Dr. John Howie

Associate Professor Emeritus

Geotechnical Engineering

Email: jahowie@civil.ubc.ca

Biography

Dr. Howie has been a member of the Department since August, 1997. Before joining UBC, he worked as a Geotechnical Engineer in consulting practice from 1978 to 1983 and 1988 to 1997 and pursued Ph.D. research during 1983 to 1987. He has Civil Engineering degrees from UBC (Ph.D., 1991), Queen’s University at Kingston (M.Sc., 1978), and the University of Glasgow (B.Sc., 1976). His consulting experience was obtained while based in Scotland, Alberta, Hong Kong, and British Columbia. Dr. Howie’s research interests are in the field and laboratory characterization of soils for geotechnical engineering design, ground improvement, and foundation engineering.

Research Interests

Field and laboratory characterization of soils for geotechnical engineering design, ground improvement, foundation engineering.

Courses

CIVL 311 Soil Mechanics II

CIVL 410 Foundation Engineering I

CIVL 411 Foundation Engineering II

CIVL 446 Engineering Design and Analysis II

CIVL 574 Experimental Soil Mechanics

CIVL 577 Soil Exploration for Engineering Design

Publications

  • M. A. Styler and Howie, J. A., “Combined time and frequency domain approach to the interpretation of bender-element tests on sand”, ASTM Geotechnical Testing Journal, vol. 36, no. 5, 2013.
  • M. A. Styler and Howie, J. A., “Continuous shear wave velocity monitoring with bender elements”, ASTM Geotechnical Testing Journal, 2013.
  • B. O. Lobo, Schnaid, F., Rocha, M. M., and Howie, J. A., “Analysis of sampler-soil interaction mechanism on dynamic penetration tests”, 4th International Conference on Geotechnical and Geophysical Site Characterization (ISC’4). Coutinho & Mayne (eds.) Taylor & Francis, Porto de Galinhas, Pernambuco, Brazil, 2012.
  • M. A. Styler and Howie, J. A., “Comparing frequency and time domain interpretations of bender element shear wave velocities”, GeoCongress 2012, State of the Art and Practice in Geotechnical Engineering, pp. 2207-2216, 2012.
  • C. Weech and Howie, J. A., “Helical piles in soft sensitive soils –a field study of disturbance effects on pile capacity”, in VGS Symposium on Soft Ground Engineering, Vancouver, BC, 2012.
  • I. Rivera-Cruz, Howie, J. A., Vargas-Herrera, L. A., Cota-Loria, M., and Luna-Gonzalez, O., “A new approach for identification of soil behaviour type from seismic dilatometer (SDMT) data”, 4th International Conference on Geotechnical and Geophysical Site Characterization (ISC’4). Coutinho & Mayne (eds.) Taylor & Francis, Porto de Galinhas, Pernambuco, Brazil, 2012.
  • M. A. Styler, Howie, J. A., and Woeller, D., “Perpetual source seismic piezocone penetration testing: A new method for down-hole shear wave velocity profiling”, in GeoManitoba 2012: Canadian Geotechnical Conference, 2012.
  • J. A. Howie, “Session report: Development of new equipment and methods”, 4th International Conference on Geotechnical and Geophysical Site Characterization (ISC’4). Coutinho & Mayne (eds.) Taylor & Francis, Porto de Galinhas, Pernambuco, Brazil, pp. 539-544, 2012.
  • K. Deshpande, Howie, J. A., and Wilson, B. W., “CPT Interpretation for Assessment of Explosive Compaction in Highly Variable Mine Tailings”, 6th International Congress on Environmental Geotechnics. New Delhi, India, 2010.
  • G. Mondelli, Giacheti, H. L., and Howie, J. A., “Geo-Environmental investigation: a brief review and a few suggestions for Brazilian contaminated sites”, in Soils and Rocks, vol. 33, 2010, pp. 171-182.
  • G. Mondelli, Giacheti, H. L., and Howie, J. A., “Geo-Environmental investigation: a brief review and a few suggestions for Brazilian contaminated sites.”, Soils and Rocks, vol. 33, no. 3, 2010.
  • G. Mondelli, Giacheti, H. L., and Howie, J. A., “Interpretation of Resistivity Piezocone Tests in a Contaminated Municipal Solid Waste Disposal Site”, Geotechnical Testing Journal, vol. 33, no. 2, 2010.
  • J. A. Howie and Daniel, C. R., “SPT-LPT Correlation with Consideration of Grain Size Effects”, 62nd Canadian Geotechnical Conference. Halifax, N.S., 2009.
  • G. Mondelli, De Mio, G., Giacheti, H. L., and Howie, J. A., “The use of slot filter in piezocone tests for site characterization of tropical soils”, 17th ISSMGE Conference. Alexandria, Egypt, 2009.
  • I. R. Cruz, Howie, J. A., Padros, G., Papanicolas, D., and Weemees, I., “An evaluation of pile load capacity estimates using CPTu and DMT methods”, 61st Canadian Geotechnical Conference. Edmonton, Alberta, 2008.
  • C. R. Daniel and Howie, J. A., “Modeling sampler plugging in gravels using the Distinct Element Method (DEM)”, 61st Canadian Geotechnical Conference. Edmonton, Alberta, 2008.
  • J. A. Howie and Wijewickreme, D., “Undergraduate teaching of geotechnique in large-class environments: Experience at the University of British Columbia”, 61st Canadian Geotechnical Conference. Edmonton, Alberta, 2008.
  • M. R. Sheffer, Reppert, P. M., and Howie, J. A., “A laboratory apparatus for streaming potential and resistivity measurements on soil samples”, Review of Scientific Instruments, American Institute of Physics, 2007.
  • J. A. Howie, Rivera-Cruz, I., Weemees, I., and Elbanna, M., “Seismic dilatometer testing for deformation and strength parameters”, 60th Canadian Geotechnical Conference. Ottawa, Ontario, 2007.
  • J. A. Howie and Amini, A., “Numerical Simulation of Seismic Cone Signals”, Canadian Geotechnical Journal, vol. 42, no. 2, pp. 574-586, 2005.
  • C. R. Daniel, Howie, J. A., Jackson, R. S., and Walker, B. W., “A Review of Short Rod Correction Factors”, Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, vol. 131, no. 4, pp. 489-497, 2005.
  • C. R. Daniel, Howie, J. A., Campanella, R. G., and Sy, A., “Characterization of SPT Grain Size Effects in Gravels”, ISC’2. Porto, Portugal, 2004.
  • C. R. Daniel, Jackson, R. S., Howie, J. A., and Walker, B. W., “Development of a Simple Spreadsheet for Modeling SPT Stress Wave Data”, ASTM Geotechnical Testing Journal, vol. 26, no. 3, pp. 320-327, 2003.
  • C. R. Daniel, Howie, J. A., and Sy, A., “A Method for Correlating Large Penetration Tests (LPT) to Standard Penetration Test (SPT) blow counts”, Canadian Geotechnical Journal, vol. 40, no. 1, pp. 66-77, 2003.
  • C. R. Daniel, Campanella, R. G., Howie, J. A., and Giacheti, H. L., “Specific Depth Cone Resistivity Measurements to Determine Soil Engineering Properties”, Journal of Environmental and Engineering Geophysics, vol. 8, no. 1, 2003.
  • C. R. Daniel, Campanella, R. G., Howie, J. A., and Giacheti, H. L., “Specific depth cone resistivity measurements to determine soil engineering properties”, Journal of Environmental and Engineering Geophysics, vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 15-22, 2003.
  • J. A. Howie, Shozen, T., and Vaid, Y. P., “Effect of Ageing on Stiffness of Very Loose Sands”, Canadian Geotechnical Journal, vol. 39, no. 1, pp. 149-156, 2002.
  • P. K. Robertson, Wride, C. E., List, B. R., Atukorala, U., Biggar, K. W., Byrne, P. M., Campanella, R. G., Cathro, D. C., Chan, D. H., Czajewski, K., Finn, W. D. L., Wu, W. H., Hammamji, Y., Hofmann, B. A., Howie, J. A., Hughes, J., Imrie, A. S., Konrad, J. M., Küpper, A., Law, T., Lord, E. R. F., Monahan, P. A., Morgenstern, N. R., Phillips, R., Piche, R., Plewes, H. D., Scott, D., Sego, D. C., Sobkowicz, J., Stewart, R. A., Watts, B. D., Woeller, D. J., Youd, T. L., and Zavodni, Z., “CANLEX project: summary and conclusions”, Canadian Geotechnical Journal, vol. 37(3), pp. 563-591, 2000.
  • J. A. Howie, Daniel, C. R., Asalemi, A. A., and Campanella, R. G., “Combinations of in situ tests for control of ground modification in silts and sands”, Geo-Denver 2000, vol. Geotechnical Special Publication 97. American Society of Civil Engineers, Denver, CO, 2000.
  • J. A. Howie, Daniel, C. R., Asalemi, A. A., and Campanella, R. G., “Combinations of in situ tests for control of ground modification in silts and sands”, Geo-Denver 2000, vol. Geotechnical Special Publication 97. American Society of Civil Engineers, Denver, CO, 2000.
  • W. B. Gohl, Jefferies, M. G., Howie, J. A., and Diggle, D., “Explosive Compaction – Design, Implementation and Effectiveness”, Geotechnique, vol. 50, no. 6, pp. 657-666, 2000.