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Research Facilities: Geotechnical Centrifuge Laboratory

Introduced below are the research facilities managed and operated by the Institute of Technology. Click the name of a research facility to view the corresponding details.

research facilities Multi Purpose Testing Laboratory Fire Testing Block Environmental Testing Block Rock Testing Block Acoustic Laboratory Historical Gallery of Construction Technology Energy Plant Clean Room Laboratory Electromagnetic Environment Laboratory Safety & Security Center Vibration Testing Laboratory Wind Tunnel Testing Laboratory Biotope Structural Testing Laboratory

Geotechnical Centrifuge Laboratory

Activities at the Geotechnical Centrifuge Laboratory seek to ensure building safety by predicting the behavior of ground motion during an earthquake.
Accurate predictions of ground motion are vital for improving building safety in the event of earthquakes. At the Geotechnical Centrifuge Laboratory, ground motions caused by an earthquake are recreated by generating centrifugal forces and applying large gravitational force to a ground model during experiments. This makes it possible to plan effective solutions against ground-related problems such as liquefaction, long-term subsidence, and deformation.

Centrifugal machine
Centrifugal machine


Description of Tests and Experiments

  • Above-ground structures such as buildings and plants
  • Underground structures such as tunnels and underground installations
  • Earth structures such as dams, dikes, and embankments
  • Ground excavation work, including earth retention
  • Verifying the effects of ground-improvement techniques

Features of the Facilities

  • The centrifugal vibration table features a large loading capacity to enable verification experiments on a wide range of structures.
  • The computerized excitation control system enables highly accurate input of seismic-design loads.
  • A measurement system equipped with an optical rotary joint provides reliable data.

At the Geotechnical Centrifuge Laboratory, wall stability tests were performed using the two-dimensional discrete element method (DEM) as part of Shimizu's stone-wall-restoration assistance system. This stone-wall-restoration assistance system received the Prize for Excellence (presented by the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transportation) at the 9th Infrastructure Technology Development Awards and also won the Prime Minister's Award at the 2nd Monozukuri Nippon Grand Awards.

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