Structural Engineering and Mechanics

Research Facilities

The cement and concrete laboratory has a broad range of equipment for conducting standard tests to determine properties of cementitious materials, including moist curing and controlled temperature-humidity rooms. Additional equipment includes microscopes and apparatus for shrinkage, creep, and freezing and thawing studies. Scanning electron microscopes and x-ray diffraction instruments are also available.

The structures laboratory has 3,000 square feet of tie-down floor space and 2,500 square feet of space for materials testing. A specimen fabrication shop is located nearby. Among the testing equipment available are the following: a 2,000-kip closed-loop programmable compression machine with high pressure-temperature testing capability; a 210-kip MTS closed-loop universal testing machine; an MTS closed-loop testing system with multiple 3.3-kip actuators; a Gilmore closed-loop universal testing machine with 50-kip and 10-kip actuators; a Megadac data acquisition and control system with input capacity of up to 256 channels; and a 25' tall column testing frame with a capacity of 400 kips.

The structural models laboratory includes the following: three 6' x 5' testing tables with reaction frames and 2,000-pound-capacity screw actuators; a 12" x 24" one-dimensional shaking table, excited by a 100-pound-capacity electro-magnetic shaker; strain, displacement, and acceleration measurement instrumentation; a 16-channel data acquisition system; and a National Instruments data acquisition board with Lab View software.

The stress wave laboratory is equipped with oscilloscopes, transducers, and signal conditioners for experimental assessment of the physical condition of structural materials using stress wave mechanics. Various devices are available for creating finite duration transient impacts, including a 2-inch gun for studies on impact mechanics and shock synthesis of materials. Equipment needed for field testing of bridge pilings and pavements is also available.