Davis Hall
Structures Laboratory
- 41' x 132' strong floor capable of testing structures ranging from full scale prototypes to small scale models
- a dozen computer-controlled electro-hydraulic actuators for imposing loads up to 500 tons
- multiple computer-based acquisition systems
- computers and control equipment to perform on-line computer control experiments to study seismic response and active control
- extensive machine and electronics shop facilities
Dynamics Laboratory
- 2 small shaking tables (up to 3' x 4' in dimension)
- dynamic actuators
- high speed universal testing machines
- forced and ambient vibration monitoring apparatus for laboratory and field investigations
Experimental Mechanics Laboratory
- 4 hydraulic universal testing machines (with capacities from 60,000 lbs to 400,000 lbs)
- 2 servo-controlled universal testing machines (50,000lbs and 300,000 lbs)
- 2 compression testing machines (90kips and 300 kips)
- 1 axial load torsion machine (60,000 lbf)
- 1 Charpy impact testing device
- 2 impact testers (264 ft-lbs and 2 ft-lbs capacity)
- 6 hardness testers (5 Rockwell and 1 Brinell)
Experimental Models Laboratory
- small scale tie down floor (20' x 40') to test small scale models of structures
- appropriate loading devices
- data acquisition systems
- instrumentation for static and dynamic measurements
Structural Materials Laboratory
The Structural Materials Laboratory provides well-equipped facilities for class instruction, research and service to industry projects associated with performance of civil engineering materials such as concrete, cement and aggregates, structural steel, wood, and plastics.
The concrete laboratory provides facilities for:
- aggregate testing and preparation
- concrete mixing (small mortar mixers, 9 cuft pan concrete mixer and 5 cuft high intensity mixer)
- testing of freshly mixed concrete
- fabrication, curing and preparation of test specimens
For studying the microstructure and chemistry of concrete, state-of-the-art equipment is available in Davis Hall, McCone Hall, and at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). Equipment includes:
- well-equipped laboratories for chemical analysis (Davis Hall and McCone Hall)
- scanning electron microscopes (McCone Hall & National Center for Electron Microscopy at LBNL)
- x-ray diffraction (McCone Hall)
- soft X-ray microscopy (Advanced Light Source and Center for X-ray Optics at LBNL)
For studying the mechanical behavior of materials under a wide range of loading and environmental conditions, the experimental mechanics and models laboratory together with several temperature-humidity controlled rooms are available. These include:
- large 100cuyd fog room for standard curing conditions
- 3 walk-in environmental chambers (40cuyd each) with various humidity-temperature controls (chamber A: -10oC to +30oC, no humidity control), chamber B: +20oC to +70oC, humidity control 20% to 95% RH), chamber C: -10oC to +60oC,humidity control 20%-95% RH)
- 3 ovens (up to 190oC, 260oC and 1100oC)
Richmond Field Station Laboratories
The Richmond Field Station houses a wide range of research facilities. A shuttle bus provides regular access from campus to the field station.
Structures Research Laboratory
- 60 X 20 ft strong floor
- 35-ft tall reaction frame for testing tall prototype structures
- a computer-controlled 4 million pound universal testing machine
- an extensive set of static and dynamic electro-hydraulic actuators, instrumentation, and data acquisition systems
Institutes and Libraries
Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research (PEER) Center
In addition to SEMM and the Department research facilities, the Richmond Field Station houses laboratories operated by the Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research (PEER) Center. PEER is an organized research unit of the UC Berkeley College of Engineering. A wide range of multi-disciplinary earthquake engineering research is carried out by the 9 core universities participating in PEER.
Located at the Richmond Field Station, PEER's Earthquake Simulator Laboratory provides a unique research capability aimed at improving seismic resistant design of structural systems. The central feature of this facility is a 20-foot by 20-foot shaking table that is able to simulate the 3D dynamic characteristics of strong-motion earthquakes. The energy absorption and failure characteristics of full- and reduced- scale test structures weighing up to 70 tons can be studied under controlled laboratory conditions. The adjacent Structural Testing Laboratory provides the home for one of NSF's shared use equipment laboratories that are part of the George E. Brown, Jr., Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation (NEES). Berkeley's NEES laboratory focuses on experiments of large structural systems made possible by our state-of-the-art quasi-static and dynamic hybrid simulation capabilities. Hybrid simulation, combined with high-speed Internet services, allows portions of a very large structure to be tested simultaneously in laboratories at the Richmond Field Station, Davis Hall, and elsewhere in the world. The National Information Service for Earthquake Engineering houses the largest single site collection of literature on earthquake engineering. Most of this information is available on-line.
Libraries
Davis Hall Computer Labs
The CEE department maintains 2 instructional computer labs with workstations providing engineering software for student use: 345 Davis Hall and 541 Davis Hall. The labs may be used by students enrolled in CEE classes.