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Continuing Studies

• Finance for Executives, University of Chicago Booth School of Business, 2012
• MIT/Sloan Executive Certificate in Strategy and Innovation, MIT/Sloan School of Management, 2009 – 2010
• IRI/Kellogg Shaping Innovation Leaders, Kellogg School of Management, 2008

Research interests

• Vehicle / Track System Modelling, Simulation, Instrumentation and Test Programs
• Wheel / Rail Interface Mechanics (including Contact Mechanics and Tribology)
• Railway System Performance and Energy Efficiency

Teaching interests

• Vehicle-Track and Wheel-Rail Interaction
• Dynamics
• Controls
• Manufacturing Systems
• Engineering Economics

Recently taught courses

• SEE 110 â€“ Energy, Environment and Society (2025)
• SEE 300 – The Business of Engineering (2021)
• SEE 241 – Engineering Measurement, Analysis and Forecasting (2019, 2025)
• MSE 102 â€“ Applied Science, Technology and Society (2013-2016)
• MSE 300 – The Business of Engineering, I (2013-2017)
• MSE 352 â€“ Digital Logic and Microcontrollers (2012)
• MSE 380 â€“ Dynamic Systems Modelling and Simulation (2012-2014, 2016)
• MSE 403 â€“ Technology Entrepreneurship I (2015, 2016)
• MSE 404 â€“ Technology Entrepreneurship II (2015, 2016)
  
• MSE 480/780 â€“ Manufacturing Systems (2013-2018)
• MSE 481 â€“ Industrial Control Systems (2013, 2015-2016)
• MSE 884 â€“ Advanced Dynamics (2013)
• MSE 900 â€“ Engineering in the Canadian Context (2015)

Selected recent publications

• Li, L. and Oldknow, K. (2026) Evaluating the use of surface wave ultrasonics for shallow rolling contact fatigue depth characterization, Proceedings of the Canadian Society for Mechanical Engineering International Congress (CSME 2026), Vancouver, BC, 7pp.
  
• Dehaghani, M., Oldknow, K., Nilsen, M., Mehr, F., Tang, Y., Vu, N., Wang, K. and Wang, G. (2026) In-Situ Monitoring and Control of Laser-Directed Energy Deposition with Wire – Part 1: Parameter-Signature-Quality Analysis of Duplex Stainless Steel, The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-026-17668-8.
  
• Dehaghani, M., Oldknow, K., Nilsen, M., Mehr, F., Tang, Y., Vu, N., Wang, K. and Wang, G. (2026) In Situ Monitoring and Control of Laser-Directed Energy Deposition with Wire – Part 2: Geometry and Hardness Modeling and Closed-Loop Control, The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-026-17618-4.
• Wang, Y., Oldknow, K., Montoya, M. and Smith, B. (2025) Measurement and operational considerations against deficiencies in curve transitions, Proceedings of the 13th International Heavy Haul Conference (IHHA 2025), Colorado Springs, 6pp.
• Welsby, D., Pun, J., Jayakumar, G., Casablanca, R., Oldknow, K., Makowsky, T. and Ogrady, J. (2025) Using simulation and in-field monitoring to improve rail performance, Proceedings of the 13th International Heavy Haul Conference (IHHA 2025), Colorado Springs, 6pp.
• Hassani, R., Oldknow, K., Pun, J., Welsby, D., Thompson, C. and Jayakumar, G. (2025) Simulation of wheel-rail friction identification using instrumented revenue vehicles (IRVs), Proceedings of the 13th International Heavy Haul Conference (IHHA 2025), Colorado Springs, 7pp.
• Wang, Y., Crosbee, D., Rothwell, E. and Oldknow, K. (2025) Could laser-based profile measurements be used in wheel/rail contact and vehicle dynamics simulations? Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part F: Journal of Rail and Rapid Transit. 2025; 0(0) doi:10.1177/09544097251332371
• Oldknow, K. and Vollebregt, E. (2025) Pre-processing of wheel-rail profiles for contact simulation.  how smooth is smooth enough? Proceedings of the 13th International Conference on Contact Mechanics and Wear of Rail/Wheel Systems (CM2025), Tokyo, Japan, 22-26 September 2025, 5pp
• Oldknow, K., Younes, S., Abeysinghe, A., Pun, J., Welsby, D. and Vollebregt, E. (2025) Implementing realistic traction-creepage curves in rail vehicle dynamics simulations using an elasto-plastic third body layer, Proceedings of the 13th International Conference on Contact Mechanics and Wear of Rail/Wheel Systems (CM2025), Tokyo, Japan, 22-26 September 2025, 8pp
• Agyapong, B., Oldknow, K., and McVey, M. (2024) Hybrid Locomotive Consists: Balancing Operational and Embodied Carbon Effects, Proceedings of the ASME 2024 International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition IMECE2024, Portland, Oregon, 7pp
• Oldknow, K., Stock, R. and Vollebregt, E. (2024) Effects of rail hardness on transverse profile evolution and computed contact conditions in a full-scale wheel-rail test rig evaluation, Wear, 2024-10 (October 2024), doi: 10.1016/j.wear.2024.205589
• Li, Z., Oldknow, K. and Brunskill, H. (2024) Evaluating the use of surface wave ultrasonics for near-surface rolling contact fatigue depth characterization, Proceedings of the ASME 2024 Joint Rail Conference (JRC2024), Columbia, South Carolina, 11pp.
• Wang, Y., de Blois, S. and Oldknow, K. (2024) Incentivized decarbonization through safer and more efficient heavy haul operations. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part F: Journal of Rail and Rapid Transit. 2024;238(3):300-309. doi:10.1177/09544097231169420
• Bernal, E., Spiryagin, M., Oldknow, K., Wu, Q., Rahaman, M., Camacho, D., Bosomworth, C., Ahmad, S., Cole, C., and McSweeney, T. (January 2024) Hand operated tribometer versus twin disc dry friction characteristics measurements, Wear (2024), doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wear.2024.205267.
• Stock, R., Oldknow, K. and Magel, E. (2024) Addressing perceptions regarding the influence of relative hardness on wheel/rail performance, Wear 538–539 (February 2024): 205225. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wear.2023.205225.
• Spiryagin, M., Bernal, E., Oldknow, K., Persson, I., Rahaman, M.L., Ahmad, S., Wu, Q., Cole, C. and Mcsweeney, T. (2023) Implementation of Roughness and Elastic-Plastic Behavior in a Wheel-Rail Contact Modeling for Locomotive Traction Studies, Wear, 532–533 (November 2023): 205115. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wear.2023.205115.
• Wang, Y., Oldknow, K., Wang, G. and Mulligan, K (2023) Identification of Opportunities for Enhanced Train Marshalling and the Potential Use of Optimization, Proceedings of the 12th International Heavy Haul Conference (IHHA 2023), Rio de Janeiro, 7pp
• Silva, G., Oldknow, K., Regehr, S. and Handal, T. (2023) Establishing correlations between rail profile quality indices and simulated contact conditions, Proceedings of the 12th International Heavy Haul Conference (IHHA 2023), Rio de Janeiro, 8pp
• Wang, Y., Crosbee, D., Rothwell, E. and Oldknow, K. (2023) Comparison of vehicle dynamics simulation results using laser and contact-based profilometer measurements as inputs, Proceedings of the 28th IAVSD Symposium on Dynamics of Vehicles on Roads and Tracks (IAVSD 2023), 14pp
• Oldknow, K. (2022) A Brief History of Friction Management, Proceedings of the 12th International Conference on Contact Mechanics and Wear of Rail/Wheel Systems (CM2022), Melbourne, Australia, 4-7 September 2022, 10pp
• Oldknow, K., Stock, R. and Vollebregt, E. (2022) Effects of rail hardness on profile evolution and computed contact conditions in a full-scale wheel-rail test rig evaluation, Proceedings of the 12th International Conference on Contact Mechanics and Wear of Rail/Wheel Systems (CM2022), Melbourne, Australia, 4-7 September 2022, 11pp.
• Wang, Y., Oldknow, K. and Wang, G. (2022) Estimating derailment risk using parametric wheel-rail profile characterisation, Proceedings of the 12th International Conference on Contact Mechanics and Wear of Rail/Wheel Systems (CM2022), Melbourne, Australia, 4-7 September 2022, 9pp
• Stock, R., Oldknow, K. and Magel, E. (2022) Addressing Perceptions Regarding the Influence of Relative Hardness on Wheel/Rail Performance, Proceedings of the 12th International Conference on Contact Mechanics and Wear of Rail/Wheel Systems (CM2022), Melbourne, Australia, 4-7 September 2022, 9pp.
• Magel, E., Oldknow, K. and Stock, R. (2022) The impact of relative wheel-rail hardness on RCF, plastic flow, and rail grinding, Proceedings of the 12th International Conference on Contact Mechanics and Wear of Rail/Wheel Systems (CM2022), Melbourne, Australia, 4-7 September 2022, 8pp.
• Welsby, D., Oldknow, K. and Ravitharan, R. (2022) The critical importance of vehicle-track interaction assessment in system design and whole life operating performance, Proceedings of the 12th International Conference on Contact Mechanics and Wear of Rail/Wheel Systems (CM2022), Melbourne, Australia, 4-7 September 2022, 7pp.
• Bernal, E, Spiryagin, M., Oldknow, K., Wu, Q., Bosomworth, C., Ahmad, S., Cole, C. and McSweeney, T. (2022) Hand Operated Tribometer versus Twin Disc Dry Friction Characteristics Measurements, Proceedings of the 12th International Conference on Contact Mechanics and Wear of Rail/Wheel Systems (CM2022), Melbourne, Australia, 4-7 September 2022, 6pp.
• Spiryagin, M., Bernal, E., Oldknow, K., Persson, I., Ahmad, S., Wu, Q., Cole, C. and McSweeney, T. (2022) Consideration of roughness and elastic-plastic behavior in wheel-rail contact modeling for locomotive traction studies, Proceedings of the 12th International Conference on Contact Mechanics and Wear of Rail/Wheel Systems (CM2022), Melbourne, Australia, 4-7 September 2022, 6pp
• Vollebregt, E., Darbani, A., Ashtekar, A. and Oldknow, K. (2022) Smoothing procedures for detailed wheel/rail geometry processing, Proceedings of the 12th International Conference on Contact Mechanics and Wear of Rail/Wheel Systems (CM2022), Melbourne, Australia, 4-7 September 2022, 7pp.
• Spiryagin, M., Szanto, F., Oldknow, K., Wolfs, P., Spiryagin, V., Ahmad, S., Wu, Q., Bernal, E., Cole, C. and McSweeney, T. (2022) , Advanced Modelling and Performance Evaluation of Hydrogen-Powered Heavy Haul Locomotive, Proceedings of the ASME 2022 Joint Rail Conference (JRC2022), April 18-19, 2022, Virtual, Online, 8pp.
• Spiryagin, M., Ahmad, S., Bernal, E., Oldknow, K., Persson, I., Wu, Q., Colin, C. and McSweeney, T. (2022) Implementation of the contact roughness at the wheel-rail contact model for locomotive traction studies, Proceedings of the ASME 2022 Joint Rail Conference (JRC2022), April 18-19, 2022, Virtual, Online, 6pp.
• Bernal, E., Spiryagin, M., Vollebregt, E., Oldknow, K., Stichel, S., Shrestha, S., Ahmad, S., Wu, Q. and Cole, C. (2022) Prediction of rail surface damage in locomotive traction operations using laboratory-field measured and calibrated data, Engineering Failure Analysis, 135, 14pp, doi: 10.1016/j.engfailanal.2022.106165