Ahmed Diab receives TMU award for Outstanding Doctoral Thesis
Congratulations to Dr. Ahmed Diab, who is this year’s Dr. C. Ravi and Shanti Ravindran Award for Outstanding Doctoral Thesis recipient. Since 2008, this annual Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) award has recognized the excellence of a winning doctoral dissertation, based on points of originality and notable contributions to society or industry.
Diab’s research, conducted during his PhD in Civil Engineering, has directly shaped the 2025 Canadian Highway Bridge Design Code (CHBDC) and is poised to influence bridge engineering practice across North America and internationally. His pioneering work on the analysis and design of concrete traffic barriers and deck overhangs under vehicle impact has advanced structural safety, resilience, and sustainability while providing practical tools for engineers worldwide. With remarkable originality, scholarly excellence, and immediate societal impact, Diab’s dissertation exemplifies the highest standards of innovation and professional contribution.
“Having served as Ahmed’s M.A.Sc. and Ph.D. supervisor and technical co-advisor for his undergraduate capstone project at TMU, I have witnessed his remarkable growth as a scholar and engineer. His groundbreaking research and professional integrity exemplify the highest standards of excellence and have left a lasting impact on bridge engineering practice.”
Three questions with Ahmed Diab
1. What’s a memorable moment that stands out from your PhD journey?
A defining moment was being appointed as the Course Instructor for CVL 905 (Bridge Design and Construction). Teaching that course was a highlight of my time at TMU. It was deeply rewarding to guide students from first principles to real-world bridge design decisions, and it reinforced how much I enjoy the craft of teaching and mentoring.
2. For someone not familiar with your innovative work in bridge design, could you summarize your doctoral research?
My thesis focused on how bridge safety barriers and the concrete deck edge beneath them behave when a vehicle hits the barrier. The goal was to make the design both safer and more reliable, while providing engineers with clear, practical formulas they can use.
To do this, I first used computer crash simulations through Finite Element Models (FEM) to simulate barrier impacts and assess the resulting forces, cracks, and movements. Second, I compared those results with established engineering methods and test data to make sure the predictions were trustworthy.
Diab with professor and supervisor, Dr. Khaled Sennah, presenting their research that informed the 2025 Canadian Highway Bridge Design Code.
The outcomes of this work led me to develop guidance and equations that help designers and engineers predict how much force and bending the deck edge will carry during an impact. I also created a more realistic representation of a steel-reinforced bridge barrier's yield-line failure pattern, a mechanism used to avoid overestimating load capacity. These design equations were adopted into the 2025 CHBDC so practitioners can apply them directly.
3. What does receiving the Dr. C. Ravi and Shanti Ravindran Award mean to you?
It is profoundly meaningful. This award validates years of hard work and reinforces that I have made a meaningful contribution – not only through publications and teaching, but also by seeing my research outcomes accepted into the Canadian Bridge Design Code (CHBDC 2025). I am deeply honoured and proud – this recognition strengthens my motivation to advance bridge design and engineering.
Diab celebrating with his family and wife, Rose Esfandi, who is a biomedical engineer and a TMU alumnus. The two met during their undergraduate studies at TMU!
Diab receiving the Dr. C. Ravi and Shanti Ravindran Award from the president and vice-chancellor of Toronto Metropolitan University, Dr. Mohamed Lachemi, and chancellor Donette Chin-Loy Chang.
Looking ahead, Diab plans to expand on his research with TMU professor Khaled Sennah and Dr. Ahmed Mostafa, President of CMTE Inc. of Hamilton, Ontario, with a focus on dynamic FEM crash-test modelling. The goal of this research is to benefit Canadian bridge owners, such as the Ontario Ministry of Transportation, and eventually transcend borders to bolster international standards globally. With one paper already published, the research team is excited to disseminate their new findings in future journal publications and continue making bridges safer for all.