Representative:

Professor Ali M. Memari
College of Engineering
Dept. of Architectural Engineering
Penn State University
104 Engineering “A” Building
University Park, PA 16802-1416
tel.: 814-865-3367
fax: 814-863-4789
e-mail: amm@engr.psu.edu

Members:

Shelton Alexander, Richard A. Behr, Linda M. Hanagan, Andres Lepage,
Maria Lopez de Murphy, Ali M. Memari, Adam Rose, and Andrew Scanlon

Website(s):

www.psu.edu

www.engr.psu.edu

Reconfigurable Structural Test Frame in CEE Structures Laboratory

The Pennsylvania State University is a multi-campus (24 campuses) public land-grant university chartered in 1855. University Park is the largest campus, and is located in municipality of State College in central Pennsylvania. Graduate work at Penn State dates back to 1862. The Board of Trustees authorized the university to grant the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in 1924, and the first Ph.D. was awarded in 1926. Today, Penn State offers graduate study in 150 major programs with a graduate enrollment of more than 10,000. Each year, more than 500 doctorate degrees are conferred.

Structural Engineering faculty in the College of Engineering are in three academic departments: Architectural Engineering (AE), Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE), and Engineering Mechanics (E MCH). All three departments offer M.S., M.Eng., and Ph.D. degrees. The structures faculty in E MCH address various issues in numerical computation, vibration, elasticity, plasticity, composites, etc. The Structures faculty in CEE focus their research on design and analysis of various types of structures in general and bridge structures in particular, while the AE Structures faculty concentrate primarily on building structures. The total number of structures faculty in AE and CEE is 13 with three faculty focusing on earthquake resistant analysis, design, and evaluation of structural and nonstructural systems, one faculty focusing on building vibration (including floor vibration) and one faculty concentrating on short duration vibration resulting from impact, blast and explosions.

In addition to the faculty from the College of Engineering, faculty from the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences (EMS) have a research focus related to earthquakes. Specifically, two faculty from Geosciences have concentrated their research on earthquake seismology and hazard prediction, while one faculty from Geography has a well-established research program in Energy, Environmental, and Regional Economics with a particular interest in socioeconomic impacts of earthquakes and integrated engineering and social science models for loss estimation.

A unique contribution of Structural Engineering research efforts at Penn State has been derived from the collaboration of faculty in multi-hazard resistant design and evaluation of structures, including buildings, bridges, and residential construction. Three research centers that can potentially support research in this particular aspect and are affiliated with CEE are Pennsylvania Transportation Institute (PTI), Protective Technology Center (PTC), and Pennsylvania Housing Research Center (PHRC). Besides the resources available from these three centers, the structural laboratory in AE (Building Envelope Research Laboratory (BERL)), and the CEE Structures Laboratory have full-scale testing facilities as is described subsequently.

Graduate students with an interest in earthquake engineering and seismology have a number of graduate courses related to structural dynamics, seismology, geotechnical engineering, and earthquake resistant design from which to choose.

Currently, five Ph.D. students and four M.S. students are working in the AE and CEE programs with their theses related to seismic design and analysis of structural and nonstructural systems. In Geosciences 5 Ph.D. students and 3 M.S. students are completing theses in earthquake seismology including one Ph.D. student working on seismic hazard assessment in western Turkey. Two computer-controlled bench-scale instructional shaking tables and other small-scale model test facilities are available to supplement instruction in several courses. Although no formal courses in earthquake studies are offered in EMS departments outside of Geosciences, several M.S. and Ph.D. students in recent have written theses addressing economic related issues of earthquakes and other natural hazards.

Building Envelope Research Laboratory – Department of Architectural Engineering

The Building Envelope Research Laboratory is housed in the Engineering Unit A Building on University Park Campus. The lab features unique, full-scale test facilities for dynamic and static racking of wall systems to assess the effects of earthquakes on building envelope systems and wind/pressure loading and windborne debris impact simulations on architectural glass and other wall/roof components and sub-systems. To simulate earthquake effects on wall systems, the Dynamic Racking Test Facility can apply a wide spectrum of in-plane, out-of plane, and torsional motions on full-scale wall system assemblies. Computer controlled hydraulic servoactuators with +/- 76 mm (+/- 3 in.) dynamic stroke capacities are used to apply these racking motions. With a ceiling height of 14.5 ft, full-scale single story frames and curtain walls can be tested in this laboratory. The Wind Load Test Facility is used to study severe windstorm effects by simulating windborne debris impacts and subsequent positive and negative wind pressures on full-scale wall system components. Computer controlled stepper motors regulate the flow of pressure and vacuum from three 500 gallon accumulators to generate cyclic pressure sequences.

A15ft x 5ft x 3ft R/C loading platform (strong floor) and steel reaction frame equipped with a 400 kip hydraulic cylinder is available to test structural walls, frames, and connections.

In addition to the specialized research facilities that are available to investigate wind, impact, earthquake, and weather resistance of full-scale building envelope system mock-ups, BERL is equipped with a 110 kip MTS load frame and two 22 kip Instron load frames. The servo-controlled hydraulic actuators for these load frames and the 22 kip actuator typically used with the dynamic racking test facility can also be configured for multi-axial testing to accommodate custom test configurations. A full range of hydraulic cylinders and pumps are also available for projects. The laboratory is also equipped with a wide variety of electronic sensor and data acquisition equipment for use during testing. BERL’s proximity to other laboratory facilities at Penn State provides opportunities for brokering other facilities for projects requiring equipment and expertise beyond the capabilities of BERL.

Dynamic Testing Laboratory – Department of Architectural Engineering

The Dynamic Testing Laboratory features a wide array of dynamic testing equipment as well as a full-scale experimental floor system that can be used for activities such as measurement training or implementation of control devices. Equipment available is as follows:

• 16-channel portable dynamic signal analyzer
• 16 accelerometers with cables and signal conditioning
• 500 lb and 4000 lb force measurement plates
• 30 lb electro-dynamic shaker
• 100 lb and 500lb electro-dynamic actuators
• Experimental Test Floor: 27’x16’ floor framed with 2.5” concrete on metal deck, steel joists, rolled girders and steel pipe columns.

Structures Laboratory – Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering

The Structures Laboratory is located in the Sackett Building and has a conventional high ceiling for structural testing of building frames. This laboratory has a 15 ft x 58 ft strong floor and a height to overhead crane of 18 ft. The strong floor has a 15 ft x 30 ft longitudinal steel loading frame, transverse reaction frames and moveable strong-backs. Representative equipment available for structural testing include:

• 200 kip (900 kN) Templeton, Kenly & Co. actuator
• 110 and 300 kip Universal Load Frames
• Drop Hammer
• Pendulum test facility

Additional Structures Laboratory facilities have recently been added to the CATO Park building, which comprises 57,000 ft² of research laboratories and offices administered by the College of Engineering. A large portion of this facility has been dedicated to experimental work and, more specifically, to material evaluation and structural testing. This facility accommodates PTI concrete materials research program, the Protective Technology Center and the structural testing needs in the Departments of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Architectural Engineering and Engineering Mechanics. CATO Park structural laboratory current development plans include the construction of the second phase of the strong floor and the design of a crane system for the floor area. Loading of specimens in the structures laboratory is accomplished through the use of pumps, hydraulic RAMS and a servo-controlled actuator system. In addition, a universal testing frame with (220,000-pound) capacity is available for testing of structural components.

Geophysics Facilities—Department of Geosciences

Relevant facilities include a computational laboratory equipped with dedicated work stations and a large variety of data analysis and modeling software for seismological studies, and there is integrated GIS-remote sensing software for integrating data and information needed for earthquake hazard assessment and spatial variations in ground shaking. In addition there is a well-equipped laboratory dedicated to research on fault processes and associated deformation. Portable seismic systems are available to investigate any geologic setting of interest and to monitor aftershocks following significant mainshocks. There is a permanent broad-band borehole digital station, SSPA, that is part of the U.S. National Network and the global IRIS network that records local and regional events as well as teleseismic earthquakes. Penn State has continuously operated one of the World-wide Standardized Seismic Network stations (SCP) since the early 1960s and before that continuously recorded with different instrumentation beginning in 1935.