Organized Research Units

Collaborative research is conducted with other universities and research centres at the national and international levels. This cooperation includes institutions such as the University of Ottawa, the National Research Council of Canada, Department of Energy, Mines and Resources Canada, Public Works Canada, the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario, the University of Western Ontario, McGill University, and institutions in France (University of Grenoble), New Zealand (University of Auckland), Brazil and Egypt (Zagazig University). Although much of the research is conducted and/or directed by the individual faculty members, a number of faculty members of diverse expertise but with common research interests have organized themselves into research units. Some of these units are described on this page.

Centre for Advanced Asphalt Research and Technology (CAART)

Asphalt concrete is a material primarily used to build roadways and other transportation infrastructure. Asphalt concrete pavements are real-world structures, subjected to traffic loading and environmental conditioning. However, almost all asphalt pavement research and testing are completed in the laboratory, under tightly controlled test conditions – conditions that do not necessarily simulate in-service conditions. Furthermore, while construction and compaction practices contribute significantly to the actual field performance of asphalt pavements, few resources are allocated to improving how pavements are constructed.

CAART researchers are a little different.  We think that testing, modelling, prediction and observation are best completed on actual in-service asphalt pavements and that more attention should be given toward improving construction and compaction procedures, not only mix characteristics.

Centre for Geosynthetics Research Information and Development (C-GRID)

C-GRID is a centre within Carleton University comprising university researchers and industrial and governmental partners. The main objectives of the centre are to train a cadre of qualified engineers in the field of geosynthetics design and applications and to provide the geosynthetics industry, and private and governmental organizations, with a high-quality research facility, and expert advice on geosynthetic materials and geosynthetic reinforced systems.

Centre of Excellence for High Performance Concrete

The centre is located within the University of Ottawa and is a part of the $240 million Canadian Government Networks of Centres of Excellence. The Network combines the resources of seven university research groups, one of which is located at Carleton University, and two engineering firms to investigate and develop high-performance concrete and its applications. Researchers at the University of Ottawa Centre are primarily investigating the detailed physio-chemical properties of high-performance concrete.

Ottawa-Carleton Bridge Research Institute (OCBRI)

This Institute was jointly created by the departments at Carleton University and the University of Ottawa to coordinate graduate studies and research in the area of bridge engineering. The primary function of the Bridge Research Institute is to coordinate and foster graduate study and research in bridge engineering.

Transportation Research Centre

Tools to make roads, cars and drivers smarter through better planning, improved traffic control and safer vehicles are investigated, including building Intelligent Transportation Systems to incorporate technology into highway infrastructure with advanced traffic control, and traveller information systems. Travel demand management, the land-use impacts of telecommuting, energy and environmental factors in urban transportation and sustainable transportation reflect the diversity in research projects.

Sponsors of current/recent projects of the Transportation Research Centre include the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario, Transport Canada and  AUTO21, a federal Network of Centres of Excellence, and more than 120 industry, government and institutional partners. Carleton served as co-leader of the Canadian Automobile Research Simulation (CARS) project as a part of the research network in Intelligent Systems and Sensors, testing extensive navigation assistance and complex driver information systems with the simulated road, driver and vehicle conditions.