INNOVATION May-June 2018

REMOTE AVALANCHE CONTROL SYSTEMS INSTALLED IN NATIONAL PARK As part of the Trans-Canada Highway Avalanche Mitigations Project, five Wyssen Tower remote avalanche control systems (RACS) were installed in the Cut Bank avalanche area on the east side of BC’s Glacier National Park. This area, which threatens the Canadian Pacific Railway line, was previously controlled using a highway-based artillery program that required road closures. The Wyssen Tower consists of a portable explosives magazine deployment box that is seasonally installed on top of an inclined mast. The box contains 12 tethered charges up to 5 kilograms each, preloaded in a mechanically rotating tray. The remote-controlled initiation sequence involves release and ignition of a suspended charge on a tether above the avalanche starting zone, triggering an avalanche upon detonation. Project owner: Parks Canada Agency. Alpine Solutions Avalanche Services: Brian Gould, P.Eng., Cam Campbell, Eng.L. Prime consultant: McElhanney Consulting Services Ltd. P hoto : W alter S teinkogler , W yssen A valanche C ontrol I nc . ENGINEERING PERSONALIZED NEURAL TISSUES ON DEMAND 3-D bioprinting enables the production of engineered tissue constructs, including neural tissues. Aspect Biosystems’ RX1™ Bioprinter automates the process of engineering physiologically relevant neural tissues. The complex nature of brain tissue requires precise deposition of multiple cell types and biomaterials only achievable with Aspect’s RX1 bioprinting platform and its unique, patented Lab-on-a-Printer™ (LOP™) technology. Aspect’s microfluidic LOP™ printhead cartridges generate cell-containing hydrogel fibres of defined diameters that are precisely deposited in 3-D to fabricate living, functional tissues. LOP™ technology enables rapid switching between different biomaterial inputs during the production process, enabling multiple cell types and scaffold components to be deposited in different regions within the same 3-D tissue without changing extrusion heads. Together with the Willerth lab, this technology is being used to produce human neural tissues derived from stem cells. Dr. Stephanie Willerth, P.Eng., Dr. Konrad Walus, P.Eng. RESTORATION AND CONSERVATION OF A HERITAGE BUILDING’S ENCLOSURE Constructed in 1927, the Spencer building, owned by Harbour Centre Complex Ltd., is an iconic structure located in downtown Vancouver. Primarily composed of masonry cladding and cast stone in an art deco style, the heritage building’s enclosure required major restoration and conservation. RDH Building Science Inc. has been leading the building enclosure work as the prime consultant and construction manager on the project. Over a four-year period, RDH performed a building enclosure condition assessment and trial repair, created a heritage conservation plan and rehabilitation design, and did construction management of the building’s rehabilitation. RDH is particularly proud of the significant improvement to thermal performance achieved through replacement of windows. The project is expected to be completed by September 2018. Marcus Dell, P.Eng., Michael Grummett, P.Eng., Ed Thiessen, P.Eng. P hoto : P aul G rdina P hotography

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