Nueva nave de Ensayos Mecánicos en el Instituto Eduardo Torroja

This important building meets an urgent need at the Institute Eduardo Torroja to have a mechanical testing hall that is capable of dealing with all kinds of tests that are likely to arise in the foreseeable future. In designing it account has been taken of all requirements anticipated as a result of the experience obtained during the use of the earlier testing hall which the Institute already has. The new testing hall consists essentially of a metallic structure, 33.50 m high, 11.50 m wide and 8 m high, enclosed by prefabricated LECA type panels. The hall has a powerful reinforced concrete slab, 11.50 m wide and 25.50 m long, which is 1.20 m thick. The slab has 270 anchorage points, with a load capacity of 50 t and 100 t each. These points can be loaded singly, or in groups. The slab rests on two lateral reinforced concrete walls, of 80 cm thickness. Below the slab there is a basement, which can be used in conjunction with the hall above for testing purposes, since the anchorage points make it possible to communicate both sides of the slab. A careful system of illumination has also been provided, and heavy vehicles can enter both the basement and the main hall. One ten ton bridge crane has been installed, although two such cranes can be fitted. All calculations have been done with the aid of the electronic computer of the I.E.T.c.c. The total design makes this project one of the most important of its type in Europe.A los quince años de estrenar la primera nave de Ensayos Mecánicos con que contó el Instituto, se inaugura esta segunda nave. A ella nos vamos a referir en el presente artículo, esencialmente descriptivo. No obstante, son tan singulares las razones que han motivado su necesidad que, aunque sea en forma sumamente breve, creemos de interés dar cuenta de ellas en este preámbulo