These labs are not just for teaching; they underpin industry needs daily.
This week’s visit to the Civil Engineering Labs in the School of Science, Engineering and Environment building highlighted how practical research and knowledge exchange are embedded in their day-to-day work and how they address industrial needs and challenges for commercial stakeholders.
I’ve supported several projects over the years, helped scope projects, write proposals and bring together contractual agreements, so it was good to hear about some recent outcomes. In particular, one for Network Rail tested the structural performance of rail gantries that support overhead cabling. These are substantial pieces of kit, but the lab’s heavy-duty, strong floor took it all in its (excuse the pun) stride (a 130 m² (10×13) slab with 80 anchor points, each rated to 500kn). This is serious kit, modern-day infrastructure designed to be entirely flexible for large-scale, real-world testing.
Tucked among the new equipment, I also spotted a few older machines, some dating back to the mid-20th century and earlier. We might say romantically bridging past and present, an unspoken lineage of progression, and of course all very aesthetically pleasing!
They reminded me of a 1963 feature in Chemistry and Industry. Then, the Royal Technical College, Salford (based in the Maxwell Building) housed the department with courses in civil, structural, gas, and public health engineering, with growing demand and investment in materials testing, hydraulics, soil mechanics and surveying. A time when Salford also launched the UK’s first full-time gas engineering sandwich course in 1954, integrating academic and industrial learning. Fast forward to today, and working from a purpose-built £49.5 million facility that’s rooted in history and designed for the what’s next!
More information: Civil Engineering Labs.
