Civil Engineering

 

Bruce Jamieson

Adjunct Professor, Dept. of Civil Engineering 

Adjunct Professor, Dept. of Geology and Geophysics

PhD - University of Calgary 1996 
MSc - University of Calgary 1989 
BMath - University of Waterloo 1975 
 

 

Dr. Bruce Jamieson splits his time between avalanche research at the University of Calgary and avalanche consulting. He offers Snow Avalanche Formation and Release (GOPH 699.07, ENCI 753) in the fall terms of even-numbered years and Snow Avalanche Dynamics and Hazard Mitigation (ENCI 751, GOPH 699.03) in the fall terms of odd-numbered years.

Dr. Jamieson has over 22 years of experience spanning avalanche hazard management, hazard assessment, snow and avalanche research, avalanche forecasting and avalanche control. He was president of the Canadian Avalanche Association from 1992 to 1995, chaired the 1996 International Snow Science Workshop in Banff, Alberta and is the current chair of the Canadian Avalanche Association's Technical Committee. During the summer of 2002, he was a guest researcher at the Swiss Federal Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research. Dr. Jamieson recently co-edited the Canadian Avalanche Association's Guidelines for Snow Avalanche Risk Determination and Mapping in Canada, and the Land Managers Guide to Snow Avalanche Hazards in Canada. He also co-wrote Avalanche Accidents in Canada: 1984-1996. His three short books on backcountry avalanche safety are used as the student manuals for the Canadian Avalanche Association's recreational avalanche courses. He is a Professional Engineer registered in Alberta and British Columbia.

Lists of contributions and publications can be found at http://www.eng.ucalgary.ca/Civil/Avalanche/

His research is currently supported by the BC Helicopter and Snowcat Skiing Operators Association, Canada's Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, Canada West Ski Areas Association, the Canadian Avalanche Association and private individuals. This research is in cooperation with the BC Helicopter and Snowcat Skiing Operators Association, Parks Canada and the BC Ministry of Transportation.

Current Research Interests:

  • Formation and evolution of faceted crystals that form near wet layers and crusts
  • Fracture initiation and propagation in weak snowpack layers
  • Remote triggering of dry slab avalanches
  • Forecasting changes in the strength and stability of weak layers from snowpack properties and meteorological variables
  • Correlation of shear frame, rutschblock and compression tests results with the frequency of skier triggering
  • Computer assisted avalanche forecasting using snowpack properties, weather and previous avalanche activity.

Dr. Jamieson has kindly supplied a few pictures for the web.

 

July 2002

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