Mining induced stress in the area around tunnel openings represents a major design consideration in today’s potash mines. The actual induced stress is currently monitored using an array of techniques derived from the hard rock mining industry, one of the key assumptions being linear-elastic deformation behaviour of the rock. When using these methods in an […]

Orthotropic bridge deck is lightweight steel deck, typically fabricated by welding “ribs” to the underside of a flat steel plate. The potential benefits of these deck systems are compelling. For example, from 1991 to 1993, the deteriorating deck on the Champlain Bridge was replaced with orthotropic steel deck panels weighing 25% less than the original […]

In warm climates warm temperatures cause thermal stratification in hydropower reservoirs inhibiting mixing and leading to deoxygenation of waters at depth (hypolimnium). Turbines withdrawing water at depth result in low dissolved oxygen (DO) in the downstream flow having a large negative impact on the downstream riverine ecosystem. Legislation in the USA and elsewhere now requires […]

Acknowledging that discrimination and prejudice of various sorts (e.g., verbal, behavioural, environmental) continue to exist in the education system, this research seeks to address how and why microaggressions against Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour (BIPOC), within engineering departments, show up among peers in classrooms, across interactions in lab environments, group-activities, and more. This research […]

Due to urbanization in the GTA, many green areas are replaced by impervious infrastructure, preventing runoff infiltration and increasing flood risks. The Meadoway project proposed by the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) aims to restore meadow habitats with native plants along a hydro-corridor over 16 km across Scarborough, which can potentially improve the runoff […]

Effective wastewater treatment is essential to the health of the environment and municipal wastewater treatment plants in Canada are required to achieve specific effluent water quality goals to minimize the impact of human generated wastewater on the surrounding environment. Most wastewater treatment plants include a combination of physical, chemical, and biological unit processes and therefore […]

The project aims to study the use of advanced machine learning algorithms to enhance the ability of TRCA to detect shoreline erosion. Accurate detection of shoreline erosion will have significant contribution to optimizing TRCA asset management plans. This will enable TRCA to work with local communities to reduce the impacts of climate change on shoreline […]

Parking is a cumbersome part of auto travel in urban areas, primarily due to lack of information on the location of available spots. Sensors can be deployed to detect occupancy, but they often fail due to their high costs and detection inefficiencies in outdoor spaces. This project pursues a feasibility study of using LIDAR sensors, […]

Canada is the third largest exporter and the fourth largest producer of oil in the world. Thus, oil is a very important part of the Canadian economy. Oil is a cleaner fuel than coal, but it still has many disadvantages. For example, oil spills that occurs during transport and drilling can cause great environmental damage. […]

Industries around the world have been leaning towards cleaner solutions to mitigate their environmental footprint. IT is one industry that has been rapidly growing during the recent past. Hence, it is important to enhance the environmental performance of IT solutions through a life cycle thinking lens. Eco-efficiency evaluation enables analyzing the environmental and economic performance […]

Prefabricated construction, as an alternative to the traditional stick-built construction, has its advantages in shortening the schedules and reduce onsite construction exposure. The prefabricated construction components are often produced in offsite controlled environment and shipped to site for installation. Due to its similarity to manufacturing, prefabricated construction provides opportunities for continuous productivity improvements. Through such […]

Underground metro infrastructures are subjected to different types of dynamic loads that would hinder their ability to function properly. This proposed research aims to assess the risks of city-scale underground tunnel networks under both periodic human-induced vibrations (i.e., blasting and drilling vibrations) and short-term extreme earthquake hazards. We will develop a GIS model for the […]