Beam and Beam Column Testing Facilities
The BCERL lab is also equipped with facilities to test beams and beam-columns. These facilities can be used to test the flexure, shear, and axial load capacity of structural members made of wood, concrete and steel. The facilities are capable of applying over 100 kips in axial load, bending load, or a combination of axial and bending load at various points or in a distributed fashion. The facilities are capable of applying push-only bending load, pull-only bending load, or push/pull bending loads for cyclical load or displacement profiles with or without additional off-axis loadings.
Specimens up to 9 feet long, 2 feet in height and 2 feet in depth can be accommodated in the facilities. Strategic placement of sensors allows real time evaluations of parameters such as load, deflection, component strains (e.g., in reinforcement), crack propagation, shear and drift.
Testing Capabilities
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Evaluation of column stubs utilizing ultrahigh strength steel and concrete for high-performance building applications
- Investigation of the effectiveness of new beam-to-column moment connections in laminated wood frames subjected to seismic loading
- Investigation of the use of glass fiber composites to arrest crack growth in wood
