Composite Materials and Structures Center

The Composite Materials and Structures Center is a multdisciplinary research facility located at Michigan State University's College of Engineering. The expertise of MSU's engineering research faculty, as well as faculty from other colleges on campus, support the center's three major efforts of: research on composite materals and design; support of graduate and undergraduate work on composites; and the transfer of composites technology.

The Civil Infrastructure Laboratory is a dedicated facility for materials, pavement and structural engineering research provided with diverse space and equipment for micro-, meso- and macro (large)-scale testing, and associated office spaces for faculty, staff, and students.

The large-scale structures and pavements testing area features a 9 m (30 ft) high-bay area enclosing an 18 x 12 m (60 x 40 ft) strong testing floor and is serviced by an overhead crane. The laboratory is outfitted with materials and structural testing equipment for simulated mechanical and environmental loading capabilities and is supported by affiliated machine and wood shops. The laboratory is linked to the University computer facilities.

• Rigoberto Burgueño, Ph.D.
  Associate Professor
  Director of the Civil Infrastructure Laboratory
  Structures
  
  
• Neeraj Buch, Ph.D.
  Associate Professor
  Pavements and Materials
  
  
• Karim Chatti, Ph.D.
  Associate Professor
  Geotechnics and Pavements
  
  
• Niell G. Elvin, Ph.D.
  Assistant Professor
  Structures
  
  
• Ronald S. Harichandran, Ph.D., P.E.
  Professor
  Structures
  
  
• Venkatesh Kodur, Ph.D.
  Professor
  Structures
  
  
• Parviz Soroushian, Ph.D., P.E.
  Professor
  Materials
  
  

• Siavosh Ravanbakhsh
  Laboratory Manager
  
  
• James C. Brenton
  Department Technician

• Test large-scale prototype structural and pavement components and systems
  
  
• Simulate multi-hazard (i.e., blast, fire, earthquake) loads through hybrid computational/physical testing methods
  
  
• Simulate rolling fatigue loads and dynamic loads
  
  
• Simulate environmental degradation on materials and structural systems
  
  
• Proof test materials and structural concepts for government agencies and industry

• 18.3 x 12.2 m (60 x 40 ft) floor area
  
  
• 1.1 m (3.5 ft) reinforced concrete slab
  
  
• Tie down points on a 0.61 x 0.61 m (2 x 2 ft) module in both directions
  
  
• Load per tie down - 668 kN (150 kip)
  
  
• Test Load Moment Capacity - 668.8 kN-m/m (150 kip-ft/ft)
  
  
• Special Permit Test Load Moment Capacity - 1133.6 kN-m/m (255 kip-ft/ft)

• 89 kN (20 kips)