Civil Engineering Labs

Our Civil Engineering Labs are designed to be versatile and reconfigurable to support a range of teaching and research activities.

About the labs

The Civil Engineering Labs have soil characterisation equipment to determine characteristics of soil such as plasticity index, shrink swell index, flakiness index and particle size analysis and hydraulic conductivity.

There is also a range of hydrology and hydraulics equipment such a basic flume, hydraulics benches and a hydrology study system, which allows students to study the movement of water through the environment.

The labs are used for teaching within the second and third year of the civil and environmental engineering bachelor degrees, and by students for their final-year projects. Higher degree by research students undertaking their masters or PhD, as well as academic staff, utilise this lab for research projects.

Equipment and technology

The labs have a variety of equipment including:

  • GDS 100kN load frame for – used for measurement of California bearing ratio or unconfined compressive strength testing.
  • GDS automated odometer systems – used for consolidation and shrink swell testing of soil samples (remoulded or in-situ).
  • GDS automated triaxial system – used for consolidated drained triaxial, consolidated undrained triaxial, unconsolidated undrained triaxial and permeability of a soil constant head.
  • GDS dynamic triaxial testing system (ELDYN) – used for resilient modulus test, cyclic loading, static loading and permeability of a soil constant head.
  • Hydraulics and hydrology equipment: Armfield 5m flume, Armfield hydrology study system and Armfield fluids benches.

Explore our facilities

Industry partners

Our partners become valued members of the wider Deakin engineering family, not just our school. Opportunities to partner with us include work-integrated learning and industry-based learning and placements, student projects, and commercial research projects and services.

Find out more about industry partnerships

Study with us

Deakin offers the following study and research options: