Representative:

Professor James Ricles
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Lehigh University
117 ATLSS Drive, Bldg. H
Imbt Laboratories
Bethlehem, PA 18015-4729
tel.: 610-758-6252
fax: 610-758-5553
e-mail: jmr5@lehigh.edu

Members:

John W. Fisher, Le-Wu Lu, Clay J. Naito, Sibel Pamukcu, Stephen Pessiki, James M. Ricles, Richard Sause, and Yunfeng Zhang

Other Directory Information:

Prisca Vidanage
Graduate Coordinator
Dept. of Civil & Environmental Eng.
Fritz Engineering Lab
13 E. Packer Avenue
Lehigh University
Bethlehem, PA 18015
tel.: 610-758-3530
fax: 610-758-6405
e-mail: pmv1@lehigh.edu

Website(s):

www.lehigh.edu

www.lehigh.edu/~incee/incee.html

www.nees.lehigh.edu

Lehigh University is a private university that was

ATLSS Real-Time Multi-Directional Testing Facility

founded in 1865. Research in earthquake engineering at Lehigh University has focused on integrated analytical modeling and large-scale experimental testing of structural components and systems. This research is conducted at the Advanced Technology for Large Structural Systems (ATLSS) Engineering Research Center & Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation (NEES) equipment site at Lehigh University. Sponsors of research projects include AISC, FEMA-SAC, NIST, NSF, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and various industrial sponsors. Examples of recent earthquake engineering projects include:

• Seismic behavior, analysis, and design of high performance concrete-filled steel tube beam-columns

• Large-scale experimental evaluation of the lateral load response of unbonded post-tensioned precast concrete walls

• Cracking, repair and ductility enhancement of large-size steel beam-to-column connections subjected to dynamic loading

• Seismic rehabilitation of non-ductile concrete columns using advanced composite jacketing

• Seismic and wind performance of visco-elastic damped steel frames

• Seismic damage mitigation in MRFs using post-tensioning

• Seismic behavior and design of steel beam-to-concrete filled steel tube column moment connections

• Experimental and analytical seismic studies of steel MRFs and braced frame systems with concrete filled tube columns

• Improved seismic details for welded unreinforced beam-to-column moment connections

• Development of seismic guidelines for beam-to-deep column steel moment connections

ATLSS Experimental Facilities

The ATLSS Multidirectional Experimental Laboratory was constructed, beginning in 1987, to be a major new facility for large-scale structural testing. The lab was opened and dedicated in the second quarter of 1989. It is located in the Imbt Laboratories Building on Lehigh University’s Mountaintop Campus. The lab is one of the largest of its kind in North America, with a 30.5m by 12.2m strong test floor, bordered on two adjacent sides by an extended L-shaped monolithic, rigid multi-directional reaction wall that is 15.2m tall at one side and steps down incrementally on the other side from 12.2m to 9.1m to 6.1m tall. The reaction wall runs continuously from one corner of the strong test floor to the diagonally opposite corner of the test floor, and has monolithic 6.1m tall continuations that extend around the corners at the ends of the wall. The reaction wall and test floor have a 1520mm square grid of high capacity anchor points which allow large-scale two-and three-dimensional test structures and test frames to be fastened to the wall and floor to facilitate multidirectional (multi axis) testing under static or time-varying loads.

The ATLSS Multidirectional Experimental Lab is served by a 176-kN radio-controlled overhead traveling crane for handling specimens and equipment on the test floor, and an 88-kN radio-controlled overhead traveling crane for the main service area and additional test area that exists in the laboratory. Large overhead doors and large paved areas outside the lab provide easy access for tractor-trailer trucks delivering test specimens, equipment, materials, and supplies to the lab. The lab service areas contain welding equipment, a large-bed drill press, a band saw, a grinder, and an array of hand tools.

The laboratory is equipped with a wide array of closed-loop servo-controlled hydraulic actuators. The largest actuators have a force capacity of 2.7MN and a stroke of 1.5m. The laboratory is also equipped with several computer-based high speed data acquisition systems that allow near simultaneous recording of the many channels of instrumentation that are used during testing. The hydraulic actuators are also computer-controlled, allowing all aspects of data acquisition and actuator control to be orchestrated in a single test control program.

Within the Imbt Laboratories Building, the ATLSS Center operates a Mechanical Testing Laboratory, a Welding and Heat Treating Laboratory, and Metallography and Microscopy Laboratories. The Mechanical Testing Laboratory includes a 2670kN computer-controlled universal test machine, and a 245kN servo-controlled dynamic tension/compression test machine with hydraulic grips. In addition, the Imbt Laboratories houses a Charpy V-Notch testing machine and SEM and Light Microscopy equipment.

Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation (NEES)

The NEES equipment site at Lehigh University specializes in real-time multi-directional (RTMD) testing for earthquake simulation of large-scale structural systems. The Lehigh University NEES RTMD facility is located in the ATLSS Research Center (IMBT Laboratory), and allows for multi-directional real-time seismic testing, combined with real-time analytical simulations, to investigate the seismic behavior of large-scale structural components, structural sub assemblages, and super assemblages (systems). This is achieved through the combined use of dynamic actuators, the multi-directional reaction wall, and the strong test floor. This facility is also designed to support the development of new hybrid testing methods for real-time multi-directional (RTMD) testing of large-scale structures, including multi-substructures, where the substructures involved are at different geographic locations connected by the NEES network. The Lehigh NEES equipment portfolio includes an eight channel digital control system; five dynamic actuators, each ported for three servo-valves with stoke ranges of +/- 500 mm, and having the maximum force capacity of 3 1700 kN and 2300 kN. A complete list of equipment and capabilities can be found at www.nees.lehigh.edu .

Fritz Lab Experimental Facilities

ATLSS operates the experimental facilities in Fritz Lab, which includes the 5 Million Pound universal test machine. The 5 Million Pound universal test machine enables compression or tension tests of structural elements up to 12m tall and 3m wide, under forces up to 22000kN (5,000kips). The machine can be used with a flexure test bed between the machine’s support columns to test bending specimens up to 40m long. With a 915mm hydraulic stroke, the machine can load components over a large deflection range at speeds up to 1.5mm/sec. A 33gpm pump at a maximum pressure of about 2200psi drives the 1370mm diameter hydraulic ram.

The 5 Million Pound machine is served by a 176-kN radio-controlled overhead traveling crane for handling specimens and equipment. A large overhead door and paved area outside the lab provide access for tractor-trailer trucks delivering test specimens, equipment, materials, and supplies to Fritz Lab. Fritz Lab contains a variety of structural testing machines and equipment in addition to the 5 Million Pound machine. The lab service areas contain welding equipment and a fully equipped machine shop.

For more information about the structural engineering laboratories visit: www.atlss.lehigh.edu

The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) offers courses related to earthquake engineering. Graduate studies in civil engineering at Lehigh University enable the student to build upon the broad background of undergraduate education in preparation for professional practice at an advanced level, for research and development, or for teaching.

The selection of graduate courses and research opportunities offered within the CEE Department permits the development of individual program objectives that may be concentrated in one of the technical specialty areas, or, alternatively, may extend over the broad field of civil engineering. The department offers advanced work in the specialty areas of structural engineering, geotechnical engineering, hydraulic engineering, and environmental engineering, leading to the degrees of master of science (M.S.), master of engineering (M.Eng.), and doctor of philosophy.

A graduate program leading to the M.S. normally is concentrated in one, or possibly two, of the technical specialty areas, and consists of a number of courses designed to fulfill the individual student’s program objectives. Course requirements consist of a minimum of 30 semester credits, with at least 18 in the major field. Each candidate for the M.S. is required to submit a thesis representing three to six credit hours, or alternatively, a report based on a research course of at least three credits. The balance of the program consists of courses in the specialty area(s).

A graduate program leading to the M.Eng. degree stresses engineering applications and design. The courses extend across the various specialty areas in civil engineering. Course requirements consist of a minimum of 30 semester credits, with at least 18 in the major field. Each candidate for the M.Eng. is required to complete an individual engineering project representing three to six credits in place of the thesis or research report required for the M.S.

The doctoral program, which leads to the Ph.D., normally includes courses in the major field, courses in minor fields, and a dissertation presenting results of original research. Holders of master’s degrees planning to become candidates for the Ph.D. take a qualifying examination at the first opportunity following one semester in residence. After qualification, the program of work is formulated by the candidate, the candidate’s departmental Ph.D. committee, and the department chairperson. There is no specified minimum requirement for courses. However, most Ph.D. programs include 20 to 30 credits of course work beyond the master’s degree. The total number of credits, including dissertation research, must be at least 72 beyond the bachelor’s degree. All Ph.D. candidates are required to defend their dissertation in a public forum. For more information and to apply for admission visit: www.lehigh.edu/~incee/incee.html