The ATC-53 report, Assessment of the NIST 12-Million-Pound (53 MN) Large-Scale Testing Facility, was developed under a contract with the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST). (Published 2000, 44 pages)
ABSTRACT: This report documents the findings of an ATC Technical Panel engaged to assess the utility and viability of a 30-year-old, 12-million pound (53 MN) Universal Testing Machine located at NIST headquarters in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Issues addressed include: (a) the merits of continuing operation of the facility, (b) possible improvements or modifications that would render it more useful to the earthquake engineering community and other potential large-scale structural research communities, and (c) identification of specific research (seismic and non-seismic) that might require the use of this facility in the future.
View Title Page, Preface, and Contents on the "Downloadable" tab