Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses)

Tender description

Geotechnical Centrifuge system. The device should be able to provide: — A full data logging and processing system shall be provided, — Minimum 16 channel data acquisition system, with a minimum 10Hz sampling rate, — The ability to download data to all common analysis platforms, — The quote should include on site installation of the system, — A training package must be provided for a group of users. The NBIF facility is to be equipped with state-of-the-art research enabling equipment, one item of which is the requirement for a small Geotechnical Centrifuge to bridge the gap between full-scaled buried infrastructure testing and computer simulation modelling. This tender is concerned with the procurement of this Geotechnical Centrifuge, and suitable mounting/securing onto the strong floor. The centrifuge is to be sited within the main experiment hall of the NBIF on a strong floor with a floor space dimensions of 3m x 3m (width x depth), and must comply with BS EN 12547:2014. There are a number of envisaged purposes of the Geotechnical Centrifuge. These include the simulation of structures buried or constructed in the ground, for example pipes and the construction of tunnels, and also the performance of surface or near surface structures, such as slopes, embankments and building foundations. In addition, environmental based tests are envisaged involving, for example, ground source heat extraction. The tunnel construction (see below) and ground surface loading (for investigating the response of buried pipes, piles and shallow foundations) options are particularly important. Types of configuration required by the device include: (i) Permeameter (a) Unsaturated flow (b) Liquid peculation flow (ii) Beam — Consolidation and Load Actuators (a) Radial Actuator (vertical) (b) Circumferential Actuator (horizontal) (c) Radial and Circumferential together (2 dimension (2D)) (d) Pre-flight consolidation apparatus (iii) Drum — Consolidation and Load Actuators (a) Radial Actuator (vertical) (b) Circumferential Actuator (horizontal) (c) Radial and Circumferential Actuators together (2D) (iv) PIV (a) Single camera (b) (Optional) Multiple Cameras (v) Tunnel at depth simulation (as per Figure 1) in the tender document. Systems are to enable: (i) beam samples to be subject to acceleration forces of 300g or greater; and (ii) other configurations at 100g and greater; with Administrator security controls to limit individual users max g level. The capability to remotely and locally monitor experiments is essential.