Contact: Lisa Merkl
lkmerkl@uh.edu
713-743-8192
University of Houston

Thomas Hsu With the "Universal Element Tester"

Caption: Standing more than 15 feet tall at two stories, weighing nearly 40 tons and containing more than a mile of pipes to transport oil pressure to its 40 jacks, the "Universal Element Tester" measures the strength of reinforced concrete under earthquake-like conditions. Civil Engineering Professor Thomas Hsu (pictured) and his colleagues designed and built this one-of-a-kind machine housed at UH.

Credit: Todd Spoth

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