Advanced sensing, control, and high-temperature heating system for testing of structural members under extreme loads

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Structures in civil infrastructure are designed to resist extreme loads such as earthquakes, fires, or winds. When new structural elements or structural materials are developed, it is necessary to understand how the structural elements perform during the extreme loads. For performance evaluation of the structural elements during a fire event, for example, it is essential to apply temperature to the structural elements and investigate how long the elements can sustain the temperature. If a structural system's fire performance needs to be evaluated, a hybrid (experimental-numerical) simulation method can be adopted. For performance evaluation of a structural system during a wind event, it is necessary to put a structural system in a wind tunnel and evaluate how the system responds to the wind load. The equipment requested in this proposal is to support the five research programs. The main items of equipment are heating panels and a temperature controller that can increase the temperature of a structural element up to 1,000C. The heating panels can be reconfigured to test specimens with various configurations. To measure the temperature distributions of a specimen during fire tests, thermal image cameras and thermocouples are requested. To transfer load from a hydraulic actuator to a specimen with thermal isolation, a load transfer element with a water-cooling unit is requested. To improve the simulation method for a structure subjected to wind load, a real-time controller and amplifier for sensor signals are requested. The requested items will be integrated with the research group's existing hybrid simulation equipment with which a section model of a bridge deck can be simulated in a wind tunnel testing facility. The requested equipment will provide unique hands-on testing opportunities for the co-PIs and HQPs. Various research projects in five research programs will be supported with the equipment. The research projects that will be enabled through the requested equipment are unique. Other institutions in Canada do not have similar research infrastructure. Thus, it would be difficult for such research to be carried out elsewhere in Canada. The research team benefits from its diversity as the the team members come from diverse cultural backgrounds and have a multidisciplinary approach to problem solving. In addition, several HQPs will contribute to the development of hybrid simulation methods for which the PI's institution has global recognition. The HQPs trained through the research projects will have competitive and marketable skills in the field of structural engineering that will be sought after both in Canada and internationally. The research projects enabled through the proposed equipment will improve our understanding of the behaviour of structural elements and systems subjected to extreme loads. This will ensure, ultimately, the safety of civil infrastructure in Canada.