Research and Educational Testing Facilities
Laboratories:
BRE CICM houses a number of laboratories which undertake a wide range of EPSRC and industry funded research contract work as well as serving the educational requirements of the department.
Structures Laboratory
This is a purpose built facility housing a 18X7 metre ‘strong floor' which is bounded on two sides by 4 and 5 metres high ‘strong walls', as well as having easy access for the unloading of specimens via a 3X5 metre doorway. This area is also serviced by a 10 tonne overhead crane and a 1.5 tonne forklift.
Loading facilities in this laboratory include four fully fatigue rated digitally controlled servo hydraulic actuators, allowing both load and stroke control via the Instron ‘Fastrack' 8800 system.
2000kN Frame @ 250mm stroke,
450kN Ram @ 150mm stroke *
100kN Frame @ 100mm stroke
50kN Ram @ 150mm *
*These two actuators allow for dual axis testing via the 8800 Instron Control Units.
Data acquisition is by several means. From the four actuators Load and stroke are collected via Instron Dax (single axis) and Max (multi-axis) software direct to Excel spreadsheets at a rate of up to 100Hz.
A full range of data acquisition is available using Vishay Micro Measurements Group systems 5000 and 6000. These systems are capable of gathering data at a rate of up to 10,000 records per second per channel (system 6000) and up to 50 records per second per channel (systems 5000). Our two system 5000s can act independently or in conjunction with one another and are served by a full range of linear displacement strain gauge based transducers with stroke ranges at 25, 50 & 100mm, as well as load cells at 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 10.0, 20.0 and 50.0 tonnes.
Both system 5,000s are currently equipped with three ‘strain gauge cards' each, and one ‘high level' card each. This gives us a total of 30 channels on which strain gauges and/or transducers can be monitored and 10 channels on which load cells can be monitored.
Our system 6,000 is currently capable of monitoring eight strain gauge cards and 3 high level cards.
In addition to this we also have a range of static load jacks which can be positioned in numerous positions and combinations by means of our multi-combinational steel framework in collaboration with our strong floor and walls.
In addition to, and positioned adjacent to the structures laboratory we have:
Geotechnical laboratory
This laboratory carries out research on soils from across the country. These tests are to include Oedometer tests, triaxial tests, shear box tests, Atterburg limits tests, dry and wet sieving. The same data acquisition facilities are available to this laboratory as are to the structures laboratory listed above.
Rammed Earth & ‘eco' materials research laboratory
Use of equipment directly involved with the preparation and manufacture of rammed earth and other ‘eco' materials. This includes a range of compaction devices which includes an automatic soil compactor capable of Proctor and CBR methods of compaction, and a rock crushing machine (capable of , as well as a full range of balances, mixing equipment, temperature controlled ovens, a climate chamber and humidity room.
Concrete preparation laboratory
This is again served by the 1.5 tonne forklift and contains equipment associated with the manufacture of concrete and mortar. This includes beam and cube moulds, 2 ‘Cretangle' pan mixers, rock cutting saw, pre-stressing rig, automated bond wrench machine, as well as a ‘Controls Auotmax' 2000 Kn concrete compression testing machine with a 100Kn flexural frame attachment.
Dry stone wall testing laboratory
A bespoke outdoor testing facility for the study of the stability of dry stone walls, including a tilting table, and the relevant data acquisition systems to monitor load and displacement measurements within the walls, and the production of stereographic images for analysis of deformation within the walls.
Fluids Laboratory
We have a 9 metre tilting hydraulic flume, complete with wave generator, hydraulic bench and airflow rig for teaching and research.
The laboratories are all supported by the associated workshop facilities which enable the manufacture and preparation of complex and specialised samples and testing rigs. Facilities included here are, amongst others those for the preparation and construction of metal and timber samples, including milling, welding, turning, laser cutting (up to A2 size).
Timber preparation and Timber Research laboratory
Wood work shop containing machinery for timber preparation and undergraduate model making.
Timber conditioning room where temperature and humidity can be controlled.
Acoustics Laboratory
The acoustics lab contains both standard equipment, for measuring sound levels and reverberation time for instance, and apparatus relating to research work. Acoustic scale modelling has been a major research interest and the lab includes extensive facilities for testing models of enclosures at scales of 1:8 to 1:50; these facilities have been recently upgraded. The lab includes a reverberation chamber for measuring absorption coefficients of model materials. We also have apparatus for measurements in full-size auditoria; measurement procedures using digital processing have also been recently upgraded.