Building and Factory Load Testing

Building load testing is a direct approach employed to validate the load-carrying capacity of structures, primarily focusing on the floor system. Despite its higher cost compared to reversed engineering, load testing provides an accurate reflection of a structure’s actual capacity by incorporating all defects and variations in material properties when resisting the load. In contrast, safety evaluations through reversed engineering fall short of addressing these uncertainties, leading to the introduction of strength reduction factors. The process of load testing involves the gradual application of load in equally incremental steps, with the building’s responses recorded manually or automatically using data loggers and sensors. Various types of loads, such as water, bricks, concrete counterweights, or cement bags, may be used depending on the job site conditions. For instance, water is favored for its ease of transportation in testing floor slabs of general residential and office buildings, while more dense materials like bricks or concrete blocks are preferred for factory floor slab testing due to the need for higher load intensity. The load pattern used in building load testing typically involves a uniformly distributed load over designated floor areas, ensuring it triggers maximum internal force effects in all structural members, including slabs and beams. The deformation (response) resulting from the applied load is then compared to acceptance criteria outlined by building codes. Additionally, parameters such as strain and tilt, if deemed appropriate, may be collected and incorporated into the assessment, expanding beyond code-based criteria.

 

 

Bridge Load Testing

Bridge load testing serves as an experimental approach for the evaluation of structural integrity and verification of load-carrying capacity. This process involves the application of incremental step loading to the bridge, wherein various structural responses are meticulously measured using instruments. Parameters such as the deflection of the girder and crossbeam, tilt in columns, strain at strategic locations, cable forces, and more are recorded to provide a comprehensive understanding of the bridge’s behavior under load. The integrity of the bridge is assessed by comparing the observed deformation with the allowable limits established by the bridge design criteria. Additionally, the linearity of the structural response serves as an indicator of the system’s elasticity. The applied loads are strategically designed to induce maximum internal force effects, leading to various load arrangements or patterns on the bridge. These loads are meticulously calculated and applied using carefully weighed trucks equipped with mobile axle scales, ensuring precision in the load application process.

Videos

งานทดสอบกำลังรับน้ำหนักบรรทุกของไซโล (ภาษาไทย)

Instrumentation of Silo for Load Path Verification (in English)

งานทดสอบกำลังรับน้ำหนักบรรทุก สะพานข้ามแยก ณ ระนอง
Load Carrying Capacity Testing of Na Ranong Overpass

การทดสอบกำลังรับน้ำหนักบรรทุกของส่วนยื่นของอาคารที่ทำการสภาวิศวกรแห่งใหม่ (ไทย)

งานทดสอบกำลังรับน้ำหนักบรรทุกของสะพานข้ามแยกบางกะปิ P14 – P16 (Bridge Load Testing)

งานทดสอบกำลังรับน้ำหนักบรรทุกของสะพานข้ามแยกบางกะปิ P14 – P16 (Bridge Load Testing) Body Camera

งานทดสอบกำลังรับน้ำหนักบรรทุกสะพานข้ามแยกบางกะปิ ช่วงเสา P19 – P21

งานทดสอบกำลังรับน้ำหนักบรรทุกของสะพานกลับรถ ถนนพระรามสอง