Civil Engineering Labs

Gonzaga's Civil Engineering instructional labs support courses in the B.S. Civil Engineering degree program, including courses in each subdiscipline.

These labs bridge the gap between the theorietical concepts learned in lecture courses and the practical application needed for a career.

Additional labs are available to Senior Design teams and club projects related to Civil Engineering.

What this page doesn't show is how many projects take place with the Spokane community. As the major hub for the Inland Northwest serving more than 200,000 people in the city alone, Spokane has several opportunities for students to explore real-world engineering projects.  

Students work in The Bollier Center's Structures Lab.

Construction Materials Lab

Specialized equipment tests strength, stability, and compaction in multiple materials, including concrete, glass, soils, and rigging systems. Material testing systems include a full-scale strong wall/floors, 5 Enerpac test frames, and two small-scale MTS machines. A GASP measures stress in glass. The Construction side of the lab includes concrete mixers, drying ovens, and test sieves.
Students work in The Bollier Center's Environmental Engineering Lab.

Environmental Engineering Lab

Students in this lab use the fundamental principles of environmental chemistry and various analytical techniques to quantify the types and significance of natural and man-made contaminants.
soils lab

Soil Mechanics Lab

Students study the properties and behavior of soils (sand, gravel, silt and clay) under various environmental conditions. The study includes weight-volume relations, soil classifications, soil compaction, seepage through porous media, consolidation, shear strength, lateral pressures and slope stability. Laboratory and field methods for evaluation of pertinent properties that are used in analysis and design of structures and foundations are discussed.
flume

Water Resources Lab

This lab provides students an opportunity to study hydrologic features such as precipitation, infiltration and runoff in the lab, in addition to using local watersheds. Hydraulic behaviors are investigated using pumps, flow of water in pipes, flumes, natural open channels, and common engineered structures.
surveying

Geomatics Lab

Students use this lab and its equipment to understand the principles of surveying data collection, analysis, and application. Surveying data is applied to engineering design using GIS and 3D models.