UCTS launches Heavy Structure Laboratory, first in state
SIBU: University Col lege of Technology Sarawak ( UCTS) launched its Heavy Structure Laboratory ( HSL), claimed to be the largest of its kind in Sarawak, yesterday at its Civil Engineering Department.
UCTS Council chairman Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh officiated at the function, which was also attended by UCTS vice chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Abdul Hakim Juri and Civil Engineering Programme head Dr Ling Jen Hua.
Wong, who is Second Finance Minister and Minist er of International Trade and E-Commerce, told reporters at a press conference later the facility was in line with UCTS’s vision of becoming a global technical university founded on science and technology.
“It is designed to support the teaching and learning ( T& L), research and development ( R& D) as well as consultancy services,” he added.
He said HSL ref lects the commitment of UCTS to produce highly competent engineers to lead the R& D in the field of civil engineering.
“It provides testing services to the local industries. This will eventually bring benefits to Sarawak which has many development projects,” he said.
He added that UCTS always provides the best facilities for students to gain knowledge, skills and ideas, and it provides students with on-the-job training.
Meanwhile, Abdul Hakim said HSL is an advanced laboratory used to conduct experimental tests in the fields of civil and structural engineering.
“The HSL comprises the heavy duty reaction f loor, a static hydraulic actuator ( 65 tons capacity), a dynamic hydraulic actuator ( 50 tons), two universal testing machines (60 and 200 tons) and a set of hydraulic jack systems (30 and 90 tons).
“The hydraulic actuator and the hydraulic jack systems are capable of conducting destructive tests onto various kinds of structural elements,” he said.
He pointed out that full scale test specimens like beams, columns, walls, slabs and frames can be tested at the HSL to acquire their response and capacity under permanent and seismic loads.
“For the applications under seismic and fatigue loads, the specimens can be tested up to a frequency of 20Hz. To carry out these tests, the portal frame and the reaction f loor systems are essential.
“These systems are used to support the actuator and hydraulic jack system and to hold on to the test specimens and measuring instruments,” he explained.
“It is designed to be f lexible so that various kinds of portal frame can be assembled on the reaction floor to simulate various types of loads, vertically and horizontally.
“The two universal testing machines ( UTM) are mainly used to test construction materials, such as metals, concrete, polymers and others.
“The actuator system has a special feature that allows two actuators to operate separately or concurrently. This means the two actuators can be synchronised to test on a specimen or un- synchronised to test on two different specimens at the same time,” he added.
Abdul Hakim also mentioned that the laboratory was designed to cater for potential expansion and upgrading.
“The control system is currently handling two actuators. It can be easily expanded to operate eight actuators concurrently in the future.
“The Civil Engineering Department at UCTS currently has 141 students. It has produced a total of 36 graduates since 2016,” he disclosed.
According to him, the Civil Engineering programme is fully recognised and accredited by the Board of Engineers Malaysia.
“Presently there are 14 academic staffers and four lab technicians under Civil Engineering. There are four academic staffers with PhD and four others are doing their PhD study.
“The main research areas under civil engineering are structural and material engineering, environmental and wastewater engineering, soil and geotechnical engineering, highway and traffic engineering, and also hydraulics and hydrology engineering and others,” he said.