Complab, Luleå University of Technology's largest laboratory, with a very broad range of operations within

• Mechanical testing of concrete, steel and wood
• Rock mechanical testing
• Geotechnical testing
• Measurements in the Field
• Analysis and investigation

Approximately half of the activity is directly tied to divisions and departments within the university. Among other laboratory tests in basic training and tests and measurements in connection with research. The other half of our business is directly or indirectly on behalf of external business and clients.

Our laboratory has access to a wide range of load equipment, command and AMR units. The equipment is generally very flexible so that we can to try and measure even on very complex components and odd materials, both in the laboratory but also in the field.

Laboratory equipment for testing hard crystalline rocks

+ A stiff Instron 4.5 MN load frame. The static load capacity has been reduced to 2 MN by a load cell. The frame has a travel of ± 35 mm, and is controlled by a Dartec 9500 digital controller with additional amplifiers in a stand-alone rack.

+ A pressure intensifier that can apply a confining pressure up to 350 MPa and is controlled by a Dartec 9500 digital controller that has additional amplifiers in a stand-alone rack. The existing manifold is equipped with pressure gauges and a safety valve. A number of the Hoek cells with different dimensions. The maximum confining pressure: 60 MPa.

+ A stiff servo-controlled equipment for direct shear-testing (shear box). The loading capacity is 500 kN in both normal and shear direction. Shear tests can be conducted under constant normal stress or constant normal stiffness conditions.

Laboratory equipment for testing sedimentary and soft rocks

+ INSTRON Model 1324 servohydraulic load frame. The axial load capacity is 0.5 MN (110 kip), corresponding to maximum axial stress, ó1 = 1557, 692, and 105 MPa for 20, 30, and 77 mm-diameter samples, respectively

+ INSTRON Series 2150 servohydraulic control system with seven analogue electronic modules: function generator, hydraulic control, readout module, and four controllers.

+ INSTRON Hydraulic power supply, Model 210-5.

+ Confining fluid pressure intensifier (silicon oil; to 200 MPa)

+ Pore-fluid pressure intensifier (salt- or tap water; 67 MPa) system. The change in pore-fluid volume is monitored by a LVDT (linear variable displacement transducer) with an accuracy of ± 0. l μl

+ Highly modified SBEL 200 MPa (30,000 psi) triaxial cell (pressure vessel). Current pressure rating is unknown (>35 MPa). Two sample sizes can be tested (sample diameter: 20 and 30 mm)
• System to measure and collect P-wave velocity

Laboratory equipment for testing soil

Fully equipped laboratory for geotechnical standard and more advanced analyses including:
+ Direct shear test equipment
+ Load Frame, 2 MPa
+ Oedometers, stepwise and continous
+ True triaxial cell for cubical samples
+ Triaxial cell for cylindrical samples
+ Permeability meter
+ Freezing room
+ Freezing cells
+ Some field equipment
+ Pore pressure probes, etc

Numerical programs

A wide range of programs for numerical analyses are available at the division.

Programs used in Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering are:
Examine 2D, 3D; FLAC; FLAC 3D; UDE; 3DEC, PFC2D; NWEDGE; SWEDGE; SLIDE; ROCKFALL, PHASE2.

Corresponding programs within Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering include:
PLAXIS, TEMP/W, Seepage, SLOPE, Matlab,CONRAD, EMBANCO, NovaPOINT, BISAR, PMSobjekt, SPDM, BANDS, HDM-4.