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Research
The RCI’s research programme is advancing current and emergent concepts and capabilities to promote understanding and develop the next generation of resilience tools and practice.
Research Programmes
Development of State-of-the-Art Simulation Structural platforms. To develop advanced simulation techniques for modelling critical infrastructure under extreme loading conditions such as earthquakes, blast loads, fire as well as under the effects combined multi-hazard loading conditions. The advanced models are developed and validated against large-scale real-time experiments in the Structural Testing Facility at the University of Toronto. The simulation framework also allows for the integration of advanced numerical models with full-scale physical testing of critical components through hybrid simulation techniques.
Development of Novel Structural Systems for Enhanced Resilience under Extreme Loading. To develop novel structural configurations making use of innovative materials and devices to enhance the resilience of infrastructure when subjected to extreme and rare loading conditions such as earthquakes, blast loads, fire as well as under the effects combined multi-hazard loading conditions.
Development of Novel Dense Instrumentation Strategies for Monitoring of Critical Infrastructure. To develop novel configurations of dense instrumentation on critical infrastructure to monitor their life time performance, validate and update numerical models and assess rapidly assess their state following extreme loading conditions.
Research Projects
Infrastructure Network Mapping. To develop a stand-off infrastructure mapping tool that will allow remote recognition and assessment of infrastructure systems. This will use primary indicators to identify types and capacities of infrastructure to inform an interpolated model for use by Government overseas reconstruction planning under the comprehensive approach. This project is also supported by industry sponsorship.
Infrastructure Resiliency Mapping. To develop an analysis tool for the Infrastructure Network Mapping product that will allow the user to assess the resilience of any given infrastructure system and so determine how best to affect change.
Urban Incident Response. The first hour of a bomb [threat] incident is vitally important and will often determine the injury levels of the public. It is also the period of greatest confusion. Harnessing the GSI modelling of the Cities Centre, the concept is for the first constable on the scene to assess which buildings should be evacuated and how, where the Emergency Rendez-Vous should be and where to cordon until relieved by a properly equipped incident control centre. The constable’s cruiser would have a simple application that receives a GPS-centred tile of the securely held city tableau for analysis to identify the immediate hazard areas and, drawing upon its database of corporate experience from metropolitan police services around the world, offer suitable locations for the control points.
Complex Structural Resilience. An on-going project to look at the residual structural resilience post incident to develop an understanding of structural behaviour under complex event loads. Examples would include: a tanker collision with a bridge pier that causes a fire and possible BLEVE; or a bridge carrying a gas pipe is damaged in an earthquake and the main is ruptured causing a fire. Would the bridge in either case be useable by emergency services?
Urban Population Movement Predictor. The urban population movement predictor builds on the Cities Centre commuter prediction model for Toronto, to provide a prediction of how people will travel towards an event or depart from an incident.
Design Philosophy for Structural Resilience. The existing codes of practice predominantly focus on the preservation of human life in the event of a catastrophic incident, rather than the during and post incident functionality of the structure. In order to protect against loss and facilitate as rapid a recovery to normal operations as possible, the core approach to structural design is being reviewed with the Department of National Defence.
Supporting Projects
The review of the Energy Generation and Transmission in the Great Lakes Region on behalf of New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Office of Counter-Terrorism.
Facilitating the systems analysis process and research, and contributing to, the 'Toronto Region Action Group for Extreme Weather Resilience' with the City of Toronto.