Civil/Structural/Seismic Engineering and Architecture are facing an extraordinarily challenging era, the ultimate target being set at increasingly higher levels by the demanding expectations of our modern society.
The urgent need for a coordinated National Plan for the Condition/Safety Assessment, Conservation/Retrofitting/Rehabilitation and Maintenance/Repairing of the Italian existing Buildings (both ordinary and heritage/monumental) and Infrastructure Stock has become dramatically evident. On the other hand, the rapid and remarkable evolution of innovative/smart materials and technologies, facilitated by the significant enhancement of Structural Laboratory Testing Facilities at national and international level, combined with the recent Italian regulations providing financial incentives (i.e. Sisma Bonus, Eco-Bonus) and the infrastructure investment plan (apparently/hopefully under preparation) could provide the key technical/economic trigger.
In this context, the Faculties of Engineering (ICI) and Architecture at Sapienza University of Rome face a unique opportunity to play a central role within such significant mission undertake.
This project intends to bring together a unique interdisciplinary Team with strong expertise in various and complementary topics within the area of Civil/Structure/Seismic/Mechanical/Energy Engineering and Architecture. The acquisition of a medium size electromechanical Universal Testing Machine - capable to carry cyclic pseudo-dynamic testing under axial, shear, torsion on different materials and small components intends to represent a first step towards a recommended equally significant strategic upgrading/enhancement of the experimental testing capabilities - largely overdue since the mid-1960 - as well as a natural catalyst for the collaboration/interaction among academic/industry/government players and stakeholders, allowing Sapienza to develop an increasingly recognized role as research/teaching/third mission provider.
The Materials and Structures Laboratory Tests of the Department of Structural and Geotechnical Engineering has a distinguished experience in both small scale testing and certification of materials. Ongoing experimental activity at the Laboratory focuses on advanced research in the field of heritage materials, eco-friendly composite materials, seismic protection devices, innovative low/damage resisting systems (in concrete, steel or timber) and solutions for structural strengthening. The Laboratory is also constantly involved in third mission activities through public sector services, applied research and industrial collaborations.
In order to face new technological challenges and to remain competitive in research, however, the Laboratory urges for a significant upgrading of the equipment (and ideally of available spaces), most of which dates back to the mid-`60s. In the last decades, significant advances have been accomplished in the analysis of the nonlinear response of structures, and in the development within the building industry of new materials, technologies and products. The evaluation of the mechanical properties of these latter and the verification of the high performance levels required by the new Italian Building Code, necessitate the use of high-precision testing machine for monotonic and cyclic tests under both force and displacement control. This request for funding would allow to purchase an electromechanical universal testing machine able to perform such type of tests.
In particular, this proposal intends to seek co-funding for the upgrading - through substitution - of an hydraulic testing machines acquired back in the `60s from Galdabini which can only operate in force-control. The control system is indirect and the force-gradient or the speed of tensile/compressive force can only be adjusted manually, through the valves for pressure and oleodynamic flow. Further, no digital output of the tests is possible and results are provided graphically on graph paper, from which quantitative measurements are recorded, again manually, on paper. For as much as the initial acquisition was of high quality at the time of purchase, the equipment is now obsolete and clearly need replacement. Its operation is cumbersome, significantly limiting and impacting on research and third-party contract activities.
The universal electromechanic testing machine for which funding is required would allow digital data acquisition, under displacement or deformation control, in both monotonic and cyclic tension, compression, flexure, shear and torsion. Admittedly, for some (few) of the full range of tests envisaged in the future on the various materials, supplementary clamping equipment might be needed. Should that be the case, it has been agreed among colleagues that the cost of additional pieces of equipment will be covered paid on research funds of each participant according to the need of the specific research project.
For all the mentioned tests, the new testing machine allows a very high accuracy in displacement control, as well as a very large stroke of the jack. This guarantees the possibility of testing for both low and high strain levels as well as, particularly important when dealing with cultural heritage brittle materials (e.g. mortar, masonry), to follow the descending branch (softening) of the capacity curve. Such softening behaviour is particularly important also for the calibration of numerical predicting models to be used as predicting/design models for individual or classes of buildings, as it tends to lead to numerical instability or lack of accuracy.
Finally, it should be stressed that, beside the impact on research activity, the new machine would allow a capacity increase with respect to official material testing (acceptance and qualification of construction materials) for third parties. This activity, carried out in the Lab since 1939, is not limited to testing materials, but include also the certification of innovative structural products, structural systems and detailing, as well as the control activity on private labs, such as cross-calibration of testing machines. The aforementioned considerations and the description of the research project and activities facilitated by the acquisition of this new piece of equipment in substitution of a 60 years older one, have been provided as substantiated evidences of and motivation for an overdue urgent need for a continuous and significant investment towards the upgrading of the laboratory capability.
It is also important to underline that this machine will be used to carry out research on different types of materials, on both structural and nonstructural elements, thus giving the opportunity to different Departments of Sapienza, namely DISG, DIMA, DiAP and PDTA affiliated to the Faculties of Engineering (ICI) and Architecture, to collaborate on multidisciplinary projects.