Canadian local governments are seeking new strategies to deliver their core services in more financially and environmentally sustainable ways, including turning to infrastructure asset management as a key tool to manage infrastructure. Municipalities are increasingly recognizing that natural assets such as aquifers, forests, streams and foreshores can provide equivalent or better services to many engineered […]

Sustainable public transfer systems are getting a lot of attention, and many organizations are transforming their fleets into systems that rely on alternative fuels; the Electric Vehicle (EV) being most popular. The environmental, geopolitical and financial advantages of EV vehicles are well studied; however, security of these systems is not given full attention. The most […]

Microplastic pollution is becoming an emerging environmental issue in developed countries. The tire wearing particles (TWP) have also been categorized as microplastic pollution. TWP size range from a few nanometers to several hundred micrometers and are emitted into the environment. Tire industry is now inclined towards increasing knowledge of TWP origin, mechanism, transmission, and fate […]

Heart failure is a prevalent disease effecting 250,000 people in North America alone. This disease can be treated by the transplant of a donor organ, but insufficient donor organs have led to the development of mechanical circulatory supports which now provide a reliable alternate treatment option for patients. Unfortunately, many patients that could be helped […]

Railway tank cars are constructed from TC 128 steel plates, a design that has not changed for more than 50 years. The Lac Megantic rail disaster in 2013 refocused the attention of Canadians on the safety aspects of tank car design and operation, but not so much on the actual properties of the steels used […]

Models quantifying the grade and tonnage of mineral deposits form the basis of important and costly decisions for planning, optimization and extraction of a natural resource. Models are initially generated from sparse exploration sampling; however, information is continuously collected until resource extraction. Predicted values that reconcile well with true values following extraction instill confidence in […]

As the global supply of oil and gas from conventional reservoirs (i.e., porous rock formations) continues to diminish, it becomes increasingly important to produce these fluids from unconventional (“tight”) reservoirs. Hydraulic fracturing is generally required in order to achieve sufficient production rates from these tight reservoirs. Key questions to be addressed in hydraulic fracture design […]

Advances in engineering technology and requirements for sustainable development are main drivers for changes and innovations in the current construction industry. The paradigm shift to precast construction moves conventional field construction efforts into the controlled environment of an offsite manufacturing facility. These precast concrete products lend a significant advantage in execution of fast-paced construction projects, […]

When waste rocks generated by mining activities are exposed to the air and water, various toxic elements may be released to receiving waters and soils. Arsenic (As) is known as one of the most toxic pollutants which can cause damage to the environment and human health. To implement effective source control, it is essential to […]

Design, manufacturing and maintenance of aerospace products are cornerstones of the economy and social development of Quebec and Canada. In 2009, more than 78 000 Canadian jobs were related to the aerospace industry from which 45 % are in Quebec. These high technology jobs contribute to the quality of life and the economic growth of […]

Privacy and Security are key considerations in any machine learning system. The proposed research will develop net methods for preserving privacy when training data and/or model parameters are released in the public domain. We will use methods from information theory to develop quantitative measures for privacy and security in machine learning systems. Using this framework […]

Industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) and its fibres being durable are used in fabrics, sail making and papermaking. Its seed is a rich source of polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3, 6) and its oil is used for cooking and for medicinal purposes. Cannabis contains cannabinoids, of which, ?9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) have been identified as […]