Specialist Laboratory Testing for a Host of Analyses and Test Work

Samples of soil, rock, and water collected from site during site investigations are sent to specialist laboratories for various suites of testing to obtain parameters essential for all geotechnical and geoenvironmental work.

We work with hand-picked laboratories that comply with the necessary standards and are accredited by UKAS, ASTM, and MCERTs. In certain instances where standard test methods do not exist for more advanced tests, we liaise with these laboratories to develop suitable methodologies, keeping the end use of the data in mind.

Some of the laboratory testing services include:

Soil Tests

• • Classification Tests
    • Moisture/water content
    • Particle size distribution – sieve and sedimentation analysis
    • Liquid and plastic limits (Atterberg limits) – 1 or 4 point
    • Bulk and dry density – direct and immersion
    • Particle density (previously known as specific gravity)
    • Desiccation – filter paper suction method
  • Compaction
    • Chalk crushing value
    • California bearing ratio
    • Dry density/moisture content relationship
      • 2.5-kg and 4.5-kg rammer
      • Vibrating hammer
    • Moisture condition value – (1 point at natural moisture condition or 5-point calibration)
  • Compressibility
    • Oedometer consolidation (one-dimensional)
    • Oedometer swelling
    • Isotropic consolidation in a triaxial cell
    • Swell or collapse/soil expansivity
  • Permeability
    
    
    • Constant (or falling) head permeability
    • Triaxial permeability
  • Total Stress
    • Laboratory vane and Torvane – shear strength
    • Direct and residual shear strength
      • Small shear (60 mm × 60 mm) – direct shear strength
      • Large shear box (300 mm × 300 mm) – direct shear strength
      • Ring shear – residual shear strength
    • Unconfined compressive strength (38-mm to 100-mm specimens)
    • Quick undrained triaxial compression – single or multistage
  • Effective Stress
    • Consolidated undrained
    • Consolidated drained
    • 38-mm to 100-mm specimens
    • With or without mid-height pore pressure measurements
  • Durability
    • Erodibility by dispersion method
  • Miscellaneous
    • Redox potential
    • Thermal and electrical resistivity
• Rock Tests
  • Automated grinding for satisfying strict dimensional tolerances
  • Moisture/water content
  • Porosity and density
  • Point load index
  • Uniaxial compressive strength
  • Triaxial compressive strength
  • Swelling pressure and strain
  • Direct shear strength
  • Indirect tensile strength
  • Sound wave velocity – propagation of compressive and shear waves
  • Elastic parameters (shear and Young’s moduli, Poisson’s ratio)
  • Cerchar abrasivity
  • Slake durability and jar slaking
  • Thermal and electrical resistivity
• Aggregate Tests
  • Sampling
  • Moisture/water content
  • Particle size distribution
  • Flakiness index
  • Constituents of recycled aggregates
  • Density and water absorption
  • Loose bulk density
  • Resistance to fragmentation
  • Aggregate crushing value
  • Ten percent fines value
  • Aggregate impact value
  • Magnesium sulphate
• Unbound and Hydraulically Bound Mixtures
  • Reference density and water content
    • Proctor compaction
    • Vibrating hammer
  • California bearing ratio and swelling
  • Moisture content value
• Concrete
  • Compressive strength of concrete cores