Pavement Mechanics and Materials Laboratory (PMML)
About PMML
The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Pavement Mechanics and Materials Laboratory (PMML) has developed into an all encompassing laboratory equipped to perform a full range of tasks including the casting, curing and testing of everything from concrete specimens to full-scale pavements. The 2700 sq. ft. facility features the latest equipment in both destructive and non-destructive testing of portland cement concrete.
Housed within the lab are two environmentally controlled rooms. The 1007 cu. ft. room can be adjusted to replicate a wide range of environmental conditions for curing portland cement concrete test specimens while the 630 cu. ft. room is maintained at a constant temperature and humidity for determining the drying-shrinkage properties of concrete in accordance with ASTM-157.
PMML Equipment
The laboratory is equipped with everything needed for measuring basic aggregate properties such as the gradation, absorption capacity and specific gravity, as well as, more detailed characterizations such as determining wear resistance using the Los Angeles abrasion machine or running a micro-deval test. A 5.5 sq. ft. concrete mixer and all other necessary tools for casting concrete specimens are available, as well as equipment for measuring the properties of fresh concrete.
The laboratory is equipped to test the more basic properties of hardened concrete, such as, strength, elastic modulus and Poisson's ratio along with the more elaborate testing equipment needed for measuring such things as the dynamic modulus, thermal coefficient of expansion, fracture toughness of concrete and the surface texture of fractured slabs using a laser profiler and a linear traverse equipment. Some of the sample preparation equipment available in the laboratory includes a concrete saw, core machine and a fume hood for sulfur capping.
Additionally, the laboratory houses a Baldwin compression machine that can be used to apply loads up to 200,000 lbs and a Test Mark compression machine with a capacity of 400,000 lbs. A multitude of tests can also be performed using the MTS TestStar Controller. The controller can be used for performing dynamic testing using a closed-loop servo hydraulic test machine. This system can be fed by either a 10 gpm or 60 gpm hydraulic pump.
