Construction Materials Testing

S.W. Cole team member performing concrete tests at a project site.
Photo courtesy of Mint Drone Shots LLC

Quality Testing for Today’s Projects

S.W.COLE provides cost effective laboratory and field testing services to measure the conformance of the materials and construction of your project to the project specifications. We provide independent construction materials testing, both in the field and at our nine regional laboratory facilities. Most of the tests are completed in-house, saving our clients time and money.

With the speed of today’s projects, we make every effort to keep the project running smoothly and efficiently with our electronic report transmittals and our completely unique laboratory database management system. We annually perform about 78,000 field and laboratory test procedures, including approximately 5,000 laboratory soil sieve analyses and 2,100 laboratory soil moisture density tests, almost 20,000 field density tests and we cast and test over 41,000 concrete compressive strength specimens.

AASHTO Accredited logo

Four of our laboratories (as of 1/3/2024 – Bangor, ME, Gray, ME, Somersworth, NH and Londonderry, NH) have been accredited through the AASHTO Accreditation Program.

Please visit the AASHTO Re:source web site to see our current scope of accreditations at specific locations.

Complete List of Laboratory Tests

S.W.COLE is proud to offer Alkali Silica Reaction (ASR) testing services to our clients for aggregate used in ready mix concrete or precast concrete containing Portland cement. Our labs in Gray, Maine and Somersworth, New Hampshire are available to provide testing for projects located in most states, including Massachusetts Department of Transportation (DOT) submittal samples.

What Is ASR Testing and Why Does Your Project Need It?

Alkali Silica Reaction (ASR) testing

Alkali Silica Reaction (ASR) is a chemical reaction that occurs in concrete. Alkalis in the cement may react with certain aggregates, causing a microscopic film of gel around aggregate particles. As this gel expands, it causes distress cracking and may result in premature failure of the concrete.

ASR can greatly reduce the life expectancy of a structure. Concrete structures such as exterior slabs and pavements, bridges, tanks, dams and retaining walls that are exposed to water, salt water and de-icing agents are susceptible to damage from ASR. Fine and coarse aggregate can be tested for the potential of ASR.

Three things are required for ASR to occur: 1) The presence of Alkalis, 2) Silica, and 3) Sufficient Moisture. ASR testing can take either 16 or 30 days to complete once the sample is cast, depending on the specification, agency requirements and not including sample preparation and reporting time. We test for ASR using test methods from ASTM (ASTM C1260 and ASTM C1567) and AASHTO (AASHTO T380).

Our Gray and Somersworth Laboratories are available to test your samples today. Call your local office to schedule your next service!

S. W. COLE offers testing services related to Massachusetts Title V. Title V specifies rules for how to install, use and maintain septic systems.

Non-destructive testing can be applied to both old and new structures. The principal application in new construction is likely for quality control or the resolution of doubts about the quality of materials or construction. The testing of concrete in existing structures is usually related to an assessment of structural integrity or adequacy. In-place concrete compressive strength is determined by obtaining, preparing and testing core samples in accordance with ASTM C 42. The cores are gathered with the use of a diamond thin wall core barrel.

Concrete constructions also rely on reinforcing steel to provide necessary tensile strength. Sufficient concrete cover above the reinforcing steel is another the key factor in determining the design life of a concrete structure. Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), an instrument for non-destructive rebar detection that quickly and accurately determines the location of the reinforcing bars, can help avoid damage while obtaining samples or accessing proper placement.

Pull-off testing is a non-destructive method for the evaluation of concrete and other rigid surfaces.

The test has a few steps. After the test surface is prepped, a small aluminum disc, known as a dolly, is adhered to the surface with high strength epoxy and is allowed to cure. Then, a uniform amount of pressure is applied to the dolly with a calibrated hand held hydraulic jack, and this pressure is then increased gradually until failure.

This test method determines the tensile strength of concrete near to the prepared surface, which can be used as an indicator of the adequacy of surface preparation before applying a repair or an overlay material. When the test is performed on the surface of a repair or an overlay material, it determines the bond strength to the substrate or the tensile strength of either the overlay or substrate, whichever is weaker.

The pull-off strength of a coating is an important performance property that has been used in specifications. This test method serves as a means for uniformly preparing and testing coated surfaces, and evaluating and reporting the results.

Impact-echo (IE) is a quick, relatively inexpensive method for nondestructive testing of concrete and masonry structures.  It uses impact-generated stress (sound) waves that travel though the concrete or masonry and are reflected by internal flaws and external surfaces.

IE testing can be used to determine many properties and flaws in concrete without causing any physical damage, including the depth of surface cracks in concrete and the location of grouted cells in concrete masonry units.

Relative humidity (RH) testing measures the amount of moisture in a concrete floor. Related to – and often used in conjunction with – the RH level of a slab is the moisture vapor emission rate (MVER), or the rate at which moisture is evaporating from the slab.

There are two recognized methods for measuring the moisture condition of a concrete slab. One test, known as a moisture dome test, measures the surface moisture using calcium chloride, and the other, known as an in-situ relative humidity probe test, measures the moisture condition inside the concrete. In order to form a complete picture of the slab’s moisture content, both measurements are often specified.

Moisture condition testing can be very important on a construction project. Published ASTM standards – and most flooring manufacturers – state that in order for concrete to be considered ready for flooring, the RH of the slab (measured by in-situ probes) and the MVER (measured by moisture domes) must meet certain acceptable levels. Flooring that is placed or installed on a concrete slab that has not cured long enough to allow the proper amount of moisture to evaporate may crack, bubble or warp, which can lead to costly repairs, project delays or, in some cases, litigation.

Because the subsurface conditions in New England often require blasting or hammering for bedrock removal, seismic monitoring services such as pre-blast surveys and vibration monitoring can be helpful for documenting conditions prior to the start of a project.

This test method provides statistical (and graphical) information concerning floor surface profiles using a dipstick auto-read profiler.

This test method covers a quantitative method of measuring floor surface profiles to obtain estimates of the floor’s characteristic FF Flatness and FL Levelness Face Floor Profile Numbers (F-Numbers).

F-number measurements are standardized under ASTM E 1155 “Standard Test Method for Determining FF Floor Flatness and FL Floor Levelness Numbers” and the ACI 302.1R-04 “Guide for Concrete Floor and Slab Construction.”

Core drilling equipment being used on a wall
  • Air Velocity Meter
  • Blast Monitoring Seismograph
  • CBR Field Test Equipment
  • Concrete Moisture Meter, ASTM F 2170
  • Core Drilling Equipment (Concrete/Asphalt)
  • GPS Unit (Handheld)
  • Guelph Permeameter
  • Hand Vane
  • Impact Echo Equipment
  • Mortar Penetration Resistance Apparatus, ASTM C 403/AASHTO T 197
  • Nuclear Densometer, ASTM D 6938
  • Oxygen/Combustible Gases Meter
  • Pull-Off Adhesion Tester
  • Pull-Off Fastener Tester
  • Rebar/Magnetic Locator
  • Relative Humidity Probes, ASTM F 2170
  • Resistivity Test Equipment
  • Saximeter (Pile Driving Monitor)
  • Slope Inclinometer Equipment
  • Thermal Conductivity Testing Unit
  • Thin Lift Gauge
  • Tile Probe
  • Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity Meter
  • Vapor Emission Test Kit, ASTM F 1869
  • Vibratory Wire Pressure Indicator
  • Wenner Probe
  • Windsor Probe

Extensive Experience from Hospitality to Aviation

S.W.COLE’s field and laboratory technicians have extensive experience working on retail, commercial, hospitality, health care, energy and transportation projects, including highway, bridges and aviation projects. They are experienced with protocols for sampling and testing for a wide range of materials.

Our field technicians are required to be certified as an American Concrete Institute (ACI) Level I Concrete Technician and to obtain certification to perform soil tests using a nuclear density gauge. Many of our technicians have certifications through ACI, the Northeast Transportation Technician Certification Program (NETTCP), the Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute (PCI), the American Welding Society (AWS) and the International Code Council (ICC) to perform a variety of testing and inspections of soils, aggregate, concrete, masonry and hot mix asphalt.

Device for locating rebar
List of Lab Tests
Where you can find us
Reach out to us