Civil Engineering PhD candidate receives Doctoral Scholarship
Kishoare Tamanna, a PhD student in Civil Engineering and a UBC Killam Doctoral Scholar at the School of Engineering, is making waves in the field of sustainable infrastructure development. Working at the Applied Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Structures (ALAMS) under the guidance of Professor Shahria Alam and co-supervised by Professor Tony Yang at the UBC Smart Structures Lab, Tamanna’s research is focused on developing high-performance, seismic-resilient, and low-carbon precast concrete buildings. Growing up in Dhaka, one of the top twenty high-earthquake cities in the world, Tamanna recognized the importance in building new structures and retrofit existing structures to be seismically […]
UBC Concrete Canoe places 3rd at ASCE PNW competition
The UBC Concrete Canoe team’s journey in the summer of 2022 was filled with challenges, but their unwavering dedication and resilience propelled them to remarkable success. The team’s outstanding performance at the ASCE Pacific Northwest competition, securing 3rd place overall and achieving notable victories in the races, stands as a testament to their skill and perseverance. In the summer of 2022, the team overcame the departure of senior leads and a loss of members who felt disconnected after the post-COVID period. The remaining committed team members rallied together and embarked on a mission to push the boundaries of their hydrodynamic design. […]
UBC Civil In The Media – Sensor network can reduce flood damage
Originally published in: Journal of Commerce Nemy Banthia, a professor of civil engineering at the University of British Columbia (UBC), and his doctoral student Mohammed Farooq have developed a sensor network that can detect the early stages of mudslides and bridge foundation failures that are caused by flooding. What happens when rushing water assaults a bridge is not an academic question, as British Columbians found out recently. Torrential rain in November 2021 and the resulting floods damaged many bridges and caused one, at Merritt in B.C.’s interior to collapse. “Flooding causes foundation loss due to persistent, large-volume and high-velocity flows of […]
UBC Civil In The Media – Predicting B.C. mudslides, bridge collapse
Originally published in: North Shore News 5G Internet technology is powering a new generation of smart technologies collectively known as the ‘Internet of Things.’ After the worst flooding in B.C.’s modern history, could the new tech also save our homes and bridges? The next generation of wireless internet technology has led to some big promises — more bandwidth and faster response times are expected to be crucial to technologies such as autonomous vehicles and remote medicine. Often overlooked in popular imagination is the so-called “Internet of Things,” technology that allows for the deployment of a vast array of low-powered digital sensors that […]
Dr. Nemy Banthia’s revolutionary new pavement product
A Canadian-engineered pavement technology that has withstood five South Asian monsoon seasons with flying colours holds significant promises for revolutionizing road and building infrastructure in Canada and all over the world. Pioneered by the Canada-India Research Centre of Excellence IC-IMPACTS , which is headed by UBC Department of Civil Engineering professor Dr. Nemy Banthia, this pavement material’s financial, functional, and sustainable advantages have begun to help modernize India’s infrastructure. Compared with traditional concrete, this material’s unique inclusion of fibres that allow for the pavement to be very thin makes it cheaper to produce. It is also more durable, and with 60% […]
Prof. Banthia wins award for excellence in technology & innovation
We are pleased to announce Dr. Nemkumar (Nemy) Banthia’s recent achievement in being honored with a Distinguished Alumnus Award 2018-19 for Technology Innovation Excellence (“TIE”). The award, presented by the Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology (“VNIT”) and NVIT Nagpur Alumni Association, recognizes leaders contributing a minimum of 25 years of service in their designated professional field, change-makers who have introduced ground-breaking technologies and innovations, and alumnus who have made social impacts on local, regional, national, and international levels. Dr. Banthia is a cherished alma mater of the Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology and praised Faculty Professor of the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of […]
IC-IMPACTS Conference connects Canada-India infrastructure
IC-IMPACTS (the India-Canada Centre for Innovative Multidisciplinary Partnerships to Accelerate Community Transformation and Sustainability) marked the completion of its first five years by bringing together researchers to discuss their progress on infrastructure, water and health challenges. Special guests at the two-day research conference included India’s High Commissioner to Canada, His Excellency Vikas Swarup, and the Consul General of India to Vancouver, Abhilasha Joshi. The Thursday panel session featured presentations by Civil Engineering faculty, Dr. Nemkumar Banthia and Dr. Pierre Bérubé. IC-IMPACTS projects focus on several research areas: low-carbon materials strengthening infrastructure sensors for structural, water, and health monitoring alternative power supplies water treatment systems rapid […]
IC-IMPACTS Deepens Canada-India Ties with Water Research
Clockwise left to right: Dr. Banthia meets with representatives from DBT and DST, the location of Varanasi on the Ganges river, the river rejuvination scoping workshop held in Varanasi (Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s riding). Organization led by UBC Civil Engineering Professor taps into National River Ganges Rejuvenation The Ganges River is a lifeline for over 500 million people in the Indian sub-continent and revered by over 1 billion people in India and 16 million in the Indian diaspora worldwide. Over a million of them are Canadians, residing largely in British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario. The river is the focus of a […]
Profs. Bérubé, Banthia’s work featured in “Troubled Waters” series
Friday, March 24, 2017 | By Lindsay Cashin The work being done by Professors Pierre Bérubé, Nemy Banthia, and other researchers with IC-IMPACTS is highlighted in “Troubled Waters,” a new five-part series in The Province. The series follows researchers to sites in India and Northern BC, where issues of drinking water contamination are gravely impacting local communities. IC-IMPACTS is working to develop technology that will allow for efficient, sustainable water treatment in such communities, as well as serving as a catalyst for trade between India and Canada. The first four parts of the series are now available – click the button below.
Professor Zanotti talks sustainable concrete
Wednesday, March 22, 2017 | By Lindsay Cashin Professor Cristina Zanotti spoke with Science for the People about building better, more sustainable modern concrete structures for their recent podcast on the topic of concrete. Listen now (Prof. Zanotti’s segment starts at 30:00).
Victoria report details potential devastation of ‘Big One’
Tuesday, March 14, 2017 | By Lindsay Cashin Professor Carlos Ventura spoke to CBC after a report in Victoria showed the potential consequences of a big earthquake. Prof. Ventura said the report aims to identify areas in the city where the risk of damage from an earthquake could be significant in order to develop policies to lower the risk.
CSCE Student Chapter visits Richmond cement plant
Monday, January 23, 2017 | By Lindsay Cashin Earlier this month, the UBC CSCE Student Chapter visited the Lafarge Cement Plant in Richmond, BC to learn more about the cement manufacturing process. The Richmond Cement Plant is one of the two cement plants that exist in BC and is one of the six cement plants Lafarge owns across Canada. Matt Dalkie, the Technical Services Engineer of Lafarge Cement, started the tour with a short video presentation outlining the cement manufacturing process. He then guided us through the different laboratories that operated inside the plant. These laboratories test different raw materials and […]
CSCE Student Chapter tours structural timber engineering facility
Tuesday, November 22, 2016 | By Lindsay Cashin The UBC CSCE Student Chapter recently organized a tour to the office of StructureCraft, a construction company that engineers and builds with timber, in Delta, BC. The visit included a presentation as well as tour of StructureCraft’s in-house fabrication shop. Justin Brown, a past member of the Chapter and now structural engineer at StructureCraft, headed the tour. The presentation covered high profile projects that StructureCraft has undertaken and successfully completed. Justin went over the design and construction of the T3 building in Minneapolis, introducing many of the attendees to novel wood construction techniques […]
Civil Engineering prof paves way for self-repairing nano-fibre roads
Thursday, November 17, 2016 | By Lindsay Cashin Metro News reported on a self-repairing road project in rural India spearheaded by Professor Nemy Banthia. Prof. Banthia explained the intricacies of coated nano-fibres in the road. “This coating creates a higher humidity environment,” Banthia said. “Cement hydrates when the humidity goes up, so if a crack is created these fibres secrete a nano-material to release humidity — which allows the concrete to close those cracks.” Banthia was also interviewed by the Chinese news agency Xinhua.
New Zealand quake reminder of BC’s emergency preparedness
Thursday, November 17, 2016 | By Lindsay Cashin Pique Magazine quoted Professor Carlos Ventura after a devastating earthquake in New Zealand served as a reminder for emergency preparedness in B.C. In a 2015 report, officials said approximately 10,000 people in the Lower Mainland could die if a shallow earthquake struck directly underneath Vancouver. “This is what you might expect for a region with a population that we have here,” he told CBC in 2015. “So the numbers are not unrealistic. They are scary numbers, but it’s good to know what could happen if we don’t take steps to protect ourselves and […]
Dr. Carlos Ventura discusses need for crucial seismic upgrades
Thursday, August 27, 2015 | By Lindsay Cashin Dr. Carlos Ventura, Civil professor and director of UBC’s Earthquake Engineering Research Facility, spoke with CTV News Vancouver about the need for crucial seismic upgrades at B.C. schools. Read the full story.
IC-IMPACTS to apply bottom ash concrete as a pavement solution
Friday, June 26, 2015 | By Lindsay Cashin The Vancouver Sun reports on IC-IMPACTS’ effort to apply bottom ash concrete as a pavement solution for rural roads in India, as well as other IC-IMPACTS projects intended to improve water quality infrastructure for communities in both India and Canada. Commentary from Dr. Nemy Banthia, Civil Engineering Professor and Scientific Director of IC-IMPACTS, is included.
UBC Concrete Canoe awarded “Spirit of the Competition”
Tuesday, May 26, 2015 | By Lindsay Cashin UBC Concrete Canoe recently returned from the Canadian National Competition at the University of Toronto, proudly bearing the Spirit of the Competition Award. Having just put the final exams behind them, the team embarked on their biggest trip of the year: four days in Toronto for the 21st CSCE Canadian National Competition, hosted at the University of Toronto. UBC Concrete Canoe was the only team to attend from Western Canada, and found themselves quickly welcomed into the community. UBC Concrete Canoe’s results included 8th for design paper, 8th for oral presentation, 9th for final product, and 11th overall for […]
UBC Concrete Canoe off to ASCE Pacific Northwest Regionals
Friday, April 17, 2015 | By Lindsay Cashin After months of preparation, the UBC Concrete Canoe Team has finally set off to attend the ASCE Pacific Northwest Regional Student Concrete Canoe Competition! The competition runs April 16 – 19 at Idaho State University. Visit Concrete Canoe on Facebook for daily updates and photos from the competition. Best of luck to the team! Concrete Canoe captured some key preparation milestones on video this year: Casting Day (Time Lapse) First Test Run
Second year students test their timber trusses to failure
Thursday, April 16, 2015 | By Lindsay Cashin On Tuesday, April 7, students in CIVL 228 (Introduction to Structural Engineering) celebrated the culminaton of their course work during truss testing day. Each year, CIVL 228 students work together to apply the structural analysis knowledge learned in class to design, construct, and test a timber truss structure to failure. Students were divided into teams of five who competed to create the most efficient structure. Congratulations to Team 16, whose truss had the highest load carrying capacity vs. self weight ratio, winning them the competition; and congratulations to all who participated!
IC-IMPACTS: Dr. Nemy Banthia builds new partnerships in India
Pictured L – R, standing: BC Deputy Minister for Advanced Education Sandra Carroll, Aisa Pacific Foundation President and CEO Stewart Beck, BC Premier Christy Clark, BC Minister for Advanced Education Amrik Virk, UBC President Arvind Gupta, College of Surgeons of India Chairman Gautam Sen. Seated: Nemy Banthia, Reliance Senior Vice President Gunjan Sharma The following is excerpted from the IC-IMPACTS report on the recent trip to India: Nemy Banthia (CEO, IC‐IMPACTS), Sue Roppel (COO, IC‐IMPACTS) and Madjid Mohseni (RMC, IC‐IMPACTS) travelledto India in October, intersecting with both the BC Premier’s Trade Delegation and Federal Minister Fast’s trip to India.The BC Delegation […]
Dr. Carlos Ventura gives overview of seismic risk in BC
Images courtesy of Carlos Ventura. At centre: BC Smart Infrastructure Monitoring System Shake Map, showing infrastructure currently being monitored. At right: Engineers inspect field vibration testing equipment at Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Crossing. Dr. Carlos Ventura, Civil Engineering Professor and Director of the Earthquake Engineering Research Facility (EERF), presented the faculty seminar “The Art and Science of Earthquake Engineering” on March 4. Dr. Ventura offered a compelling overview of the lessons earthquake engineers have learned from previous earthquakes worldwide, the sesimic risk present in British Columbia, and the technology now being applied to local infrastructure in an effort to mitigate that risk. […]
Civil Engineering unveils new Structural Teaching Lab
The Department of Civil Engineering welcomed industry partners to campus on April 24th, 2013, to mark the grand opening of the new Structural Engineering Teaching Laboratory in the Civil and Mechanical Engineering Building. Those present witnessed a demonstration of the lab’s new Reconfigurable Structure Testing Frame and Small Scale Shaking Table Facility. The new testing frame, which includes a computer controller that recreates dynamic loads in real-time, will enhance the educational experience of civil engineering students by allowing them to test the failure rates of the structures that they build. In the past, they could only calculate theoretical failure rates. “The […]
Civil professor leads IC-IMPACTS to tackle infectious diseases
Researchers from the University of British Columbia, University of Alberta, University of Toronto and 11 leading institutions in India have joined forces in a $30 million partnership to tackle urgent issues in both countries. Supported by the Canadian government and state and industry partners in India, the India-Canada Centre for Innovative Multidisciplinary Partnerships to Accelerate Community Transformation and Sustainability (IC-IMPACTS) focuses on three key areas: safe drinking water, reliable infrastructure and effective prevention and treatment of water-borne and infectious diseases. The partnership will support new technology spinoffs and the training of more than 700 students and researchers. Through the development, deployment […]