Research Laboratory

The structural engineering laboratory at NIT Risalpur comprises the state-of-the-art shaking table, actuators capable of axial and lateral cyclic loadings, and modern material testing equipment. The laboratory is capable of testing civil engineering materials on one extreme to large scale structural members on the other.

Equipment Name	Description	Analysis / Testing Capabilities
High-Energy Planetary Ball Mill (MAX-1600-2L)	High-speed grinding and mixing equipment used for particle size reduction and homogeneous material preparation.	Powder Processing, Nanomaterial Synthesis, Sample Homogenization.
Particle Size Analyzer (PSA) – Bettersize S3 Plus	Advanced laser diffraction instrument used to determine particle size distribution in powders and suspensions.	Particle Size Distribution Analysis, Quality Control, Material Characterization.
X-Ray Diffractometer (XRD) – AL-Y3500	Analytical instrument used to identify crystalline phases and determine structural properties of materials.	Phase Identification, Crystallinity Analysis, Mineralogical Characterization.
Thermogravimetric Analyzer (TGA) – HQG-4	Measures changes in material weight as a function of temperature or time under controlled atmospheres.	Thermal Stability Analysis, Decomposition Studies, Composition Determination.
FTIR Spectrometer (WQF 530-A)	Uses infrared radiation to identify chemical bonds and functional groups present in materials.	Functional Group Analysis, Chemical Characterization, Material Identification.
Universal Testing Machine (UTM) Electromechanical 100kN	Electromechanical system for testing material strength and deformation behavior.	Tensile, Compression, Flexural, Modulus Testing
Cement Testing (Vicat Blaine, Soundness)	Instruments for evaluating cement physical properties and quality.	Setting Time, Fineness, Soundness Tests
Schmidt Hammer	Portable non-destructive device for concrete strength estimation.	Concrete Strength & Uniformity Assessment
Cyclic Compression Testing Machine (CTM) (2000 KN)	High-capacity machine for static and cyclic compression testing.	Compression, Fatigue, Cyclic Loading Tests
Accelerometer LORDS w/ Base (sys)	Wireless sensor system for vibration and dynamic response measurements.	Vibration Monitoring, Modal Analysis, SHM
Digital Los Angeles Abrasion Machine	A motorized testing machine used to determine the resistance of coarse aggregates to abrasion, impact, and wear by rotating aggregates and steel abrasive charges in a standardized drum. The digital control system allows precise monitoring of revolutions and test parameters.	Los Angeles Abrasion Test, Aggregate Toughness Evaluation, Abrasion and Wear Resistance Assessment, Aggregate Quality Control
Air Entrainment Meter (Pressure Type)	A laboratory and field testing device used to determine the air content of freshly mixed concrete by applying pressure to a sealed chamber containing the concrete sample. It is widely used for quality control of air-entrained concrete, particularly for structures exposed to freeze–thaw conditions.	Air Content Determination in Fresh Concrete, Quality Control of Air-Entrained Concrete, Verification of Air-Entraining Admixture Performance
Shaking Table	Dynamic testing platform used to simulate earthquake ground motions and evaluate the seismic response of structural models and components.	Seismic Simulation, Dynamic Response Analysis, Structural Performance Evaluation
Reaction Frame with Hydraulic Jack	Heavy-duty loading system used to apply controlled static loads to structural specimens and components.	Load Testing, Structural Capacity Assessment, Deflection and Failure Analysis
Oven	Laboratory heating equipment used for drying, curing, and conditioning concrete, mortar, and other construction material specimens.	Moisture Content Determination, Sample Drying, Material Conditioning
Nuclear Density Gauge (NDG)	Portable instrument used to determine the in-place density and moisture content of construction materials.	Density Measurement, Moisture Content Determination, Compaction Quality Control