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School of Civil, Environmental and Infrastructure Engineering
1230 Lincoln DriveMailcode 6603Carbondale, IL 62901
618-536-2368 | F: 618-453-4235
CEE@siu.edu
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Believing that learning often comes from doing, the School of Civil, Environmental and Infrastructure Engineering provides students and faculty a number of laboratories especially designed and equipped for learning experiences. Our Civil Engineering Materials, Environmental, Fluid Mechanics, Soil Mechanics, Surveying and Material Strength laboratories are utilized for experiments, lessons and projects by faculty, graduate students and undergraduates. Rather than simply trying to learn complex engineering principles from a textbook or lecture, our students get to actually see the realities of these concepts in the laboratories, making learning more interesting and effective.
Soil Mechanics
Geotechnical Engineering is the study of applications of principles of soil and rock mechanics to real-world problems and is a relatively young field of Civil Engineering. Prof. Karl Terzaghi, who is referred to as the “Father of Soil Mechanics”, published the first book on soil mechanics in 1925.
Geotechnical engineers deal with the behavior of soils under static and dynamic loads, water seepage and contaminant flow in soils, and analysis and design of structures made with soils, foundations for all kind of structures drawing their support from soils, temporary and permanent retaining structures, natural and engineered slopes, several components of landfills, and pavements. Geotechnical engineers work closely with structural and environmental engineers. Understanding and applying the concepts of soil mechanics requires sound knowledge of physics, statics, dynamics, mathematics, and mechanics of materials.
The importance of hands-on-training of soil testing in the laboratory to identify and understand the behavior of soils cannot be over-emphasized. Geotechnical engineers are required to have good written and verbal communication skills since results of each soil investigation are presented in a detailed written report and frequently presented orally to the clients. The purpose of training in soils laboratories is to provide an opportunity to the students to work with various types of soils with the objective of identifying the soils by performing index property tests such as visual identification, moisture content, Atterberg Limits, and grain-size distribution, and understanding the behavior of typical soils by performing laboratory tests such as permeability, unconfined compression, direct shear, compaction, and consolidation. Students are required to write a detailed report for each experiment, which includes executive summary, introduction, testing procedure, data reduction and interpretation, sample calculations, results and discussion, conclusions, and possible sources of errors.
Environmental
Environmental Engineering is a profession directly involved with the identification and design of solutions to environmental problems. Environmental Engineers are directly responsible for providing safe drinking water, minimizing and preventing pollution in rivers, lakes and oceans, treating and properly disposing of municipal, industrial and hazardous waste, and the remediation of contaminated soil and water, among other charges of the profession. Understanding and mastering the art of Environmental Engineering requires the integration of biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, computer science, laboratory analyses, and communication skills.
The purpose of these experiments is to introduce you to various aspects of Environmental Engineering through laboratory analysis that integrates hands-on investigation, data reduction and interpretation. Experiments include measuring conventional water and wastewater parameters as well as exploring the natural environment. More detailed description and professional standards for a majority of these experiments can be found in Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater. Standard Methods, as this book is often referred to, is a joint publication of the American Public Health Association, the American Water Works Association and the Water Environment Federation.
In each experiment, you will find material that relates to both the theory and the practical application of the laboratory in engineering practice. In addition to material that you typically find in laboratory manuals, such as methods and materials, you will have access to video clips, photographs, and sample data sets further illustrating key concepts of the laboratory.
Fluid Mechanics
Fluid mechanics refers to a broad engineering field that studies the fundamental behavior of fluids, substances known to statically deform under applied shear stresses. Within this field, a number of sub-disciplines have developed. Water resources and hydraulic engineering deals primarily with flow through pipe networks, channels, and other systems that control the quantity, quality and distribution of water; aerodynamics involves the flow of air around aircraft; and gas dynamics focuses on fluids with significant variations in density, such as high-speed gas flowing though a nozzle or the flow of chemically reactive gases.
The importance of understanding the mechanics of fluids is apparent from when we turn on our kitchen faucets, thus activating flow through a network of pipes and valves, to when we drive our cars, which rest on pneumatic tires, have hydraulic shock absorbers, and pump gasoline through a complex piping system. In fact, our very existence depends on fundamental principles of fluid mechanics – the flow of blood through our bodies. A number of environmental, geotechnical and structural engineering problems are intimately linked to fluid mechanics as well. Consider, for example, the synergy of fluid principles in air pollution control, water and wastewater treatment, groundwater management and control, and the construction of dams and bridges. As a result, it is vital that civil engineers develop a basic foundation in the mechanics of fluids before investigating these and other similar problems.
The laboratory exercises outlined here are designed to assist the student in the investigation of fluid properties, application of flow measurement techniques, determination of turbomachinery characteristics, and application of conservation laws.
Strength of Materials
Welcome to the website supporting the laboratory for your Mechanics of Deformable Bodies class. This topic is also called Strength of Materials or Mechanics of Materials. Mechanics is the branch of physical sciences concerned with the state of rest or motion of bodies subjected to forces. Statics involves the study of rigid bodies. A deformable body is a solid body that changes
The study of deformable bodies involves force equilibrium, material behavior
The purpose of these laboratory experiments is to introduce you to various aspects of Mechanics of Materials through laboratory analysis. Experiments include tension tests, compression tests, torsion tests, beam bending, and column buckling. In each experiment, you will find material that relates to both the theory and the practical application of the laboratory in the study of mechanics of materials. In addition to
Civil Engineering Materials
The modern civil engineer needs to deal with traditional construction materials as well as advanced materials. Traditional construction materials, such as timber, steel, asphalt and Portland cement concrete are often used in many construction projects. Modern materials, such as polymers and composites are making headway into the construction industry. Significant research on these materials has led to better understanding of these materials and improved their strength and durability performance. The traditional materials used today are far superior to those of the past, and new materials are being specially developed to satisfy the needs of civil engineering applications.
To a civil engineer the performance of materials in structures and their ability to resist various stresses are of prime importance. This laboratory experimental work is intended to help students in civil engineering to understand the physical and structural properties of common construction materials. This involves the study of Portland cement concrete and concrete making materials (cement, aggregates, etc.), asphalt concrete, steel and timber, with minor reference to other advanced materials.
Surveying
Civil engineers are involved in the precise measurement of the earth's surface to obtain reliable information for locating and designing engineering projects. Current practice makes use of satellites, aerial and terrestrial photogrammetry, and computer-processing of photographic imagery. Radio and TV signals from satellites, scans by laser and sonic beams are converted to maps that give highly accurate measurements for boring tunnels, building highways and dams, plotting flood control and irrigation projects, and for virtually all the other areas of civil engineering. This technical specialty has indeed embraced modern technology. Our Surveying labs provide students with hands-on experience using common surveying equipment.
Capstone Design
The Capstone Design program is a 2-semester, 6-credit hour course that is uniquely designed to provide real world experience. Students work in teams on projects that are identified by members of our Professional Advisory Board. Each team is mentored by a member of the PAB and projects are evaluated by the PAB. A separate lab is available for students to have group meetings and work on their projects.