Position: Post Doctoral Position
Contact: Professor A. P. S. Selvadurai

Applications are invited for the position of a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow in Environmental Geomechanics in the Department of Civil Engineering and Applied Mechanics at McGill University. The position can commence in January 2009. Applicants should have a Doctoral degree in Computational Geomechanics, Computational Mechanics or Applied Mathematics. Special consideration will be given to applicants with a strong background in either computational multi-physics, computational mechanics or mathematical modelling.

Research currently in progress in Computational Environmental Geomechanics cover the broader aspects of theoretical, computational and experimental modelling in the following topics:

• Thermo-Hydro-Mechanics of Multiphase Porous Media
  
• Reactive Flows in Porous Media
  
• Mechanics of Particulate Media
  
• Stability of Interfaces in Porous Media
  
• Contact Problems in Geodynamics
  
• Mechanics of Geosynthetics and Hyperelastic Polymeric Materials
  

Interested applicants should contact Professor A.P.S. Selvadurai at the address given below and provide PDF files of (i) an up-to-date CV, (ii) research publications in Journals and (iii) names of four referees including the doctoral supervisor.

Professor A.P.S. Selvadurai FRSC
William Scott Professor and James McGill Professor
Department of Civil Engineering and Applied Mechanics
MGill University
817 Sherbrooke Street West - Room 492
Montreal, QC, Canada H3A 2K6
Tel: (514) 398-6672
Fax: (514) 398-7361
Web Site: Professor A.P.S. Selvadurai

Position: Research Technician Position
Contact: Professor A. P. S. Selvadurai

Applications are invited for the position of a Research Technician in Experimental Geomechanics in the Department of Civil Engineering and Applied Mechanics at McGill University. The position can commence in January 2009. Applicants should have either a Technologists Certificate or a degree in Civil, Mechanical or Geological Engineering or Science. Special consideration will be given to applicants with experience in designing and coordinating experiments, planning instrumentation, data acquisition, data processing and documentation.

Research currently in progress in Experimental Geomechanics cover the following topics:

• Permeability of intact and fractured rocks
  
• High pressure triaxial testing of geomaterials
  
• Carbon dioxide migration through brine saturated rocks
  
• Heat transfer in fluid saturated geomaterials
  

Interested applicants should contact Professor A.P.S. Selvadurai at the address given below and provide PDF files of (i) an up-to-date CV, (ii) a statement of research and industrial experience and (iii) names of two referees including who can comment on the capacity of the applicant to participate in research oriented experimental work. Sarlary will be commensurate with experience and background.

Professor A.P.S. Selvadurai FRSC
William Scott Professor and James McGill Professor
Department of Civil Engineering and Applied Mechanics
MGill University
817 Sherbrooke Street West - Room 492
Montreal, QC, Canada H3A 2K6
Tel: (514) 398-6672
Fax: (514) 398-7361
Web Site: Professor A.P.S. Selvadurai

Position: Doctoral Research
Contact: Professor A. P. S. Selvadurai

Applications are invited for three doctoral student positions in Environmental Geomechanics in the Department of Civil Engineering and Applied Mechanics at McGill University to commence in June 2007. Applicants should have a Master’s degree in Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science or Geological Engineering. Special consideration will be given to applicants with backgrounds in experimental mechanics, computational mechanics and mathematical modelling.

Research currently in progress in Environmental Geomechanics cover the broader aspects of experimental, theoretical, computational modelling in the following topics:

• Fluid Flow in Rock Fractures and Evolution of Fracture Permeability
  
• Fluid Pressure Transients and Multiphase Transport in Porous Media
  
• Mechanics of Particulate Media and Contact Mechanics
  
• Pressure-Driven Behaviour of Oil-Water Interfaces in Porous Media
  
• Mechanics of Bentonite-Fluid Interfaces
  
• Mechanics of Geosynthetics and Hyperelastic Polymeric Materials
  

Interested applicants should contact Professor A.P.S. Selvadurai, in writing, at the address given below and provide a statement of research interests, transcripts of their undergraduate and graduate record, research publications in Journals and any other pertinent information. The applicants should also make a formal University application for admission to the Graduate Program in Civil Engineering before July 2007.

Professor A.P.S. Selvadurai
William Scott Professor and James McGill Professor
Department of Civil Engineering and Applied Mechanics
MGill University
817 Sherbrooke Street West - Room 492
Montreal, QC, Canada H3A 2K6
Tel: (514) 398-6672
Fax: (514) 398-7361
Web Site: Professor A.P.S. Selvadurai

Position: Postdoctoral Research
Contact: Dr. Subhasis Ghoshal

The Department of Civil Engineering at McGill University, Montreal, Canada, invites applications for a postdoctoral fellowship on a project investigating the adhesion of bacteria on non-aqueous phase liquids (NAPLs), bacterial transport in porous media for bioaugmentation at NAPL-contaminated sites, and bacterial community composition. Applicants must have a Ph.D. in environmental engineering or a closely related field. Experience with molecular biology tools is desirable. The appointment is for 1 year, with an option for a 1-year extension contingent upon performance. To apply, send a description of research experience, curriculum vitae, reprints of publications, and contact information for three references to Professor Subhasis Ghoshal. McGill University is committed to equity in employment. Information about McGill University and the Department of Civil Engineering is available at McGill Civil Engineering Website.

Project: Various structural engineering projects

Position: Master's candidate(s)
Contact: Dr. Ghyslaine McClure

Students who are interested in carrying out a master's project or thesis will be required to complete research on the following topics:

1. Numerical modelling of nonlinear dynamic problems related to cable structures (guyed telecommunication towers, overhead power lines): seismic loads, loads due to sudden ice shedding, and loads due to component failure.

2. Numerical modelling of failure modes in transmission line structures.

3. Seismic risk reduction of operational and functional components of buildings and building contents.

Individuals with a background in structural engineering (dynamics) are encouraged to apply.

Project: Risks on transmission lines due to rime ice

Position: Master's candidate(s)
Starting date: January 2005
Date posted: August 12, 2004
Contact: Dr. Luc Chouinard

The combination of wind speed and ice thickness is of major concern for the structural design of electric distribution and transmission networks. Wind speed during an ice storm is important both for the total loads applied to the structures and for the rate of accretion and shape of the ice. Also critical for the total loads is the amount of time the accumulated ice persists on the structure since the likelihood of high wind speeds increases with time. Data sets from Hydro-Québec and from Environment Canada are to be analyzed to develop joint distributions of wind speed and ice accumulation in the St. Lawrence valley. These distributions should then be used to derive critical wind-ice load combinations for electric distribution and transmission networks.

Project: Design of seismic shear walls

Position: Master's candidate(s)
Starting date: January 2005
Date posted: August 12, 2004
Contact: Dr. Luc Chouinard

Development of performance - based procedures for the design of shear walls in regions of moderate to low seismic activity. This projcet requires the integration of experimental and numerical results in a probabilistic design approach.

Project: Diagnostic analysis of monitoring data for dams

Position: Master's candidate(s)
Starting date: January 2005
Date posted: August 12, 2004
Contact: Dr. Luc Chouinard

Monitoring of dams is a very important activity in dam safety. Monitoring data can be used as a means to identify patterns of behaviour of the dam as a function of independent variables such as time, temperature and water levels, and to detect as early as possible significant deviations from these patterns. Analysis procedures are to be developed for single instruments and for multiple instruments simultaneously that can account for reversible and irreversible effects, as well as for nonlinear effects associated with the presence of structural defects.

Project: Joint vulnerability of infrastrucures during earthquakes

Position: Master's candidate(s)
Starting date: January 2005
Date posted: August 12, 2004
Contact: Dr. Luc Chouinard

Development of analytical procedures to evaluate the joint vulnerability of systems during an earthquake. Current vulnerabiity studies are performed on individual components. However, most catastrophes are the result of joint failures or cascading failures of several components.