UNSW@ADFA
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School of Physical, Environmental and Mathematical Sciences

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Associate Professor Rodney Weber

Associate Professor
BSc Melb., PhD Tas.

School of Physical, Environmental and Mathematical Sciences
UNSW @ ADFA
Canberra   ACT   2600
AUSTRALIA

Phone: +61 2 6268 8897
Fax: +61 2 6268 8786
Email: r.weber@adfa.edu.au
Location: PEMS Sth, Room 112

Research Interests:
Bushfires, Combustion, Fluid Mechanics, Industrial Mathematics, Mapping, Navigation and Projections, Mathematical Biology, Mathematical Modelling, Partial Differential Equations, Projectiles: Military and Sport, Spontaneous Ignition

Please visit my personal page.

Biography

Born in Geelong, June 1962
BSc (Hons), University of Melbourne, April 1984
PhD, University of Tasmania, December 1987
Employed by UNSW at ADFA since July 1987,
      as a Postdoctoral Fellow from July 1987 to July 1989
      as a Lecturer from July 1989 to July 1993
      as a  Senior Lecturer from July 1993 to January 2002
      as an Associate Professor since  January 2002.

  • 1996 − Co-Director of 13th International Conference in Fire and Forest meteorology
  • 1999 − Invited participant in the Institute for Mathematics and its Applications Minnesota program in Combustion.
  • 1999 − Co- Editor of Special Combustion Issue of ANZIAM J.
  • 2001 − Organsing C'mtee for the 5th Asia-Oceania Symposium of Fire Science and Technology
  • 2001 − Program C'mtee for MODSIM 2001 (Modelling and simulation Society bi-annual conference)
  • 2001 − Invited participant in the London Mathematical Society Durham Meeting in Combustion.
  • 2002 − Director of ANZIAM
  • 2003 − Director of AWOMIC (Australasian Workshop On Mathematics In Combustion)
  • 2007 − Organising Committee for Symmetries and Stability Workshop
  • 2007−2009 − Member of the Reference Group for MISG at University of Wollongong
Teaching

Engineering Mathematics
Differential Equations
Linear Algebra
Projectiles
Fluid Mechanics

Research

Bushfires
Industrial Mathematics
Complex Systems
Information Security

Beginning in 1992 Assoc. Prof. Weber has developed and led projects in combustion. In his work, he has considered the basic models which govern all propagating combustion phenomena and assisted in putting them on a firm mathematical foundation. With the foundation work completed, he embarked upon the task of elucidating the main features of the waves which are described by the models. To date it has been possible to demonstrate the existence of the waves, calculate their speed and discuss their uniqueness, consider the effect of varying selected external parameters and apply the models to simple experimental situations, such as flame `edges' which are seen in particular burner configurations. Other topics, such as flame spread, microgravity effects and spontaneous ignition, have also been the topic of related investigations. The use of the Evans function to determine wave stability has been completed by Weber and the other members of the team for one step models of chemical kinetics and the extension of this to more realistic models is the logical next project.

Assoc. Prof. Weber is also a key researcher in the Bushfire CRC. Project B1.2 is concerned with the effects of varying fire regimes in the landscape, particularly on the compostion and population of plant species. While not directly related to questions of combustion stability, the effects of perturbations to landscape dynamics may later turn out to be amenable to analysis by the techniques proposed in this application and links are currently being developed with Prof. Dold from Manchester, exploring the relevance of detailed combustion and fluid mechanical calculations for predicting extreme the onset of fire behaviour. The Highfire Risk Management project is investigating particular features of the high country environment and the implications for bushfire risk management.

Research Collaborators

Jason Sharples (UNSW@ADFA)
Harvinder Sidhu (UNSW@ADFA)
Geoff Mercer (UNSW@ADFA)
John Dold (University of Manchester)
Ross Bradstock (University of Wollongong)
Geoff Cary (ANU)
Malcolm Gill (ANU and CSIRO)
Rick McRae (ACT ESA)

Publications

    Refereed Articles in Print

  1. Thatchers, R.W., Weber, R.O., "Numerical modelling of drifting flame tubes", ANZIAM J.48, C618-C629, 2007.
  2. Watt, S.D., Weber, R.O. "Drying out vegetation: how fast does the moisture go?" ANZIAM J.47 (EMAC2005) ppC603-C614, 2007.
  3. "Linking Landscape Fires and Local Meteorology -- A Short Review'', R.O.Weber and J.W.Dold, JSME International Journal, Series B, 49, 590-593, 2006.
  4. "Using the method of lines to determine critical conditions for thermal ignition'', Weber, R.O., Sidhu, H.S., Sawade, D.M., Mercer, G.N. and Nelson, M.I., J. Eng. Maths., 56, 185-200, 2006.
  5. "A Dynamical Systems Model for Fireline Growth with Suppression", Weber, R.O., Sidhu, H.S., ANZIAM J(E), C462-C474, 2006.
  6. "Thermal explosion: modern developments in modelling, computation and applications'', I.Goldfarb, Weber, R.O., J Eng. Maths, 56, 101-104, 2006.
  7. Reactive-Diffusive Stability of Premixed Flames with Modified Zeldovich-Linan Kinetics, by J.W.Dold, J.Daou and R.O.Weber, in Simplicity, Rigour and Relevance in Fluid Mechanics, edited by F.J. Higuera, J. Jimenez and J.M.Vega. CIMNE, Barcelona, 2004.
  8. "Evans function stability of non-adiabatic combustion waves", V. Gubernov, G.N. Mercer, H.S. Sidhu, R.O. Weber, Proceedings Royal Society London A 460, 2415-2435, 2004.
  9. "Non-adiabatic Combustion Waves for General Lewis Numbers: Wave Speed and Extinction Conditions", A. McIntosh, R.O. Weber, G.N. Mercer, ANZIAM Journal, 46, 1-16, 2004.
  10. "Flame Balls with Thermally Sensitive Intermediate Kinetics", J.W. Dold, R.O. Weber, R.W. Thatcher, A.A. Shah, Combust. Theory Modelling 7, 175-203, 2003.
  11. "Numerical methods for the travelling wave solutions in reaction-diffusion equations", V. Gubernov, G.N. Mercer, H.S. Sidhu, R.O. Weber, ANZIAM Journall 44, C271-C289, 2003.
  12. "The Thermal Ignition Problem in a Cube", S.D. Watt, G.N. Mercer, H.S. Sidhu, R.O. Weber, ANZIAM Journal 44, C820-C835, 2003.
  13. "Evans Function Stability of Combustion Waves", V. Gubernov, G.N. Mercer, H.S. Sidhu, R.O. Weber, SIAM J Applied Mathematics, 63, 1259-1275, 2003.
  14. "On the Evans Function Calculation Of The Stability Of Combustion Waves", V. Gubernov, G.N. Mercer, H.S. Sidhu, R.O. Weber, Australian Mathematical Society Gazette 29, 155-163, 2002.
  15. "Combustion Leftovers", R.O. Weber, G.N. Mercer, H.S. Sidhu, Mathl. Comput. Modelling 36, 371-377, 2002.
  16. "A dynamical systems model of the limiting oxygen index test", M.I. Nelson, H.S. Sidhu, R.O. Weber, G.N. Mercer, ANZIAM Journal 43, 105-117, 2001.
  17. "On the crossing of intermediate unstable steady state solutions for thermal ignition in the sphere", R.O. Weber, G.C. Wake, H.S. Sidhu, G.N. Mercer, B.F. Gray, W. Derrick, E. Balakrishnan, ANZIAM Journal 43, 77-85, 2001.
  18. "Dynamical Analysis of an Elementary X+Y->P Reaction in a Continuously Stirred Tank Reactor", H.S. Sidhu, M.I. Nelson, G.N. Mercer, R.O. Weber, J. Mathematical Chemistry 28, 353-375, 2000.
  19. "A simple combustion process in a semibatch reactor", H.S. Sidhu, M.J. Sexton, M.I. Nelson, G.N. Mercer,
    R.O. Weber, Proc. EMAC 2000, May RL, Fitz-Gerald GF, Grundy IH (eds), The Institution of Engineers, Australia, 251-254, 2000.
  20. "Bifurcating Combustion Behaviour", R.O. Weber, G.N. Mercer, H.S. Sidhu, ANZIAM Journal 42 (E), C1465-C1481, 2000.
  21. "A Weight Function Approach for Determining Watershed Initial Conditions for Combustion Waves", S.D.Watt, R.O.Weber, H.S.Sidhu, G.N.Mercer, IMA J. Appl. Math. 62, 195-206, 1999.
  22. "Critical Initial Conditions for Spontaneous Thermal Ignition", R.O. Weber, E. Balakrishnan, G.C. Wake, Faraday Transactions 94, 3613-3617, 1998.
  23. "An Oscillatory Route to Extinction for Solid Fuel Combustion Waves Due to Heat Losses", G.N. Mercer,
    R.O. Weber    , H.S.Sidhu, Proceedings Royal Society London A 454, 2015-2022, 1998.
  24. "Combustion Waves: Adiabatic Limit", R.O.Weber, G.N.Mercer, B.F.Gray, Proceedings of the 16th International Colloquium of the dynamics of explosions and reactive systems, Cracow, Poland, 140-143, 1997.
  25. "Combustion Waves in Two Dimensions and Their One Dimensional Approximation", G.N.Mercer, R.O.Weber, Combustion Theory and Modelling 1, 157-165, 1997.
  26. "Radiation Enhanced Combustion Wave Speeds", R.O.Weber, G.N.Mercer, Proceedings Royal Society London A 453, 1543-1549, 1997.
  27. "Combustion Waves for Gases (Le = 1) and Solids (Le = ∞)", R.O.Weber, G.N.Mercer, H.S.Sidhu, B.F.Gray. Proceedings Royal Society London A 453, 1105-1118, 1997.
  28. "Combustion Waves", R.O.Weber, S.D.Watt, J. Australian Mathematics Society, Series B 38, 464-476, 1997.
  29. "Edge Flame Holding", J.D.Buckmaste, R.O.Weber, Proceedings of the 26th Symposium (International) on Combustion, 1143-1149, 1996.
  30. "Reaction Waves and Non-Constant Diffusivity", S.D.Watt, R.O.Weber, J. Australian Mathematics Society, Series B 37, 458-473, 1996.
  31. "Combustion Pseudo-Waves in a System with Reactant Consumption and Heat Loss", G.N.Mercer, R.O.Weber, B.F.Gray, S.D.Watt, Mathematical and Computer Modelling 24, 29-38, 1996.
  32. "Combustion Waves: Non Adiabatic", R.O.Weber, G.N.Mercer, B.F.Gray, S.D.Watt, Lecture Notes in Physics 449, 285-295, 1995.
  33. "Combustion Wave Speed", G.N.Merce, R.O.Weber, Proceedings Royal Society London A450, 193-198, 1995.
  34. "Dimensional Reduction of a Bushfire Model", S.D.Watt, A.J.Roberts, R.O.Weber, Mathematical and Computer Modelling 21, 79-83, 1995.
  35. "Spontaneous Ignition in the Presence of a Power Source", R.O.Weber, K.A.Renkema, Combustion Science and Technology 104, 169-179, 1995.
  36. "Comparison Theorems of Reaction-Diffusion Equations and Their Application", Ge Weigao, R.O. Weber, Nonlinear Analysis, Theory, Methods and Applications 24, 655-665, 1995.
  37. "On the Bounded and Unbounded Solutions of One Dimensional Nonlinear Reaction-Diffusion Problem", Ge Weigao, R.O.Weber, Chinese Annals of Mathematics 16B, 245-254, 1995.
  38. "Time Dependence of Temperatures Above Wildland Fire Temperatures ", R.O. Weber, A.M. Gill, P.R.A. Lyons, G.N. Mercer, CALMScience Supplement 4, 17-22, 1995.
  39. "Modelling Wildland Fire Temperatures", R.O.Weber, A.M.Gill, P.R.A.Lyons, P.H.R.Moore, R.A.Bradstock, CALMScience Supplement 4, 23-26, 1995.
  40. "Plumes from Line Fires in a Cross Wind", G.N.Mercer, R.O.Weber, International J. Wildland Fire 4, 201-207, 1994.
  41. "A Time Dependent Model of Fire Impact on Seeds in Woody Fruits", G.N.Mercer, A.M.Gill, R.O.Weber, Australian J. Botany 42, 71-81, 1994.
  42. "Finite-Time Blow-Up in Reaction-Diffusion Equations", R.O.Weber,S.I.Barry, Mathematical and Computer Modelling 18, 163-168, 1993.
  43. "Numerical Studies on 2D Reaction-Diffusion Equations", S.Tang, S.Qin, R.O.Weber, J. Australian Mathematics Society B35, 223-243, 1993.
  44. "Particular Solution Methods For Free and Moving Boundary Problems", J.C. Mason, R.O.Weber, Free and Moving Boundary And Diffusion Problems, Proceedings of the CMA, ANU, 30, 87-108, 1992.
  45. "Fire Spread As A Moving Boundary", R.O.Weber, Free and Moving Boundary And Diffusion Problems, Proceedings of the CMA, ANU, 30, 57-67, 1992.
  46. "Geometrical Effects on Flame Spread Rate for Wildland Fine Fuels", P.R.A. Lyons, R.O.Weber, Combustion Science and Technology 83, 1-13, 1992.
  47. "Towards a Comprehensive Wildfire Spread Model", R.O.Weber, Int. J. Wildland Fire 1, 245-248, 1991.
  48. "Dimensional Analysis of the Effect of Gravitational Acceleration on Thermally Controlled Flame Spread", R.O.Weber, Combustion Science and Technology 79, 157-160, 1991.
  49. "Numerical Solution of a Nonlinear Reaction-Diffusion Equation", by S.Tang, S.Qin, R.O.Weber, J. Applied Mathematics and Mechanics 8, 703-709, 1991.
  50. "Numerical Study of Fisher's Equation by a Petrov-Galerkin Finite Element Method", S.Tang, R.O.Weber, J. Australian Mathematics Society B33, 27-38, 1991.
  51. "Combustion of Organic Dust Accumulated on Electric Power Cables", B.F.Gray, J.N.Dewynne, M.J.Hood, G.C.Wake, R.O.Weber, Fire Safety Journal 16, 459-467, 1990.
  52. "Models of Flame Spread through Fuel Beds", R.O.Weber, (Review paper) Progress in Energy and Combustion Science 17, 67-82, 1991. Also translated into Chinese for Chinese Journal of Mechanics and Practice.
  53. "A Model for Flame Propagation through Arrays", R.O.Weber, Mathematical and Computer Modelling 13, 95-102, 1990.
  54. "The Moist Strand and the Burning Bed", R.O.Weber, Canadian Journal of Forestry 20, 845-848, 1990.
  55. "Flame Spread along a Single Ponderosa Pine Needle: the Effect of Sample Orientation and Concurrent External Flow", R.O.Weber, N.J.deMestre, Combustion Science and Technology 70, 17-32, 1990.
  56. "Analytical models for fire spread due to radiation", R.O.Weber, Combustion and Flame 78, 398-408, 1989.
  57. "Axisymmetric Boundary Layers on Non-Uniformly Heated Horizontal Surfaces", R.O.Weber, Journal of Applied Mathematics and Physics (ZAMP) 40, 711-720, 1989.
  58. "Thermal Theory for Determining the Burning Velocity of a Laminar Flame, using the Inflection Point in the Temperature Profile", R.O.Weber, Combustion Science and Technology 64, 135-139, 1989.
  59. "Quantum interference effects in non-abelian Kaluza-Klein theory", R.O.Weber, Modern Physics Letters A3, 187-190, 1988.
  60. "Quantum interference effects in five-dimensional Kaluza-Klein theory", R.O.Weber, Classical and Quantum Gravity 4, 1473-1474, 1987.
  61. "Scaling anomalies in Kaluza-Klein theory", R.Delbourgo, G.Thompson, R.O. Weber, Modern Physics Letters A2, 277-281, 1987.
  62. "Pauli couplings and chiral anomalies in realistic Kaluza-Klein theories", R.O.Weber, Classical and Quantum Gravity 4, 453-463, 1987.
  63. "Chiral anomalies, non-minimal couplings and Kaluza-Klein theory", R.Delbourgo, G.Thompson, R.O.Weber, Physical Review D34, 519-524, 1986.
  64. "Quantum corrections in Kaluza-Klein theory", R.Delbourgo, R.O.Weber, Il Nuovo Cimento A92, 347-363, 1986.
  65. "Cross sections and thermonuclear reaction rates of proton induced reactions on 37-Cl", R.O.Weber, C.I.W.Tingwell, L.W.Mitchell, M.E.Sevior and D.G.Sargood. Nuclear Physics, A439, 176-188, 1985.

    Book Chapters

  • "Modeling heating effects", G.N. Mercer and R.O. Weber, Plant Disturbance Ecology, edited by E.A. Johnson and K. Miyanishi Academic Press, pp 371-395, Feb 2007.
  • "The role of fuel moisture dynamics in determining bushfire behaviour", R.O. Weber, Australia Burning, pp. 89-91, CSIRO Publishing, 2003.
  • "Modelling of Open Vat Red Wine Fermenters", R.O. Weber, S. Gay, 2002 Mathematics-in-Industry Group Proceedings, pp. 21-34, MISG, 2003.
  • "Wildland Fire Spread Models", R.O. Weber, Forest Fires, ed. E.A. Johnson and K.Miyanishi, pp.151-169, Academic Press, Feb 2001.
  • "Fire Plumes", G.N. Mercer, R.O. Weber, Forest Fires, ed. E.A. Johnson and K.Miyanishi, pp.225-255, Academic Press, Feb 2001.

    Other Papers

  • Application of Pesticides to Grape Bunches, by S.I. Barry and R.O.Weber in 2001 MISG proceedings
  • Harland Coal Sorting, by G.N.Mercer, R.O.Weber and S.I.Barry in 1998 MISG proceedings
  • Modelling an Inverted Belt Filter, by R.O.Weber, L.R.White and N.D.Fowkes in 1997 MISG proceedings
  • Reduction Behaviour in FastMet Pellets, by D.L.S.McElwain, R.O.Weber and S.I.Barry in 1994 MISG proceedings
  • Stratification in Steel Making Ladles, by R.O.Weber and G.N.Mercer in 1993 MISG proceedings
  • Proceedings of the Inaugural Defence Science and Technology Workshop, R.O.Weber and A.M.Lippiatt
  • Model Solution to Population Problems, by P.D.McIntyre and R.O.Weber in The Canberra Times, 13th August 1998
  • Females and Males As Mutualistic Interacting Populations, by R.O.Weber and G.R.Fulford in Aust. M.S. Gazette, 1998
  • i^{i^i}..., by R.O.Weber and J.Roumeliotis in Aust. M.S. Gazette, 1995
  • Multiple Flame Balls, by R.O.Weber, G.N.Mercer, H.S.Sidhu and J.D.Buckmaster
  • Asymptotic Structure of a Back-to-Back Premixed Flamelet, by J.W.Dold and R.O.Weber
  • Invariant Solutions for Spherically Symmetric Deformation of a Porous Material, by S.I.Barry and R.O.Weber
  • A Counter Example to the Comparison Principle for Initial Value Problems for Parabolic Equations, by Ge Weigao and R.O.Weber
  • The Burning of a Single Strand, by R.O.Weber, N.J.de Mestre and R.C.Rothermel
  • Buoyant Convection: A Physical Process as the Basis for Fire Modelling, by R.O.Weber and N.J.de Mestre
  • Where Can Physical Fire Models Lead? by R.O.Weber
  • Single-Strand Tests of Wildfire Potential, by P.R.A.Lyons and R.O.Weber
  • A Flexible Non-Deterministic Litter Accumulation Model, by G.N.Mercer, A.M.Gill and R.O.Weber.
  • Predicting Maximum Inter-Hummock Distance for Fire Spread, by R.O.Weber, G.N.Mercer, G.J.Mahon, W.R.Catchpole and A.M.Gill
  • Variability in litter accumulation models, by G.N. Mercer, A.M. Gill, R.O. Weber and A. York
  • Bifurcation, Chaos and Combustion, Mathematics 1/1E Notes, by R.O.Weber
Memberships
  • Australian Mathematics Society

  • Combustion Institute

  • Ecological Society of Australia



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