Introduction to the Civil Engineering Experimental Center

The Civil Engineering Experimental Center operates under the Department of Civil Engineering within the School of Engineering Construction. It comprises four main laboratories: the Structural Laboratory, the Road & Bridge Laboratory, the Geotechnical Engineering Laboratory, and the Civil Engineering Materials Laboratory. The center occupies a total area of approximately 5,600 m² and is equipped with advanced instruments including an Unsaturated Soil Triaxial Apparatus, a Computer-Controlled Electro-Hydraulic Servo Dynamic Soil Triaxial System, a Rock Multi-Field Coupling Testing Machine, a Large-Scale Direct Shear Apparatus, Computer-Controlled Electronic Flexural & Compressive Testing Machines, a 10,000 kN Long-Column Press (Fully Automatic Pressure Testing Machine), and Computer-Controlled Electro-Hydraulic Servo Universal Testing Machines. The total value of the equipment is nearly 30 million RMB.

The center is capable of conducting static and dynamic mechanical performance tests on large-scale structures and components, mechanical tests for road and bridge engineering structures and components, static and dynamic characteristic tests for geotechnical materials, as well as physical and mechanical property tests for civil engineering materials such as steel, cement, concrete, asphalt, and chemical building materials.

The center currently has 7 full-time experimental instructors. It supports the experimental teaching for nearly 10 courses across 7 undergraduate majors: Civil Engineering (including specializations in Structural Engineering, Road & Bridge Engineering, Urban Underground Engineering, and Engineering Management), Hydraulic and Hydro-Power Engineering, Water Supply and Drainage Engineering, Architecture, Urban and Rural Planning, Building Environment and Energy Applications, and Engineering Mechanics. It serves over 500 undergraduate students annually. Furthermore, the center provides research support for graduate students and faculty, assisting more than 200 postgraduate students and over 50 research projects each year (including approximately 6 National Natural Science Foundation of China projects).

Guided by the accreditation standards of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development and undergraduate teaching evaluation indicators, the center adheres to a teaching philosophy that places students at the core, aiming to cultivate their abilities in analysis and problem-solving, engineering practice and hands-on skills, as well as scientific research and innovation. Through years of development, the center has achieved significant outcomes in areas such as the offering rate of experimental courses, student awards in disciplinary competitions, and student innovation activities. Currently, the center offers nearly 39 experimental projects, with a 100% course offering rate. Among these, designed and innovative experiments account for 60%. Students have garnered numerous awards in disciplinary competitions and obtained patents. In recent years, students have won multiple prizes in various professional competitions such as the National Structural Design Competition, East China Regional Structural Design Competition, Jiangxi Provincial Structural Competition, and the "Challenge Cup" competition. Utilizing the center as a base, students participate in faculty research training projects and innovation/entrepreneurship programs, making the center a hub for student innovation activities。

Figure 1 Structural Laboratory Building          Figure 2 Road & Bridge Laboratory Building

Figure 3 Geotechnical Laboratory Building         Figure 4 Building Materials Laboratory Building

    Figure 5 GDS Unsaturated Soil Triaxial Apparatus     Figure 6 Temperature-Controlled Unsaturated Soil Triaxial Apparatus

              Figure 7 Temperature-Controlled Dynamic Triaxial Apparatus         Figure 8 Large-Scale Direct Shear Apparatus

                                                 Figure 9 Reaction Frame                    Figure 10 Computer-Controlled Testing Machine

Figure 11 10,000 kN Long-Column Press        Figure 12 1000 kN Electro-Hydraulic Servo Actuator

                                               Figure 13 Press Machine                   Figure 14 SANS Universal Material Testing Machine