Lydell Wiebe, Associate Professor of Civil Engineering at McMaster University, and Sanda Koboevic, Associate Professor of Civil Engineering with Polytechnique Montreal, have been jointly presented with the H.A. Krentz award.
For the second time in six years, the Canadian Institute of Steel Construction (CISC) has presented Lydell Wiebe, Associate Professor of Civil Engineering, with the H.A. Krentz award. This award is presented to the researcher with the highest ranked proposal submitted in that year and represents a $5,000 top-up in addition to the grant.
This award is presented jointly to Wiebe and Sanda Koboevic, Associate Professor of Civil Engineering with Polytechnique Montreal. Through their proposed research, they hope to improve design codes and standards to allow lighter, more economical foundation design.
As the code exists now, foundation capacity often greatly exceeds the strength of the steel structure in a building. An economical design aims to minimize the cost of the foundation, while ensuring the overall design meets the requirements for the building to be safe for its intended use and lifespan.
“Presently in steel building design, the superstructure can be made very economically, while foundations tend to be very conservative. My research team and I are looking at ways to maintain or enhance seismic performance while avoiding unnecessary cost,” says Wiebe.
“This collaborative research effort of two universities and the industry is essential to assure a common Canadian perspective and find the best solutions, suitable both to regions of high and moderate seismicity,” adds Koboevic.
This research is being carried out in collaboration with practicing engineers and colleagues at Polytechnique Montreal. The CISC grant has already allowed Wiebe to hire one PhD student to support the team. It will be bolstered by additional funding received through a recently awarded NSERC Alliance grant.
Wiebe has been an active CISC member throughout his career as a civil engineer and engineering researcher.
