Nigel G. Shrive, Ph.D., FICE, P.Eng, C.Eng

University of Calgary
Faculty of Engineering
2500 University Drive NW
Calgary, Alberta, T2N 1N4
Ph: 403.220.6630
Fax: 403.282.7026
Email: shrive@acs.ucalgary.ca

Dr. Nigel Shrive is the recipient of one of the two University of Calgary Killam Research Chairs. The initial appointment is for five years. Dr. Shrive aims to build and consolidate the Provincial Biomedical Engineering Program. He chairs the Joint Injury and Arthritis Research Group of the Faculty of Medicine and is a project leader in CAN - The Canadian Arthritis Network NCE (Network of Centres of Excellence). As a project leader in the ISIS (Intelligent Sensing for Innovative Structures) NCE, Dr. Shrive will also maintain his interest in masonry research. "A Killam Memorial Chair is the most prestigious research award bestowed by the U of C and the Killam Trustees," says U of C Vice-President (Research) Len Bruton. "Only world-class scholars are named Killam Memorial Chairs at the U of C and this year is no exception. It is a nationally renowned award." He is also the recipient of the 1998 Faculty of Engineering Research Excellence Award and coordinator of the Biomedical Engineering Graduate Programme.

Dr. Shrive’s research is in the area of structural mechanics, ranging from materials science at the one end to structural behaviour at the other. The principles are applied to masonry within the specific field of Civil Engineering, and to the soft tissues of joints in collaboration with colleagues from the Faculty of Medicine. The work in masonry has led to a better understanding of the behaviour and failure of the material when subject to compression. Face-shell bedded masonry has been a targeted type of masonry in recent years, particularly when subject to concentrated load. Results of the work have led to changes in the codes of practice of both Australia and Canada. The work on fracture has found wider application to concrete and rock. Post-tensioned red masonry has been studied extensively, with more recent work focusing on the use of ACM's.
In the Biomechanics area, the research has been focused on the mechanical and structural behaviour of ligaments and articular cartilage. The interest has been in defining how the properties of these tissues change with age, and improving the healing of damaged and transplanted tissues to restore as close to normal function as possible. Many new instruments have been devised for various aspects of the work, with one now under license to a major worldwide manufacturer of testing equipment. Clinical treatment of damaged ligaments has changed as results have been published.

Dr. Shrive currently chairs the Canadian Standards Association Committee on masonry mortars and grouts, is a Member of the Masonry Structural Design Committee, serves on the Editorial Board of the Masonry Society, and is Journal Coeditor of Computer Methods in BioMechanics and Biomedical Engineering.

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