Paul H. Simms

Paul H. Simms is a Professor at Carleton University, affiliated with the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. He holds degrees including B.E.Sc., M.E.Sc., and Ph.D. from Western Ontario and is a licensed Professional Engineer (P.Eng.). His office is located in room 3432 of the C.J. Mackenzie Building in Ottawa, Canada.

Education:

• B.E.Sc., M.E.Sc., Ph.D. (Western Ontario), P.Eng.

Prof. Simms specializes in Mine Waste Management and Thickened Tailings Disposal, with a focus on fundamental unsaturated soil mechanics, evolution of soil microstructure due to drying, and reclamation of mine tailings impoundments. His research integrates experimental studies, numerical modeling, and field-scale applications to reduce environmental risks from mining operations.

His work is supported by Canadian granting agencies such as NSERC and CFI, as well as industry partnerships. Key research themes include desiccation processes, rheology of tailings, and geotechnical properties of amended soils.

Scientific Awards:

• 2011 Research Achievement Award, Carleton University

Prof. Simms has supervised numerous graduate students, including 31 M.A.Sc. and Ph.D. candidates, with thesis topics spanning polymer-based tailings consolidation, evaporation effects, soil microstructure analysis, and mine waste reclamation.

He leads the Carleton University Tailings Research Group, which collaborates with research engineers, postdoctoral fellows, and external institutions to address challenges in mine tailings management and environmental geotechnics.