Structural

The Structures Group (Drs. Hoult, Fam, Green, MacDougall, Genikomsou, Woods and Moore) focuses on research in the areas of (i) novel and sustainable materials for new construction, (ii) retrofitting of existing structures, (iii) the performance of structures in extreme temperatures, (iv) structural health monitoring, and (v) sustainable engineering in remote regions. Research projects in novel materials include FRPs for bridges, rapid transit systems, strengthening applications, and stay-in place formwork for reinforced concrete construction. Straw bale construction as both an energy efficient and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional construction techniques is also an on-going topic of interest. The group has conducted pioneering research into strengthening concrete structures with FRPs, including prestressed FRPs for efficient flexural strengthening. Current research seeks to investigate if FRP can enhance the buckling and flexural strength of steel members. The group also has a well established research collaboration with the National Research Council of Canada that seeks to better understand the performance of both reinforced and retrofitted concrete structures in fire. Research projects in the area of structural health monitoring aim to investigate the link between deterioration and structural capacity through the application of advanced measurement systems for both above ground and buried infrastructure.

The Structures Group conducts a number of these research projects in co-operation with both industrial and government collaborators including the Ministry of Transportation Ontario:

(http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/), Transport Canada, and Bombardier Transportation.

We are pleased to announce that the NSERC CREATE SERA (Sustainable Engineering in Remote Areas) website is now live! Stay tuned for additional news, content and an upcoming call for applications.

Providing engineering services in northern and remote areas poses significant challenges and opportunities for Canada's future. As a result, engineers with an understanding of the issues related to working with Indigenous communities and in remote areas are in high demand. The CREATE Training Program in Sustainable Engineering in Remote Areas (SERA) provides training in sustainable building, energy projects, advanced sensing, cultural sensitivity, law, ethics and business skills through a unique combination of academic training, industry internships, seminars, workshops, and cutting-edge research.

For details and upcoming events, please visit the website: SERA

Amir Fam

  • Reinforced and prestressed concrete structures
  • Fiber Reinforced Polymers (FRP)
  • Structurally integrated stay-in-place FRP formwork for concrete structures
  • Strengthening of concrete and masonry structures using FRP
  • Strengthening of steel structures using ultra-high modulus carbon-FRP

Katerina Genikomsou

  • Modelling and analysis of reinforced concrete (RC) structures
  • Finite Element Analysis (FEA) of RC structures; Constitutive modelling of concrete
  • Novel materials in RC connections
  • Fiber Reinforced Polymers (FRPs)
  • Large-scale experiments of RC structures

Mark Green

  • Structural fire resistance
  • Fibre reinforced polymers (FRPs)
  • Sustainable concrete
  • Structural health monitoring

Neil Hoult

  • FRPs for retrofitting and reinforcing of concrete structures
  • Testing and modeling of reinforced concrete
  • Structural health monitoring (SHM)
  • Wireless sensor networks for long-term monitoring
  • Fibre optic sensors for SHM and structural optimization

Colin MacDougall

  • Mechanics of strands and cables
  • Fatigue of post-tensioned concrete beams
  • Deteriorating post-tensioned concrete buildings
  • Fatigue and fracture modeling
  • Structural steel design
  • Innovative engineering instruction

Ian Moore

  • Stability of Shell Structures
  • Polymer Modeling and Pipe Structures
  • Analysis and Design of Silo Structures
  • Shell-solid Interaction

Joshua Woods

  • Reinforced Concrete Structures
  • Fibre Reinforced Polymers
  • Timber-Steel Construction
  • Hybrid (Experimental-Numerical) Simulation
  • Advanced Sensors for Structural Monitoring
  • Earthquake Engineering