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General Areas of Research
Research in the Environmental Section of the department is carried out in three broad areas:- Water Resources
- Water Quality
- Environmental Decision Making and Sustainable Infrastructure
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Water Resources
Professors:B.J. Adams
B.W. Karney
Water Resources Engineering is concerned with society's interaction with the Earth’s water cycle. To meet our continual and growing water requirements, engineers need to understand the hydrologic cycle and be able to design suitable structures for controlling, transporting and utilizing water.
A broad variety of topics is covered by the Water Resources research in the Section, e.g., urban drainage and flood control; flood frequency analysis; optimal multipurpose reservoir operation; stormwater management modelling; water resources systems analysis; the hydraulics and performance of water distribution systems; and transient analysis and design of pipeline systems. With problems of global climate change and a growing world population, water resources is a particularly challenging and exciting area of research.
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Water Quality
Research in water quality in the Environmental Section of the department focuses on the treatment of water for drinking and on the remediation of contaminated soils and groundwater. The research in drinking water treatment, whichrequires specialized understanding of the chemistry and biology of water, focuses on alternative disinfection techniques. Much of this research involves study of the formation and removal of disinfection by-products and identification of organic compounds in drinking water. Other projects include the use of physical/chemical methods to reduce Giardia and various viruses and the application of activated carbon adsorption in water treatment.Decades of industrial activity, with often environmentally insensitive disposal practices, have caused untold damage to groundwater aquifers throughout the World. The research into remedial groundwater technologies focuses primarily on light non-aqueous phase liquids (LNAPLS), such as fuel oils, and dense non-aqueous phase liquids (DNAPLS), such as chlorinated solvents. It involves both comprehensive numerical model for simulating the remediation of groundwater contaminated by LNAPLs and DNAPLs and the bioremediation of contaminated sites.
Research in these areas utilizes very well equipped analytical laboratory facilities within department.
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Environmental Decision Making and Sustainable Infrastructure
Professors:B.J. Adams
B.W. Karney
C.A. Kennedy
H.L. MacLean
V.H. Vanderburg
Over the next half century, infrastructure in almost every country of the world will be radically transformed due to changes in the various sectors of the economies (in particular energy), the state of disrepair of much existing infrastructure, and citizens' demands for a more sustainable world. Civil engineers have a strong history in the design, construction, and management of infrastructure and have a major role to play in this transformation.
Addressing environmental problems and moving toward a more sustainable future involves complex engineering, scientific, economic, social, political and legal factors. And often, decision-making is further complicated by uncertainties about health, environmental and economic impacts and risks.
Faculty members in the Environmental Engineering Section of the Department are active in interdisciplinary research to develop and apply creative methods to improve this decision-making. For example, research projects investigate and apply techniques for the evaluation of alternative designs, plans and policies using approaches such as life-cycle analysis, industrial ecology and environmental impact assessment. These are being applied in a range of areas such as waste management, remediation of contaminated sites, water resources, climate change, biofuels, and the design of infrastructure in a manner that is consistent with concepts of sustainability. Much of this research makes use of the City of Toronto and surrounding areas as a “living” lab in which to collect data and test out proposed solutions.
For more information see the department's sustainable infrastructure webpage.