Construction and Geotechnical Engineering Laboratory

Whether you're testing how a building responds to an earthquake, analysing soil behaviour or developing new construction materials, this is where engineering theory meets real-world performance. The Construction and Geotechnical Engineering Laboratory brings together advanced facilities for structural, earthquake, materials and geotechnical engineering research.

Supporting teaching, academic research, industry collaboration, product development and specialist testing, the laboratory enables testing at every scale – from individual materials and components to large structural systems.

Facilities and equipment

By combining these facilities, researchers can create customised testing environments for structural, earthquake, construction materials and geotechnical research.

• Strong floor and strong wall – Test full-scale building components and structural systems under real-world conditions.
• 1,000 kN hydraulic actuator – Apply high loads to large structural components like walls, frames and seismic systems.
• 250 kN hydraulic actuator – Test smaller structural components, connections and bracing systems.
• Seismic shake table – New Zealand's largest shake table, used to simulate earthquake ground motions and assess structural performance.
• 300 kN universal testing machine – Measure the strength and behaviour of steel, timber, concrete and other construction materials.
• 250 kN fatigue testing machine – Investigate how materials and connections perform under repeated loading over time.
• Geotechnical engineering laboratory – Analyse soil properties and ground conditions for construction and infrastructure projects.
• Steel workshop – Cut, drill, grind, weld, fabricate and prepare steel specimens and test rigs.
• Timber workshop – Build and prepare timber elements, panels, joints and structural specimens.
• Concrete workshop – Mix, cast, cure and prepare concrete concrete cylinders, beams, panels and reinforced-concrete specimens.

Who can use the Construction and Geotechnical Engineering Laboratory?

The Construction and Geotechnical Engineering Laboratory is open to AUT postgraduate research students and external partners and clients.