Shaking Table at EUCENTRE
> Go to EUCENTRE Shaking Table website
The EUCENTRE Foundation, European Centre for Training and Research in Earthquake Engineering, based in Pavia (Italy), is a non-profit organisation that promotes, supports and sustains training and research in the field of seismic risk mitigation.
Part of EUCENTRE is its experimental laboratory TREES Lab. This experimental facility has been specifically designed according to the most innovative technologies and thanks to its high performance equipment allows conducting both dynamic and static experimental research on full-scale prototypes.
TREES Lab features four main experimental facilities, two of which are open for SERA Transnational Access: the high performance uniaxial Shaking Table and the bi-axial Bearing Tester System, designed for testing of full-scale bearings and isolation devices.
The Shake Table allows the experimental simulation of any real event that has been measured to date with a considerable payload, in order to test large dimension prototypes in realistic conditions (with a payload of 100 tons, accelerations beyond 1.0 g can be still achieved). The structure of the table is a honeycomb like steel network to ensure high stiffness and a reduced mass, compatible with the forces developed during the structural tests. Six guides, supported with hydrostatic bearings, ensure minimum friction. A MTS closed-loop control system based on acceleration, velocity and displacement drives the shake table movement. The table is 5.6 m x 7.0 m, can displace 1.0m with peak velocity 2.2m/s and peak acceleration 6.0 g. The dynamic peak force 1720 kN allows accelerating payloads of 60 tons to 1.8 g. The maximum payload is 140 tons, allowing for the hosting of large-scale specimens.
Any of the testing installation can be integrated with a multi-purpose acquisition system to record experimental data (250-channel system, 18 bit A/D converter). Additionally, a contactless system for displacement monitoring is available for shake table testing. A new machine vision system recently replaced the one in developed in 2008, allowing for 3D monitoring of displacements.
Services currently offered by the infrastructure: The core activities of EUCENTRE are: applied research in the field of earthquake engineering, with a view to improve existing practice in assessment and reduction of seismic vulnerability and risk; support work towards the development of guidance documents for both practitioners and governing bodies; scientific and technological consultancy, at both national and international levels; training for practitioners and technicians.
