C&R Consulting (C&R) pursue research and development (R&D) in areas where we see a gap in industry knowledge. Our research projects range from new mineral-hosted carbon sequestration methods, to neural networks for improving coke strength after reaction (CSR), and catchment regionalisation for better flood frequency modelling. As a registered Research Service Provider (RSP), we provide R&D services to clients seeking expertise in all environmental sciences, including climatology, ecology, hydrogeology, mineralogy and geochemical or numerical modelling. View our recent publications and presentations for a taste of our research activities – or email our principal research scientist, Jasmine Jaffrés.

Queensland University of Technology Alliance

C&R have formed an alliance with the Queensland University of Technology to share information and services. This alliance allows for a transfer of knowledge and research from both partners to ensure that C&R can remain competitive in a diverse and constantly changing environment.

Statistical Analysis and Programming

C&R have a long history in the application of statistical analyses and numerical programming to research problems. We provide our clients with practical outputs, including characterisation assessments, spatial products and predictive models.

The diverse statistical techniques we use in research include cluster analysis, regression, correlation, principal component analysis (PCA) and artificial neural networks (ANNs). Our approach enables us to extract important information from the data, allowing for more efficient and effective data interpretation. Our experience spans multiple disciplines, including geochemical studies, catchment classification and flood risk analyses. In particular, C&R recognise the efficiency inherent in the numerical model building of ANNs, and we adapt their consideration of nonlinearity to our advantage when we apply ANNs in natural systems. We recently provided clients with estimates of coal quality based on ANN results, and used ANNs to explore causal relationships between climate drivers and extreme weather events in Australia at both regional and national scales.

C&R also have expertise in applying programming software (including GNU Octave, R and Excel) to complex data sets and analyses. We regularly provide our clients with solutions using Excel functions and Visual Basic for Applications (VBA), producing database management tools and predictive models.

Coral Sea Research

The Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland, remains a relatively untouched, unexplored and sensitive region, nominated as a potential marine protected area. Given its location off the Great Barrier Reef, it has the potential to act as a refuge for marine life in times of climatic stress. However, our knowledge of the connectivity of the reefs and cays of the Coral Sea, both within the region and the Great Barrier Reef, remains limited. C&R conducted research into the use of coral cores to extend our onshore rainfall records for research into extreme rainfall events.

Flooding and Extreme Rainfall Events

Since identifying the need for further knowledge on the impact of extreme rainfall events on both the environment and communities within the seasonally arid tropics, C&R have investigated the development of extreme rainfall events. This ongoing research aims to define effective methods for catchment analysis and standards for rainfall event measurement and prediction. One component of this work was a national-scale classification of catchments based on fuzzy clustering, using hydrology, climate, soil, and groundwater characteristics.

Carbon Sequestration

C&R, in conjunction with Greensols Australia, are currently developing a method of carbon dioxide sequestration, to reduce the amount of CO₂ in the atmosphere. The proposed method produces magnesium carbonate and calcium carbonate, thus permanently and stably fixing the carbon and reducing CO₂ concentrations in the atmosphere.