Laithwaite Landslide Laboratory

This temperature and humidity controlled laboratory houses geotechnical characterisation and testing equipment and is used for research as well as undergraduate teaching and dissertation work. Our specialised equipment include: back pressure shear boxes, triaxial stress path cells, a virtual infinite stiffness (VIS) triaxial load frame with high-pressure cell, oedometers, an automatic gas displacement pycnometer, point load test apparatus, a landscape analogue model, cone penetrometers and laser diffraction particle size analysers. Within this laboratory is a climate controlled booth which strictly controls temperature and relative humidity and negates the effects of sample expansion and contraction caused by changes in atmospheric conditions. This is especially important in the testing of unsaturated soil samples. In addition, this laboratory is equipped with rock core cutters, abrasive wheels and high purity water.

Instruments

Beckman Coulter LS 13 320 Laser Diffraction Particle Size Analysers

ELE Point Load Test Apparatus

GDS AOS (Automated Oedometer System)

GDS Back Pressure Shearbox

GDS Dynamic Back Pressure Shearbox

GDS VIS (Virtual Infinite Stiffness) Load Frame and High Pressure Triaxial Cell

Landscape Analogue Model

Lemmens Grindosonic

Micromeritics AccuPyc II 1340 Pycnometer

Wykeman Farrance Cone Penetrometer

Wykeham Farrance Front Loading Oedometers

Wykeham Farrance Pneumatic Direct / Residual Shear Box Shearmatic