Bridging innovation and impact: Khaled Sennah reimagines the future of sustainable infrastructure
When Khaled Sennah joined the Department of Civil Engineering at 91福利 in 1998 as a professor, he brought with him not only technical expertise in structural engineering, but also a bold vision: To reshape how bridges are designed, built and sustained in Canada and around the world.
He has established himself as one of Canada鈥檚 foremost bridge engineering scholars. His research has not only advanced theory, but it has also directly shaped practice.
Earlier this year, Sennah received the Sarwan Sahota Distinguished Scholar Award. The Sarwan Sahota Distinguished Scholar Award is 91福利's top recognition for researchers who have significantly advanced knowledge in their area of expertise and made a lasting impact in their field.
From lab to national standard
At the heart of Sennah鈥檚 research is a clear motivation: To make infrastructure safer, more durable, and more sustainable.
鈥淏ridges are lifelines,鈥� he says. 鈥淲hen we improve how they are designed and built, we improve public safety, economic resilience and environmental sustainability.鈥�
His pioneering research on concrete traffic barriers and decks reinforced with non-corrosive glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) bars addressed one of Canada鈥檚 persistent bridge infrastructure challenges: Corrosion of reinforcing steel by de-icing salts. By leading the first worldwide crash tests of GFRP-reinforced concrete barriers, he demonstrated that corrosion-resistant materials could reduce long-term maintenance costs while maintaining safety performance.
These findings were adopted by transportation authorities, including in Ontario and Quebec, and incorporated into Canadian bridge design specifications, changing engineering practice beyond academia.
His collaborations with the Ontario Ministry of Transportation have produced design solutions now used in bridge projects across the province, directly benefiting communities and taxpayers.
Sennah's designs are now visible on major Ontario highways, including the 401 and the 407.
A global footprint
Sennah's influence extends well beyond Canada.
He has served as a foreign expert chief reviewer for multiple Chinese national bridge design codes, contributed to the international harmonization of engineering standards and has served as the vice-president of the International Association of Jointless Bridges. He has delivered keynote lectures and invited talks across North America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia, strengthening Canada鈥檚 presence in global engineering discourse. He has also chaired and co-chaired major global conferences, fostering international collaboration and advancing knowledge exchange within the global civil engineering community.
He has also been elected a fellow of six professional engineering societies: The Canadian Academy of Engineering, the Engineering Institute of Canada, the Canadian Society of Civil Engineering, the American Society of Civil Engineers, the International Association of Advanced Materials and The Canadian Society for Senior Engineers.
Mentoring the next generation
For Sennah, scholarly impact and mentorship are inseparable. Over his career, he has supervised 98 graduate students and 11 postdoctoral fellows, building a research team with a strong commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion 鈥� 18 of his graduate trainees have been women, and his lab has welcomed researchers from across Canada, Africa, Asia, Europe and beyond.
Khaled Sennah with his research group: (L-R) Feras Barakat, MASc student; Aya Alhindi, MASc student; Anirudh Chouhan, Mitacs Globalink Research Intern from India; Mayssa Souissi, Mitacs Globalink Research Intern from Tunisia; Hongjie Zhu, visiting master鈥檚 student from Zhejiang University of Technology in China; and PhD student Ahmed Diab.
"I strive to support my students by providing opportunities that extend beyond technical expertise, enabling them to demonstrate experience in teamwork, grant applications, conference volunteering, research contributions and active participation in engineering societies," he says.
"This is the sort of training that will ensure they excel after they graduate.," he continued.
Many of his former students now hold prominent positions in government agencies, consulting firms and academia.
Many former students have gone on to win national and international awards.
His former PhD student, Ahmed Diab, received the prestigious Dr. C. Ravi and Shanti Ravindran Award for outstanding doctoral research at 91福利. His thesis work included creating a bridge barrier crash test simulator that could dramatically reduce the costs of crash testing.
For Sennah, 91福利's strength lies in its dual mission.
"We train our students to be our future engineers," he says. "And we serve the industry by providing problem-solving that goes beyond what consulting firms can do, since we have advanced laboratories and high-end computer facilities."
There's an added bonus, too.
"We save taxpayers' money," he said.