Department Name: Dynamic Testing Laboratory and Informatics (Dynlab&Info)

About the Department:

The Dynlab & Info represents a strategic department of the Institute. The different engineering scientific and technical staff, the gathered knowledge, the valuable testing equipment, the state-of-the-art software tools, makes this department capable of realization of complex tasks and developing custom solutions related to experimental mechanics, structural control, structural analysis, test and measurement, solving vibration problems, informatics and system engineering.

Its multidisciplinary profile enables independent coordination and running of projects as well as taking active part in the realization of joint projects with other departments of the Institute and other research institutes and companies. Besides this, the Dynlab & Info offers full service to the other departments in the Institute, as well as to all interested clients in our country and abroad.

The educational level and the variety of specialized training of our scientific, engineering and technical staff, as well as the practical experience that has been gathered since 1965 through realisation of many projects are a guarantee for the quality of service and products that Dynlab & Info can offer.

Main Activities

  • Laboratory for Static and Dynamic Testing
  • Field Non-Destructive Testing of Structures, Equipment and Machinery
  • Data Acquisition, Signal Pre- and Post- processing
  • Structural Control and Health Monitoring of Structures
  • Application Software Development

 

Laboratory Static and Dynamic Testing

Shaking table testing of physical models of buildings and engineering structures to an appropriate scale.

Shaking table testing of physical models of structures with added different types of passive and semi-active energy absorption devices.

Dynamic testing of materials, structural elements and assemblages.

Static and quasi-static cyclic tests of joints, members and large-scale assemblages for definition of their mechanical properties.

Dynamic and quasi-static cyclic test of seismic and vibration base isolation bearings.
Shaking table testing, seismic proof tests and other dynamic type testing for mechanical and electro-mechanical equipment.

Static, dynamic and proof test of spacer, stockbridge and other type of dampers for high voltage power transmission lines.

Seismic qualification tests of nuclear and other power plant equipment.

 

Field Non-Destructive Testing of Structures, Equipment and Machinery

Field-in situ testing of building, engineering and special structures using ambient vibration method for definition of natural frequencies and corresponding modes of vibration, as well as operational modes of vibration.

Field-in situ testing of building, engineering and special structures using forced vibration method for definition of natural frequencies and corresponding modes of vibration.

Monitoring and vibration measurements of equipment and machinery in industrial facilities, nuclear and other power plants in static and operational conditions.

Monitoring and vibration measurements of city, road and highway bridges due to trafic and other environmental dynamic excitations.

Monitoring and vibration measurements of man-induced vibrations on structures.

Data acquisition, signal pre- and post- processing

Assembling and developing custom solutions for data acquisition for laboratory and field measurements based on National Instruments Corporation, USA, hardware and software tools.

Developing custom-tailored applications for pre- and post- signal processing using National Instruments LabView Development Suite, Spectral Measurements toolkit and Sound and Vibration Suite.

Rearrangement and preparing of existing and client provided excitations, as well as generation of new ones, as input for the shaking tables.

Generation of tailor made test and measurements reports using National Instruments Report generation toolkit and National Instruments DIAdem software for managing, analyzing, and reporting data collected during data acquisition and/or generated during simulations.

Practical Implementation of Structural Vibration Solution Software - ARTeMIS Extractor for Operational Modal Analysis of operating machinery and components, as well as ambient modal analysis of civil engineering structures using experimental data.

Structural Control and Health Monitoring of Structures

Research and development of passive and semi-active control of structures.

Research and development in the field of seismic and vibration base isolation systems in cooperation with other departments in the Institute.

Research and practical implementation of bridge management systems and health monitoring of buildings, engineering and industrial structures and facilities in cooperation with other departments of the Institute.

 

Fields of Interest

  • Test and measurements in laboratory and filed conditions
  • Data acquisition and signal processing
  • Bridge management systems and health monitoring
  • Biodynamic vibrations and their influence on human accommodation
  • Structural control-passive and semi-active control of structures.
  • Noise pollution and preventing measures.

 

Department staff

 

Current projects

Title: Proof Tests on a Shaking Table of a New Brick Laying System Patented by Prexo Bloque, Norway;
Investor: Prexo Bloque, Norway;
Period of Realization: January-March 2007

Title: Shaking Table Testing of Wienerberger Unreinforced Masonry Models without and with Antiseismic Devices;
Investor: Wienerberger, AG, Austria;
Period of Realization: January-March 2007;

 

FAQ:

Why do we need shaking table testing?

  • To calibrate analytical models which are appropriate for different categories of structures
  • To evaluate norms and standards
  • To evaluate specific projects for relevant structures especially in cases where there is lack of standards
  • Development of new technologies and materials.

 

What are the maximum dimensions of the model that can be tested  on the seismic shaking table?

  • 5.0 x 5.0 x 6.0 m (not to exceed the overturning moment)

What is the maximum acceleration of the seismic shaking table?

  • +/- 0.5 g z- direction
  • +/-  0.7g x – direction

What is the maximum displacement of the seismic shaking table?

  • +/- 0.050 m z – direction
  • +/- 0.125 m x- direction

What is the frequency range?

  • 0 – 50 Hz

What types of instruments are used for testing on the seismic shaking table?

  • Accelerometers
  • Linear potentiometers
  • strain gages
  • LVDT

How many channels are standardly available for acquisition?

  • 72 channels

Is there any possibility for acquisition of more then 72 channels?

  • yes

What type of excitations can be used for testing the models?

  • Harmonic
  • Random
  • Earthquake excitation
  • Sine sweep

Which are the active axes on your shaking table?

  • X and Z

 
Is there any possibility to reproduce earthquakes to a real scale ?

  • It depends on the earthquake, the shaking table is limited to maximum displacement of   +/- 0.050 m z – direction,   +/- 0.125 m x- direction.
  • Thus, some earthquakes can be reproduced to the real scale :

Can the seismic shaking table reproduce acceleration greater than 1g?

  • Yes it can, it depends on the model mass and the properties of the excitation:  frequency content  and displacement.

 

IZIIS