EXPERIMENTAL WORKS

or
Testing

Suprapto Siswosukarto
Civil Engineering and Environmental Department
Gadjah Mada University
 Aspects to consider
• Careful planning
• Aims of testing should be clearly established
(exp.: defining all parameter involved)
• Select available testing method
• Extent and location of the tests
• The way results of test are handled

Establishing hypothesis might help to define parameters

involved, testing set up, procedures, collect relevant
references and handle the test results.
 Test method
• Researchers should aware:
– Range of test method available
– Limitation of each method
– Accuracies
– Available equipments
– Available budget
– Available time

• Simple test method will subject to complex

influences due to simplifications
 Purposes of Testing
Depending the resulting test data to be put.
• Research testing
– The development general information applicable to a
wide range of similar circumstances (development
standard materials, structural elements, etc.)
– The resulting test data being empirised or
generalized to reflect conservative design procedures.

• Performance testing
– To provide answers for very specific non-general
problems.
– To develop confidence in the ability of a structure to
perform, or to understand and define the mechanism
of a specific structural behavior.
 Reasons of research testing
• Development new material characteristics
• Development new design and method of
construction
• Understanding the differences of design and
application
• Proof of appropriateness of code on specific
aspect
• Relevancies of code towards the improvement
on science and technologies.
• Etc.
Reasons of performance testing
• Deteriorated structures
• Substandard structures
• Unique design
• Change in occupancy
• Proof of performance
 Deteriorated structures
• Excessive structural distress can cause a
reduction in primary load path causing
secondary load path to participate more
effectively in the safe transfer of forces.
• Deterioration usually complicates the ability to
analyze the capacity of a structure with
certainty.
• Aspects influence structural deterioration:
environmental aspects, excessive load, ages,
cracks, etc.
Deteriorated concrete bridge structure
due to steel corrosion
Oil platform built in harsh and aggressive
environment will experience structure deterioration
over time that impaired structural stability.
Steel deterioration due to corrosion from
aggressive environment
 Sub-Standard structures
• To predict accurate behavior of structures in
circumstances where analysis is uncertain due to
a questionable, or unknown, quality of
construction or design.
• This condition is usually due to either
construction, design, or materials, and is
frequently referred to as workmanship test.
• Example: test on probable structural deficiencies
in a composite steel framing system that assume
appropriate behavior of steel studs on composite
actions.
Structural cracks appeared in the newly
constructed precast-bridge
The appearance of surface cracks that form on relatively thin
layer of cement paste does not affect structural integrity

We have to be able to see its distinctions...!

 Unique design
• Certain novels design where untested
deviation from standard accepted
practice are employed can result in the
need to test the concept.
• This requirement is frequently imposed by
the responsible authorities, designers,
owners, manufacturers.
Unique design from
non-standard structure
Do you think they will be a long-term durability problems?
 Change in occupancy
• An existing structure to be remodeled or
upgraded where the new occupancy requires an
increase in loading above the original intended.
• The construction involves older empirical design
concept, or drawings describing the structures
are missing, hence analysis become impossible.
• Need for evaluation of safe capacity of structure
for the intended future loads.
Change in occupancy need of testing of its intended new load
 Proof of performance
• Needed where significant repairs are
necessary, due to a deficiency in
construction, design, or some natural
cause.
• The adequacy of the completed repair is
demonstrated with the use of testing.
• It is still not common in Indonesia, this
might be due the need of a great deal sum
of money...!! .... May be...
 Testing Categories
• Static
– The most common and widely applied in practice
– Wide variety of test methods are available
– Strength, strain and deformation

• Dynamic
– To test the dynamic performance of structure or its elements
– To study the dynamic response of a structure due to the imposed of
cyclic loading.
– Natural frequency and amplitude

• Fatigue
– To study the behavior of structure or its elements under sustained load
and/or repeated load.
– Creep and fracture characteristic
Dynamic test on building to define the acceleration and
deflection of concrete slab imposed by dynamic movement
Setting up of accelerator
Control area from which
and LVDT
measurements were
monitored
Oil platform suffers cyclic load generated by sea waves
Sea waves repeatedly crashed over the steel columns
created cyclic load acting on structure
Konstruksi
Bambu
EXISTING

RETROFITED
MIKISHI LAB – HYOGO
PREFECTURE JAPAN
 Note ....
• Performance testing of structure usually
need the involvement of multy
disciplinary professional engineers of
various expertises.
• Performance testing sometime involve
laboratory approaches for solutions, hence
need of laboratory works.
• We will deal more with research testing
that involve laboratory works.