Smart Structures

UBC Civil Engineering Leads $8.27M National Initiative to Tackle Housing Supply Through Sustainable Modular Construction

UBC Civil Engineering researchers are shaping a more sustainable, climate-resilient future for Canada

UBC Civil Engineering’s Insights on the 4.7-magnitude Earthquake that Shook Southern B.C

The event has underscored the critical need for seismic preparedness in the region.

UBC Civil Insights on Vancouver Seismic Risk Report

A new report from the City of Vancouver and Natural Resources Canada has outlined how a 7.2-magnitude earthquake could impact Vancouver, and it highlights six neighborhoods in high-risk areas. In the report, Vancouver’s West End, Yaletown, the Downtown Eastside, Kitsilano, Fairview, and Mount Pleasant have the highest risk of damage from a large earthquake. Seismic experts at UBC Civil Engineering have provided valuable insights on the recent City of Vancouver Council Report on Seismic Risk, highlighting the urgent need for strategies to strengthen vulnerable buildings and infrastructure against earthquake damage. Billions in damage, thousands of injuries: Report maps out Vancouver earthquake […]

Earthquake Preparedness and Resilience: UBC Civil Engineering’s Latest Insights for BC ShakeOut Day

featuring research on heritage preservation and Ultra-High Performance Concrete

Revolutionizing Affordable Housing: Dr. Tony Yang’s Research on Reinforcing Concrete Construction with Welded Wire Mesh

Rapid population growth in major cities worldwide has created immense challenges when seeking affordable housing. However, excess construction costs can be reduced by employing concrete elements such as slabs, panels, and beams that are reinforced with welded wire mesh (WWM). This material consists of electrically welded rods to form a uniformly continuous mesh which has been widely adopted in the industry as it has immense production efficiency, speed, and durability while also reducing project costs. Dr. Tony Yang, a Professor at UBC Civil Engineering, the lead researcher at UBC Smart Structures, and one of the world’s leading experts in structural and […]

Professor Tony Yang Awarded CAE Fellowship

Dr. Yang’s election to the CAE is a testament to his remarkable contributions and career in the field of engineering

How Base Isolation Technology can Preserve Cultural Heritage

The Great Hall of the Museum of Anthropology at UBC (MOA) is a cultural and architectural masterpiece that requires modern seismic safety measures to protect against future risk

Mass timber construction key to meeting climate change targets

Professor Yang and his team are setting new standards for disaster-resilient, mass timber buildings.