This past CSCE Toronto event (April 15, 2021) explored the applications of non-destructive testing (NDT) for structural evaluation and building condition assessment. Presented by Hamed Layssi, co-founder and structural engineer at FPrimeC Solutions Inc., the session reviewed how engineers can use NDT methods to: - Assess structural details and integrity - Estimate the mechanical and durability characteristics of building materials - Support structural evaluation and repair strategies About the Speaker: Hamed Layssi has over 15 years of experience in the concrete industry as a professional engineer and researcher. He holds a PhD from McGill University and is recognized among Canada’s top researchers (2018). He also received the 2018 Entrepreneurship Award from the PEO Ottawa Chapter. At FPrimeC Solutions, he specializes in advanced nondestructive testing and evaluation of concrete materials and structures.

Toronto’s waterfront is one of the most significant revitalization projects in the world. This CSCE Toronto webinar (January 29, 2021) featured Waterfront Toronto leaders discussing the past, present, and future of this transformation. Toronto’s waterfront underwent one of the most significant revitalization projects in the world—bigger than Lower Manhattan south of Houston Street and four times the size of Monaco. Covering an area roughly the size of Toronto’s downtown core, the transformation is reshaping the city’s relationship with the lake through new neighbourhoods, sustainable infrastructure, public spaces, and bridges. This past CSCE Toronto event featured a panel from Waterfront Toronto discussing the scale and impact of the revitalization. The conversation explored the integration of major infrastructure projects, including new bridges and flood protection systems, as well as public realm design and river valley construction. Panellists from Waterfront Toronto: - Ken Dion (Project Director – Port Lands Integration) - Joey Herrington (Senior Project Manager, Soil Remediation and Earth Works) - Shannon Baker (Project Director, Parks and Public Realm) - Simon Karam (Project Director) Completed and ongoing projects highlighted include the Wavedecks, Corktown Common, Sugar Beach, the revitalized Queens Quay, and the $1.25-billion Port Lands Flood Protection initiative.

The Port Lands Flood Protection and Enabling Infrastructure Project is a solution to protect the 290 hectares of southeastern downtown Toronto at risk of flooding from the Don River watershed. Included in the protection program are four bridges that will connect Villiers Islands to the mainland: the Cherry Street North Bridge (a vehicular and a LRT bridge connecting Villiers Island to Cherry Street North of Lakeshore Boulevard); the Cherry Street South Bridge (connecting Villiers Island to the southern Port Lands); and the Commissioners Street Bridge (connecting Villiers Island to the eastern Port Lands). This presentation focuses on the Cherry Street North bridge, where vehicular and LRT bridges were built simultaneously. The smooth, sculptural shape of this design pushed the fabricators and designers to apply innovative techniques to the design and construction of the project. Engineers and managers from Entuitive, EllisDon, Cherubini Metal Works Limited, and Harbourside Engineering Consultants will recount the design and construction process and experiences encountered to provide accessibility for transit, cyclists, pedestrians, and vehicles across the new Don River.Don’t miss this presentation of what will soon become Toronto’s new landmark!

Presented by Mark Bruder from RVA on November 25, 2020. This lecture focussed on the geotechnical program, detailed design, and brief progress update of the Coxwell Bypass Tunnel. This tunnel is the first stage of the Don River & Central Waterfront Wet Weather Flow System, one of Toronto's largest stormwater management programs that is expected to significantly improve water quality in the Lower Don River and along Toronto's inner harbor. The Coxwell Bypass Tunnel is a 10.4 km long, 6.3m inner diameter tunnel, finished with a precast concrete tunnel lining. The 5 shafts have a 20-m inner diameter, a 50-m depth, and are all finished with a reinforced cast-in-place concrete lining. The shafts are designed for unbalanced lateral loading, pre-cast roof installation, and a variety of internal structures including baffle drops, stairs, and complex benching. This tunnel system will capture combined sewer overflows, store them during extreme rainstorms, transport them to a treatment facility, and finally discharge them into Lake Ontario.