ERGONOMICS OF LABORATORY ROOMS – CASE STUDIES BASED ON THE GEOTECHNICAL LABORATORIES AT THE SILESIAN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

Abstract

Abstract: The paper is the first, introductory part to the description of an interdisciplinary research project in the modernization of laboratories at The Faculty of Civil Engineering, The Silesian University of Technology. The scope of the paper is to disseminate the current state of knowledge of ergonomics and issues involved in the technology of laboratory processes, describing the methodology of experiments carried out in geotechnical laboratories, their equipment and spatial requirements in view of the users – research staff. The course and results of the pre-design studies are presented in: PREDESIGN STUDIES ON THE EXAMPLE OF THE MODERNIZATION OF GEOTECHNICAL LABORATORIES
Streszczenie: Artykuł stanowi pierwszą, wprowadzającą część do opisu interdyscyplinarnego projektu badawczego związanego z modernizacją pomieszczeń laboratoryjnych na Wydziale Budownictwa Politechniki Śląskiej. Niniejszy tekst przybliża stan wiedzy i problematykę ergonomii związanej z technologią procesów laboratoryjnych, opisuje metodykę badań doświadczalnych realizowanych w pomieszczeniach laboratoriów geotechniki oraz wyposażenie i potrzeby przestrzenne z tym związane z punktu widzenia użytkowników – pracowników naukowych. Przebieg badań przedprojektowych oraz ich wyniki zostały zaprezentowane w artykule pt.: „BADANIA PRZEDPROJEKTOWE NA PRZYKŁADZIE PROJEKTU MODERNIZACJI LABORATORIÓW”.

Full text

1. INTRODUCTION: PURPOSE, RESEARCH
METHODS AND STATE OF KNOWLEDGE
University laboratories are used for experiments on
the level of teaching and research as well as develop-
ment works, conducted by the staff. One of the most
important stages in the development of university lab-
oratories was the technological revolution in the
1970–1980s, spurring the advancement of modern
industry, based on the quality of production. New
ERGONOMICS OF LABORATORY ROOMS – CASE STUDIES
BASED ON THE GEOTECHNICAL LABORATORIES
AT THE SILESIAN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
Dorota WINNICKA-JASŁOWSKA a, Małgorzata JASTRZĘBSKA b, Joanna TYMKIEWICZ c
aDSc PhD Arch. Eng.; Faculty of Architecture, The Silesian University of Technology, Akademicka,
44-100 Gliwice, Poland
E-mail address: dorota.winnicka-jaslowska@polsl.pl
bDSc PhD Eng., Associate Prof.; Faculty of Civil Engineering, The Silesian University of Technology, Akademicka,
44-100 Gliwice, Poland
E-mail address: malgorzata.jastrzebska@polsl.pl
cDSc PhD Arch. Eng.; Faculty of Architecture, The Silesian University of Technology, Akademicka,
44-100 Gliwice, Poland
E-mail address: joanna.tymkiewicz@polsl.pl
Received: 8.03.2017; Revised: 8.04.2017; Accepted: 29.04.2017
Abstract
The paper is the first, introductory part to the description of an interdisciplinary research project in the modernization of
laboratories at The Faculty of Civil Engineering, The Silesian University of Technology. The scope of the paper is to dis-
seminate the current state of knowledge of ergonomics and issues involved in the technology of laboratory processes,
describing the methodology of experiments carried out in geotechnical laboratories, their equipment and spatial require-
ments in view of the users – research staff. The course and results of the pre-design studies are presented in: PRE-
DESIGN STUDIES ON THE EXAMPLE OF THE MODERNIZATION OF GEOTECHNICAL LABORATORIES
Streszczenie
Artykuł stanowi pierwszą, wprowadzającą część do opisu interdyscyplinarnego projektu badawczego związanego z modern-
izacją pomieszczeń laboratoryjnych na Wydziale Budownictwa Politechniki Śląskiej. Niniejszy tekst przybliża stan wiedzy
i problematykę ergonomii związanej z technologią procesów laboratoryjnych, opisuje metodykę badań doświadczalnych
realizowanych w pomieszczeniach laboratoriów geotechniki oraz wyposażenie i potrzeby przestrzenne z tym związane
z punktu widzenia użytkowników – pracowników naukowych. Przebieg badań przedprojektowych oraz ich wyniki zostały
zaprezentowane w artykule pt.: „BADANIA PRZEDPROJEKTOWE NA PRZYKŁADZIE PROJEKTU MODERNIZACJI
LABORATORIÓW”.
Keywords: Ergonomics; Laboratories; Laboratory process technology; Users’ needs.
2/2017 ARCHITECTURE CIVIL ENGINEERING ENVIRONMENT 35
ARCHITECTURE CIVIL ENGINEERING ENVIRONMENT
The Silesian University of Technology No. 2/2017

D. Winnicka-Jasłowska, M. Jastrzębska, J. Tymkiewicz
fields of industry emerged, dependent on the devel-
opment of technology. In consequence, the dynamic
evolution of industry and production technologies led
to the development of the fields and directions of sci-
ence, especially technical sciences. Technical univer-
sities began to educate specialists in the fields
required by industry. Research and didactic laborato-
ries well designed were essential in the teaching
process.
The objective of this paper is to familiarise readers
with the issues involving the design of laboratories in
consideration of the complexity of laboratory process
technologies and the spatial needs from the point of
view of their users: research and teaching staff. The
applied method of analysis was the case study – the
investigation of the facilities (geotechnical laborato-
ries) in view of the ergonomics criteria. The user
(research and teaching staff member) is assumed to
be an expert who has the practical knowledge of lab-
oratory space and also serves the role of a provider of
information [17].
The state of knowledge concerning the issues dis-
cussed in this paper refers to two thematic groups.
The first group involves publications on the design of
laboratory facilities, whereas, the second group are
elaborations describing the research conducted in
geotechnical laboratories.
1.1. Publications on the design of laboratories
In the last twenty years there were many publications
describing and systematizing the issues involved in
the design of university laboratories. In Poland, one
of the first works was J. Charytonowicz’s monograph
[1], where the classification of modern laboratories
was given, together with the description and presen-
tation, in the form of projections of ergonomics and
optimal solutions adjusted to organizational require-
ments and anthropometrical human needs. Also, D.J.
Neumann [2] classified university laboratories in view
of their equipment and the needs concerning the
process of practical education. Nowadays in Poland
many laboratory facilities are created for activities
concerning the development of science, research and
didactics. Such approach is justified, because the
combination of the two processes renders excellent
results, first and foremost, in the teaching process. In
Western countries such facilities are labeled
Research&Development. Their Polish equivalents
are technology center, for example, New
Technologies Centre at The Silesian University of
Technology (Figs. 1-4). The developing and future
model of the R&D laboratory facilities was described
in DSc. dissertation [3]. The design of laboratory
facilities was also discussed by D. Winnicka-
Jasłowska in [4, 5].
1.2. Elaborations describing research in geotechnical
laboratories
Many experimental works are conducted for the
needs of Geotechnology, with the main focus on:
identification of the type and condition of soils, des-
ignation of their mechanical properties: shear
strength and deformation, as well as determination of
other parameters essential for proper numerical
modeling of the phenomena occurring in the ground
exposed to the impact of: load, seismic shocks, or
changes in humidity. To achieve these results suitable
means are used, i.e. measuring equipment and
research methods (tests on soil compacting by means
of Proctor apparatus, designation of the grain-size
distribution in cohesive soils by means of aerometric
analysis, designation of the cohesion and internal
friction angle in triaxial apparatus, and direct shear
apparatus, and compressibility module in oedome-
ters, Terzaghie’s principle for a two-phase medium by
carrying out the saturation of soil samples by means
of the gravitation method and the back pressure
method, etc.). The results of such tests have been
described in: [6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14]. A more
detailed description of complicated research proce-
dures may be found in Jastrzębska and Kowalska [15,
16]. The specific nature of experimental tests has an
impact on the division and furnishings of the labora-
tories where such tests are run.
2. METHODOLOGY OF STUDIES ON
GEOTECHNICAL LABORATORY FACIL-
ITIES, THEIR EQUIPMENT AND
ERGONOMIC SPATIAL NEEDS
The basic experimental procedure, irrespective of the
type and level of studies, involves the following
stages:
1. Preparation of the soil sample. Depending on the
type of research, the tests involve: sample drying,
watering, toasting, boiling, designation of a mois-
ture content (the essential equipment are: weights
and dryers); sample formation and measurements
of its geometry (height, diameter, etc.), placement
in the experimental chamber;
2. Performance of specific tests: sieve analysis, liquid
limit in Cassagrande apparatus or by means of
36 ARCHITECTURE CIVIL ENGINEERING ENVIRONMENT 2/2017

ERGONOMICS OF LABORATORY ROOMS – CASE STUDIES BASED ON THE GEOTECHNICAL LABORATORIES...
cone-shaped penetrometers, soil compacting
properties in Proctor apparatus, shearing force in
triaxial apparatus or direct shear apparatus, com-
pacting properties in oedometers, water- perme-
ability;
3. Handwriting of results in the course of the process;
4. Designation of sample essential parameters after
testing: a moisture content, geometry;
5. Preparation for the next class, i.e. reports from the
tests after two weeks for BSc. courses or compre-
hensive reports in the form of geotechnical docu-
mentation at the end of the semester for MSc.
courses.
The geotechnical laboratories are separately dedicat-
ed to designate the physical or mechanical properties
of soils. Usually, the first stage of tests (concerning
the physical properties of soils) is less time consum-
ing and based on uncomplicated apparatuses (sets of
sieves, Proctor’s apparatus, Cassagrande apparatus,
cone-shaped penetrometer) without electronics, and
often manually handled. In such case specific tools
are required, such as: small evaporators, knives,
brushes, chisels, bowls, blades, mixers, etc.
A R C H I T E C T U R E
2/2017 ARCHITECTURE CIVIL ENGINEERING ENVIRONMENT 37
Figure 1-4.
The building and the modern laboratory space; New Technologies Centre at The Silesian University of Technology, Gliwice, Poland
(photos by Joanna Tymkiewicz)
a

D. Winnicka-Jasłowska, M. Jastrzębska, J. Tymkiewicz
In turn, tests on the mechanical properties of soils
require specific equipment (triaxial apparatus, direct
shear apparatus, oedometers, permeability appara-
tus) which depends on many additional elements
such as: sensors, computers, compressors, compensa-
tion vessels, control tables, under pressure pumps
and other. At the same time, each of the research
stands has its own requirements. For example, an
oedometer should be insulated against vibrations, to
prevent shocks. A triaxial apparatus requires a sepa-
rate room with acoustic insulation from compressor
that emits loud noise. It should also be stressed that
it is necessary to maintain the ambient temperature,
as its variations may disturb the operation and read-
ings of precise sensors. Such state may only be
achieved by the installation of air-conditioning in a
given laboratory room.
The joint need of the determination of the physical
and mechanical properties of soils is a direct access to
water, vicinity of weights with diverse ranges and to
dryers. At each step of the conducted experiment
there is a need of repeatable hand washing and work-
ing boards cleaning (contact with soil) and the acces-
sory equipment (knives, bowls, evaporators, chisels,
etc.) Also, it is essential to carry out frequent mea-
surements of the weight of samples: before tests, in
the course of tests, and after tests, in their wet state
and after drying.
The Department of Geotechnics and Roads at the
Faculty of Civil Engineering, The Silesian University
of Technology in Gliwice, houses eight laboratory
facilities for geotechnical purposes. Two rooms are
located in the cellars of the Laboratory of the Civil
Engineering Faculty building, where large-size equip-
ment is placed (destined for renovation and reuse)
and oedometers dedicated only for research purpos-
es. Other rooms (110L, 111L, 117L, 118L, 119L
120L) (Fig. 5) are located on the first floor of the
same building, with two small rooms having a joint
entry (110L i 111L) and functioning as “storage” of
older or rarely used equipment.
Room 118L with the internal passage to smaller room
117L is used by the staff of the Department of
Geotechnologies and Roads for advanced research
on the mechanical properties of soils and supporting
their physical properties. The small place is cramped
with a number of large size of research apparatuses
that require computer assistance. In the central part
there is a working board which is a combination of
cases and desks. The basic limitation of such arrange-
ment is the lack of direct access to the water source.
Also, keeping soil samples, small tools and the entire
equipment necessary for the preparation and con-
duction of tests is cumbersome, random and ineffec-
tive. Several persons using room 118L are looking for
something and simply clattering the board (so that
things can be easily accessible). Moreover, there is no
place for social needs. This is particularly inconve-
nient, especially when the tests should be continually
supervised for many hours. It also happens that the
staff have to “spend the night” in the laboratory. In
the adjacent room 117L, with partially insulated
door, there is a compressor that emits considerable
noise.
The next two rooms 119L and 120L function as class-
rooms. In the first one – physical properties of soils
are tested (for BSc. courses), in the second one, which
is smaller – mechanical properties of soils (for MSc.
38 ARCHITECTURE CIVIL ENGINEERING ENVIRONMENT 2/2017
Figure 5.
Scheme of location of geotechnical laboratories (rooms 117L – 120L) at the Faculty of Civil Engineering

ERGONOMICS OF LABORATORY ROOMS – CASE STUDIES BASED ON THE GEOTECHNICAL LABORATORIES...
courses, English classes for BSc. courses and MSc.
diploma students). It would seem that, in considera-
tion of the size of apparatuses, the classes devoted to
test on soils compressibility and resistance to the
shearing force should be performed in a bigger room.
However, this is not so as student groups dealing with
the determination of the type and condition of soils
are much more numerous (25-35 students) than the
other groups (12-25 students). Both teaching rooms
face the basic problem of the absence of direct access
to the water source and crowded working stands.
Even the number of chairs at the desks is often insuf-
ficient. It often happens that in the introductory stage
students have to sit at working boards, which are high-
er than average desks and smaller people face prob-
lems with note-taking. The introductions often have a
form of multi- media presentations supplied by nota-
tions on the teaching board. Usually, at the BSc. level
two classes are devoted to a comprehensive discussion
on future experiments, which students have to per-
form individually, but under the supervision of a
teacher. In turn, for MSc. classes each meeting starts
with the introduction in room 119L (which is
equipped with a projector and traditional board) and,
in the next stage, students move on to room 120L to
perform appointed experiments (Figs. 6-7).
The specific nature of geotechnical laboratory class-
es, which are basically manual activities, requires fre-
quent hand washing, boards cleaning, supporting
tools and apparatuses clearing, as well as cleaning
and ordering of the surroundings (for example, in the
case of Proctor tests the beating of soil at a certain
moisture content makes splashes). Likewise, the
same needs come up in the process of research tests.
Therefore, it is not important who performs the tests.
Only in the case of teaching classes the range of tests
and simplification methods are selected to make it
possible for students to perform them during one
class. For the BSc. courses the allotted time is 1,5
hours, whereas for the MSc. courses it is 4 hours. But,
for research staff the time is unlimited. Their priority
is the precision of the test, the level of detailed per-
formance and the need of designating specific para-
meters and their mutual dependence. The tests are
very time-consuming. Some of them may last even
two to three months. Certainly, in such cases the load
of work and physical presence in the laboratory is dif-
ferent, depending on the stage of research.
Nonetheless, this is a demanding and long-term
process. Thus, such ordinary matters as the comfort
of chairs and possibility of heating up meals in the
microwave seem to be important.
A R C H I T E C T U R E
2/2017 ARCHITECTURE CIVIL ENGINEERING ENVIRONMENT 39
Figure 6.
Room 119L (Classroom) for examination of soil physical
parameters: on the right side working tables with
Cassagrande apparatuses; further, way to room; (photo by
Joanna Tymkiewicz)
Figure 6.
Room 120L (Classroom) for examination of soil mechanical
parameters: in the background triaxial test emplacement;
(photo by Joanna Tymkiewicz)
a

D. Winnicka-Jasłowska, M. Jastrzębska, J. Tymkiewicz
4. RECAPITULATION OF THE NEEDS
CONCERNING THE ERGONOMICS OF
LABORATORY SPACES AND CONCLU-
SIONS
To sum up, in the ergonomic needs of geotechnical
laboratories, the following issues should be consid-
ered:
• Number and vicinity of water sources,
• Next to the water source and dryers there should
be a place for steam removers and other equip-
ment,
• The working boards should be set in a manner that
makes use of daylight and provision of proper arti-
ficial light,
• The furnishings should provide proper separation
of small laboratory equipment and easy access to
it;
• Movable furniture should be used, for example:
between the rooms, or to facilitate the transport of
soils with considerable weight;
• A social back up place should be provided for
long-term research.
The above description indicates the complexity of
research and work processes in geo-technology. The
knowledge of laboratory process technologies
enables the programming and devising a proper
design project for the modernization of the laborato-
ries. Without a strict cooperation of architects with
direct users of the described facilities the definition
of the project would be impossible. In the paper enti-
tled: PRE-DESIGN STUDIES ON THE EXAM-
PLE OF MODENIZATION PROJECT OF GEOT-
ECHNICAL LABORATORIES the stages of the
pre-design studies were discussed for the project and
its final results.
REFERENCES
[1] Charytonowicz J. (1994). Zasady kształtowania labo-
ratoryjnych stanowisk pracy (Principles of shaping
laboratory work stands). Monograph. Wrocław:
Publishing House of Wrocław Technical University,
(in Polish).
[2] Kliment S.A. (2003). Series Founder and Editor,
Neuman D.J.; Building Type Basics for College and
University Facilities. Canada: John Wiley&Sons.inc.
[3] Cieśla-Gałeczka K. (2012). Kształtowanie współczes-
nych funkcji nauki oraz ich rola w przestrzeni
miejskiej. Wybrane obiekty (Shaping of modern func-
tions of science and their role in city space. Selected
objects). Ph.D. dissertation, supervised by N. Juzwa,
Faculty of Architecture, The Silesian University of
Technology. Gliwice (in Polish).
[4] Winnicka-Jasłowska D. (2012). Creating a functional
and special program for a new building of the Faculty
of the Biomedical Engineering, The Silesian
University of Technology. Architecture Civil
Engineering Environment 5(3), Gliwice.
[5] Winnicka-Jasłowska D. (2014). Ergonomic Solutions
of Facilities and Laboratory Work-Stands at
Universities. Programming of Ergonomic
Technological Lines – Case Study, [in:] Universal
access in human-computer interaction. 8th
International Conference UAHCI 2014, held as part
of HCI International 2014, Heraklion, Crete, Greece,
June 22-27, 2014. Proceedings. Pt. 4, Design for all
and accessibility practice, (eds.) Constantine
Stephanidis, Margherita Antona. Cham: Springer,
2014, Lecture Notes in Computer Science 8516.
[6] Gryczmański M. (2009). State of the art in modelling
of soil behaviour at small strains. Architecture Civil
Engineering Environment 2(1), 61–80.
[7] Jastrzębska M., Łupieżowiec M., Uliniarz R., Jaroń
A. (2014). Analysis of the vibration propagation in
the subsoil, Studia Geotechnica et Mechanical
XXXVI(3), 9–18.
[8] Jastrzębska M. (2010). Badania zachowania się grun-
tów spoistych poddanych obciążeniom cyklicznym w
zakresie małych odkształceń (Investigations of the
behaviour of cohesive soils subjected to cyclic loads in
the area of small deformations). Scientific Journals of
The Silesian University of Technology, Gliwice,
Poland, 216 (in Polish).
[9] Jastrzębska M. (2002). Kalibrowanie i weryfikacja
jednopowierzchniowego sprężysto-plastycznego mod-
elu gruntu o silnie nieliniowym wzmocnieniu ani-
zotropowym (Calibration and verification of a single
surface elasto-plasic model for soil with strongly non-
linear anisotropic hardening law), PhD thesis,
Department of Geotechnics, The Silesian University
of Technology, Gliwice (in Polish).
40 ARCHITECTURE CIVIL ENGINEERING ENVIRONMENT 2/2017

ERGONOMICS OF LABORATORY ROOMS – CASE STUDIES BASED ON THE GEOTECHNICAL LABORATORIES...
[10] Jastrzębska M. (2010). The external and internal
measurement effect on shear modulus distribution
within cyclic small strains in triaxial studies on cohe-
sive soil. Proc. International Conference on
Experimental Mechanics ICEM14 Poitiers, France,
EDP Sciences,a, 1–8.
[11] Kalinowska M., Jastrzębska M. (2014). Behaviour of
cohesive soil subjected to low-frequency cyclic load-
ing in strain-controlled tests, Studia Geotechnica et
Mechanica XXXVI(3), 21–34.
[12] Kalinowska M. (2013). Określenie kryterium
zniszczenia w gruntach spoistych poddanych wol-
nozmiennym obciążeniom cyklicznym
(Determination of the destruction criterion for cohe-
sive soils subjected to slow cyclic loads). MSc thesis
supervised by M. Jastrzębska, Faculty of Civil
Engineering, The Silesian University of Technology.
Gliwice (in Polish).
[13] Konsek Sz., Walas M. (2010). Badania zachowania się
gruntów spoistych poddanych obciążeniu cykliczne-
mu w aparacie trójosiowym oraz w aparacie
bezpośredniego ścinania (Tests on the behaviour of
cohesive soils subjected to cyclic loads by means of a
triaxial apparatus and direct shear apparatus). MSc
thesis supervised by M. Jastrzębska, Faculty of Civil
Engineering, The Silesian University of Technology.
Gliwice (in Polish).
[14] Kowalska M. (2009). Identyfikacja parametryczna
modeli gruntów w zagadnieniach geotechniki
(Parametric identification of soil models in geotech-
nical problems), PhD thesis, Department of
Geotechnics, The Silesian University of Technology,
Gliwice (in Polish).
[15] Jastrzębska M., Kowalska M. (2016). Triaxial tests on
weak cohesive soils – some practical remarks (part 2).
Architecture Civil Engineering Environment 9(3), 81–94.
[16] Kowalska M., Jastrzębska M. (2016). Triaxial tests on
weak cohesive soils – some practical remarks (part 1).
Architecture Civil Engineering Environment 9(3), 71–80.
[17] Krzyk P. (2013). Parametry wytrzymałościowe grun-
tów spoistych na podstawie badań w aparacie
bezpośredniego ścinania i w aparacie trójosiowym
(Strength parameters of cohesive soils on the grounds
of direct shear apparatus and triaxial apparatus). MSc
thesis supervised by M. Jastrzębska, Faculty of Civil
Engineering, The Silesian University of Technology.
Gliwice (in Polish).
A R C H I T E C T U R E
a
2/2017 ARCHITECTURE CIVIL ENGINEERING ENVIRONMENT 41