My Industrial Visit On SERC

Those Who dont have the courage to leave the shore never find the land

Industrial Visit – Report Dated, January 08, 2008

Structural Engineering Research Centre – Chennai

Purpose of the Visit:

To get a clear idea about the researches those are carried on the field of

· Wind Testing

· Fatigue Testing

· Seismic Effect Testing

So let we see in detail about the places we visited.

Wind Tunnel Testing:

TECHNICAL DATA

( Boundary Layer Wind Tunnel )

Type : Open ground Blower type

Variable Speed : 0.5 m/s to 55 m/s

Fan : axial flow

Power rating for fan motor assembly : 600 HP

Test Section : 1.8 m x 2.5 m ( H x B )

Construction Ratio : 1.5

Exit velocity : 11 m/s (Max)

( Adjustable ceiling )

We understood the clear function of the wind tunnel which is totally different from the wind tunnel that is placed in our college lab. We directly watched the functions of it. They are testing an antenna (weather) model which is going to be placed in Pune, the time we went there. Also we saw a lot of models that has been tested there. We got the clear idea on how the model is prepared and also how it is made based on the purpose. ( Pressure analyzing or flow visualization ). We saw that the models are prepared in a reduced size such that it will fix in the test section. We also witnessed the calculations that are taking place around the huge wind tunnel with the help of computers and manual calculations.

Fatigue Testing :

In fatigue testing laboratory we saw the huge hydraulic jack which supplies 1000 KN on the material we place. Generally they place railway tracks, power plant pipe components, steel pipes, sewage sections which are made of either stainless steel or carbon steel. The company initially made the components with nil defects. After they make some initial cracks and they are testing the consistency by applying the load 2 million times cyclically. We got a clear idea on the cycles they applied. With the help of ACPD ( Alternate Current Potential Difference ) they monitor the crack development and the process. Thus they analyze the failur

e nature of the material under different load condition.

Seismic Testing Laboratory:

The structures which are going to be constructed are built in a reduced size and they apply the lateral loads on it. With the help of strain gauge technique they analyze the damage level and prepare a solution to damp that. They also have a stimulator section which is 4 m x 4m (Around three) to test the structures in different seismic level (that is to say in rector). They collected the three dimensional data from various geographical institute which have the large data of earthquake details. They feed it in the computer and later with the help of the actuators they stimulate the same quake level and analyze the damage. They are also testing the dampers placed in the structure (elasto-plastic dampers) and also the damping fluids (Magneto Realogical Fluid) which change its viscosity according to the vibrations. Even we had a nice question se

ssion with the chief in the seismic laboratory. He cleared a lot of doubts from the students.

Conclusion:

Thus we have completed our visit in a very useful manner.