Hydraulic Power Supply for the Mechanical Testing of Resilient and Sustainable Structures, Pavements, Geomaterials, and Medical Devices

Project summary:

The requested funding will be used to acquire and install a 150 gallon per minute (GPM) hydraulic power supply (HPS) in the Civil Engineering Building. The existing HPS is beyond its expected useful life and is in need of replacement before it experiences a major failure. The proposed, new HPS is more energy efficient, with a 12 percent reduction in electrical power usage, and environmentally friendly with its reduced use of cooling water. Completed in 1982, the Galambos Structural Engineering Laboratory, Geomechanics Laboratory, and Pavements Laboratory are the focal points for structural, materials, and solid mechanics-related experimental research programs in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geo- Engineering (CEGE). Seven CEGE faculty (French, Khazanovich, Labuz, Linderman, Marasteanu, Schultz, and Shield) perform the majority of their experimental research in these three laboratories. These faculty have collaborated and plan on future collaborations with faculty in the College of Food, Agriculture, and Natural Resources (Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering [BBE] and Department of Soil, Water, and Climate), as well as faculty from the College of Design (Center for Sustainable Building Research). All of these faculty have a strong interest in addressing civil infrastructure and building research needs. The main focus of the three laboratories in the Civil Engineering Building is the mechanical testing of materials, structures, and structural components. Mechanical testing provides information on the strength and stiffness of structures, materials, and components, whereas experimental data are required to evaluate and improve functionality.