Geo-Centrifuge
Deltares, Delft / The Netherlands
Scope
The Geo-Centrifuge is used for testing physical scale models of geotechnical engineering systems such as natural and manmade slopes, earth retaining structures and foundations. By increasing earth gravity, real stresses can be scaled down to models and for natural processes in soil time can be accelerated and brought back from decades to hours. The Geo-Centrifuge can be used for scientific research in the energy, urban, water and transport infrastructure sector and in validating applied models.
Specifications
The Deltares Geo-Centrifuge is a C72-3 beam type centrifuge manufactured by Actidyn. It has a 260 g-tonne capacity and a platform radius of 5.0 m. The platform can house test set-ups with dimensions up to 1.2 m x 1.2 m x 1.8 m (length x width x height). The Geo-Centrifuge has the following specifications:
| Dimensions | |
|---|---|
| Platform radius | 5 m |
| Basket | 1.2 x 1.2 x 1.8m |
| Maximum payload | 2600kg at 100g |
| 1400kg at 130g | |
| 1000kg at 150g | |
| Max speed | 180rpm / 340km/h |
| Power consumption | Max 280kW |
| Operation at atmospheric pressure | |
| Automatic imbalance detection | |
| Water, air and hydraulic slip rings | |
| Electric and fiber-optic slip rings | |
| 2 x 19” rack on top of GeoCentrifuge | |
| Complete surveillance of centrifuge parameters | |
| Remote controlled operation possible | |
| Suited for later addition of an earthquake simulator | |
| Facility Details | |
|---|---|
| Name | Geo-Centrifuge |
| Short Name | Geo-Centrifuge |
| Owner | Stichting Deltares |
| Location | Delft / The Netherlands |
| Website | Click Here to Visit Site |
| Contact | Suzanne van Eekelen |
| Head of facility | Harm Aantjes |
| Construction year | 2020 (operational in 2021) |
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Other Relevant Information
Raising gravitational forces in the Geo-Centrifuge allows (i) scaling down the geotechnical processes and (ii) the simulation of them on scale. In addition, time is accelerated. Consequently, physical processes in the subsoil that would normally take several years can be reduced to a few hours. That makes it possible to test structures in the subsoil that have never been built before, such as tunnels or dikes. Examples of problems that be explored in the centrifuge are:
- Wind turbines are getting bigger in the near future. In the North Sea, they will be about 300 m tall already within a few years. Such large turbines have never been built and that has implications for design and construction. Deltares shall use the centrifuge to test and validate the foundations of the turbines.
- Dikes have to be safe. The Geo-Centrifuge shall be used to subject dikes to conditions that can occur, but hardly ever seen in real life, such as extreme high water levels or drought.
- The infrastructures in the water, energy, urban transport and goods transport sectors is facing major challenges: from the effects of extreme weather to ageing and more intensive use. The Geo-Centrifuge shall be used to simulate the effects on both existing and new infrastructure.