MTS Celebrates 30th Anniversary of Seismic Research at Shanghai's Tongji University

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn., Aug. 26, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- MTS Systems Corporation (NASDAQ: MTSC), a leading global supplier of high-performance test systems and position sensors, today announced the 30-year anniversary of a collaboration with Tongji University in Shanghai to support disaster-reduction research in civil engineering. Tongji University has conducted more than 900 seismic tests using MTS equipment to help reduce the effects of devastating earthquakes on structures such as bridges and buildings.

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The anniversary celebration coincides with the successful completion of their Multi-Functional Shaking Tables Lab, which features test equipment designed and built by MTS. The lab recently tested a scaled-down version of Jiangsu's Taizhou Bridge, a mega-structure that spans 62 kilometers (38 miles) and opened to the public in 2012.

"Our system was able to provide the Tongji Lab with a much deeper understanding of how well a multi-tower, multi-span suspension bridge would hold up during an earthquake," said Dr. Rich Baker, Senior Vice President and General Manager of MTS Test. "It also helps advance China's natural disaster reduction initiatives by providing data that helps researchers enhance the seismic resistance of structures."

MTS, a world leader in earthquake simulation testing capabilities, designs and builds the shaking table systems. These systems come in different sizes and configurations and enable labs to test small-scale structures to full-size buildings. Shaking tables use hydraulic actuators that replicate movements experienced by a structure during an earthquake or seismic event. In addition to the Taizhou Bridge, the Tongji Lab has conducted seismic testing for structures such as the Shanghai World Financial Center, Shanghai Shimao International Plaza, Guangzhou Nature Center and the LG Beijing Towers.

"Tongji University has a decades-long relationship with MTS, collaborating on earthquake simulation shaking table test systems that are among the most effective in the world," said Dr. Zheng Lu, a professor of seismic research at Tongji University. "Together we have successfully conducted seismic tests on significant municipal projects, transportation systems and high-rise buildings around the world."

MTS supplied a two-dimensional system to Tongji University's Shaking Table Testing Division in 1983. It was later upgraded to a three-dimensional system with six-degrees-of-freedom – a design capable of conducting even more complex seismic tests. For the Taizhou Bridge test, MTS supplied a first of its kind system with a series of shaking tables supporting up to 200 tons that can be arranged in many configurations.

"As the global population continues to grow, new civil engineering challenges become apparent – taller buildings, longer bridges, and bigger mass transit systems. At MTS, we are proud to be involved in research and testing methods that support the design and construction of these monumental new structures," said MTS President and CEO, Dr. Jeffrey Graves.

About MTS Systems Corporation

MTS Systems Corporation is a leading global supplier of high-performance test systems and position sensors. The Company's testing hardware and software solutions help customers accelerate and improve their design, development, and manufacturing processes and are used for determining the mechanical behavior of materials, products, and structures. MTS' high-performance position sensors provide controls for a variety of industrial and vehicular applications. MTS had 2,147 employees at September 29, 2012 and revenue of $542 million for the fiscal year ended September 29, 2012. Additional information on MTS can be found on the worldwide web at http://www.mts.com.

About Tongji University

Tongji University, located in Shanghai, has more than 30,000 students and 8,000 staff members. It offers degree programs at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Established in 1907 by the German government and German physicians in Shanghai, Tongji is one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in China. It is especially highly ranked in engineering: its architecture, urban planning, and civil engineering departments have consistently ranked first in China for decades. Additional information on Tongji can be found at http://www.tongji.edu.cn/english/.

SOURCE MTS Systems Corporation

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