Facilities

The Construction Management Program at UNC Charlotte is contained in the Sheldon P. Smith Engineering Building, the Kennedy Building, and the C.C. Cameron Applied Research Center. The Smith and Kennedy Buildings contain over 40,000 square feet of engineering laboratories to support the educational, research and development activities of the College of Engineering. The C.C. Cameron Applied Research Center houses approximately 73,000 sq. ft. of state-of-the-art laboratories, offices, and conference space to support much of the interdisciplinary applied research activities. These laboratories are equipped with approximately $10,000,000 worth of equipment, and the electronics, mechanical, and machine shops are manned by eight full-time skilled technicians. 

Stress Analysis, Structures, and Vibration

The College has three major laboratories containing approximately 6,0000 square feet devoted to structures, a hydraulic Satec universal testing machine (2,0000 lb. capacity), and a Fornay 250,000 lb. capacity). The Satec UTM has a solid state electronic load system with a digital readout and recorder. The Instron features an automatic data recorder, a wide range of cross-head speeds an loading rates, a variety of load cells (0-500 g., 0-1000 lb., 0-20,000 lb., etc.) and various grips capable of handling specimens ranging from standard specimens down to delicate fibers. The College also has a 55 kip electrohydraulic closed loop uniaxial loading system capable of testing metal and nonmetallic samples in a thermally controlled environment. An electronic controller allows flexibility in displacement and load input signals. High cross head rates and programmed fatigue regimens are possible with this system.

A variety of strain indicators and switching and balancing units is available for multiple strain gage installations under both static and dynamic operating conditions. The strain gage equipment and associated technology are readily available for both field and laboratory work, as well as for education.

The stress lab also has facilities for both laboratory and field photoelastic stress analysis with a 12-inch diameter transmission polariscope and a portable reflective polariscope. In addition, there is available a rotating-beam reversed-stress fatigue testing machine, and combination impact testing machine, and combination impact testing machine on which one can perform Izod, Charpy, and tension tests. An instrumented drop-weight test device for impact testing of plastic specimens has been built for experimental studies. A sonic/ultrasonic tester is available, as is a two channel structural dynamics analyzer.

Four MB electromagnetic shakers and power supplies are available for vibration studies up to about 500 Hz with forces limited to 150 lb. and amplitudes less than one inch. Two MB vibration meters and accelerometers can be used to measure the rms and peak amplitudes, velocities, and accelerations of sinusoidal vibrations. One B&K 10 lb. vibration exciter, its power supply, a dual channel signal analyzer, B&K type 2032, and two impact hammers provide further capability for vibration, analysis and structural modal analysis.

A variety of motion and force measuring transducers is also available for use in impact and other dynamic studies.

Fluids, Heat, and Power

The College has three major laboratories containing approximately 3,000 square feet devoted to fluid flow and heat and power engineering. The fluids lab contains a flow device for simulating open channel flow and two centrifugal fans, controls and supporting duct work for experiments in air flow. A fluid power test stand, including dynamometer, has been assembled so that moderate pressure fluid power systems can be analyzed. The lab has orifices and venturi meters for measuring fluid flow. It also contains Saybolt and Cannon-Fenske viscometers, hydrometers, vacuum pumps, manometers, pressure and temperature transducers and other assorted equipment with associated amplifier and read-out systems.

Geotechnical Laboratory

This lab is equipped to perform tests to determine the physical properties and strength characteristics of soils. The basic tests include Atterberg limit tests, hydrometer analysis, specific gravity test and quick moisture content test. Equipment to conduct proctor compaction test, modified proctor compaction tests and triaxial tests. Pore pressure measurements are also possible. In addition, the lab has facilities to conduct unconfined compression tests, vane shear tests, and direct sheer tests. Both auto-level and lever-arm consolidaometers are available to determine the consolidation characteristics of compressible soils. A variable head permeameter, constant head permeameter, and pressure-permeameter are available for permeablilty measurements. This lab also equipped to run California bearing ration tests for flexible pavement design and percolation tests for septic tank drain field design. The lab has facilities to test soils under simulated earthquake loadings. X-ray diffraction analysis of clay minerals in soils can be conducted here also. Facilities are now available to study the compatibility of soil liner in landfills and pullout resistance of geotextiles used or soil stabilization.

Asphalt Laboratory

This lab is equipped to measure asphalt cement properties, such as absolute viscosity, specific gravity, softening point by the ring and ball method, penetration of asphaltic materials, flash point, ductility, loss on heating and thin-film oven tests. The asphalt laboratory also can perform tests such as distillation of cutback asphalt products, viscosity by means of Saybolt viscosimeter and float test of bituminous materials. The asphalt laboratory also can conduct Marshall method of mix design, determine bituminous content of asphaltic concrete, and determine creep characteristics of asphalt paving cores.

Construction Materials Laboratory

This lab is equipped for testing materials such as cement, concrete, steel, wood and aggregates for strength and structural properties. The lab contains a hydraulic, 200 kip MTS capacity universal testing machine a 500 kip capacity compression testing machine, and a 25 kip MTS machine. The universal testing machine has a solid-state electronic load/strain control system with a digital readout recorder. Tests on fresh concrete such as slump tests, flow table tests, compaction factor tests, Kelley ball tests and air content tests can be conducted. A needle vibrator and vibration table are also available. Compression tests on hardened concrete cylinders and cubes, and flexure tests on concrete beams can be conducted. A combination impact testing machine for Izod, Charpy, and tension impact testing is available. A large sieve shaker and a Los Angeles Abrasion testing machine are provided for testing aggregate materials. The laboratory can undertake field sampling of concrete mixed, testing for workability, strength and soundness of concrete members. A sonic/ultrasonic tester is also available. The laboratory has a Hewlett Packard Mainframe Data Acquisition System with a dedicated 486DX computer.

Transportation Laboratory

The College's transportation laboratory is suitable for demonstrations, teaching, and research. A wide variety of equipment is available for monitoring, recording, and analyzing a high-vehicle-driver relationship; including a driving simulator, brake reaction timer, alcohol breathalyzer, radarmeter, noise meters, time lapse photography camera, and vehicle placement detector. An instrumental vehicle fitted with a drivometer, five channel datagraph, calibrated speedometer, two way radio and moving radar unit is available for measuring and recording highway traffic performance and driver physiological data. Photometric equipment is available for making measurements relative to roadway and vehicle lighting and the visibility of traffic signals, signs and pavement markings. Data analysis equipment includes a stop-motion movie projector, sound analyzer and dedicated microcomputer. This instrumentation and equipment provides for laboratory testing under controlled conditions and field testing/verification under actual conditions. A number of traffic signal controllers are available for students to acquire hands-on experience in setting and adjusting signal timing. A display board allows demonstrating progressive movement through a system of signals. Computer software for planning signal optimization is also available.

Environmental Engineering Laboratory

The College has four laboratories occupying approximately 2500 square feet devoted to teaching and research in environmental and water resources engineering. The environmental testing laboratory in Kennedy 136 is devoted to routine tests associated with the design, operation and control of water and wastewater treatment processes. Available equipment includes numerous pH and dissolved oxygen meters, spectrophotometers, vacuum pumps, furnaces, multiple stirring apparatuses for performing jar tests, a settling column for sedimentation study, a filtration simulation, a macro-scale Kjedahl nitrogen assembly and a chemical oxygen demand digestion rack. Support equipment includes several analytical balances, incubators, a centrifuge, a light microscope, a phase contrast microscope, and an automatic water sampler for field used.

The water quality laboratory in Kennedy 311 contains sophisticated instruments such as a gas chromatograph, autoanalyzer, specific ion analyzer, and air quality monitors. The water resources laboratory in Kennedy 310 serves as a central office for water resources research in computational hydrology and hydraulics and water quality modeling. The environmental instrumentation laboratory in Kennedy 309 houses an atomic absorption spectrophotometer with graphite furnace for low-level analysis of metals. A Millpore water purification unit in this laboratory provides high purity deionized water for analytical work in this and the water quality laboratory.