The Structures Laboratory has a floor area of 162 square metres and is well equipped for testing various structural components under static and cyclic loading.
Typical experiments that are undertaken regularly as part of the curriculum for the Bachelor of Civil Engineering program include tensile, shear, and compression testing of steel and timber structural assemblies. Additionally, BCIT faculty members preform experimental research in the lab on a wide range of topics.
The structural lab is currently equipped with the following testing facilities and instruments. It also contains a 2-tonne capacity gantry crane.
The reaction frame is equipped with 4 actuators including one 25kip, two 50kip and one 100kip actuator which can be used for monotonic or cyclic loading of beams, columns, walls, etc. These actuators are controlled hydraulically using a HYSECO hydraulic pump and a MOOG hydraulic control system. The actuators can be configured to run under a force control or displacement control mechanism.
The shake table, manufactured by QUANSER, is a mid-size single-axis earthquake simulator ideal for demonstrating the concepts of structural dynamics, vibration isolation and other structural control topics related to earthquake loading. Users can generate sinusoidal acceleration profiles or real earthquake records to be simulated by the shake table. A two level frame is mounted on the platform. Accelerometers located at each level can measure and display response of the structure under the applied earthquake record.
This long bed model has a capacity of 1000 kN, and can be configured for test specimens up to 3.6m in length and 2.0m in height. The machine is most commonly used for flexural testing of beams and monitoring load, strain and deflections. Data from sensors like strain gauges and LVDTs is acquired and presented by National Instruments hardware and software(LabVIEW).
This UTM is capable of applying up to 530 kN of load and is mostly used for testing steel coupons under tension to determine the material properties of steel. A dedicated National Instruments data acquisition system allows students to view the stress/strain relationship in real time as the test specimen is loaded.
This UTM is used for testing small timber and steel specimens under axial loading. It can apply up to 250 kN of load. Short timber specimens are tested for compressive and shear strengths. Quarter inch diameter steel bar is tested in single and double shear.
National Instruments(NI) DAQ is used throughout the civil laboratories. NI hardware(SCXI, X and M Series DAQ cards) and software(MAX and LabVIEW) is used, allowing dozens of gauges and low voltage transducers to be simultaneously monitored in real time. MAX and LabVIEW simplify the task of preparing, converting and displaying the eletrical signals of sensors and transducers.
This axial loading machine is used primarily for testing long slender timber sections to demonstrate buckling.
We're a faculty who are passionate about education, and we strive to create graduates who are equally passionate about their career as a member of the civil engineering team. We come from the civil engineering industry, and bring much of that experience into the classroom. While it may appear at times that we expect too much of you, we're preparing you to succesfully take on the challenges you'll face in industry. Talk to our graduates, and ask them how well-prepared they were...