Swinburne’s civil engineering lab tests real world construction
In Summary
- Visitors to this year’s Open Day can see Swinburne’s Multi-Axis Substructure Testing system in action
- Carbon fibre-strengthened columns will be tested using the 5MN Instron Uniaxial Testing Machine
Visitors to this year’s Open Day will be able to see Swinburne’s new Multi-Axis Substructure Testing (MAST) system in action.
The testing system is the only one of its kind in the southern hemisphere, combining the advantages of experimental techniques with those of online computer simulations.
“It provides a powerful tool for engineers to investigate the dynamic effects of earthquakes, wind and ocean waves on full scale structural systems and their components,” says Dr Javad Hashemi, who runs the hybrid testing.
The MAST system has been used to help test structures in Christchurch after the 2011 earthquake and is housed in Swinburne’s state-of-the-art Smart Structures lab.
This laboratory has been developed for large-scale testing of new and existing civil, mechanical, aerospace and mining engineering components and systems.
See Carbon Fibre Strengthening in our Smart Structure Lab this #SwinburneOpenDay https://t.co/895GYgotU2 pic.twitter.com/FnC3c1RPkN
— Swinburne University (@Swinburne) July 26, 2016
On Open Day, carbon fibre-strengthened columns will be tested using the lab’s 5MN Instron Uniaxial Testing Machine. Pressure will be placed on the columns until they explode!
Extending the life of existing infrastructure is important to promote sustainability. This technology has been used to inform engineers working on major strengthening projects, such as the West Gate Bridge and more recently the M80 Ring Road upgrade.
Swinburne Open Day is Sunday 31 July 2016. Plan your day and discover why we’re the must visit Open Day.