Large Scale Testing Laboratory (LST)
The Laboratory is a 50-foot tall steel facility that provides a space where civil engineering students and researchers can build and test structural systems, such as concrete beams, in a large and realistic setting. This 15,000 square foot facility supports a wide array of research initiatives, including robust support for geotechnical and structural engineering projects such as bridge and building components and new materials needed for increasingly complex construction projects.
This facility gives UTSA the capacity to test large-scale systems and components with spans of up to 70 feet. The laboratory also has dual cranes with 30-ton capacity to load, unload, and transport heavy specimens.
The lab houses a large-capacity Hydraulic Power Supply and high-pressure distribution lines, which provide the ability for researchers to simulate a wide range of issues including high cycle fatigue, earthquakes, and blast loads.
Fun Fact: A large part of the building’s floor is extremely thick, from 3-5 feet. This lets researchers apply test loads up to 4 million pounds of force, making portions of the floor the strongest in the nation.