Regarding physical infrastructures, the Structures Lab is the largest, best equipped and most advanced of its kind in SE Europe. It has two 5.5m-tall, 6m- and 4m-long reaction walls in L-arrangement on a 18m-by-16m strong-floor, to which modular reaction blocks can be anchored, enabling testing of over 12m-long systems. It has eight servo-hydraulic actuators:

• two MOOG ±1000kN, ±500mm, 38 lt/min
• two MTS -630kN/+445kN, ±250mm, 38 lt/min
• one MTS -360kN/+250kN, ±125mm, 69 lt/min
• two dynamic MTS actuators: ±500kN, ±500mm, 680 lt/min
• one dynamic MTS ±500kN, ±250mm, 1500 lt/min

The 500 lt/min pumps assisted by three banks of accumulators supply high-pressure (210 bar) oil around the strong floor via stainless tubing. Hydraulic power distribution manifolds with hand-operated check valves are located at the perimeter of the strong floor and also on the strong walls. 

State-of-the-art digital controllers with a total of 8 channels are employed for a large spectrum of tests, including hybrid (pseudo-dynamic) with sub-structuring.

The lab is also equipped with a universal compression testing machine with a loading capacity of 5000kN.

The 16-bit data acquisition system can handle input from a total of 112 sensors comprising 32 strain gauges (quarter, half and full bridge), inclinometers, potentiometers, string potentiometers, pressure transducers, accelerometers and LVDT's.

Tele-presence and tele-observation via internet are routinely used, employing 11 network cameras and a pan-tilt-zoom one.