Meet our faculty, Professor Christian Viau

An Ottawa native, Dr. Christian Viau received his B.A.Sc., M.A.Sc., and Ph.D. in civil engineering from the University of Ottawa. Prior to joining Carleton, Dr. Viau was an assistant professor of the Department of Civil Engineering at the Royal Military College (RMC) in Kingston, where he continues to maintain strong ties and research collaborations. Dr. Viau served on the executive committee of the LGBTQ2S+ support group at RMC, promoting and pushing for inclusivity and positive representation, as well as providing individualized support to the officer cadets and staff. As a member of the queer community, he looks forward to interacting and getting involved with the diverse student body for which Carleton is renowned.

Dr. Viau’s research focuses on understanding how structural and non-structural members behave under extreme load effects, as well as establishing strengthening and retrofitting techniques for new and existing structures. His research combines the use of experimental testing in tandem with analytical modelling, with the goal of developing useful design tools, to aid engineers and designers in analyzing and detailing structures against extreme loads. His research background also involves the use of wood as a structural engineering material, specifically looking at optimizing its application and design properties in order for engineers to be capable of designing more sustainable and resilient infrastructure.

When not blowing stuff up (in the name of science, of course), writing papers, or teaching, Dr. Viau enjoys running and biking amongst the beautiful scenery in and around Ottawa and Gatineau. When the weather is not great, you can find Dr. Viau somewhere in the realm of online video games!