Development of The First Small Geotechnical Centrifuge in Thailand

Abstract

A geotechnical centrifuge (CTEd-1) with a diameter of two meters has been developed atKing Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT), Thailand. The design concept wasbased on using the low cost devices of wireless controlling and monitoring system which wereavailable in Thailand instead of using an expensive signal slip ring. The small geotechnical centrifugehas been used to evaluate and demonstrate classical failure problems that were attractivelydiscussed in undergraduate classes and senior projects. Several controlling and monitoring systemswere developed to enable the large variety of test, such as infrared and Bluetooth remotelycontrolling system, closed circuit cameras, consolidometer, miniature load cells, displacementpotentiometers and so on. Several models tested successfully were undrained slope stability andRankine's lateral earth pressure models. The centrifuge was regarded to be the first pioneer inpromoting the centrifuge modeling technique in the engineering society of Thailand.

Keywords : Centrifuge / g-level / Wireless / Retaining Wall / Slip Ring / Consolidometer