College of Engineering > Research > Main Research Facilities

Main Research Facilities

Civil And Architectural Engineering
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
Petroleum and Chemical Engineering

#	Lab Name	Facility and/or Tests that can be done
1	Concrete	Compressive Strength of Concrete Cube. Compressive Strength of Concrete Cylinder with capping. Young’s Modulus of Concrete Cylinders. indirect Tensile Strength of Concrete Cylinder Flexural Strength of Concrete Beam Compressive Strength of Pre-Cast Blocks (AST) Compressive Strength of Pre-Cast Blocks (BS) water Absorption of Pre-Cast Blocks ( surface) Moisture Content of Pre-Cast Blocks Density of Pre-Cast blocks Compressive Strength of Concrete core (Excl. coring) Water Absorption of Tiles or Flags Concrete Mix Design Laboratory Trial Mix. Compressive Strength of Concrete Paving Blocks Initial & Final Setting time of Fresh Concrete Concrete Drying Shrinkage Moisture Content Delamination Survey Covermeter Survey Sampling of Concrete Dust Initial Surface Absorption Test (ISAT) Fresh concrete sampling. Nonretirement of slumo o preparation of cubes RCPT(Rapid chloride permeability) Compressive strength (1 days onwards ) Initial and final setting time Soundness Fineness
2	Structural	Tensile Strength of Rebar (up to 20mm Dia.) Tensile Strength of Rebar (> 20mm Dia.) Flexural Strength of Tiles or Flags Rebound Hammer Survey Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity Survey Half Cell Potential Survey Resistivity test Rebar locator Corrosion Analysis of structures Compression testing (up to 4000kN) Tensile tests (up to 2000kN) Flexural testing of Large Beams Eccentric Loading tests Cyclic/Dynamic loading tests Creep tests Loading tests (Compression) under high temperature conditions Loading under heating or cooling conditions Column testing under confined conditions
3	Geotechnical	Sieve Analysis Flakiness Index Elongation Index Angularity Number Relative Density (Specific Gravity) Water Absorption Clay Lumps & Friable Particles Bulk Density (Rodded) Bulk Density (Loose) Los Angeles Abrasion Value Sand Equivalent Value Fineness Modulus Aggregate Sampling (Bulk) Moisture Content Atterberg Limits Tinear. shrinkaoe Dry Sieve Analysis Wet Sieve Analysis Hydrometer Analysis Moisture/Density Relationship (2.5 kg. Rammer Method) Moisture/Density Relationship (4.5 kg. Rammer Method. California Bearing Ratio (BS or ASTM) Soaked California Bearing Ratio (BS or ASTM, Single ft.) pH Value Cation Exchange Capacity Cations in Aqueous Extract Direct Shear Test (60 x 60mm Specimen) Consolidation Test (Oedometer Test) Swell Pressure Test Specific Gravity (Particle Density) of Soil
4	Surveying	As Built Survey Detail Survey Topographic Survey Stake out Setting out Survey GPS Survey RTK Survey Geodetic Control Points Establishment Benchmarks Establishment GPS Static Data Processing
5	Environmental	Atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) Centrifuge Digital Photo colorimeter Digital turbidity meter Kjeldahl digestion unit Heating mantle (1000 ml) Ion Chromatography CHNSO Analyzer TOC Analyzer Flame photometer UV-Visible spectrophotometer Conductivity meter Filtration Equipment Incubators, Ovens & Freezers Chemical Cabinets Pipettes Lab Glassware Vacuum pump Desiccator Muffle furnace Water bath Analytical balance Autoclave BOD Incubator Biochemical Oxygen Demand Analysis Hardness Analysis DO meter Magnetic Stirrer Alkalinity analysis Chemical Oxygen Demand Solids Gravimetric Analysis Electrical Conductivity pH meter Air flow meter Air Quality Test Sound level meter Chlorine contour comparator Digital Colony Counter
6	Highway	Marshall Stability & Flow Max. Theoretical Specific Gravity Asphalt Core Density (excl coring) Bitumen Penetration Value Bitumen Softening Point Bitumen Stripping Test Asphalt Mix Design by Marshall Method
7	Architecture	Measure Thermal microclimate Air infiltration test using Blower door system Take a Thermal image Sound level meter measurement Light meter measurement Cutting using CNC machine Printing models using 3D printer
8	Fluid mechanic	Ultra flow measurement device High depth (500m) CTD Conductivity/ salinity/ temperature/ depth

No.	Facility	Services
1	Embedded & Interconnected Vision Systems Laboratory	Consultancies and Research in unmanned vehicles systems and Artificial Intelligence. Training in Machine Learning and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles.
2	Power Simulator Lab	Consultancies and Research in power generation, transmission and distribution. Training in power generation, transmission and distribution.
3	Digital Design Lab	Consultancies and Research in reconfigurable computing and embedded systems. Training in reconfigurable computing and embedded systems.
4	High Voltage	Testing transformers and high voltage equipment.

Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM) Lab C015

No.	Equipment/Device
No.	Equipment/Device	Test/Service
1	CNC Lathe Machine, Denford MIRAC	Machining
2	CNC Milling Machine, Denford TRIAC PC	Machining
3	CNC Lathe Machine, Emco PC TURN 155	Machining
4	CNC Vertical Machining	Machining
5	3D scanner	Profiling/Reverse Engineering
6	3D Printer (ENDER-3)	3D printing

Solid Mechanics Lab C238

No.	Equipment/Device
No.	Equipment/Device	Test/Service
1	Torsion Testing Machine (2)	Torsion Test
2	Beam Apparatus (4)	Bending Test
3	Strut Apparatus	Buckling test
4	Material Testing Machine H50KT (50kN)	Tensile/Compression/Flexural Test
5	Material Testing Machine H50KT (5kN)	Tensile/Compression/Flexural Test

Properties of Materials Lab 0031

No.	Equipment/Device
No.	Equipment/Device	Test/Service
1	Universal Pendulum Impact Tester (2)	Impact Test: Charpy/Izod
2	Bench Metallurgical Microscope	Microscopy
3	Metallurgical Mcroscope, Tereoscopic	Microscopy
4	Metallurgical Microscope Universal	Microscopy
5	Micromet ii Microhardness Tester	Microhardness test
6	Twin Tube Furnace	Heat Treatments
7	Twin Wheel Rotary Grinder/Polisher	Metallographic procedures/preparation
8	Twin Wheel Universal Polisher	Metallographic procedures/preparation
9	Tube Furnace	Heat Treatment
10	Vickers Pyramid Hardness Tester	Hardness test
11	Rockwell Hardness Tester	Hardness test
12	Izod & CharpyUniversal Notch Broaching	Impact Test: Charpy/Izod
13	OlympusVanox Microscope Brightfield	Microscopy
14	Surfmet i Belt Grinder	Metallographic procedures/preparation
15	Variable Speed Rolling Mill	Rolling (Metal forming)
16	Muffle Furnace	Heat Treatment
17	High Performance Oven	Heat Treatment
18	Magnaflux k10 - Portable Crack Detector	Non Destructive Testing
19	T-Mike Ultrasonic Thickness Measurement Apparatus	Thickness Measurments
20	Krautkramer Crack Depth Meter	Non Destructive Testing
21	Indentec Universal Hardness Tester	Hardness Test
22	Gunt Fatigue Testing Apparatus	Fatigue Test
23	Unimoulder Plastic Molding Machine	Plastic Forming
24	Automatic Mounting Press	Metallographic procedures/preparation
25	Digital Microscope, Keyence	Optical Microscopy
26	Hardness Tester Shore A	Hardness Test
27	Hardness Tester Shore D	Hardness Test
28	Chemical Microwave	Sample Preparation
29	Pin On Disc Tribometer	Wear/Abrasion Test
30	Portable Roughness Tester	Roughness measurement
31	Universal hardness Testing Machine, INNOVA	Hardness Test
32	MicroHardness Machine, Tinius Olsen	Microhardness Test
33	Wire Electrical Discharge Machine (EDM)	Machining

Welcome to the Petroleum and Chemical Engineering Department Services Hub!

At Sultan Qaboos University’s Petroleum and Chemical Engineering Department (PCED), we take pride in offering state-of-the-art analytical and testing services tailored to the needs of industry professionals, researchers, and students. With cutting-edge facilities and a dedicated team of experts, we ensure accurate and reliable results to support innovation and excellence in the fields of petroleum, chemical engineering, and beyond.

Our Services

We provide a diverse range of services designed to address the technical challenges of today’s energy and industrial sectors:

Flash and Fire Point Testing
- Measure the flash and fire points of liquids to ensure safety and compliance with international standards.
- Essential for flammable material classification and process safety analysis.
Surface Tension Measurement
- Analyze the surface tension of liquids to optimize processes in industries like oil recovery, coatings, and emulsions.
- Suitable for R&D and quality control applications.
Liquid Density Determination
- Precise measurement of liquid density for accurate process design and material characterization.
- A critical parameter in fluid mechanics and chemical formulations.
Kinematic and Dynamic Viscosity Analysis
- Assess the flow behavior of liquids under varying conditions.
- Key for understanding fluid dynamics in drilling fluids, lubricants, and industrial chemicals.

Routine Core Analysis
- Comprehensive testing of core samples to evaluate porosity, permeability, and fluid saturation.
- Vital for reservoir characterization and petroleum exploration.
Drilling Fluid Properties Testing
- Examine drilling fluids to ensure optimal performance in wellbore stability, cuttings transport, and formation protection.
- Includes rheological properties, filtration loss, and density measurements.

Why Choose PCED at SQU?

Advanced Facilities: Our labs are equipped with the latest instrumentation to deliver precise and reliable results.
Expert Team: Our highly qualified professionals provide in-depth insights and tailored solutions.
Commitment to Quality: We adhere to international testing standards to ensure the highest accuracy.
Industry Relevance: Our services cater to the specific needs of the petroleum, chemical, and related industries.
Collaboration Opportunities: Partner with us for research, innovation, and academic collaboration to address real-world challenges.

How to Access Our Services

To learn more about our offerings or to request a service, please contact us via:

Email: mozasa@squ.edu.om
Phone & Fax: +968-2414-1354
Location: Petroleum and Chemical Engineering Department, Sultan Qaboos University, College of Engineering, Al Khoud, Muscat 123, Oman.

We look forward to collaborating with you and providing solutions that drive progress and innovation.