Since its founding in 1890, Oklahoma State University (OSU) has been breaking down walls via the development of new research and technologies. The continuous forward momentum of the engineering industry pushed OSU to provide its students with a new and trailblazing engineering laboratory that provides enhanced research and development opportunities.

The Bert Cooper Engineering Laboratory does just this — setting OSU’s School of Civil and Environmental Engineering apart from other programs in the nation. Providing capabilities that are not typical at many engineering schools, FSB developed and designed a collaborative structural and materials engineering research lab that supports full-scale testing of structures, advanced materials testing, environmental chambers, and concrete fabrication and curing.

Furthermore, the 25,836 SF Engineering Laboratory houses high-performance structural testing equipment with the capacity to test full-size bridges and multi-story buildings, thanks to its thick strong floor, large cranes, and extensive nondestructive evaluation tools. A large testing bay is also dedicated to researching how structures and materials respond to fire and hazardous events. The Engineering Lab recreates the real-world environment to conduct hands-on research in structural behavior, materials durability, and construction performance. It also showcases the new technology developed at OSU.

Design and construction of the facility incorporated environmentally sustainable methods developed by OSU faculty and researchers, from low-carbon concrete mixtures for foundations to the geothermal ground-source heat pump systems.

The Engineering Laboratory gives OSU the resources and tools to not only successfully develop the next generation of structural materials and sensor technology, but also provide access to the cutting-edge technology that will ultimately educate the next generation of engineers.