Azuma Design has built a test facility in Sydney that, according to the company, is set to become Australia’s centre of excellence for testing building materials for cyclonic conditions.
Australia’s spate of cyclones on the east and west coast over the past couple of years has prompted a toughening of the standards that building materials used in cyclone-prone areas are required to meet. Consequently, Azuma Design has built a test facility in Sydney that, according to the company, is set to become Australia’s centre of excellence for testing building materials for cyclonic conditions.
Equipped with highly specialised testing apparatus built specifically for the task, the facility offers a unique combination of capabilities to test compliance of building materials to meet tough new cyclonic region standards. Azuma Design has the capability to test the compliance of roofing, cladding, windows and doors, glass, wall sections, louvres and most other types of external building materials.
High pressure wind and water testing is conducted in the company’s storm simulation chamber, which uses a series of water jets and fans to create both positive and negative pressures. This enables the testing of the structural integrity of windows, doors and other building components, including seals, to the extremes of wind and water penetration.
In addition, a Debris Impact Cannon is used to test components in ‘real world’ situations, horizontally for side impacts, such as walls and windows, and vertically for roofing materials. Testing of components for cyclonic conditions enables the construction of safer buildings.
