In 164 Town, innovative researchers test bridge loads and research new methods for making structures safer and more cost-efficient. It houses the Livesay Structural Materials Testing Laboratory.
The 6,900-square-foot structural engineering research laboratory provides:
- 80-by-50-foot main testing area
- 80-by-25-foot tie-down floor with a million-pound capacity
- 20-ton overhead crane
- Electronic and computer equipment for controlling experiments and data logging
Equipment
Major pieces of equipment include:
- Numerous hydraulic actuators with 5- to 200-ton capacities and strokes up to 18 inches
- Two MTS 55,000-pound capacity structural actuators controlled by an MTS TestStar IIm controller used for large specimen static and dynamic testing
- One 150,000-pound push and 110,000-pound pull actuator with a 24-inch stroke
- Four data acquisition systems with reading rates up to 250,000 samples per second
- Five remote monitoring systems that can be controlled by modem, cellular, or radio telemetry
Learn about structural engineering research at Iowa State.
Contact
For more information, please contact Owen Steffens, manager of structural engineering laboratories, at oweigen@iastate.edu.