The QUT Banyo facility is equipped to test full-scale structures under cyclic in-plane and out-of-plane loads to mimic seismic effects. The facility uses a dual-purpose servo-controlled actuator with a 1000 kN capacity for in-plane cyclic displacement on walls. It has a strong floor where test specimens can be bolted down. For applying cyclic in-plane shear (push-pull) loads, the actuator is attached to a loading frame, and the load is applied to the top of the wall through a steel capping. Hydraulic jacks mounted on the loading frame’s top beam provide pre-compression to the wall. Three 100 kN hydraulic jacks are positioned on a distribution beam atop the wall to evenly distribute vertical loads, with steel roller bearings placed between the beam and the capping plate for in-plane shear loading.
