Douglas Tomlinson

Personal Summary

I am an assistant professor in structural engineering at the University of Alberta. During my PhD at Queen’s University I studied partially composite precast concrete insulated wall panels loaded under flexural and axial loads. I tested panels constructed using both steel and FRP reinforcement, developed techniques to evaluate the centroid of partially composite sections, successfully used Digital Image Correlation to evaluate slip between concrete layers, and investigated the validity of Basalt FRP in reinforced concrete structures.

During my post-doctoral work in the Sustainable Engineering in Remote Areas (SERA) program I conducted research on flax FRP skinned structural members, the use of electrical resistivity to predict strength gain in concrete cured at various temperatures, and post-tensioned guideway structures. Currently I serve on committees in the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering (CSCE) and American Concrete Institute (ACI) that focus on the use of advanced composite materials in structural engineering.

During my undergrad, I was active on the Queen’s concrete canoe and toboggan teams. I then served as an advisor for the concrete canoe team while doing my PhD. To date, I have taught undergraduate courses on reinforced concrete, prestressed concrete, structural analysis, and professional skills.

Future Research Directions

I am expanding my previous work on insulated concrete wall panels. In particular, I will: investigate the long term durability of shear connection systems, experimentally evaluate thermal bowing, and further study the effect of connector arrangement on panel flexural and axial response.

I am excited to conduct research on the use of high-performance materials in structural engineering applications. These materials can be used to construct efficient and durable structures as well as to retrofit existing structures to extend their design lives. I’m also excited to explore materials that have lower embodied energies than those used in traditional construction in order to reduce the impact our structures have on the environment.