CivMin and the Nuclear Industry

Nuclear energy is undergoing rapid transformation in Canada, driven by the country's growing electricity demand and the need for alternative energy sources to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Nuclear power already supplies about 14% of Canada's electricity, and more than half of Ontario's, from CANDU (CANada Deuterium Uranium) reactor fleets at stations such as Bruce, Darlington, and Pickering. Now a new wave of investment is underway: Ontario is leading the G7 in building the first grid-scale small modular reactor (SMR), with the BWRX-300 under development at Darlington, SMRs proposed at Point Lepreau, and proposals for thousands of megawatts of additional capacity at Bruce C and beyond. At the same time, the existing fleet requires refurbishment, life extension, and eventually decommissioning, work that will span decades. Canada has also chosen where spent nuclear fuel will be stored: a deep geological repository is planned 650 to 800 metres down in the granite of the Canadian Shield in northwestern Ontario, with the location and storage plan moving through the regulatory process.

The CivMin MEng Pathway

Most Canadian nuclear projects are, at their core, civil engineering megaprojects. Containment structures must be designed, assessed, and maintained; sites must be characterized and foundations engineered for extreme loading and long design lives; concrete must perform reliably for decades in demanding environments; used fuel must be isolated deep in stable rock for thousands of years; and construction must be planned, delivered, and managed with exceptional rigour. That is why the nuclear industry hires our graduates: the structural engineers, concrete specialists, construction managers, and geotechnical engineers that our department trains are precisely the professionals the sector is actively recruiting. A career in nuclear does not require a nuclear engineering degree; it requires expertise in one of our specializations, plus a working overview of how the industry fits together, and both are available through the CivMin MEng.

Structural Engineering & Nuclear

Structural engineering is a key discipline that underpins the safety of nuclear power plants. Structural engineers in the nuclear sector evaluate the integrity of the containment building, assess the impact of seismic excitations and soil-structure interaction, evaluate plants against natural and man-made hazards, and perform leak-tightness assessments of prestressed containment structures. Research and industry projects in our Department span the impact of ageing on the structural integrity of containment buildings, drying shrinkage through thick containment walls, the effect of solar radiation on measured strain during integrated leak rate testing, air leakage through cracked concrete walls, and the behaviour of shear walls in auxiliary buildings. Students in the Structural Engineering emphasis train in steel and concrete under static, fatigue, seismic, blast, impact, and fire loading, exactly the toolkit nuclear structural work demands.

The Structural Testing Facilities (STF) in the Department of Civil & Mineral Engineering at the University of Toronto is among the top few testing facilities in North America and has received numerous awards for the quality of research performed. The main laboratory facility spans the basements of the Sandford Fleming and the Galbraith building and includes numerous ancillary facilities such as a concrete mixing laboratory, machine shop, welding bay and woodworking area (photo by Matthew Volpe)

Suggested pathway to prepare for a career as a Nuclear Structural Engineer

CIV416H1: Reinforced Concrete II
CIV514H1: Concrete Technology
CIV515H1: Introduction to Structural Dynamics
CIV517H1: Prestressed Concrete
CIV519H1: Structural Analysis II
CIV510H1: Solid Mechanics II
CIV518H1: Behaviour and Design of Steel Structures
CIV1175H, Design of Tubular Steel Structures
CIV1180H, Advanced Modelling Methods for Seismic Performance Assessment of Structures
CIV1190H, Structures Under Blast and Impact
CIV1163H, Mechanics of Reinforced Concrete
CIV1167H, Advanced Structural Dynamics
CIV1169H, Advanced Topics In Building Design
CIV1171H, Principles In Earthquake Engineering and Seismic Design
CIV1174H, Finite Element Method In Structural Mechanics
CIV1191H, Design of Structures for Fire Resistance
CIV1159H, Structural Health Monitoring

Meet your Instructors

Oh-Sung Kwon
Professor

Structural Dynamics: Earthquake engineering; seismic soil-structure interaction

Evan Bentz
Professor

Numerical Modelling of Reinforced Concrete Behaviour: Technology transfer applications for research on shear and torsion

Research Project Highlights:

Development of a leakage rate model through concrete containment building

Supervisor: Oh-Sung Kwon

Quantifying air leakage through concrete walls is an important research area for assessing the fitness-for-service of concrete containment buildings of nuclear power plants. In addition to the pressure difference between the internal and the external environments during an accident scenario, several other variables, such as reinforcement ratio or aggregate size, can significantly influence the leakage rates. To gather experimental data on leakage rates and to improve understanding on air leakage through cracked concrete, a series of leakage rate tests were conducted. The test matrix was developed to fill the gap in the current literature. Leakage rate and crack geometry data from this large test program were curated for the development or calibration of an air leakage rate prediction model through cracked concrete.

Hybrid (experimental-numerical) simulation of a reinforced concrete shear wall in an auxiliary building

Supervisor: Oh-Sung Kwon

Accurately predicting the behavior of reinforced concrete shear walls (RCSWs) is essential for the seismic assessment of nuclear power plants (NPPs). Conventional experimental tests often use predetermined boundary conditions, limiting the ability to capture interactions between the specimen and the surrounding structure. Hybrid simulation, a method that integrates numerical modeling with experimental testing, offers a solution by enabling system-level interaction during element-level tests. This ongoing research aims to examine RC shear walls in NPPs under realistic boundary conditions.

Concrete & Nuclear

Nuclear containment structures are among the most demanding concrete applications in the world: heavily reinforced and prestressed, leak-tight, with walls more than a metre thick, often accessible from one side only, and exposed to coupled degradation mechanisms that range from exterior freeze-thaw cycles to interior reactor conditions and alkali-silica reaction (ASR). Our concrete faculty work directly with the nuclear industry on these challenges, from the condition assessment, repair, and long-term instrumented monitoring of ageing containment structures (including the landmark rehabilitation of the Gentilly-1 ring beam) to research on ASR, carbonation, and durability supported by partners such as the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, the CANDU Owners Group, AtkinsRealis, Kinectrics, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL), and Canadian Nuclear Laboratories.

September 16, 2024 - Students pour concrete into forms in the Department of Civil and Mineral Engineering's structural testing facility (photo by David Lee)

Suggested pathway to prepare for a career as a Nuclear Concrete Engineer

CIV1201H: Concrete Technology and Non-Destructive Testing Principles
CIV1262H: Microscopy Applied to Building and Geomaterials

Meet your Instructors

Daman Panesar
Professor

Concrete Materials: Sustainability and durability of cement-based materials and structures

Karl Peterson
Associate Professor

Concrete Materials: Microstructural analysis of concrete and other building materials

Research Project Highlights:

Radiation shielding concrete.

Supervisor: Karl Peterson

Radiation shielding concrete (RSC) is often made with iron ore aggregate, but in addition to this dense and heavy rock, sand is also needed. Sources of natural sand near the Darlington Small Modular Reactor (SMR) have been evaluated for use in RSC, including optical and electron microscopy techniques to assess mineralogical composition and durability.

Thin-sectioned sand particles retained on the 5 mm sieve observed using transmitted light

Scanning electron microscope image depicting variation in chemical composition within a limestone sand particle (right) and the surrounding hardened cement paste matrix.

Bridging the gap between materials and structures

Supervisor: Daman Panesar

The response of unreinforced small-sized concrete samples exposed to degradation under controlled laboratory conditions differs from field concrete structures that are reinforced and/or prestressed. The applicant is the Principal Investigator of a broad collaborative research program supported by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) aimed at revealing the implications of multi-axial restraint on the expansive alkali silica reaction (ASR). ASR is confirmed in Gentilly1 and Gentilly-2 reactors in Quebec. This study on ASR entailed a comprehensive experimental study and modelling of ASR affected concrete with uni-, bi-, and triaxial restraint, confinement and stress, due to the presence of steel reinforcement, on the behavior of concrete. The evolution of concrete expansion, cracking, mechanical properties and bond, due to ASR, are studied with the influence of reinforcement type and configuration. Outcomes from this research has the advancement of numerical models used to estimate the long-term performance of ASR-affected structures by incorporating multiaxial expansion-stress relationships; and the ability for greater accuracy in condition assessment and interpretation of the status of existing ASR-affected structures by integrating knowledge of the implications of stress state on in-situ testing. (FUNDED 2016-2022) by: CNSC)

Field performance and durability warrant the need to examine implications of coupled degradation mechanisms. This study examines the interplay between ASR, freeze-thaw, sulphate, stray current, carbonation and chloride ingress. These exposure conditions are extremely necessary to investigate since they represent practical and realistic exposure scenarios that nuclear infrastructure is exposed to in the Canadian context. (FUNDED 2022-2025) by: CANDU Owners Group (COG)/ Atkins Realis)

Advanced Materials – Durability and Sustainability

Supervisor: Daman Panesar

This study evaluates material properties, long-term durability performance, climate impacts, environmental benefits and/or burdens for application to SMRs. The cement, concrete and construction industry is highly committed to reducing carbon emissions and, at the same time, designing and constructing high-performance, long-life, economical and sustainable structures. (FUNDED (2025-2029) by NSERC Alliance with support from CNL, NRCan, Kinectrics etc.)

Carbon steel rebar has been shown to be highly corrosive in the chloride-contaminated environment. Over the years, stainless steel, a preferred option, has been limited due to its high cost. Consequently, there has been a need to develop economical corrosion-resistant rebar and to use 2D materials. Mechanical properties (hardness, tensile strength, toughness, fatigue by measuring scratch resistance, acoustic emission, and freeze-thaw tolerance will be used to document both coating/substrate and coated-rebar/concrete bonding properties. Corrosion resistance will also be studied aided by micro-scale analysis and electrochemical techniques.

End-of-life environmental impacts of nuclear facilities are examined to assess potential for circularity of nuclear construction and demolition waste (C&D waste), as well as identifying scenarios for whole life cycle assessment modelling.

Geotechnical Engineering & Nuclear

Geotechnical engineering plays a critical role in the nuclear industry, where ground performance is directly tied to safety, containment, and long-term reliability. Nuclear facilities make two very different demands on the ground: power plants must stand safely on it for many decades, and used fuel must one day rest securely within it for millennia.

Negin Houshmand (MinE PhD candidate) presents her student poster at the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM) event CIMBC22 Convention & Expo in Vancouver.

Suggested pathway to prepare for a career as a
Nuclear Geotechnical Engineer

Power Plant Siting and Foundations Career Pathway

CIV416H1: Reinforced Concrete II
CIV523H1: Geotechnical Design
CIV1404H: Numerical Methods in Geomechanics
CIV1420H: Soil Properties and Behaviour
CIV1425H: Continuum Mechanics and Modelling of Soil Behaviour
CIV499H1:(Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering)

Deep Geological Nuclear Waste Repositories Career Pathway

CME525H1: Tunneling and Urban Excavation
MIN565H1: Design and Support of Underground Mine Excavations
CIV1429H: Advanced Rock Engineering: Fractured Rock Masses
CIV1430H: Engineering Rock Mechanics
CIV1498H: New Topics In Civil and Mineral Engineering: Exploration, Studies, Resources and Reserves
CIV1504H: Applied Probability and Statistics in Civil Engineering
CIV1404H: Numerical Methods in Geomechanics
CIV1410H: Rock Engineering Design Practice

Meet your Instructors

John Harrison
Professor

Mining Engineering and Rock Mechanics: Rock engineering

Sebastian Goodfellow
Assistant Professor

(Experimental) Rock Mechanics and Rock Physics / Bioinformatics: Applied seismology/ultrasonic and acoustic emission testing

Giovanni Grasselli
Professor

Hydraulic Fracturing/Rock Mechanics: Flow and transport in fractured porous media

Trevor Carey
Assistant Professor

Geotechnical Engineering

Power Plant Siting and Foundations

Siting is the process of choosing and qualifying where a plant gets built: characterizing the subsurface, assessing seismic hazard, and proving the ground will support a nuclear facility through its entire service life. Geotechnical engineers provide the foundation for these projects by ensuring that the ground will safely support structures with minimal settlement and distortion, respond predictably under earthquake loading through Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Analysis and seismic site response studies, and limit groundwater flow and contaminant migration. They work across site characterization and hazard assessment, soil-structure interaction, foundation design, and ground improvement.

Research Project Highlights:

Seismic Hazard and Resilience for Critical Infrastructure

Supervisor: Trevor Carey

Canada faces unique earthquake hazards that affect infrastructure across much of the country, including northern and cold-region environments. In western Canada, the Cascadia Subduction Zone is capable of producing large, long-duration earthquakes, while eastern Canada faces the combined challenges of rare but potentially damaging earthquakes and soft, sensitive clay deposits. Our research improves the understanding of these complex hazards through advanced laboratory testing, experimental modelling, and enhanced numerical analysis tools. By better constraining these relatively uncertain conditions, this work helps reduce seismic risk and improve the resilience of critical infrastructure.

Deep Geological Nuclear Waste Repositories

Canada is preparing to build one of the most ambitious geotechnical projects in its history: a deep geological repository for used nuclear fuel, to be constructed 650 to 800 metres down in the granite of the Canadian Shield at the Revell site in northwestern Ontario, hosted by Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation and the Township of Ignace. The regulatory process began in 2026; detailed ground investigation and construction lie ahead, and operations will run for decades, creating a generational pipeline of work in rock mechanics and rock engineering. The technical challenges are exactly the ones our rock mechanics and mining faculty study: Understanding the engineering behaviour of fractured rock masses, the stability of excavations at depth, coupled thermal, hydraulic, and mechanical processes as the rock responds to heat from the fuel, and long-term monitoring.

Research Project Highlights:

Characterizing Rock Stress for Nuclear Waste Repositories

Supervisor: John Harrison

Predicting and interpreting the stress state is crucial for reliable design of repository excavations. Working with the Canadian and Swedish nuclear waste management organizations, Harrison is using Bayesian data analysis techniques to develop advanced approaches for both characterizing the quality of stress measurements and producing statistical models of the stress state.

Construction Management & Nuclear

Delivering a nuclear project, whether an SMR, a refurbishment, or a decommissioning, is one of the most demanding construction management challenges. Nuclear construction requires sophisticated project delivery systems and integrated project delivery, careful pre-project planning, contracting, permits and approvals, and design management that spans value engineering, constructability analysis, cross-discipline coordination, and building information modelling (BIM). Managing these large-scale projects means rigorous budgeting, scheduling, safety, and submittal processes, together with genuine community engagement: profiling community needs, building outreach mechanisms, and maintaining responsive communication.

Structural engineer and foreman worker with blueprints discuss,

Suggested pathway to prepare for a career in Nuclear Construction Management

CIV1299H: Project Delivery and Finance
CIV580H1: Engineering and Management of large projects
CIV1289H: Building Information modeling
CIV1299H: Construction Safety: IOT and AI solutions

Meet your Instructors

Daeho Kim
Assistant Professor

Construction Management: 3D reconstruction and digital twin of ongoing construction projects

Tamer El-Diraby
Professor

Construction Project Management: Informatics and knowledge management (socio-semantic analytics)

Research Project Highlights:

Human-Robot Collaboration in Construction

Supervisor: Daeho Kim

Prof. Kim's group studies how construction robots and human workers share a site. Robots take on repetitive and physically demanding tasks while workers supervise them and handle the situations robots cannot, improving productivity, ergonomics, and safety. The research asks how to keep workers safe alongside robots of varying autonomy, how to support their physical and cognitive comfort, what a work environment designed for a human-robot crew looks like, and how to train a workforce for this kind of collaboration. These questions matter most where the work is hazardous, which describes much of nuclear construction, refurbishment, and decommissioning.

Digital Twins for Asset Management

Supervisor: Tamer El-Diraby

Prof. El-Diraby's group treats a digital twin as more than a 3D model or a real-time data feed. It is a decision-making tool for the asset management of large-scale civil facilities, including power plants. The group uses facility data to evaluate current performance, applies machine learning to predict deterioration, maintenance costs, and energy use, and simulates operational and policy changes in the virtual model before they are made in the real one. Working with U of T Facilities and Services, the research develops the descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive models that owners need to run and maintain complex assets. For a nuclear station, whose operation, refurbishment, and life-extension decisions play out over decades, this speaks directly to plant life management.

Get an Overview of the Industry

Whichever specialization you pursue, you can add a broad, industry-wide view of nuclear energy through two new graduate courses offered by the Department of Materials Science & Engineering as part of the Atomic Energy Materials and Systems (AEMS) cluster. Both are open to CivMin graduate students, are taught by a combination of U of T professors and industry experts from organizations such as Kinectrics and Ontario Power Generation, and include site visits, workshops, and interaction with industry practitioners.

MSE1074H - Fundamentals of Atomic Energy Materials Systems & Sustainability I

A fundamental course that provides a grounding in nuclear science, engineering, and applications. Subject areas include atomic-nuclear physics, nuclear materials, and nuclear reactor physics; radiation fundamentals, detection, safety, and health physics; radioisotopes and nuclear medicine; advanced materials and manufacturing for next-generation reactors and systems; and future nuclear reactors, including small modular reactors (SMRs), fusion, and energy sustainability.

MSE1075H - Fundamentals of Atomic Energy Materials Systems & Sustainability II

A fundamental course that provides a grounding in nuclear engineering. Subject areas include an overview of atomic-nuclear physics, nuclear materials, and nuclear reactor physics; nuclear thermal hydraulics and power generation systems; nuclear corrosion chemistry, materials degradation mechanisms, and fitness-for-service; nuclear civil structural requirements; non-destructive testing and evaluation; and nuclear systems, operations, robotics, and AI.

Go Deeper: The MEng Emphasis in Nuclear Engineering

If you want your nuclear training recognized on your transcript, MSE1074H and MSE1075H can take you further: they are the two core courses of the Faculty-wide MEng Emphasis in Nuclear Engineering, which is open to CivMin MEng students. Completing the emphasis requires four half courses (2.0 FCE): both core courses plus at least two electives from a list that includes CivMin’s CIV1201H (Concrete Technology and Non-Destructive Testing Principles).

Learn about the MEng Emphasis in Nuclear Engineering

Career Outlook

The nuclear sector's workforce needs are urgent and growing. Governments, regulators, utilities, and consultancies across Canada, from the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission to Ontario Power Generation, Bruce Power, Kinectrics, AtkinsRealis, and Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, are actively recruiting engineers with exactly the specializations our department teaches.

A CivMin MEng from the #1 Civil Engineering program in Canada can open up a world of opportunities and supercharge your career. The University of Toronto is ranked #12 globally for graduate employability by Times Higher Education, and our alumni have secured exciting roles at a wide variety of top companies including Hatch, WSP, Aecon, Kiewit and Metrolinx.