Unique test capabilities at Sandia National Laboratories

A comprehensive testing capability has evolved at Sandia National Laboratories over the last three decades. This capability is primarily dedicated to obtaining test response data to substantiate analytical methods employed at the Laboratories. Unique instrumentation and data transmission techniques have been developed to recover test data. Emphasis has been placed on expeditious processing of test results for correlation with the analytical processes. Numerous facilities address the general environments of acceleration, climate, shock, and vibration. Nondestructive testing includes acoustic emission detection, laser holography, ultrasonics, and radiography. More specific testing exists in the fields of aerodynamics, materials characterization, radiation effects, and energy research. Much of the capability is classical and can be found with degrees of similarity at other laboratories. However, there are certain unique testing capabilities that have been developed to satisfy special requirements. The unique testing facilities described include: rocket sled tracks for ballistics tests and impact tests; aerial cable facilities for free-drop tests of payloads up to 3000 lb from heights up to 600 ft.; explosives testing facilities; large centrifuges; equipment for simulating heating conditions such as reentry heating; a lighting simulator; and an electromagnetic environment simulator. (LCL)