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Testing 202 - Mockup Equipment

Instructor: Steve Strebel, ALT Cladding and Design

To properly conduct a mockup test, specialized and expensive equipment is required. This class provides a brief introduction to some of this equipment.

static water-4.jpg (23725 bytes)Water Spray Racks

Spray racks are used to spray water on the outer surface of the mockup. The racks must be able apply water at a specified rate per area of coverage. In addition, the racks must be properly positioned to test the specimen.

Air Blower-1(300).jpg (8906 bytes)Air Blowers

Air blowers are used to pressurize the mockup chamber.

The chamber is pressurized for air infiltration, static water, and structural tests.

Air Blower-2(250).jpg (13398 bytes)

dial gage at anchor(200).jpg (10608 bytes)Deflection Measuring Devices

Deflections of the framing members must be measured to insure the movements of the wall do not cause damage to glass, sealant, and other parts of the wall. The gage to the left is measuring the perpendicular to the wall deflection of the mullion near the anchor.
dial gage at corner(200).jpg (13155 bytes)Manual defection devices such as those shown above and to the left, are called dial gages. Maximum deflections are recorded by a maximum needle on the dial. The deflections that these devices record must be read and manually written down after each test. (Never be near the specimen during load tests to read gages or for any other reason.)
electronic dial gage-1(200).jpg (5353 bytes)Electronic gages are called transducers. These instruments are linked to a computer which can record the deflections automatically. Many laboratories now use electronic gages. Electronic gages save the time it takes to manually record all the readings and zero the gages that is required with manual gages.

Air Gage-1(300).jpg (17922 bytes)Air flow Gages

These gages measure the air flow into or out of the chamber. This information is required to determine the air infiltration (leakage) of the wall.

The air flows through the clear plastic tube and around the metal weight. The faster the air flow, the more the air pushes the "floating" metal weight up. By measuring how far the weight is pushed up by the air, the air speed, and therefore, air volume can be calculated.

manometer-2(100).jpg (7240 bytes)manometer-1(300).jpg (10555 bytes)Manometers

Manometers are used to measure the pressure in the mockup chamber. Specific pressures are required for air infiltration, static water, and structural tests.

The type of manometer shown to the right is used to measure low air pressures. While the one shown on the left is one type used to measure high pressures.

The principal behind manometers is simple. An air hose is run from inside the test chamber to the manometer. Air pressure (in the chamber) pushes down on the colored water raising the water level in the glass tube. The pressure is read in inches of water or millimeters of water.

Hydrolic-1(300).jpg (12479 bytes)Hydraulic Cylinders

In order to test the wall for seismic movements, hydraulic cylinders are used to simulate building movements. A floor of the mockup is moved sideways to the wall with powerful hydraulic cylinders.
 
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