The UTSA College of Engineering is opening one of the most unique research buildings in the country. The Large-Scale Testing Laboratory is a 50-foot-tall facility where undergraduate civil engineering students can test the structural integrity of systems, such as concrete buildings, in a real-life setting.

The $9.95 million Large-Scale Testing Laboratory will be for students and researchers in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Researchers within the department have led work to prevent landslides, create drinkable water from rainfall, harvest energy from hot pavement and more.

The laboratory will test components and systems at near 100% scale. Civil engineering students and researchers will build and test structural systems, such as concrete beams, in the 15,000-square-foot facility, supporting a variety of geotechnical and structural engineering projects.

“This building is one of few of its kind in the country,” said JoAnn Browning, Dean of the College of Engineering. “We are so excited about the capabilities that this facility provides our researchers as we continue to study civil and structural engineering. The laboratory will also be a game-changer for our students as they prepare for their civil engineering careers.”

Read the full story on UTSA Today.