Alumni Start-up’s Earthquake-resistant Construction Technology Helps Rebuild Haitian School

CarlosdeOliveira&MichaelGray
Carlos de Oliveira & Michael Gray

In an effort to rebuild Haiti after its devastating 2010 earthquake, a civil engineering start-up founded in 2007 by Carlos de Oliveira (CivE MASc 0T6) and Michael Gray (CivE PhD 1T1) is taking part in an industry-wide coalition aimed at preparing the island nation in the event of another major tremor. Their company, Cast ConneX, is supporting the initiative with cutting-edge, seismic-resistant connectors.

Most buildings today are constructed using manually-fabricated connections that anchor steel tubing to the frame of the structure. These sorts of connections can withstand wind, but they’re still susceptible to earthquakes. De Oliveira and Gray developed standardized connectors that allow buildings to make it through an earthquake intact.

They developed this new technology at U of T Engineering in 2006 under the supervision of civil engineering professors Constantin Christopoulos and Jeffrey Packer. The company’s connectors are in buildings around the world and will be part of the World Trade Center reconstruction. The steel industry is paying attention because the technology is much more economical than the status quo, but the ultimate impact is in the lives saved by making buildings safer.

“We’re still a relatively young company but we’re fast becoming a major industry player,” says de Olveira. “Five years ago I could never have imagined that I’d be the CEO of a company based on my own research. It’s incredible to see my research going into buildings all over the world.”

Cast ConneX recently donated its products to the reconstruction of École Lakay, a trade school for young Haitians in the capital city of Port-au-Prince. The construction of this seismic-resistant school is being led by the Canadian Construction Association and Builders Without Borders. The school will also have the capacity to serve as a safe zone, providing food, shelter and medical attention in the event of a natural disaster.

Gray and de Oliveira are preparing to roll out the company’s third product, a technology that will change the way energy is absorbed by buildings. It’s based on Gray’s doctoral research at U of T.

CastConneXconnector
Cast Connex’s high-strength steel connectors, installed here in an earthquake-resistant steel structure in California, are similar to the connectors being used in the reconstruction of École Lakay in Haiti. Photo by Yi Yang.