Annual Report 1998/1999

Highly Qualified Personnel One of the Network's objectives is to generate high-calibre graduates who, upon employment, will contribute significantly to Canada's knowledge-based economy. Students can accomplish this feat because throughout the ISIS program they are exposed to internationally-recognized experts as well as to industry partners and infrastructure owners through collaborative research and field projects. This kind of interdisciplinary training flows from networking associated with demonstration projects - a hallmark of ISIS Canada. Over the past year, there were 217 researchers associated with ISIS Canada, of which 97 were graduate students. The balance consisted of Project Leaders, post-doctoral fellows, research associates, technicians and undergraduates. In addition, industry and government professional staff participated in the research program, particularly in association with the demonstration projects. All students have the opportunity to travel, network, and present their work at workshops and conferences. Under the leadership and guidance of world-renowned researchers, students have the opportunity to not only work in the laboratory, but to experience the realities of applying the new technology to major structures in the field. The training achieved goes far beyond what is normally encountered in an educational facility. Working on real and practical field problems, under the time and cost constraints of contractors and consulting engineers, provides the students with early insight to workplace realities. The spin-off is two-fold. First, the researcher gains experience working on a joint venture basis with an industrial partner, and second, industry gains an appreciation of the talent and potential for the students. The result is job opportunities in industry and government that otherwise would not have happened. ISIS Canada's highly qualified personnel are eliciting positive attention from outside Canada. In a letter to the U.S. Department of Transportation in Washington (March 1999), Dr. Farhad Ansari, a Professor at the University of Illinois wrote: "Within a short period of four years, ISIS researchers from all over Canada, had researched, developed, designed, and constructed smart bridges that were under actual service at the time of my visit. I watched these technological advances with envy..." Dr. Farhad Ansari, Professor, Smart Sensors & NDT Laboratory University of Illinois Awards Killam Memorial Research Chair Nigel Shrive, D.Phil., P.Eng., C.Eng., University of Calgary CW Carry Chair in Steel Structures J.J. Roger Cheng, Ph.D., P.Eng., University of Alberta NSERC University Faculty Award Michèle Thériault, Ph.D., Université de Sherbrooke Canadian Society for Civil Engineers, Prately Award Honourable Mention for paper titled "Ultimate Strength and Behaviour of Concrete Members Strengthened with Externally Prestressed Carbon Fibre Composite Cables" Mamdouh El-Badry, Ph.D., P.Eng., Concordia University Canadian Society for Civil Engineers, A.B. Sanderson Award Gamil Tadros, Ph.D., P.Eng., SPECO Engineering Canadian Foundation for Innovation Institutional Innovation Fund Nemkumar Banthia, Ph.D., P.Eng., University of British Columbia Japan Science & Technology Visiting Scientist Award Nemkumar Banthia, Ph.D., P.Eng., University of British Columbia American Concrete Institute Fellow John Bonacci, Ph.D., P.Eng., University of Toronto National Transportation Award of Achievement Sami Rizkalla, Ph.D., P.Eng., University of Manitoba Peter D. Curry Chancellor’s Award Lloyd R. McGinnis, P.Eng. Manitoba Round Table on Sustainability Award of Excellence for Research and Development ISIS Canada Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Manitoba Certificate of Engineering Achievement ISIS Canada Wardrop Engineering Province of Manitoba CEA Showcase Award Crowchild Bridge, Alberta Accomplishments During 1998/99, ISIS participants produced 200 publications and were involved in 56 conferences and presentations. Students prepared over 500 research papers and Project Leaders identified 100 progress report accomplishments.

Brahim Benmokrane Ph.D., Eng. Université de Sherbrooke Organized and Chaired the First International Conference on Durability of FRP Composites for Construction (CDCC'98) which was held in Sherbrooke, Québec. Dr. Benmokrane was involved in the design, construction and monitoring of the first bridge in Québec where FRP reinforcements were used for the deck slabs. J.J. Roger Cheng Ph.D., P.Eng. University of Alberta Developed a wireless transmission system capable of communicating with various types of sensors, such as transducers, strain gauges, thermisters, corrosion sensors, vibration sensors, and fibre optic sensors. Dr. Cheng is investigating the various interfaces of these sensors with different types of data acquisition systems. Pierre Labossière Ph.D., Eng. Université de Sherbrooke Gained international recognition for expertise on rehabilitation and strengthening of concrete structures as invited professor at UniversitéClaude-Bernard, Laboratoire L2M, Lyon, France, and as guest researcher and STA Fellow at Public Works Research Institute (Chemistry Division), Ministry of Construction, Tsukuba, Japan. Dr. Labossière was also guest editor of Canadian Civil Engineer's March/April '99 issue which featured ISIS Canada. Dimos Polyzois Ph.D., P.Eng. University of Manitoba Developed an automated machine for repairing FRP poles and repaired a collapsed transmission pole achieving 80% of the pole's original strength. Alex Kalamkarov Ph.D., P.Eng., Smart Materials Centre, Dalhousie University Developed two patented technologies - 1) A technique that allows encapsulation of fibre optic gauges in composite materials, producing a rod-like carrier with embedded gauge. 2) A more efficient technique for recovering fibre optic sensors or devices embedded in continuously pultruded composite parts. Nigel Shrive D. Phil., P.Eng., C. Eng. University of Calgary Received one of the two University of Calgary Killam Research Chairs to improve multidisciplinary research on campus. Dr. Shrive's research ranges from materials science to structural behaviour. He is developing a corrosion-free prestressing system for masonry structures using fibre-reinforced polymers and has just received patent approval on a new anchorage for CFRP tendons. John Bonacci Ph.D., P.Eng. University of Toronto Recently elected Fellow of the American Concrete Institute for his research contributions in the mechanics of reinforced concrete, earthquake resistance of structures and structural demolition technologies. Dr. Bonacci is the current Chair of the joint ACI-ASCE technical committee on connections in reinforced concrete structures and is the Director of the Structural Testing Laboratories at the University of Toronto. Brahim Benmokrane Ph.D., Eng. Université de Sherbrooke Organized and Chaired the First International Conference on Durability of FRP Composites for Construction (CDCC'98) which was held in Sherbrooke, Québec. Dr. Benmokrane was involved in the design, construction and monitoring of the first bridge in Québec where FRP reinforcements were used for the deck slabs. J.J. Roger Cheng Ph.D., P.Eng. University of Alberta Developed a wireless transmission system capable of communicating with various types of sensors, such as transducers, strain gauges, thermisters, corrosion sensors, vibration sensors, and fibre optic sensors. Dr. Cheng is investigating the various interfaces of these sensors with different types of data acquisition systems. Pierre Labossière Ph.D., Eng. Université de Sherbrooke Gained international recognition for expertise on rehabilitation and strengthening of concrete structures as invited professor at UniversitéClaude-Bernard, Laboratoire L2M, Lyon, France, and as guest researcher and STA Fellow at Public Works Research Institute (Chemistry Division), Ministry of Construction, Tsukuba, Japan. Dr. Labossière was also guest editor of Canadian Civil Engineer's March/April '99 issue which featured ISIS Canada. Dimos Polyzois Ph.D., P.Eng. University of Manitoba Developed an automated machine for repairing FRP poles and repaired a collapsed transmission pole achieving 80% of the pole's original strength. Alex Kalamkarov Ph.D., P.Eng., Smart Materials Centre, Dalhousie University Developed two patented technologies - 1) A technique that allows encapsulation of fibre optic gauges in composite materials, producing a rod-like carrier with embedded gauge. 2) A more efficient technique for recovering fibre optic sensors or devices embedded in continuously pultruded composite parts. Nigel Shrive D. Phil., P.Eng., C. Eng. University of Calgary Received one of the two University of Calgary Killam Research Chairs to improve multidisciplinary research on campus. Dr. Shrive's research ranges from materials science to structural behaviour. He is developing a corrosion-free prestressing system for masonry structures using fibre-reinforced polymers and has just received patent approval on a new anchorage for CFRP tendons. John Bonacci Ph.D., P.Eng. University of Toronto Recently elected Fellow of the American Concrete Institute for his research contributions in the mechanics of reinforced concrete, earthquake resistance of structures and structural demolition technologies. Dr. Bonacci is the current Chair of the joint ACI-ASCE technical committee on connections in reinforced concrete structures and is the Director of the Structural Testing Laboratories at the University of Toronto.

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