Micro-Engineering Dynamics and Automation Lab
This lab integrates both subtractive processes and additive processes (3D printing, injection molding) for innovative, rapid, cost-effective fabrication of three-dimensional multi-scale and multifunctional components using a variety of engineering materials such as composites, metallic alloys and polymers. Other research interests:
- Vibrations: experimental modal analysis, substructure coupling, vibration reductions
- Nanocomposites: carbon nanotube (CNT), graphenes and other nanocomposites
- Sensors: chemical, force, strain/stress, etc.
- Pipeline engineering – leak detection, structural integrity
- Various applications in IoT, oil and gas, aerospace, manufacturing, etc.
Laboratory for Turbulence Research in Aerodynamics and Flow Control
LTRAC is an experimental fluid mechanics laboratory housing four wind tunnels and one water channel. These facilities are equipped with state-of-the-art flow and force diagnostic equipment including: high-speed camera systems, laser-based velocity measurement systems (2D-PIV, Stereo-PIV, Tomographic PIV, three-component LDV), flow visualization systems (PLIF, electrolytic, smoke wire), traditional velocity measurement systems (hot-wire anemometry, pitot tubes), and force measurement systems (four independent ATI six-axis load cells). Research conducted is primarily focused on subsonic incompressible flows in the areas of: bluff-body aerodynamics, unsteady aerodynamics, energy harvesting, flow control, flow-induced vibrations, turbulence and wind energy. LTRAC is associated with the University of Calgary Aerospace Network (UCAN). The lab supports more than 15 graduate student projects and is used for final-year capstone projects for more than 40 undergraduate students.
BioMEMS and Bioinspired Microfluidic Laboratory
This is a multidisciplinary lab with the focus on tissue engineering, microfluidics, lab-on-chip, organ-on-chip, biosensors and high-throughput drug discovery platforms.
Research capabilities:
On-chip single-cell studies: Our lab is focused on studying the effects of mechanical cues on cell response at both the single cell and the high-throughput level by developing integrated microfluidic platforms.
Tissue engineering: We intend to combine micro/nanotechnology and tissue engineering approaches to make organ-on-chip platforms with applications in disease modeling, drug discovery, pharmacology and tissue engineering. Our lab mainly develops new biomaterials and tissue models with the focus on innervated tissues, skin, vasculature, liver and brain.
Biosensors: We use the knowledge in microfluidics, micro/nanotechnology, surface chemistry, and cellular/molecular biology to develop innovative nano-biosensors and point-of-care microdevices for medical applications with the particular focus on optofluidics and electrochemical sensors for detecting infectious diseases, brain injuries and cancer.
Lab equipment:
Microfluidic facility: photolithography setup, mask aligner, sputtering machine, plasma machines, soft lithography setup, spin coater, laser cutter, 1,600 C furnace, ovens, 3D printers, stereolithography machine, fume hood, syringe pumps, peristaltic pumps, high-pressure and high-temperature setup
Sensing facility: vector network analyzers, electronic setup, oscilloscope, signal generator, amplifier, potentiostat, electrochemical setups
Tissue engineering facility: 3D bioprinters, brightfield microscopes, fluorescent microscopes, live-cell-imaging fluorescent microscope, cell culture facility, biosafety cabinet, -80 C and -20 C freezers, liquid nitrogen tanks, incubators,centrifuge system, water bath, desiccator, sonicator, UV system, Western blot setup, UV spectrometer, autoclave, freeze dryer, nanoparticle synthesis facility
Nanotribology Lab
The nanotribology lab examines friction and wear processes with the goal of gaining a mechanistic and physical understanding of these processes. This information can be used to develop predictive models. The lab examines friction and wear at the atomic length-scale, primarily using atomic force microscopy. We also examine friction and wear processes at engineering length-scales, such as for erosion and corrosion wear of heat-exchanger tubing. The lab houses a state-of-the-art, ultra-high vacuum and variable temperature atomic-force microscope, a custom-built reciprocating tribometer, a metallography lab, a nanoindenter, and a chemical vapour deposition furnace.
Laboratory for Research in Pipeline Corrosion and Integrity
The overall goals of this laboratory are to advance the fundamental understanding of pipeline corrosion and cracking phenomena, and to develop techniques for improved integrity management of pipelines. The research activities are composed of three inter-related themes: corrosion science and engineering in oil/gas pipeline systems; defect assessment and fitness-for-service determination of pipelines; and surface nanotechnology. The laboratory is equipped with electrochemical atomic-force microscopy, a scanning micro-electrochemical workstation, a dynamic materials testing system, flow loop and impingement jet test rig, and more.
Aerospace and Compressible Flow Research Group (AERO-CORE)
Dr. Craig Johansen's research focuses on areas that involve fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, heat transfer and gas dynamics. This work is motivated to solve problems in high-speed aerodynamics, propulsion, power generation and explosion safety. His research lab includes several shock tubes with non-intrusive optical diagnostics and a computer cluster for computational fluid dynamics. The lab collaborates with national and international industry and government partners. Active collaborations include Atlantis Research Labs, Lockheed Martin, Defence Research and Development Canada and the NASA Langley Research Center.
Micro/Nano-Machining Laboratory
With financial support from Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) and industry, we have designed and developed a six-axis micro/nano-machining center. Among these six axes, four are computer numerical controlled and two are keyboard controlled to adjust the work-sample position. The machining center is equipped with ultra-short pulse laser system Ti:sapphire-based Libra-S femtosecond (fs) laser. The pulse duration of the laser is 100 fs at a one kHz repetition rate, and the wavelength is 800±10 nm. A charge-coupled device camera is integrated into the machining centre to monitor the machining process.
Unmanned Vehicle Systems (UAS) Robotarium Research Laboratory
The UVS Robotarium facility is a research and development laboratory for the development and testing of diverse methodologies such as artificial intelligent (i.e. autonomous agents) and formal techniques (i.e. adaptive control) applicable to unmanned (aerial, ground, underwater and humanoid) vehicles. The lab performs activities in the general areas of unconventional unmanned systems, reconfigurable/hybrid robots and intelligent control with applications in challenging spaces (i.e. GPS-denied). Research tasks involve software development, hardware design and embedded distributed systems.
Laboratory for Air Monitoring and Pollution Studies
LAMPs' research focuses on mechanistic studies of air pollution processes and development of innovative air-monitoring technologies. It has developed capacity in characterizing air pollutants’ emissions, transport, transformation and source apportionment, as well as optical remote sensing of fugitive emissions. The lab is equipped with state-of-the-art analytical and sensing instruments such as gas chromatography-mass spectrometry instrumentation, immediate constituent analyzer, OC/EC analyzer, PAX, tunable diode laser gas analyzer, and more.
Computational Fluid and Structural Mechanics group (CFSMgroup)
Our group is working on the development of high-fidelity multidisciplinary methods for the analysis and design of complex systems in renewable energy, aerospace and marine engineering using large-scale computing. Current research topics include fluid-structure interaction, dynamically-data-driven simulations, damage modelling in aerospace composite structures, atmospheric flow modelling over complex terrains, numerical modeling of wind turbine and hydrokinetic turbine farms, cavitation flows around propellers and numerical modeling of high-speed compressible reactive flows. In collaboration with academic partners, our group has developed an in-house code suitable for large-scale computations that combines recent developments in stabilized finite element methods for fluid mechanics and advanced geometry modeling techniques based on isogeometric analysis. The challenges associated with large problem size, complex nonlinear geometrical and material models, highly turbulent flow and complicated multi-physics coupling are addressed in simulation tools we’ve developed.
Our group hosts a small-scale computing lab with 30 machines and also has access to Canada’s fastest high-performance computing clusters.
This group is a part of the University of Calgary Aerospace Network (UCAN) and actively collaborates with national and international academic institutions, industrial partners and governmental agencies, including the US Air Force Office of Scientific Research.
Laboratory for Engineering Materials
Here, we focus on the processing of high-performance fibre-reinforced polymer composite (FRPC) materials and works with industry to transfer advanced materials to real-world applications. The laboratory is building up infrastructure for the processing and mechanical testing of polymer composites. Current research areas include additive manufacturing of FRPCs, the development of advanced composites, biodegradable composites and manufacturing processes.
Nano/Micro-Sensors and Sensing Systems Laboratory
This laboratory has expertise in the design, fabrication and characterization of nano/micro-sensors and sensing systems for s variety of physical, chemical and biological sensing applications. Our research focus is on creating multimodal physical/chemical/biological sensors, novel nano-metrologies based on scanning probe microscopy, and numerical/experimental study of micro/nanoscale fluid-structure interaction phenomena. We have various types of characterization equipment including a nanoIR2 scanning probe microscope, laser Doppler vibrometer to name a few.