Since 1984, the structural testing laboratory is a common
facility of all professors in the structural engineering
division, part of the Department of Civil
Engineering, at Ruhr-Universität
Bochum, Germany. This concept includes that most
of the experimental research activities in structural
engineering is performed in this testing laboratory,
as well as teaching regarding experimental work.
The concept for planning and realization of the structural
testing laboratory was to create a facility, which is
capable of performing experimental testing/research
on large or full scale structures, or components of
them, respectively. Investigations on reliability and
safety of structures under realistic static or dynamic
loading conditions in the field of civil and mechanical
engineering, and as a consequence of this mostly
deformations in the range of structural plasticity,
require utilization of testing equipment that has high
loading capacities.
These aims providing load capacities and at the same
time having a high flexibility in matching different
testing tasks were consequently realized in design, specification
and installation of the testing facilities. There are
simultaneously provided several possibilities for testing
materials regarding different specifications according
standardized or non-standardized testing procedures.
With the structural testing laboratory there is an
institution available, which offers a wide range of
possibilities and applications in experimental testing/research
of structures, and materials. This facility can be contacted by clients from industry or public/governmental institutions
for solving problems in the domain of quality control,
research service, admissions, and certifications.
The opening of the laboratory buildings
took place in 1982. |
