Construction & Built Environment

3D Printing

UNSW has some of the most advanced 3D printed part production systems available on the market, facilitating work in metal, plastic, or ceramic. Our printers include a 3D Systems ProX DMP 300 and a ProJet 3500 HD MAX.

3DXLab

A multidisciplinary research lab that harnesses the power of immersive technologies to explore complex topics through 3D computer animation, data visualisation and virtual reality (VR) immersive design.

Acoustics & Vibration Lab

The lab offers measurement and analysis of air-borne or structure-borne noise and vibration, and wear and fault analysis. It’s equipped with sound level meters, multi-channel signal analysers, shakers, sound sources, accelerometers, microphones and multi-functional tribometers. 

Centre for Infrastructure, Engineering & Safety (CIES)

CIES operates several labs including: 

• Heavy Structures Lab equipped with servo-controlled hydraulic actuators and universal testing machines for high load testing from 10kN to 5000kN. 

• Construction Materials Testing for measuring cement and concrete materials. 

• Geotechnical Engineering Labs with a range of specialist and conventional soil, rock, and asphalt testing equipment. 

City Analytics Lab (CAL)

A dedicated space for exploring collaborative city planning and user-centred design, CAL comprises a large decision support theatre, three virtual reality/augmented reality rooms, a Tangible Table sandbox and observation rooms.

CityData

Database providing search and discovery of high-quality urban, GIS and housing datasets for urban planners.

Gleeble 3500 Multifunctional Facility

Investigates the thermal and mechanical behaviour of metals, alloys, and metal-based composites. It enables physical simulation of industrial processes such as casting, extrusion, and forging; the systematic study of ambient-and-elevated-temperature material properties, including tensile strength, ductility, and creep; and exploration of fundamental phenomena such as solidification, recovery and recrystallisation, and precipitation reactions.

High Temperature Materials Fabrication Facilities

Equipment includes a high temperature carbon free hydrogen/vacuum furnace, 3D ceramic/metal printer (500W laser), hot isostatic press system AIP6-30H, spark plasma sintering (SPS) machine, radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering systems and the Gleeble 3500 Multifunctional Facility.

Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre (MWAC)

The Centre is made up of 17 labs and facilities, supported by scientific and technical research staff. It allows for the structure and composition of biological, chemical, and physical materials to be studied. MWAC includes a consulting arm that offers a problem-solving service for commercial customers. 

• Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry
• Biological Resources Imaging Lab
• Biospecimen Services 

• Cell Culture Facility 

• Chronos 14Carbon Cycle Facility
• Commercial & Consulting
• Electron Microscope Unit
• Flow Cytometry Facility
• Katharina Gaus Light Microscopy Facility
• Molecular Surface Interactions 

• Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Facility
• Recombinant Products Facility
• Spectroscopy Lab
• Stats Central
• Structural Biology Facility
• X-ray & Chemical Analysis

Mechanics of Solids Lab

Dedicated to the structural testing and design of components and materials, lab capabilities include dynamic and quasistatic strength testing, fracture mechanics and fatigue crack growth testing, strain gauging, finite element stress analysis and testing of composite materials.

Odour Laboratory

The lab performs chemical characterisation of odours through olfactory-gas chromatography analysis, gas chromatography mass spectrometry, sulphur and nitrogen analysis, and olfactometry analysis. It also has specialist capability to undertake field sampling from area and point source emissions using both flux chamber and wind tunnels.

Surveying & Geospatial Engineering Labs (SAGE Lab)

The labs contain the latest surveying instruments and software for photogrammetry and remote sensing, precise and kinematic GNSS positioning and geospatial engineering. Equipment includes digital levels, GNSS receivers, RPAS and drones, lidar/laser scanners, and theodolites. 

Wireless Communications Lab (WCL)

The lab contains system design and test facilities including a microwave chamber, spectrum analysers, vector signal generators, FPGA development platforms, and software-defined radio platforms.