Structural Test Equipment

200,000 lb Universal Test Machine (UTM)

The workhorse of our lab is the large UTM with a capacity of 200,000 pounds in tension or compression. It can accept test specimens up to 10 feet tall, 30 inches wide, and 20 feet long. Monotonic and cyclic loading is available.

The Racker

This shear wall test apparatus can accept vertically-oriented assemblies up to 9 feet tall and 22 feet long. Our load capabilities are up to 60,000 pounds for cyclic loading and 120,000 pounds for monotonic loading. We have experience running the Curie seismic protocol, and our apparatus can also be configured to include floor systems, corners, and roofs to assess their impacts on shear wall performance.

Out-of-Plane Wind Loading

One of its kind in the United States, the Out-of-Plane apparatus can accept wall assemblies up to 9 feet tall, by 12 feet long. It can simulate wind pressure fluctuations for winds up to 140 mph based on actual storm transients, and can also be used for static and dynamic uniform loading up to 150 pounds per square foot.

400,000 lb Combined Axial & Bending Tester

Testing of foundation systems requires evaluating both an axial compression load and the transverse bending load acting at the same time. Our custom-built apparatus loads specimens that are 4 feet wide and up to 9 feet tall, at 400,000 pounds of compression and 120,000 pounds of bending.

Uniform Load 

We have the ability to test uniform load, with test pressures up to 330 pounds per square foot, in several sizes – 4’x4’, 4’x8’, 4x12’, 4’x16’, 8’x12’, 9’x12’.

Structural Floor

Our lab was designed and built with a structurally reinforced floor to accommodate construction, anchoring, and testing of a structure as large as a typical two-story home. This floor allows a great deal of flexibility for all sorts of custom testing.

Strong Wall

Our lab has a reinforced strong wall for use in testing large diaphragm systems. Similar to our structural floor area, this area also is equipped with a floor anchoring system.