Innovative Projects Realized

Gaining resources by conversion of Brewers’ spent grain with microorganisms to valuable products

Microbiota, metabolomics and stroke

Use of pulp mill residues as construction and geotechnical materials – Year two

Heat and electricity generation from biomass combustion in power boilers and co-generation plants produces large quantities of ash residues in British Columbia (BC) each year. In 2013, approximately two thirds of the produced ash were landfilled in Canada and only the remaining one third beneficially utilized. On the other hand, high-quality construction materials are rare in many parts of the world, and most often engineers are forced to seek alternatives to reach the stipulated requirements. In addition, road maintenance operations in BC are often costly, but by formulating a suitable additive to the problematic sites can reduce the cost and allay the need of further maintenance. There are innumerable problems associated with engineering constructions on the problematic soil deposits in BC; for example, soft, collapsible and organic soils. TO BE CONT’D

Use of pulp mill residues as construction and geotechnical materials

Heat and electricity generation from biomass combustion in power boilers and co-generation plants produces large quantities of ash residues in British Columbia (BC) each year. In 2013, approximately two thirds of the produced ash were landfilled in Canada and only the remaining one third beneficially utilized. On the other hand, high-quality construction materials are rare in many parts of the world, and most often engineers are forced to seek alternatives to reach the stipulated requirements. In addition, road maintenance operations in BC are often costly, but by formulating a suitable additive to the problematic sites can reduce the cost and allay the need of further maintenance. There are innumerable problems associated with engineering constructions on the problematic soil deposits in BC; for example, soft, collapsible and organic soils. TO BE CONT’D

Le renouvellement des outils de développement agricole et rural : une perspective par filières régionales

La recherche vise à formuler un cadre d’analyse et d’intervention destiné à soutenir le développement du domaine agricole dans les régions de l’Est-du-Québec. Cette contribution consistera 1) à l’identification des principales caractéristiques socioéconomiques de ces régions, 2) à l’analyse des difficultés rencontrées par les acteurs locaux impliqués dans le développement du secteur agroalimentaire, 3) à la formulation de leviers institutionnels inédits visant à accroître les capacités d’action des milieux régionaux sur le développement de filières agroalimentaires régionales. Ces mécanismes de soutien conceptualisés pour l’Est-du-Québec dans une telle perspective pourraient à terme inspirer d’autres régions souhaitant se doter d’instruments de développement similaires.

Interface and Data analysis for a Bridge Structural Health Monitoring System (SHM)

The world has many ageing bridge structures which are being used well beyond their design service life time. It is of essential interest for the governments and public to insure safety and sustainability of bridges. One of the most advanced techniques used to investigate the conditions of bridges is the Structural Health Monitoring (SHM). The targeted bridges will be instrumented with several sensors and the data collection is performed using appropriate Data Acquisition System (DAQ). Several software and algorithms are used to stream the data life to the cloud and perform analysis on the data to extract the vital signals of the bridge. Decision is made after that based on the health condition of the bridge)

Effect of water level change and floating plants on carbon fluxes in shallow temperate lake

Raytracing for propagation studies of gravity waves

Use of a Tesla turbine for energy recovery in the mining industry and energy generation from biomass

The objective of the proposed project is to develop economical and sustainable

technologies which contribute to the energy needs of the mining industry. The Tesla

turbine is simple in construction, compact and tolerant to the working fluid composition.

These advantages make it a potential ideal solution for use in energy recovery from

industrial sites or extraction from alternative sources such as biomass and plants grown

around the mines.

Brain oscillatory correlates in working memory control processes: An EEG Study

Object Tracking with Artificial Neural Networks

Modelling the use of landscape features by caribou to guide the restoration of mine sites

Central mountain populations of woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) have been in decline due to logging, mining, and gas development within their range and are designated as Threatened under Schedule 1 of the Species at Risk Act. This project will develop a caribou habitat restoration model (CHRM) for the Quintette Mine located in British Columbia. The Quintette Mine once comprised of alpine ecosystems that supported caribou; however, caribou no longer use the areas altered by mining. As part of the mine reclamation plan, steep slopes will be re-contoured to improve access and foraging opportunities for caribou. Using geospatial data and previous literature, the model will predict how caribou may use the mine site under future re-contouring scenarios to identify priority restoration areas. This model will guide future reclamation activities that facilitate the recovery of alpine ecosystems and encourage re-use of the mine site by caribou.