Seminar - Kerry Rowe - Some recent findings related to the long-term performance of liner systems

Wednesday 28 November 2007, 11.00 am - 12.00 noon
Civil Engineering Lecture Theatre 3

Some recent findings related to the long-term performance of liner systems
Professor R. Kerry Rowe FRSC, FCAE, FEIC, FASCE, FIE(Aust)
Vice Principal (Research)
Queen's Univerity, Kingston, Canada

Abstract:
The GeoEnginnering Centre at Queen's-RMC is currently engaged in a major study of the long-term performance of landfill composite liner systems. This work included large scale laboratory tests examining full liner systems in landfill simulators, laboratory studies of aging of geomembranes, laboratory studies of shrinkage of geosynthetic clay liners (GCLs) when composite liners are left exposed in the field, field studies of wrinkling of geomembranes, field studies of shrinkage of GCLs, and numerical modelling of heat and moisture transfer in barrier systems. This presentation will provide an overview of the research, its motivation and some recent results highlight new findings.

Biographical Sketch

Dr. Kerry Rowe is Professor of Civil Engineering and Vice Principal (Research) at Queen’s University, Kingston, Canada. Prior to joining Queen's in 2000, Professor Rowe was educated at the University of Sydney BSc('73), BE(Hons I, '75), PhD('79), D.Eng ('93), worked for the Australian Government Department of Construction in Sydney for 6 years, and spent 21 years at the University of Western Ontario. Author of more than 200 refereed journal papers; 3 books; 14 book chapters; 200 full conference papers, he has extensive research and consulting experience in the geotechnical and geoenvironmental engineering field. His research has been recognized by numerous awards including being a former NSERC Steacie Fellow, a Killam Prize winner (Canada's highest award in Engineering), and was selected to present the 45th Rankine Lecture in March 2005. He is a fellow of both the Royal Society of Canada and the Canadian Academy of Engineering as well as Professional Societies in Australia, Canada and USA. He is currently President of the Engineering Institute of Canada.