PUC 3124: EXPERIMENTAL METHODS

IN

STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING

ENG. PROF. RAPHAEL N. MUTUKU

rnmutuku@gmail.com; +254 721 980460
 REFERENCES
• Harris and Sabnis, “Structural Modeling and Experimental Techniques”
CRC Press 1999 (MAIN REFERENCE TEXT)
• Dally and Riley, “Experimental Stress Analysis,”, McGraw Hill, 1978
• Nachtigal, C.L., “Instrumentation and Control,” Wiley & Sons, 1990
• Reese and Kawahara, “ Handbook of Structural Testing”, Prentice Hall /
Fairmont Press 1993
• Chopra, A, " Dynamics of Structures", Prentice Hall, 2nd Edition, 2001
Malhotra and Carino, “Handbook of Nondestructive Testing of Concrete”,
CRC Press, 1991
NOTE:
Chapters 1, 2, 3, 7, 8 and 9 of the main reference text cover the bulk of what
you need to know. Other chapters are also important as they illustrate case
studies in experimental methods
 COURSE ORGANISATION AND EVALUATION

• COURSE STRUCTURE
The course will be divided in (a) lecture guided class work and (b) supervised
laboratory experimental exercises
• COURSE EVALUATION
➢50% end of semester examination
➢40% laboratory exercise reports
➢10% continuous assessment tests
• LABORATORY EXPERIMENTAL REPORT
This shall be bound and contain the following:
Executive summary, Scope and general presentation, Test set up, Test
procedures, Data processing and Discussion and recommendations
INTRODUCTION
• Is a course of methods in structural engineering
• Is different from theoretical methods as it emphasizes on:
➢ how to understand engineering mechanics through experimental tests
➢ How to perform these experiments
• Theoretical methods vs Experimental methods
Theoretical methods (Pure science) Experimental methods (An art)
➢ Deals with equations of equilibrium of forces and ➢ Deals with equations of equilibrium of forces and
compatibility of structural elements compatibility of structural elements
➢ Deals with resultants of these forces such as ➢ Deals with measurements of certain coefficients or
motions and/or deformations in form of equations parameters or solutions of already existing
equations to verify validities of theories developed
in form of equations
➢ Adequate equations need to be developed to ➢ Measurement of these coefficients or parameters
describe the behavior of the structure in order to enables us to learn the materials and structure
unveil unknown quantities based on some given properties.
conditions
➢ Equations developed based on some given ➢ Measurements made using sensors,
conditions and the use of physical laws instrumentation, data management, signal
processing and analyses
• In real world the measured numbers of quantities can be more or less than the
number of unknown coefficients or parameters
• Theoretical methods require that the number of unknown conditions do exactly
fit the number of equations developed →use of rigorous science
• Experimental methods make use of statistical measures and some weighting
procedures as among all the measured quantities some may be more important
while others may be less important
• NOTE:
➢ (a) 1 + 1 = 2 (Theoretical mechanics)
➢ (b) 1.0 + 1.0 is quite likely not equal to 2.0 (Experimental mechanics)
➢However (b) is used to verify (a) – an art
IMPORTANCE OF EXPERIMENTAL METHODS
Theoretical mechanics Experimental mechanics

▪ Played by brain • Played by both:

• Good students use their brains
➢ brain (thinking theoretically,
logical analyses) and
➢ Hands (learning through using our
hands)
• Students who use their hands in
addition to their brains are better

Confucius (a Chinese philosopher ) said:

➢ I read → I see
➢ I listen → I understand
➢ I do → I know

IT IS ONLY WHEN YOU EXPERIENCE “IT” YOU REALLY KNOW “IT”

• Backbone to modern applied science and engineering
Carefully designed experiments are needed:
➢To conceive and verify theoretical concepts
➢To develop new methods and products
➢To commission sophisticated new engineering systems
➢To evaluate the performance and behavior of existing
products

• Basic skills as an engineer

➢Knowing how to find things in handbooks/manuals, etc.
➢Be creative through hands-on activities
• Necessary measures as a researcher
➢Performance of experiments
➢Conduct researches to find new concepts, new quantities,
new relationship, etc.
OBJECTIVES OF THIS COURSE
• Acquisition of knowledge, skills and methodology techniques
through introduction to experimental methods, test planning,
model preparation, loading systems, instrumentation, data
acquisition and data processing
METHODS OF GAINING KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS
• Through destructive and non-destructive experimental methods
PHILOSOPHY OF MEASUREMENT AND EXPERIMENTAL TESTING
• Differentiate between:
➢Science vs art
➢Skills learnt vs methodology gained
➢Basic concepts (logical) vs experimentation
• Theory vs Practice
➢Theoretician does not have to use his/her hands (brains)
➢Experimentalist must use his/her brains and hands
Laws In Experimental Studies

• Murphy’s Law: If something can go wrong, it will

• O’toole’s Law: Murphy’s Law is too optimistic
• Reinhorn’s Law: Things are never as bad as they turn out to be
• Bracci’s Law: Anything can be done given time and money

Quantity vs Quality

• Any value described by digits and numbers is not exactly that quantity
• If you learnt something qualitatively, you in deed march forward a big step
• If you learn that thing quantitatively, you actually march forwards ten steps
from the origin
Concept of Convolution and Filtering
• Any quantity measured is actually a result of convolution of some original
value (convolution – a thing that is complex and difficult to follow!)
• As most measurements are linear, the corresponding transfer function
(describing the nature of convolution) is an important tool in experimental
studies

Details vs Generality
• The essence is always in details
• However conclusions extracted from measurements are often generalities

Testing, Verification and Discovery

• Many experiments are designed to verify some existing theory or initial
assumptions
• Experimentalists hope the test will yield different results leading to discovery
of new things from the tests
Types of Testing
• Exploratory and discovery
• Proof of concept
• Qualifications
Adjustability
• Test setups should be made to be adjustable in order to successfully perform
the tests
Art of Integrating Measurement Systems
• The test procedure is in series hence if one single ring of the entire chain is
broken, the entire chain is broken
Essence of testing
• The essence of testing is to obtain reliable and repeatable results
• Note that accuracy is relative and is important only as soon as you know its
measure and its importance
Applications in Experimental Mechanics

• Material testing
• Structural testing
• Monitoring
• Nondestructive testing
• Earthquake/wind protective systems