CEISCE operates diverse laboratory ressources and ensures their optimal use by the reserachers and their students. The main features of the laboratory ressources of CEISCE member instutions are provided below.
The Structures Laboratory of Polytechnique Montréal is a world-class facility housing cutting-edge testing equipment to experimentally investigate the behaviour of large civil engineering structures, including : an L-shaped reaction wall (two wings each 10 m high and 12 m long), two strong floors covering an area of 630 m², a high-performance shake table (3.4 m × 3.4 m), a large-capacity multidirectional loading system, a universal loading frame (12 MN compression-tension capacity), three other loading frames (capacities varying from 1 MN to 2.5 MN), 26 static cylinders (capacities from 25 kN to 2000 kN), 10 dynamic cylinders (capacities from 100 kN to 1500 kN), an environmental room (dimensions 5 x 7 x 3 m) for tests at controlled temperature and humidity, and a chamber (dimensions 0.3 m x 0.6 m x 0.6 m) for tests at low temperatures (down to -40°C) The reaction wall and the test slab allow several test programs to be conducted simultaneously on very large specimens and in various configurations. The jacks allow high forces to be imposed on structural components such as bridge beams or piers, bracing or dam sections. Several equipment and software for numerical control of the actuators, including hybrid model-specimen simulation technology are available. The laboratory is equipped with data acquisition systems for simultaneous high-speed collection of experimental measurements. Various types of measuring instruments can be used, including cameras and digital image correlation software. A concrete laboratory is also available. Polytechnique Montréal also has a hydraulics laboratory, including three channels and a wind tunnel, as well as a geotechnical laboratory.
More details can be found at these links: laboratory of the Group of Research in Structural Engineering - GRS (website); laboratory of the Groupe Expérimental et Numérique d’Ingénierie des Écoulements d’Eau - Génie Eau (website); laboratory of the Geotechnical Research Group - GRG (website).
Some examples of the equipment available and its use are illustrated below.
Global view
of the Structures laboratory
Global view
of the Structures laboratory
Seismic testing of
a full-scale bracing
Test of an eight-storey steel building
at reduced scale
on a seismic simulator
3D hybrid simulation seismic test
of a reinforced concrete wall
Impact test of wave propagation of cascading dam failures in the presence of ice cover
The University of Sherbrooke's Structures laboratory houses a 160 m² test slab, a reaction wall (7 m high and 9 m wide), a seismic simulator (3 m x 3 m), a set of 12 static and dynamic jacks (capacities from 100 kN to 2500 kN), and a high-capacity 6-degree-of-freedom loading system currently being installed. The University of Sherbrooke also has an integrated FCI laboratory for research in materials development and innovative and sustainable structures, whose section dedicated to structural testing includes the following major equipment: a 200 m² test slab, two 12 m high perpendicular reaction walls for bi-directional testing, a very large capacity static press (13,000 kN), a large frame dynamic press (capacity of 1500 kN), a small frame dynamic press (capacity of 1600 kN). Both laboratories are equipped with overhead cranes (capacities of 10 tons and 15 tons) for the handling of large specimens. Several measured data acquisition systems are available, as well as actuator control systems, including those allowing hybrid model-specimen simulations. The University of Sherbrooke also has a state-of-the-art geotechnical and soil dynamics laboratory, including innovative 1D and 3D seismic wave simulators. A concrete laboratory and a hydraulics laboratory are also available.
More details can be found at these links: Laboratoire de Structures (website); Laboratoire de Géotechnique et Géoenvironnement (website); Interdisciplinary Research Laboratory in Life Cycle Assessment and Circular Economy - LIRIDE (website); Laboratoire d'Hydraulique (website).
Some examples of the equipment available and its use are illustrated below.
Seismic testing
of a full-scale bridge pier
Testing of a multi-story
wooden building
on a seismic simulator
Dynamic test of a road bridge
seismic isolator
Hybrid simulation seismic test
of a reinforced concrete wall
Dynamic test
of a reduced scale
electricity transmission tower
Dynamic test of an
electricity transmission tower
by hybrid simulation
3D TxSS apparatus for studying the dynamic behavior
of soils in three dimensions
Hardin type resonance column for dynamic soil response analysis
The Jamieson Structures Laboratory at McGill University includes several major pieces of testing equipment, including a high-strength test slab, a static hydraulic mega-press (13 000 kN capacity), a dynamic press (1600 kN capacity), a steel frame dedicated to testing concrete members, a large steel frame dedicated to testing large concrete shear walls, and several hydraulic jacks.
More details can be found at this link: website.
Concordia University's structures laboratory consists essentially of two large-scale, high-capacity test frames. One is used for vertical loading tests on reinforced concrete or masonry elements and on steel bridge girders. The other is used to study the seismic behavior of reinforced concrete or masonry walls under lateral loading combined with vertical dead loads. The vertical load test frame is a combination of a high capacity 1000 kN frame and hydraulic jacks with digital controllers. It can accommodate beam specimens up to 6m long. The test frame for reinforced concrete or masonry walls consists of a high-capacity frame supporting two vertical hydraulic jacks and one horizontal hydraulic jack for the simulation of seismic loads. The tested wall specimens have dimensions up to 3m wide and 3.5m high. The laboratory has a total of 3 hydraulic cylinders of 750 kN and a dynamic cylinder of 150 kN.
More details can be found at these links: Research Centre for Structural Safety and Resilience - CSSR (website); Building Aerodynamics / Wind Tunnel Lab (website).
Some examples of the equipment available and its use are shown below.
Global view
of the Structures laboratory
Global view
of the Structures laboratory
Seismic testing of a masonry wall under lateral, vertical and bending loads
Seismic strengthening test of a reinforced concrete wall under lateral, vertical and bending loads
Seismic strengthening test of a reinforced concrete wall under lateral, vertical and bending loads
Axial load test
of a masonry element
Wind tunnel test
to study the effects
of wind flow between buildings
Wind tunnel test to evaluate wind pressures on buildings with large footprints
Wind tunnel test to evaluate wind pressures on roofs with complex geometry
The Structures Laboratory of the École de technologie supérieure has heavy equipment acquired since 1998. In 2008, the laboratory was extensively renovated with the addition of a test slab and a reaction wall. The laboratory is mainly used for tests on column-beam connections of concrete or steel structures and on coupled shear walls, for simulations of symmetrical, asymmetrical and seismic loads, and for cyclic fatigue tests. The major equipment of the ÉTS Structures Laboratory includes: a 70 m² test slab housing the fixtures; a reaction wall; a 1000 kN test rig with two jacks (250 kN and 900 kN capacities) to perform tests on walls and structural components under lateral loading; a static jack with a capacity of 500 kN; a high capacity jack (4500 kN); and several controllers for jack automation.
More details can be found at this link: website.
The FCI Structures laboratory at Laval University was designed to allow testing of structures, components or assemblies made of concrete, steel, aluminum or carbon (anode). A set of presses, jacks and environmental chambers allow the samples to be stressed under different loads and different temperature and humidity conditions. The laboratory has two major pieces of equipment: a 5000 kN capacity press on a high resistance test slab of 24 m x 5 m (120 m²) and an environmental chamber (-43°C to +65°C) of 9.2 m x 5.7 m and 4.2 m height hosting two test frames with 5 jacks with capacities ranging from 250 kN to 1000 kN.
More details can be found at this link: website.