Welcome to the Broadbent Geotech Division

Leading the way in geotechnical centrifuge design, development and support

World-class products Each of our globally renowned range of Broadbent G-Max geotechnical beam and drum centrifuges is designed and built by Broadbent in the UK and supported by Cambridge University’s drum centrifuge intellectual property rights. These market-leading centrifuges are available with integrated data acquisition systems.

Unparalleled service and support We offer expert advice, support and service from your earliest project concepts through to turnkey installation and training. In addition, our exceptional worldwide service network ensures that you can enjoy continuous maintenance and support throughout the lifetime of your G-Max geotechnical centrifuges.

Why use centrifuge modelling?

The primary scientific reason for using centrifuge modelling to investigate large geotechnical phenomena is the dominance of material self-weight. The mechanical behaviour of soil is highly non-linear and stress-level dependent. To simulate accurately a prototype at small scale, the in situ stresses must be reproduced correctly in the model: if not, the model behaviour under load will fail to predict its behaviour in the real world.

In order to replicate these gravity induced stresses at real-world scale in a 1/Nth scale model, the test environment must allow for a gravitational field N times larger than that of the ‘real world’ structure. The Broadbent G-Max range of centrifuges is designed to provide such a test environment.

Physical modelling brings major geotechnical engineering benefits in:

• parametric studies
• verification of analytical or numerical methods
• retaining structures
• pile-soil interaction
• tunnels
• heat transfer
• earthquakes
• wave loading
• contaminant transport
• freeze/ thaw
• deep mining effects

The physical modelling of soil behaviour under load has always played a pivotal role in helping design engineers to better understand behaviour under stress conditions similar to those of real construction projects.