Learn Importance of Building Material Testing in Constructions
The raw materials such as cement, steel, concrete, asphalt, aggregates, rocks etc are used to construct a building, road, bridges, pavement etc. These are subjected to various kinds of forces like tensile, compression, shear etc. to determine their quality, in order to check if they can withstand the forces which are expected after the construction of these structures. To determine such magnitude various tests are performed both in the laboratory as well as in the field such testing is known as Building Material Testing.
The examination is also made mandatory by legal entities like the government and building principles so that all the products that are obtained meet the industry demands and standards.
The raw materials are tested for:
- Durability
- Intensity
- Integrity
- Engineering Systems
- Construction Products
- Quality
These tests are required so that the materials that are used for construction to avoid any risk in the future.
What are the types of material testing?
Testing of material can be Destructive Testing or non-destructive testing.
Destructive Testing includes:
It is a form of object analysis that involves applying a test to break down a particular material to determine its physical properties, such as toughness, strength, flexibility, and hardness
- Static Testing – Tension Test, Compression Test, Shear Test, Hardness Test, Creep Test
- Impact (Dynamic) Testing – Charpy Test, Izoid Test
- Cyclic Testing
Non Destructive Testing includes:
Includes testing & analysis to evaluate the properties of the material, component, structure without causing damage to the original part.
- Visual Inspection & Evaluation
- Penetrant Test
- Magnetic Detection
- Ultrasonic Test
- Radiography Test
Where is the testing done?
The service of testing of the building materials can be progressed in both Laboratories and field / Onsite areas.
- Field Testing – Onsite areas mean the fields are used for testing materials by certified professionals. The materials are assessed via different machines and visual examinations. If the result is founded to be ambiguous or uncertain, then the provided materials are transferred to testing laboratories for further analysis. Examples of onsite testing include testing gravity of aggregate, non-destructive testing of concrete structure, testing and determination of mixed concrete weight, etc.
There are a few limitations: It may be money and all other resources are wasted if there is improper management.
Sometimes, False positives in some incidences which may motivate the test to be conducted on a large scale.
If the results are not Ok then we have to re-check many times with the same resources & place.
Also Read: Concrete – A Man-Made Versatile Composite
- Laboratory testing is the second phase of testing which is mostly required when the results from the onsite testing remain undetermined. These are done using construction material testing apparatus and equipment that you can find in almost anybuilding material testing lab. Examples include a test for determination of moisture content within the soil or rock via mass, test for plastic limits, liquid limits, and plasticity index of soils, analysis of coarse aggregates, etc.
1) The testing also helps the operators in recognizing whether the product or material they are using is suitable and adequate for construction or not.
2) These testing of building materials have become very essential since they help in avoiding breakdowns and preventing regular servicing of the construction materials which ultimately saves extra expenses as well.
3) The testing helps in making measurable decisions to provide valued construction that serves for a very long time.
4) The testing also helps in providing overall safety construction which is very necessary to assure the humans who would be residing there later.
5) Building material testing helps in improving the overall performance and quality of the construction and leads to preferred results that are desired by the operators.
Building material testing helps in construction by disclosing any issues that may lead to future deformities.
Building material testing helps to identify future risks which could easily be prevented after the testing results are understood by the executive.
Without the testing of the building materials, the quality of the material will remain impossible for the workers and engineers to find out that can later commence assumptions measurements.
Testing materials provide confidence and a sense of assurance to the engineers and the workers that the product they are using is not only durable but ideal as well for the construction.
What equipment can be used for building material testing?
Soil Testing – Core Cutter, Consolidation Apparatus, Direct Shear Apparatus, Cone Penetration Test Apparatus, Proving Rings, Pressuremeter, Lab Vane Shear Apparatus, Sieve Shaker, Sieves, Soil Cone Penetrometer, Triaxial Apparatus etc.
Rock Testing – Core Cutting & Grinding Machine, Core Drilling Machine, Direct Shear Apparatus for Rocks, unconfined Compression Tester for Rocks, etc.
Geotextile Testing – Cone Drop Test Apparatus, Geotextile Permeameter, In-Plane Permeability Test Apparatus, Large Pull-Out Test Apparatus for Geosynthetics etc.
Sand, Aggregate & Fillers Testing – Aggregate Impact Tester, Length Gauge, Thickness Gauge, Tile Abrasion Testing Machine, Los Angeles Abrasion Testing Machine etc.
Concrete Testing – Accelerated Curing Tank, Aimil Consistometer, Compression Testing Machines, Concrete Test Hammer, Concrete Permeability Apparatus, Flexure Testing Machine, Moulds, Pull off Tester, Vibrating Table etc.
Bitumen & Asphalt Testing – Accelerated Polishing Machine, Asphalt Content Tester, Automatic Compactor, Benkelman Beam, Bump Integrator, Marshall Apparatus, Pavement Core Drilling Machine, Penetration Cone, Ring & Ball Apparatus, Servo-Hydraulic Universal Testing Machine, Skid Resistance Tester, Universal Penetrometer, Wheel Rut Tester etc.
Material Testing – Brinell-cum-Rockwell Hardness Tester, Crushing Strength Testing Machine, Torsion Testing Machine, Universal Testing Machine etc.
Cement, Lime & Motor Testing – Air Permeability Apparatus, Automatic Blaine Apparatus, Cement Autoclave, Cement Tensile Testing Machine, Cube Moulds, Flow Table, Gauging Trowel, Laboratory Ball Mill, Jaw Crusher, Permeability Apparatus, Vibration Machine, Vicat Apparatus etc.
Hydraulic Lab Testing – Hydraulic Lab Instruments, Reynold’s Apparatus etc.
General Laboratory Testing – Brass Rod, Dessicator, China Dish, Drying Oven, Funnel, Hot Plate, Muffle Furnace, Pipette, Rain Gauge, Weighing Balance etc.
Advanced Soil Properties – Multi-Directional Simple Shear Test System.
Name the company which offer instruments to cater to building material testing and its services?
Aimil Ltd., an ISO 9001:2015 instrumentation Company offers instruments to cater to building material testing and the Civil Engineering Services through its consultancy Division, Advanced Technology and Engineering Services (ATES). ATES is a multidisciplinary group of highly qualified professionals, practising in the areas of Civil, Geological, Earthquake and Mining Engineering.
For more details, please visit www.aimil.com
Or
For any inquiry, please contact: marcom@aimil.com