Isolab, dynamic testing facility of Freyssinet in Italy, has launched the testing bench 70 MN able to perform dynamic tests on seismic isolators at a very high level, with capacity that only few laboratories in the world can have.
With phase 2 of the construction of new testing bench, completed in March 2018, the 70 MN press is now able to perform dynamic tests on both elastomeric and sliding isolators like High Damping or Lead Rubber Bearings and Sliding Pendulum, single or double surface. The testing bench is also adaptable for testing on Viscous Dampers or Prestressed Spring Dampers.
The testing bench is completely automatic thanks to the electronic system with servovalves which pilot the actuators and the acquisition directly performed by computer. The bench is able to develop horizontal force up to
3000 kN with maximum movement of 1000 mm and maximum velocity of 1000 mm/s and vertical dynamic force up to 18000 kN. The maximum vertical static capacity of the press is 70000 kN while the maximum static horizontal capacity is 20000 kN. The very low machine friction, obtained thanks to the use of the special sliding material ISOGLIDE, and measured through dedicated calibration tests allows to achieve an accurate measurement of the behavior of the tested devices.
The 70 MN testing bench, together with the existing testing bench 50 MN and 5 MN already fully dedicated to tests on isolators and the monoaxial bench 20 MN, MTS1, MTS2 and MTS3 for tests on dampers and STU, is going to bring Isolab at the highest level of performance in dynamic testing in the seismic engineering field with more than 1400 device tested in 2017.
(Original article from Freyssinet Intranet)