COURSE CURRICULUM

The structural engineering laboratory facility at CU Denver provides a comprehensive, practice-oriented environment for studying the behavior, performance, and durability of construction materials, particularly concrete and steel, under real-world and simulated loading conditions. The laboratory is equipped with standard and advanced tools that support both instructional learning and sponsored research focused on improving infrastructure safety and longevity. In the concrete materials laboratory, students work with a 5 cubic foot concrete mixer for producing experimental batches, along with dedicated space for batching, handling, and testing fresh and hardened concrete mixtures under controlled conditions. Curing is carefully managed using water-lime tanks with temperature control and circulation systems, as well as a temperature-controlled curing room, ensuring consistent specimen development for reliable experimental results. Fresh concrete testing follows ASTM standards, including slump testing (ASTM C143) to assess workability, temperature measurement (ASTM C1064), unit weight and yield analysis (ASTM C138), and air content evaluation using pressure and volumetric methods (ASTM C231 and C173). Once hardened, concrete specimens are evaluated using high-capacity equipment such as a Forney 400 kip compression testing machine, which provides precise digital readings of load, peak strength, loading rate, and compressive strength for standard cylinder sizes, supporting testing of both conventional and high-strength concrete. Additional durability testing includes resistance to freeze-thaw cycles (ASTM C666), chloride ion penetration (ASTM C1202), and length change behavior under environmental exposure (ASTM C157 and C1012), which are critical for assessing long-term structural performance. Beyond concrete, the lab also supports nondestructive evaluation techniques widely used in structural health monitoring, including ultrasonic testing for both concrete and steel, magnetic particle inspection, dye penetrant testing, rebound hammer measurements, strain gauge applications, and impact echo methods for detecting internal defects. Together, these capabilities allow students and researchers to investigate material behavior across multiple scales, develop advanced testing proficiency, and apply engineering principles to the design, evaluation, and rehabilitation of buildings, bridges, and civil infrastructure systems in professional practice and research environments.