Construction Materials Testing (CMT) Services

Concrete Inspection & Testing

IDE provides a full range of concrete material testing and field inspection services, beginning with sampling and testing of concrete mix materials and design of concrete mixes for specific project applications. IDE engineers are experienced in the design of specialty concrete mixes such as lightweight, silica fume, and shrinkage compensating cement, high strength (13,000 psi) concrete mix design and evaluation through laboratory and field trial batching.

IDE technicians provide quality control, sampling and testing of plastic concrete during placement operations, as per ASTM C 31, and ACI 318, ACI 302. We can monitor specific items such as time from batching to discharge and general batch placement locations, as well as the slump, air content, temperature, and unit weight of concrete. Tracking of this information is critical in the event that strength problems arise. Compressive and flexural strength test results can be reported electronically to the client and any others who require the data through IDE’s project web pages.

IDE maintains laboratory curing facilities and compression testing equipment for compressive and flexural testing of concrete cylinders, beams, and cores specimens. Compression testing is carried out in accordance with ASTM standards. Testing equipment is calibrated on an annual basis.

IDE also provides evaluation and consultation services in connection with hardened concrete. Where strength problems arise or may be anticipated, non-destructive test methods such as the impact/rebound hammer can be used. The senior technician will be able to evaluate compressive strengths and to determine locations for potential “destructive” testing such as per ACI 318. Where durability is in question, IDE offers petrographic evaluation of recovered samples of the hardened concrete in accordance with ASTM C 295 Petrographic Examination of Aggregates for Concrete, ASTM C 457 Microscopical Determination of Parameters of the Air-Void System in Hardened Concrete, ASTM C 823 Examination and Sampling of Hardened Concrete in Constructions, and ASTM C 856 Petrographic Examination of Hardened Concrete.

Steel Inspection & Testing

IDE’s senior engineering technicians provide monitoring and inspection services for reinforcing steel placement and anchorage and for concrete formwork prior to concrete placement. The inspections will check bar size, location, clearances, and splice lengths, and will document that the steel is properly tied per project requirements. Formwork plumbness and support are checked for compliance with specifications.

Structural steel erection monitoring involves verification of member size and dimension and checking of mill documentation at the project site. Technicians verify bolt installation and bolt tension in connections, and visually check field welds for size, length and quality. When required, fabricating shop inspections and other testing for items such as sprayed-on fireproofing and metal roof deck installations are provided.

IDE’s senior personnel also monitor post-tensioning operations, including cable alignment and positioning and post-tension load application, and elongation measurements as well as providing documentation of the operations to clients.

Asphalt Inspection & Testing

IDE’s technical staff provides constituent material evaluation and testing and bituminous concrete mix design services in the laboratory. During field placement operations, material properties, temperatures, thickness, and densities are monitored, and samples of the asphalt mixes are recovered for laboratory evaluation. Laboratory evaluations include quantitative extraction testing to determine bitumen content and aggregate gradations, Marshall stability and flow testing, as well as bulk specific gravity and density determinations.

Special Testing and Special Inspections

IDE’s senior engineering technicians provide monitoring and inspection services for the all-important “special inspections” required by the Ohio Building Code. Section 1704.3.1, such as:

• Material verification of high-strength bolts, nuts and washers.
• Inspection of high-strength bolting, bearing-type connections and slip-critical connections.
• Visual Inspection of welding
• Masonry Inspections for verification of the mortar preparation, and testing of cubes as well as prisms.
• Inspection and verification of reinforcement located in masonry block walls with stateof-the-art-equipment and interfacing with modern technologies.
• Section 1704.11 calls for the testing of sprayed fire-resistant material.

Reinforcing steel placement and anchorage for concrete formwork is checked prior to concrete placement as desired. The inspectors will check bar size, location, clearances, and splice lengths, and will inspect and document the steel. If any deviation from the plans or project requirements is noted, the descrepancy will be reported to the Project Superintendent and properly documented per project requirements. Formwork plumbness and support can also be checked for compliance with specifications.

Structural steel erection monitoring involves verification of member size and dimension and checking of mill documentation at the project site. Technicians can verify bolt installation and bolt tension in connections, and visually check field welds for size, length and quality. When required, fabricating shop inspections and other testing for items such as sprayed-on fireproofing and metal roof deck installations are provided. IDE’s senior personnel also monitor post-tensioning operations, including cable alignment and positioning and post-tension load application, and provide documentation of the operations to the client.