Structural System Testing Laboratory

Director: Dr. James Swanson

This laboratory, located in Rhodes Highbay on the main campus, has a 30 ft. x 60 ft. strong floor, is served by a 10-ton overhead crane, and has a 10-gpm central pump.  It is possible to bring specimens as long as 30 ft into this lab, and assemble specimens as long as 60 ft.  A number of steel reaction frames can be configured to accommodate comprehensive testing of various structural members and systems.  The laboratory includes one 350-kip servo-controlled actuators, two-channel MTS Test Star IIS controller, large stock of wire potentiometers, clip gages, DC voltage linear variable differential transformers, load cells, and several data acquisition systems.  The laboratory also has three closed loop testing machines with capacities of 20 kips, 50 kips, and 400 kips.  This laboratory is used for both teaching and research.  In Steel Design, and Reinforced, and Prestressed Concrete Design courses, the facilities are used for classroom demonstrations and for group projects.  The lab is equipped to measure the modulus of steel or concrete; and to conduct creep, shrinkage, freeze/thaw and abrasion testing.

400-kip Tinius Olsen Closed-loop Universal Testing Machine