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VANCOUVER BRANCH | 10th July 2019
1
July, 10 2019
Table of Contents
ENGINEERS AND GEOSCIENTISTS BC – JULY 2019 NEWSLETTER 2
MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR 2
MESSAGE FROM THE INCOMING CHAIR 4
RECENT EVENTS 5
RESEARCH SEMINAR #2 – MARCH 13, 2019 5
WORLD WATER DAY – MARCH 21, 2019 10
SOCIAL MIXER WITH RICHMOND/DELTA BRANCH – APRIL 3, 2019 11
EVENING SEMINAR #4 – APRIL 11, 2019 12
EIT/GIT SEMINAR – APRIL 18, 2019 14
UPCOMING EVENTS 14
VOLUNTEER WITH US 14
EXECUTIVE TEAM 14
COMMENTS AND FEEDBACK 15
VANCOUVER BRANCH | 10th July 2019
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ENGINEERS AND GEOSCIENTISTS BC – JULY 2019 NEWSLETTER
MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR
On behalf of the Vancouver Branch of
Engineers and Geoscientists BC, thank you
to all our great volunteers! With everyone’s
efforts, the Vancouver Branch was able to
finish the 2018-2019 year strong with 26
events. This included 4 evening seminars, 2
research seminars, 5 tours, 2 social events,
and 13 other events and planning meetings!
The term had a handful of new volunteers
which ultimately brought new ideas and
enthusiasm.
The 2018-2019 term also featured 27
speakers including 8 from government, 6 from
academia, 13 from consulting companies, and
8 student speakers! From graduate students
presenting their groundbreaking research, to
a City General Manager sharing a new policy,
or a Senior Engineer and CEO presenting
their exceptional engineering solutions, every
presenter at our seminars made these events
full of networking and knowledge sharing
opportunities. With this, Vancouver Branch
was able to bring speakers from three major
areas of expertise, which can help in
achieving beneficial engineering solutions.
These three areas included
academia/research, consulting, and
government. In support of the 30 by 30
initiative, we also had 11 female speakers
including at least one female speaker in every
seminar. The seminars we organized covered
topics from various engineering disciplines
and specialties such as civil, transportation,
structural, water resources, electrical,
mechanical, and mining engineering.
In this term, we were also able to connect with
more people on social media via Twitter and
LinkedIn.
The Vancouver Branch would like to extend a
big thank you to Vancouver City Hall for
hosting 15 of our seminars at no cost, and a
special thanks to Chris Santos and other City
Hall staff for providing logistic support.
Thank you to Harlan Kelly, P.Eng., Vice
President, Engineers and Geoscientists BC,
for attending our executive meetings and
motivating us with positive energy.
Vancouver Branch will not forget the support
of Tim Verigin from the association office for
providing all the logistic support in organizing
these events. We greatly appreciate his
VANCOUVER BRANCH | 10th July 2019
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patience and time in helping us achieve our
goals.
We would also like to welcome new volunteers
to join us. Volunteering with the Vancouver
Branch can certainly help members to:
Advance the profession by sharing your
knowledge and experience
Expand your professional network with
7,000 members in the Vancouver region
and 16,000 Lower Mainland members
Develop leadership and event planning
skills
Meet and work with other volunteer
members
Finally, let's welcome our new Chair Nawoong
Yoon, EIT and Vice-Chair Ovee Zaman, EIT
for the 2019-2020 year ahead. I am quite
confident that they will continue the legacy by
organizing networking events and seminars to
help members in achieving the highest
standards of professional and ethical
standards.
On this note, I would like to welcome the new
executive committee for the 2019-2020 term.
Hoping to see another great term in creating a
socially vibrant professional community.
Dr. Nilufar Islam, P. Eng Chair, Vancouver Branch, 2018-2019
VANCOUVER BRANCH | 10th July 2019
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MESSAGE FROM THE INCOMING CHAIR
On behalf of the Vancouver Branch of
Engineers and Geoscientists BC, it is my
pleasure to work with the Vancouver Branch.
We connect approximately 7,000 members in
the Vancouver region and 16,000 Lower
Mainland members through various events.
These events include technical seminars,
outreach events, industry tours, panel
discussions, and networking events that help
professionals reach the highest standards of
professional and ethical standards.
We promote professional development,
knowledge transfer and networking, as well as
our values to maintain Integrity, Accountability
and Innovation to create a socially vibrant
professional community.
It is an honour to work with such great
volunteers who dedicate their time to assist
with every event.
On this note, I would like to congratulate and
thank all past volunteers and our outgoing
Chair Dr. Nilufar Islam, P.Eng., for their hard
work in organizing events.
Also, I would like to welcome new volunteers
to join us this year. It is a great opportunity to
expand your professional network while
organizing events for our association. I look
forward to an exciting year with all of you.
Nawoong Yoon, EIT
Vice- Chair, 2018-2019
Incoming Chair, 2019-2020
Vancouver Branch
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RECENT EVENTS
RESEARCH SEMINAR #2 – MARCH 13, 2019
Vancouver City Hall
On March 13, 2019, the Vancouver Branch
organized Research Seminar #2 at the
Vancouver City Hall. This was the second of
the Research Seminar series showcasing
groundbreaking research in the Lower
Mainland. There were 5 research
presentations, a networking session, followed
by a keynote presentation by Olav Mejia,
M.Sc, P. Eng., Principal Process Engineer
with Allnorth Consultants.
The 5 research presentations were presented
by:
1. Ali Cherom Kheirabadi, who is a Ph.D.
Student for Mechanical Engineering,
University of British Columbia.
Topic: “Increasing the Efficiency of Floating
Offshore Wind Farms Using Wind Farm
Control”
Abstract: There are several benefits
associated with clustering wind turbines into
wind farms; these benefits include capital
savings associated with shared electrical,
transportation, and management costs, as
well as streamlined maintenance and repair
procedures. However, wind turbines in close
proximity to one another also suffer from a
phenomenon known as the wake effect. As
one turbine extracts kinetic energy from the
wind, it generates a region of wind with
reduced velocity referred to as a wake. Due to
the reduced wind speed, another turbine that
is located downstream and is aligned with this
wake produces less electrical energy. In
operational wind farms, the wake effect may
reduce the power output of downstream
turbines by up to 60%, while yielding annual
revenue losses of up to 30%.
One solution to mitigating such efficiency
losses is referred to as wind farm control. The
objective of a wind farm controller is to utilize
the available degrees of freedom of individual
wind turbines to manipulate the wind field and
maximize energy production from the wind
farm. For instance, misaligning a wind
turbine’s axis of rotation from the incoming
wind causes the generated wake to deflect
sideways in a controllable manner. Such
controllability may be used to steer wakes
away from downstream turbines. If the wind
turbines in question are floating on the ocean
surface, the structures may be relocated in
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real-time to manipulate wake paths and
further raise efficiency.
The presented research will cover existing
attempts at maximizing wind farm efficiency
using control algorithms based on both
classical control techniques and machine
learning. Additionally, current progress on the
student’s research will be presented. This
overview will cover the dynamic modelling of
floating offshore wind farms, control system
design for maximizing energy production, and
validation techniques.
2. Yun-Han Huang, who is a Ph.D. Student for Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of British Columbia.
Topic: “Study of the Micromechanical Properties of Gellan Gum Capsules with a Cantilevered-Capillary Force Apparatus” Abstract: In this research, we present the
micromechanical characterization of micron-
sized capsules made from gellan gum using a
Cantilevered-Capillary Force Apparatus. The
capsules are edible and composed of
sunflower oil core and gellan gum shell. They
are intended to serve as a model for tunable
microcapsules and delivery vehicles. The
CCFA can provide axial deformation to
individual colloidal particles, and direct and
dynamic measurement of force. Experimental
findings suggest that the elastic modulus of
the microcapsules matched well with Hertz
theory at small deformation, and with a
hyperelastic model for rubber spheres at
larger deformation (>~20%).
Furthermore, it is noticed that the elastic
modulus of the microcapsules increased with
increasing shell thickness and percentage of
gum of shell and decreased with increasing
capsule diameter. We will present results from
further characterize of the microcapsules
under dynamic deformation. By producing
sinusoidal oscillating strain to the
microcapsules, we aim to study their
relaxation and reaction to dynamic loading.
The study of the micro-mechanism of the
capsules can provide understanding of elastic
microcapsules and delivery vehicles and has
the potential of improving the design and
development of functional foods.
3. Sina Nezafatkhah, who is a M.Sc. Student for Mechanical Engineering, University of British Columbia.
Topic: “An Exploratory Analysis of Natural Weathering in Glass Fibre Reinforced Plastics (GFRP) and Degradation of Their Mechanical Properties” Abstract: In this research, a glass/polyester
material system was used to evaluate the
degradation processes involved in natural
ageing of GFRPs. Composites and neat
polyester specimens were aged in the semi-
arid climatic condition in Kelowna, British
Columbia, Canada, for all seasons of a year,
consisting of dry/sunny summer, and
VANCOUVER BRANCH | 10th July 2019
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cold/cloudy winter. Composites were
manufactured under an open-mould hand-
layup process in eight different types, varying
in the architecture of their fibres, application of
the surface coating, and the initial curing
process. On the other hand, neat polyester
samples were only different in their initial
curing processes.
Apart from natural degrading agents,
properties, such as surface hardness, surface
roughness, and flexural strength were
measured and monitored within the entire
year of exposure to the natural climate.
Principal Component Analysis (PCA), as an
exploratory data analysis method, was
applied to the collected data and correlations
were determined between natural agents and
the resultant changes in physical properties.
Among climatic agents, UV radiation, relative
humidity (RH%), and the snow level on the
ground (cm) were the most affecting agents.
Selection of fibres architecture was the most
influential decision-making term in
manufacturing, followed by the
manufacturers’ decision on the application of
the surface coating, and selection of the
appropriate initial curing process. Gradual
curing in ambient condition was found to
promote ageing behaviour of products rather
than curing at elevated temperatures, as
partially cured samples are less prone to
photodegradation. Finally, the internal
structure of aged samples was analysed
morphologically to validate the ageing
induced degradation processes. Weakened
adhesion at fibre-matrix interfaces, peeling of
the surface coating, and rise in the density of
microcracks and void content were spotted
through micro-CT inspections.
4. Gurupraveen Ramanathan, who is a M.Sc. Student for Mining Engineering, University of British Columbia.
Topic: “Process Optimization and Scale-up of Jet Mills for the Metallurgical Powder Production” Abstract: The Jet mill operates on principle of
particle-on-particle attrition to grind ultrafine
powder material without the introduction of
heat, or other external force, and is capable of
particle size reduction from about 100 microns
down to 250 nm. Power consumption plays a
major role in energy intensive ultrafine
grinding operations and depends on a number
of different parameters such as physical
characteristics of the solids (hardness,
abrasiveness, or tenacity), physical
characteristics of the mill shell liner, degree of
fineness of the finished product and, above all,
particle size distribution of the feed. As a result
of mill shell liner abrasion during grinding
operation, powder contamination by iron (for
steel shells) or other impurities (e.g. carbon for
polymer coated shells) often occurs and
presents a significant challenge for most
powder milling operations. In addition,
significant loss of material can be experienced
as a result of particle adhesion, entrapment,
and powder seepage.
VANCOUVER BRANCH | 10th July 2019
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The proposed study is concerned with the
optimization of grinding process of ultrafine
metallurgical powders in a small-scale 4” jet
mill and, subsequently, with the identification
of optimal operating conditions of a pilot-scale
20” jet mill through extensive scale-up study.
During the 4” jet mill testing and optimization
stage, we will aim to understand the effects of
powder feed rate, chamber pressure, and feed
particle size distribution and shape on overall
mill efficiency and iron entrainment using
stainless steel shell. In addition, the effect of
polymer-based shell coating on milling
efficiency, shell abrasion rate, and iron
contamination reduction will be assessed.
Coating type and thickness providing the
longest liner lifetime, lowest power
consumption, least contamination, and
optimal grinding efficiency will be identified.
Other strategies for iron contamination
removal using, for example, magnetic cleaner
stage will also be explored. Finally, we will
examine the reasons behind the material loss
during the operation and propose design
modification and operation strategies to
reduce or eliminate material loss. The results
of 4” jet mill study will be used to advise the
following process optimization work on 20” jet
mill.
5. Yang Xu, who is a Ph.D. Student for Minerals Processing, University of British Columbia.
Topic: “A logistics Regression Classifier Optimized by Principal Component Analysis Algorithm for Copper Ore Sorting by XRF Sensor” Abstract: Ore sorting is a mineral
concentration process where individual ore
particles or bulk material are separated to
reject low-grade gangue and recover high-
grade ore. The benefits of ore sorting result
from reducing the amount of gangue that
reports to the concentrator, as well as the
amount of ore that reports to the waste dump.
Sorting is a means of achieving grade control
for the processing plant. Additional benefits of
sensor-based sorting result from reducing
haulage distances and avoiding comminution
of low grade or barren rock, thereby lowering
operating costs.
Metallurgical performance can also be
improved because of a more consistent and
higher grade of ore to the process plant.
Sensor-based sorting systems have
experienced rapid development in recent
years and have been successfully applied in
mining operations to ores such as copper,
gold, diamond and iron ores.
The benefits of pre-concentration using
sensor-based sorting result from improved
VANCOUVER BRANCH | 10th July 2019
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and more consistent metal grades reporting to
the grinding circuit and concentrator and from
avoiding comminution of rejected rock thereby
reducing energy consumption. Currently, the
most commonly method is multivariable linear
regression algorithm which aims to seek for
suitable coefficients that could be used for
setting up an equation to predict the copper
grade. In this paper, we present a novel
classifier which is based on the theory of
logistics regression (LR). The proposed LR
model is optimized by the principal component
analysis (PCA) algorithm to achieve the goal
of dimension decreased. It will also solve the
multicollinearity problem and overfitting
problem which exist in each element. At last,
we compared the predicted results between
original model and PCA optimized model, the
summary results show that the model with
PCA has achieved slightly better predicted
performance than the original one which
certified the PCA method could enhance the
LR model predicted performance effectively.
The student presenters were later greeted
with a certification of the association.
The keynote presenter Olav Mejia is working
in the mining industry. His topic was “The
Engineering Design Process – Mineral
Processing". He emphasizes that although
“engineers have to spend 20% of their time in
finding a good idea and 80% to convince
people to do it, we still need to follow certain
procedures to minimize the chances of
making big mistakes”.
The audience were quire engaging with
questions after presentations. Olav’s speech
resonates with many people's thinking. This
was a success, promoting networking and
knowledge sharing.
VANCOUVER BRANCH | 10th July 2019
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WORLD WATER DAY – MARCH 21, 2019
Vancouver City Hall
The Student and Young Professional
Committees (SYPCs) of the Canadian Water
Resources Association (CWRA SYP),
Canadian Water Network (CWN SYP), and
BC Water and Waste Association (BCWWA)
organized the World Water Day event in
Vancouver, BC. The event was sponsored
and collaborated with the Engineers and
Geoscientists BC Vancouver Branch and
sponsored by McElhanney. The event was
organized on March 21, 2019 at Vancouver
City Hall.
This year’s them was “Leaving No One
Behind” and the event featured a networking
session, student competition (3MT style
presentation), a panel discussion, and award
ceremony for the student competition.
Nine students presented at the competition
and covered a range of topics from
engineering to sustainability and water
resource management. The students were
from different departments at UBC, mainly
engineering but a few from other departments
(eg. resource management). The panel
discussion featured 4 panelists: Dr Gunilla
Oberg (Professor, Institute for Resources,
Environment and Sustainability – UBC), Dr
Jeff Carmichael (Division Manager Utility,
Research and Innovation – Metro Vancouver),
Virginia Sarrazin (Project Manager Water and
Wastewater – WSP), and Dr Zafar Adeel
(Executive Director, Pacific Water Research
Centre – SFU).
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The event was attended by approximately 55-
60 people, and consisted of students and
professionals from academia, municipalities,
consulting, and industry. The organizers look
forward to your support next year for another
World Water Day event in Vancouver, BC to
promote the essence and importance of
water!
SOCIAL MIXER WITH RICHMOND/DELTA BRANCH – APRIL 3, 2019
Pint Pub, Vancouver
The social mixer held at the Pint Pub in
downtown Vancouver was a great success.
Members from Vancouver and nearby
branches joined together to socialize,
network, and make friendships. The social
mixer included interactive social games in
order to get the conversations flowing. Food
and drinks were also provided to all attendees.
The event promoted engagement with the
association’s branches and encouraged
attendees to exchange information for making
professional connections.
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EVENING SEMINAR #4 – APRIL 11, 2019
Vancouver City Hall
STRUCTURAL AND TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERING
The Evening Seminar organized on April 11,
2019 in the areas of structural and
transportation engineering was a success,
promoting networking and knowledge
exchange. Exciting research topics were
presented to over 30 attendees.
Refreshments were provided and the event
included a short networking session.
EVENING SEMINAR #4 PRESENTERS
Dr. Terje Haukaas, P.Eng.
Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, UBC
Dr. Cristiano Loss
Assistant Professor,
Department of Wood Science, UBC.
Md Saifuzzaman, P.Eng., M.Eng., PE
Principal Engineer and Engineering Manager, Pearson Inc.
Nadia Krys,P.Eng., PE, PMP
Senior Project Manager Translink
Presentation Title:
Simulating the Seismic
Performance of Buildings
and Communities
Presentation Title:
Hybrid Wood-Based
Modular Solutions for
Tomorrow’s Buildings –
From Research to
Construction
Presentation Title: Isolated
Bridge Abutments - A
Comparison with Traditional
Abutments
Presentation Title:
Universal Fare Gate
Access - Public
Private Innovation
Opens Doors for
People with
Disabilities
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EIT/GIT SEMINAR – APRIL 18, 2019
Vancouver City Hall
Path to Professional Licensure: "How to
Obtain Your P.Eng. or P.Geo. Designation"
was organized by the Vancouver Branch on
April 18, 2019 at the Vancouver City Hall. After
a short networking opportunity, the speaker,
Jason Ong, Manager of Exams, Geoscience
Registration, and the Member-in-Training
Program for the Engineers and Geoscientists
BC gave an overview of the application
process for professional registration in
Engineering and Geoscience. He also
covered some of the benefits and
requirements for the P.Eng. and P.Geo.
designations with particular focus on the
specific academic and experience
requirements that need to be fulfilled. The
event was attended by over 90 people and
included an interactive Q&A session. For
more information on attaining your P.Eng. or
P.Geo. designation, please contact the
association at 604.430.8035 and speak with a
Senior Registration Coordinator.
UPCOMING EVENTS
1. Annual General Meeting 2018-2019: July 13, 2019 2. Energy Facility Tour: July 18, 2019 3. Tour of Zaber Technologies– July 25, 2019
VOLUNTEER WITH US
VOLUNTEER WITH US!
It’s never too late to get involved! Volunteer with the Vancouver Branch today. Apply Online or
email [email protected] for more information.
EXECUTIVE TEAM
VANCOUVER BRANCH | 10th July 2019
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BRANCH EXECUTIVE MEMBERS
Chair- Dr. Nilufar Islam, P. Eng.
Vice- Chair- Nawoong Yoon, EIT
Past Chair and Event Coordinator- Travis Nguyen, EIT
Secretary- Yi Ran Zhang, Student Member
Treasurer- Christina Noel, EIT
Seminar Coordinators:
Vishnu Kumar VJ, Student Member
Manoj Sarma Madduri, EIT
Maggie Sheu, P. Eng.
Susan Gu, Student Member
Other Positions:
Newsletter Editor- Vishnu Kumar VJ, Student Member
Social Media Coordinator- Amy Bai, EIT
Other Vacant Positions:
Sustainability Event Coordinator- VACANT
Evening Seminar Coordinator- 2 VACANT POSITIONS
Research Seminar Coordinator- 2 VACANT POSITIONS
COMMENTS AND FEEDBACK
HAVE COMMENTS AND FEEDBACK?
If you have comments or feedback on the newsletter, or if you know someone that is interested
in doing a presentation at one of our branch events, we would love to hear from you. We also
want to hear from you if your organization wants to host a facility tour!
Email the Vancouver Branch
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