Construction Materials Testing

Our construction materials testing (CMT) group approaches each job with a focus on client service and comprehensive project management.

The core purpose of our CMT group is to perform quality control (QC) and quality assurance (QA) testing of soils, concrete, asphalt, porous pavement, post-tensioning, roller-compacted concrete, and special inspections of structural and reinforcing steel. CMT also tests masonry, fireproofing, roofing, floor flatness, RH & Moisture Vapor Emission Rate (MVER) and other construction materials to ensure compliance with construction specifications and industry standards.

This not only includes testing on materials for the above-ground structures, but also testing and observation of earthwork and foundations. This includes shallow-bearing footings, drilled piers, driven steel and precast concrete piles, and auger cast piles. The tests performed with firm-owned equipment include Pile Dynamic Analysis (PDA), Pile Integrity Tests (PIT), and Transient Dynamic Analysis (TDA), as well as conventional pile testing using static loading.

Commitment to quality begins with our people. Our team members are trained and certified in their disciplines. Our qualified field representatives are certified by the following organizations:

  • American Concrete Institute (ACI)
  • Post-Tensioning Institute (PTI)
  • American Society for Non-destructive Testing (ASNT)
  • American Welding Society (AWS)
  • A number of State Department of Transportation (DOTs)
  • International Code Council (ICC)
  • National Concrete Masonry Association (NCMA)
  • National Institute for Certification of Engineering Technologies (NICET)
  • Professional Engineers who perform PDA, PIT and TDA tests on driven and cast-in-place piles are GRL trained

Each branch office has a Group Manager responsible for project management and staff.

Geotechnology laboratories are accredited by nationally recognized accreditation programs. Testing of soils and concrete for the determination of engineering properties is performed in accordance with the appropriate accreditations as dictated by the project requirements.

GEOTECHNOLOGY PROVIDES THE FOLLOWING CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS TESTING AND NON-DESTRUCTIVE TESTING SERVICES:

Concrete Testing – Field Services

  • Coring
  • Cross-hole sonic logging
  • Floor flatness
  • Plant control – verify/adjust batch weights
  • Prepare strength specimens
  • Rebound hammer
  • RH and MVER moisture testing
  • Sample aggregates
  • Test batches
  • Test slump, air content, and temperature
  • Windsor probe

Soil Testing

  • California bearing ratio
  • Compaction tests
  • Consolidation
  • Hydrometer
  • Index properties
  • Permeability
  • Resistivity and pH
  • Soil-cement mixture testing
  • Soil-lime mixture testing
  • Strength testing
  • Swell tests

Concrete Testing – Laboratory Services

  • Aggregates
  • Compressive strength testing (cylinders, cubes and cores – all sizes)
  • Flaw detection
  • Flexural strength testing of beams
  • Masonry – individual blocks and prisms
  • Mix designs

Steel Testing

  • Bolt testing (tension/torque)
  • Dye penetrant
  • Magnetic particle
  • Non-destructive testing visual
  • Structural and reinforcing steel inspections
  • StructureScan
  • Ultrasonic flaw detection (Standard and Phased Array)
  • Welder certification

Asphalt Testing

  • Bitumen analysis
  • Compaction control
  • Coring
  • Hot bin pulls/gradation
  • Ignition/gradation
  • Marshall method
  • Mix designs
  • Superpave technology

Special Inspections

  • Cold-form and wood framing
  • Fireproofing
  • Masonry
  • Reinforced concrete
  • Soils
  • Structural steel welded and bolted connections

Other Testing

  • Asbestos and lead-based paint identification/abatement monitoring
  • Paint thickness
  • Plastic pipe, reinforced concrete pipe
  • Roofing materials