History of inspection and auscultation of structures in Laboratorio Central

Abstract

The article seeks to illustrate the origin of the inspection, monitoring and evaluation of structures in the Central Laboratory of CEDEX. It was initially created in 1898 as the Central Laboratory for Testing of Construction Materials of the old Escuela Especial de Ingenieros de Caminos, Canales y Puertos at Retiro Park. Although it was conceived for the testing of construction materials, tests on construction products also began as early as the first decade of the 20th century. Later, progressively and hand in hand with some of the most distinguished Spanish engineers of the 20th century, research work began in structural elements and reduced models, load tests on built works and, finally, inspections and monitoring of structures. The Central Laboratory has acted as an expert in legal proceedings since the first decades of the 20th century, and it has been the forerunner of a good part of the technologies that have subsequently been used in the field of inspection, monitoring and evaluation of structures (photoelasticity, tests on reduced models, characterization tests of materials on site, static and dynamic load tests, inspections with special means of access, etc). In this way, it has fulfilled one of the principles that guide its activity and that are included in its statutes: the mission of promoting technology transfer to society to open new paths to engineering.