UTILIZATION REPORT FOR HEICO 400 TON CTM

1. About the Equipment: The compression testing machine was procured from Hydraulic & Engineering Instruments Company (HEICO) in year 2003. The machine is totally hydraulic servo controlled and has a capacity of 400 Ton.

Figure 1: 400 ton Compression testing MachineThe machine consist of load frame, which is a steel welded structure. It is designed to withstand a few million times of full cycles of loading without any sign of distortion or fatigue. Even with some eccentric loading, the frame's stability is not affected at all. These frames are light in weight. The base carries a fine finished hydraulic ram and the lower platen. The lower plate has integral jack/bolted jack. The top plate has the spherical seating to take care of any irregularity of the specimen surface or slight misplacement of the specimen from the central position. As a safety precaution front cover is provided, as a protection to the operator while at the same time giving an unobstructed view of the specimen under test.2. Earlier Work: The machine was first used extensively by Mr. Maqsud E Nazar, PhD scholar under Dr. S. N. Sinha in year 2005. Mr. Maqsud has worked on interlocking grouted stabilised brick masonry panels. He has tested 90 specimen under uniaxial cyclic compression with full unloading, 72 specimen under uniaxial cyclic compression with partial unloading and 54 specimen under repetitive compression loading for fatigue behavior. Two size of the test specimens 500 mm x 700 mm x 100 mm and 500 mm x 500 mm x 100 mm were considered in the study and tested at five angle (0, 22.5, 45, 67.5 and 90) to the bed joint.

Figure 2: Loading arrangement used by Mr. MaqsudHis thesis was published in Dec. 2005 titled Behaviour of interlocking grouted stabilised brick masonry panels under cyclic and fatigue loading. In addition to thesis the test results were presented in various national and international conferences, the list for same is as below. Maqsud E Nazar and Sinha S.N. (2006), Energy Dissipation response of interlocking Grouted Mud Brick Masonry under cyclic loading, Masonry International, journal of British Masonry Society. pp. 27-40. Maqsud E Nazar and Sinha S.N. (2006), Fatigue behaviour of Interlocking Grouted stabilised Mud- Fly ash Brick Masonry, International Journal of Fatigue, USA, Vol. (29), pp 953-961. Maqsud E Nazar and Sinha S.N. (2006), Influence of Bed Joint orientation in Interlocking Grouted stabilised Mud- Fly ash Brick Masonry under cyclic compressive loading, Journal of Structural Engineering and Mechanics, Korea, Vol. 24, pp 588-599 Maqsud E Nazar and Sinha S.N. (2006), A Mathematical Model for loading/ unloading stress-strain curves of Interlocking Grouted stabilised Mud- Fly ash Brick Masonry, 7th International Brick Masonry Conference, Oct 30-Nov 1, London. Maqsud E Nazar and Sinha S.N. (2006), Stress-Strain Relations of Interlocking Grouted Mud Brick Masonry under cyclic loading and partial unloading, 10th North American Brick Masonry Conference, June 3-6, St. Louis, USA. Maqsud E Nazar and Sinha S.N. (2007), Loading-Unloading Curves of Interlocking Grouted Stabilised Sand Fly ash Brick masonry Journal of materials and structures, RILEM, France, DOI 10.1617/S11527-006-9177-x, Vol. 40 pp 667-678. Maqsud E Nazar and Sinha S.N. (2007), Behaviour of Interlocking Grouted Stabilised Sand Fly ash Brick masonry under uniaxial cyclic compressive loading, Journal of Materials in civil engineering, ASCE, Vol. 19(II), pp 947-956. Maqsud E Nazar and Sinha S.N. (2007), Behaviour of Interlocking Grouted Brick masonry under cyclic compressive loading Journal of Bridge an Structural Engineering, INABSE, India, Vol 37 (I), pp 43-73. Maqsud E Nazar and Sinha S.N. (2007), Deformation Characteristics of Interlocking Grouted Concrete Masonry under Uniaxial Compressive loading. Recent advances in concrete (RAC07), Sept 19-21, Washington DC, USA. Maqsud E Nazar and Sinha S.N. (2008), Behaviour of Interlocking Grouted Brick Masonry under low cycle fatigue loading 14th International Brick and Block Masonry Conference (14IB2M), Feb 17-20, Sydney, Australia. Maqsud E Nazar and Sinha S.N. (2009), Energy Dissipation Characteristics of Interlocking Grouted Brick Masonry 11th Canadian Masonry Symposium, May 31-June 3, Toronto, Canada.Machine was also used by various M. Tech students under Dr. Supratic Gupta to test compressive strength of 50-60 cm specimen.There are few other studies also carried using the machine which are difficult to document at this stage.3. Current Work: The current work undertaken by Mr. Nitesh Agrawal, M. Tech student under Dr. Supratic Gupta involves testing of short column specimen of three different shapes and concrete grade. The research is aimed to study the enhancement in compressive strength of concrete columns through confinement by Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) laminates. Following size of specimens are being tested, unwrapped and wrapped with GFRP in 1 and 1.5 layers of concrete grade M20, M25 and M30: Rectangular Columns, 150mm x225mm x1000mm length Square Columns, 150mm x150mm x1000mm length Circular Columns, 150mm dia x1000mm length A total of 54 specimens are planned to be tested, out of which 19 specimens have been tested. Few of the photographs of ongoing work are attached below:Figure 3 Axial Compression Test on Columns SpecimenFigure 4 Column Specimen