Laboratory and Field Testing Capabilities of the CGSE. Introduction The research activities of the ARC Centre for Geotechnical Science and Engineering (CGSE) are supported by state of the art field and laboratory testing facilities. This document outlines these capabilities which extend to advanced testing methods in the area of both saturated and unsaturated soil mechanics, rock mechanics, insitu testing and sampling, 3 dimensional slope or surface measurement and modelling as well as full scale rock fall barrier testing. Dependent on the current research and teaching demands of the CGSE, the facilities are available to industry for a limited amount of commercial consulting. Soil Mechanics Laboratory specialised equipment Gas Pycnometer for the measurement of specific gravity of soils or rock specimens. Sedigraph Particle Sizer for measurement of particle size distribution for particle sizes ranging for 300um to 0.1um by measuring particle settling velocities using x-ray absorption Mercury Intrusion Porosimeter allows measurement of micro pore size distributions. Ion chromatography for determining cation concentrations in soil or ground water. Thermogravimetric Analyser (TGA) allows for thermal analysis in which changes in physical and chemical properties of materials are measured as a function of increasing temperature. Stress Path Triaxal Systems 6 stress path triaxial systems, 4 manufactured by GDS instruments and 2 specific soft soil systems manufactured by Imperial College London. The systems allow for a range of testing capacities for testing of specimens ranging in consistency from very soft clay to soft rock. Bender Elements System in-house developed system allows measurement of the seismic velocity or small strain stiffness of a sample and can be incorporated into a triaxial or oedometer specimen. Oedometer system an in-house system that includes bender elements transducers to evaluate the shear wave velocity during CRS and Incremental Loading testing, capable of controlling /monitoring the pore fluid chemistry in natural soils. Laboratory Vane Shear bespoke equipment allowing measurement of rate effects. Rheometer measurement of rheological properties soft soils and slurries. Bromshead Ring Shear apparatus determination of drained residual shear strength. Dynamic Triaxial Systems 3 dynamic systems, manufactured by GCTS, GDS and IPC allow for a range of dynamic triaxial tests in term of sample size and dynamic frequency. Large Scale Stress Controlled Calibration Chamber.
Lever Arm Oedometers Imperial College Stress Path Triaxial Laboratory Vane Shear Soil Testing Capabilities Soil Classification Testing- Atterberg Limits (Casagrande and fall cone method). Soil and pore water ph and EC, cation exchange capacity and clay surface area measurement. Dispersion - Pinhole and Emmerson class. Particle Density Gas or vacuum pycnometer. Particle Size Distribution (>75um) wet or dry sieve analysis. Particle Size Distribution - including hydrometer or fine distribution measured using Sedigraph (provides 300 um 0.1 um distribution). Mercury Intrusion Porosimetry (MIP) microstructure and pore size distribution; California Bearing Ratio. Soil Compaction and Density (standard and modified MDD, OMC). Shrink Swell Index and Swelling Pressure of clays. Laboratory Vane Shear. Direct Shear Testing (60mm, 100mm and 300mm shear boxes). Large Strain (repeated) Direct Shear Testing (60mm, 100mm, and 300mm shear boxes) Large Scale Direct Shear Testing (720mm x 720mm shear box). Ring Shear. One Dimensional Consolidation lever arm oedometer and Constant Rate of Strain (CRS) including small strain stiffness using Bender Elements. Rowe Cell - strain/pore pressure gradient controlled oedometer testing. Unconfined (Uniaxial) Compression Test. Triaxial Compression and Extension with pore pressure measurement, including UU, CU,CD, Stress Path, (38mm, 50mm, 70mm, 100mm, 150mm and 300mm diameters). Bender Elements - Seismic velocity of specimen in triaxial compression. Dynamic Triaxial testing up to 10,000Hz (50mm, 70mm, 100mm, 150mm diameters). Resilient modulus. Permeability - Falling head, constant head and constant head with flexible wall permeameter.
Unsaturated Soil Mechanics - specialised equipment Constant Temperature (CT) room developed specifically for unsaturated soil testing the CT provides a highly stable temperature (<10C variation) required for undertaking high quality unsaturated soil tests. Environmental chamber for conditioning of specimens to specific temperature and humidity conditions. Unsaturated Triaxial Testing systems 2 systems manufactured by GCTS and GDS allow measurement of sample volume change for an unsaturated triaxial specimen under controlled suction. UPC Oedometer a device for performing oedometer tests on unsaturated soils. Manufactured by Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC) the oedometers have capability to use either the axis translation method or vapour equilibrium suction control methods. Tensiometers developed in-house, allowing for direct measurement of soil suction up to 3 MPa. Pressure Plate Apparatus used for determining Soil Water Characteristic Curve. Freeze dryer Liquid nitrogen immersion and a freeze dryer are employed for maintaining the pore structure of reactive clays for the purpose of microstructural analysis. UPC Oedometer Freeze drying using liquid nitrogen Tensiometer Saturation / Calibration Unsaturated soil testing Capabilities Unsaturated Triaxial Testing using axis translation method. Unsaturated Oedometer Testing hydro-mechanical stress path testing. Pressure Plate Testing. Soil Water Characteristic Curves (SWCC) using axis translation and vapour equilibrium methods.
Measurement of Total Soil Suction using filter paper method, and dew point potential (WP4C). Measurement of Soil Matrix Suction using tensiometer and filter paper method. Unsaturated permeability air flow permeability. Determination of the loading collapse curve using unsaturated oedometer or traxial. Microstructure analysis Freeze drying and MIP method. Rock Mechanics Laboratory - specialised equipment Surface grinder used for ensuring flat and parallel ends required for undertaking uniaxial or triaxial testing on core specimens. Large Scale Shear Box - 720mm x 720mm shear box with 300 tonne normal capacity and 200 tonne shear capacity; the high capacity shear box is suitable for testing rock fill or mine waste rock under high stresses. High Stress Triaxial Testing System manufactured by GDS Instruments with a thick walled stainless steel cell. Confining stress up to 64MPa can be achieved with axial loads up to 250 kn allowing for testing of samples for 38 mm to 100 mm in diameter. The same triaxial load frame can be used with a 300 mm cell which allows for testing of course materials such as mine spoil. 180 tonne compression machine Tinius Olsen compression machine allowing compression forces up to 1800 kn. Large Scale Shear box High Stress Cell Large Scale Triaxial Cell
Rock testing Capabilities Rock porosity, density and permeability; Sample coring and trimming and surface grinding; Unconfined compression testing; Sonic velocity (S and P wave); Poisson s Ratio; Indirect Tensile Testing (Brazilian Test); Point Load Testing; Triaxial Testing of rock core and rock fills (300 mm cell); Direct shear testing of rock joints, discontinuities and rock fills, including residual shear by repeated shearing; Schmidt Hammer testing of rock masses; Rock Joint Roughness by 3D scanning. Rock Fall Barrier Assessment Specific Equipment 2.5 x 2.5 m steel frame for testing of steel mesh panels. 700 mm thick heavily reinforced concrete strong floor. Load cells for the measurement of forces in steel cables and at the foot of steel posts. 1000 kn MTS testing machine for tensile, compressive, dynamic and cyclic testing of barrier components. 3 axes accelerometers. High speed cameras with variable frame rate (from 100 to 8000 frames per second). Motion analysis software for the measurement of position, velocity and acceleration during impact. Full scale rockfall barrier test Steel frame mesh panel testing Tensile testing of barrier components
Rock Fall Barrier Testing Capabilities Full scale barrier testing: in accordance to EOTA specifications, a barrier made of 3 panels (max. 15 m overall) can be tested, with load cell acquisition and high speed camera recording. Testing of steel mesh panels: the tests are performed by vertical impact of a concrete block, shaped according to EOTA specifications. The dropping height can be adjusted in order to reach the required impact energy. EOTA Standard Tests rocks for 60 kg o 660 kg. Tensile testing of components steel wire ropes, cables connected by clamps, single wires and portions of mesh panels. Rock Fall and Slope Hazard Assessment and Modelling - Specific Equipment UAV hexacopter with two forward facing arms, bent for a clear field of view. Features include 2-axis gimbal for DSLR camera, FPV camera and laser module. UAV Quadcopter - DJI Phantom 1 with 12MP GoPro 3. UAV Quadcopter - DJI Phantom 3 Professional with integrated 12MP camera and 3-axis gimbal. Fix Laser scanner - Leica C10 with a range of 300m. SfM software for image processing. Hexacopter Rock fall hazard images Rock Fall Slope Measurement and Modelling Capabilities Aerial and ground-based laser scanning and photography techniques to produce high quality detailed 3 dimensional surface models of slopes and high walls. Stability analysis and rock fall modelling using these 3D models.
Insitu Testing and Sampling Specific Equipment A 20 tonne truck mounted insitu testing rig Newsyd. A 20 tonne truck and 10tonne crawler combination insitu testing Facility Newtracks. A hand portable load frame, hydraulic pump and anchoring system. Newtrack Track and Crawler Test Facility Newsyd 20 Tonne truck mounted test facility Testing Capabilities Cone Penetration Testing (CPT) 25, 50 and 100 MPa cone load cells available. Cone Penetration Testing with pore pressure measurement (CPTu). Seismic Cone Penetration Testing with pore pressure measurement (SCPTu). Flat Plate Dilatometer Testing (DMT). Seismic Flat Plate Dilatometer Testing (SDMT). Insitu Vane Shear Testing. Soil Conductivity and Soil Moisture Measurement. Soil Sampling - Mostap 35 and 65, Swedish Soil Sampler (50mm diameter). Ground Water and Gas Sampling and Permeability Measurement (BAT Enviroprobe). Hydraulic Profiling Tool (HPT) Measure conductivity and permeability.
Contact For further information regarding testing capabilities and rates please contact: Lachlan Bates Business Manager ARC Centre of Excellence for Geotechnical Science & Engineering Discipline Civil, Surveying & Environmental Engineering University of Newcastle NSW 2308 Australia Ph +612 49218978 Mob. 0408 292638 Fax +612 49216991 e-mail Lachlan.Bates@newcastle.edu.au