere at the time. More recent work has confirmed that a mid-Holocene highstand Occurred about 6 kyr ago. As new data on oscillating sea-levels from the region have recently been published, a high continuity, precisely dated and accurately surveyed record was obtained from emergent coral pavements in the leeward Houtman Abrolhos Islands (Serventy Island), a tectonically stable region from where good-quality Holocene sea-level data have been previously obtained from corals. From the mid-Holocene highstand ca. 7 U/Th kyr ago, sea-level declined linearly during the remainder of the Holocene as the carbonate platform prograded leewards. Hydro-isostatic controls are probably significant in the record. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd and INQUA. All rights reserved.

Three-dimensional simulation of the rolling of a saturated fibro-porous media

This paper describes recent advances made in computational modelling of the sugar cane liquid extraction process. The saturated fibro-porous material is rolled between circumferentially grooved rolls, which enhance frictional grip and provide a low-resistance path for liquid flow during the extraction process. Previously reported two-dimensional (2D) computational models, account for the large deformation of the porous material by solving the fully coupled governing fibre stress and fluid-flow equations using finite element techniques. While the 2D simulations provide much insight into the overarching cause-effect relationships, predictions of mechanical quantities such as roll separating force and particularly torque as a function of roll speed and degree of compression are not satisfactory for industrial use. It is considered that the unsatisfactory response in roll torque prediction may be due to the stress levels that exist between the groove tips and roots which have been largely neglected in the geometrically simplified 2D model. This paper gives results for both two- and three-dimensional finite element models and highlights their strengths and weaknesses in predicting key milling parameters. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.