Project Category: Current Projects

A Study of Sources of Error in BWIM Systems using a Model Bridge

Bridge-weighing-in-motion (BWIM) uses dynamic responses of an instrumented bridge to estimate the weights of vehicles moving at normal speeds. Since working with actual bridges is relatively expensive, the intricacies of and the sources of error in a BWIM system are best explored through a scale lab model. This project describes the experimental investigation of BWIM […]

Damage detection at welding joints on heavy ground vehicle structures In this project, new damage

Identification theories and techniques will be developed and tested for the fracture and crack identification on welding joints of mechanical structures, such as frames of coaches and other heavy ground vehicles. Finite element modelling (FEM) and analysis (FEA) of cracked welding frame structures with different crack sizes and locations will be built to study the […]

Binary Crack Sensor for Steel Girders

We are using a simple binary type of sensor as a low cost way to detect the presence of cracks on steel girders. A small diameter insulated wire is bonded to a steel girder. When a crack reaches a critical width it causes the bonded wire to break. The breaking of the wire causes a […]

Thermally Broken Concrete Balconies

The main objective of this project is to design a practical and cost-effective thermal break system for concrete balconies to improve the sustainability and cost efficiency of modern buildings as well as enhancing the health, safety and comfort of the building occupants. This project aims to determine the optimum combination of materials to provide excellent […]

Durability of GFRP Reinforced Concrete in Field Structures

Over the last two decades, the non-corrodible fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) bars have been used as reinforcement for bridge deck slabs, barrier walls, and parking garages to mitigate the corrosion problem of conventional steel. Among different types of FRP materials, the lower cost of glass FRP (GFRP) bars makes them attractive for the construction industry. […]

Structural Stability of Highway Embankments in Canada’s North

The completion of the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk Highway (ITH) in the Northwest Territories has been a long standing goal of the residents of town of Inuvik, the Hamlet of Tuktoyaktuk, and the Inuvialuit Settlement Region. This highway will be an all-weather transportation link and will complete Canada’s road network from the Pacific, Atlantic, to Arctic […]

Scour Monitoring Method Using Ultrasonic Based Flow Meter and Advanced Machine Learning

Bridges play a critical role in emergency responses when natural disasters strike. However, scouring is the primary cause of bridge failures and as a result is of major concern during natural hazards such as floods. As such, the use of more advanced technologies for Bridge Scour Monitoring (BSM) would lead to major improvements in many […]

Bridge Weigh-in-Motion (BWIM)

The Structural Innovation and Monitoring Technologies Resource Centre (SIMTReC), headquartered at the University of Manitoba, has developed an innovative Bridge Weigh-in-Motion (BWIM) system used to measure gross vehicle weights and speeds of vehicles as they travel over an instrumented bridge.  This system has significant advantages over present methods, as it is unobtrusive, more economical and […]