Tornadoes and downbursts wreak havoc on transmission towers across Ontario. While Engineering professor Ashraf El Damatty, third from left, cannot control the weather, he can do the next best thing – help build a better tower. Along with fellow Engineering professors Eric Savory, Horia Hangan and Girma Bitsuamlak, and numerous graduate students and postdoctoral scholars, El Damatty is working on a research program with Hydro One to mitigate future failures of transmission line structures during extreme weather events. Earlier this week, the group showcased its work to representatives from Hydro One with live testing at the WindEEE Dome. The $1.2-million research project is also supported by Ontario Centres of Excellence and the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada.