Schofield Centre for Geotechnical Process and Construction Modelling

University of Cambridge, Cambridge / UK

Scope

The Schofield Centre for Geotechnical Process and Construction Modelling hosts equipment to facilitate physical modelling of geotechnical systems such as shallow and piled foundations, open excavations and tunnels, engineered slopes, and retaining structures under complex loading including mechanical, seismic, hydraulic, and thermal actions. Reduced scale models tested at increased gravity ensure stress similarity between homologous points in the model and in the prototype and permit to speed up all processes driven by transient consolidation associated with migration of pore water down gradients of pore water head.  In a centrifuge model constructed at a linear scale of 1/N and tested at Ng consolidation time scales as 1/N2; if N=100, less than one hour of model time represent one year of prototype time, making it possible to simulate, e.g., weather cycles and seasonal variation of boundary conditions on a slope in feasible testing times.

Specifications

The Schofield Centre hosts two major facilities:

1. The Turner beam centrifuge
Manufacturer Cambridge University Engineering Department
Year first used 1972
Radius to base of soil container (m) 4.125
Max size of soil sample (m3)
(L x W x H)
0. 855 x 0. 855 x 1.50
Bucket area (m2) 0.855
Max Design Acceleration (g) 150
Max Design Carrying Capacity (ton) 1
Max Acceleration used (g) 150 carrying (ton): 1
Max Load Tested (ton) 1 at (g): 150
2. The MKII minidrum centrifuge
Manufacturer Department of Engineering, Cambridge (ANS&A)
Year first used 1995
Radius to base of soil container (mm) 370
Max size of soil sample (m3)
(LxWxH)
2.13 x 0.18 x 0.12
Max Design Acc (g) 470
Schofield Centre geotechnical facilities (b) MKII minidrum centrifuge
Facility Details
Name Schofield Centre for Geotechnical Process and Construction Modelling
Short Name Schofield Centre
Owner University of Cambridge
Location Cambridge / UK
Website Click Here to Visit Site
Contact Giulia Viggiani
Head of facility Prof. Gopal Madabhushi
Construction year Extended and rebuilt in 2002

Image Gallery

Both centrifuges have fibre-optic communications and are equipped with several systems to perform experiments.

For the Turner beam centrifuge, data acquisition is carried out using on-board computers. It is possible to log up to 60 channels in any given test at a sampling frequency of 10 kHz. Two high-speed cameras are available to obtain high resolution images for Particle Image Velocimetry:

  • 3 megapixel MotionBlitz Cube2 500 fps GigE high-speed monochrome camera; link
  • 12 megapixel DaHeng Imaging MARS-1231 32 fps USB 3.0 monochrome camera; link

Raspberry Pi imaging systems have also been developed for use on both centrifuges, see Eichhorn et al. (2020)

Why Choose Us

Lobortis arcu at suspendisse arcu egestas lectus purus magna interdum aliquam scelerisque.
01.

Certified Experience

Feugiat netus vitae dui, mi sed amet eu sem pharetra senectus id blandit dictum urna est morbi tempus, auctor sed egestas condimentum neque donec.

02.

Great Support

Nec ac enim purus arcu suspendisse tortor nunc bibendum justo nibh varius ipsum lorem in id diam faucibus posuere laoreet ultrices lacus nisi, cursus.

03.

Competitive Price

Vitae cursus libero, nec venenatis, semper sit morbi convallis ac, egestas turpis est ornare vitae arcu velit senectus est sed eget vitae lectus amet.

04.

We Got The Tools

Feugiat netus vitae dui, mi sed amet eu sem pharetra senectus id blandit dictum urna est morbi tempus, auctor sed egestas condimentum neque donec.

05.

Success Guarantee

Nec ac enim purus arcu suspendisse tortor nunc bibendum justo nibh varius ipsum lorem in id diam faucibus posuere laoreet ultrices lacus nisi, cursus.

06.

Experienced Team

Vitae cursus libero, nec venenatis, semper sit morbi convallis ac, egestas turpis est ornare vitae arcu velit senectus est sed eget vitae lectus amet.


Scroll to Top