Services

Our laboratories carry out the following tests in accordance with needs of each project and to the applicable NF, ISO and EN standards and in accordance with the ISRM suggested methods.

Our most common services are listed below.

Identification of soils

Identification tests serve to refine the characterisation of the soils with a precise qualitative and quantitative description (state parameters and nature) and their classification (like the GTR classification for fill and subgrade materials).

Their results allow orders of magnitude to be estimated for the mechanical properties of the soils, and for example to establish the pre-dimensioning of structures in the initial studies.

Determination of water content (NF EN ISO 17892-1 / NF P 94-050 and 064)
Determination of particle size distribution by sieving (NF EN ISO 17892-4)
Determination of particle size distribution by sedimentation (NF EN ISO 17892-4)
Methylene blue value , VBS (NF P 94-068)
Atterberg limits (NF P 94-051 / NF P 94-052-1)
Density of solid particles (NF EN ISO 17892-3 / NF P 94-054)
Shrinkage on undisturbed soil sample (XP P 94-060-2)
Determination of bulk density (NF EN ISO 17892-2 / NF P 94-053)
Determination of minimal and maximal density of cohesionless soils (NF P 94-059)
Determination of carbonate content - Calcimeter method (NF P 94-048)
Electrical resistivity (BS 1377-3)
Thermal conductivity (ASTM D5334)

Tests for road building, earthworks and asphalt

Tests for road building, earthworks

These tests provide information on the conditions of use of fill material – compaction parameters, appropriate treatments (lime and hydraulic binders).

Proctor (NF P 94-093, 078)
IPI, CBR and CBR immersion (NF P 94-093, 078)
Treatability (NF P 94-100)
Compressive strength of hydraulically bound mixtures (NF EN 13286-41)
Indirect tensile strength of hydraulically bound mixtures (NF EN 13286-42)
Determination of the modulus of elasticity of hydraulically bound mixtures (NF EN 13286-43)
Water reactivity test for quicklime (NF P 98-102)
Workability time limit (NF P 98-231-6)
Sand equivalent test (NF EN 933-8)
Methylene blue test MB (0-2 mm) (NF EN 933-9)
Surface cleanliness of aggregates (NF P 18-591)
Geometrical properties of aggregates. Determination of particle size distribution (NF EN 933-1)
Flakiness index (NF EN 933-3)
Sand friability coefficient (NF P 18-576)
Particle density and water absorption (NF EN 1097-6)

Hot mix asphalt

The tests carried out on hot mix asphalts in our laboratories are applicable to production quality control and for checking compliance with the products specifications – softening point and needle penetrability.

Bulk density of bituminous specimens (NF EN 12697-1)
Binder extraction and particle size distribution (Continuous flow centrifuge method) (NF EN 12697-1)
Softening point – Ring and Ball Method (NF EN 1427)
Determination of needle penetration (NF EN 1426)

Mechanical tests on soils

Determining the deformations and displacements of materials subjected to stresses and carrying out mechanical tests provides more detailed information about the behaviour of materials.

Depending on the type of structure and content, it is possible to determine the shearing parameters in one or more planes, vertical settlement, swelling and also the permeability of the materials.

Direct shear test with shearbox apparatus (NF P 94-071-1)
Cyclic shear test with shearbox apparatus (NF P 94-071-2)
Shear strength tests with revolving triaxial test apparatus, UU, CU+u, CD (NF P 94-074)
Uniaxial compressive test on soils (NF P 94-077)
Oedometric compressibility test (NF P 94-090-1)
Oedometric compressibility test with radial drainage (LPC ME 13)
Creep test (LPC ME 13)
Swelling test (NF P 94-091)
Huder-Amberg swelling test
Free or restricted swell test
Permeability tests using an oedometer (10^-7 > kv > 10^-11 m/s) (NF X 30-442)
Permeability test using a CBR mould ( kv > 10^-6 m/s)

Tests on concretes

Compressive strength tests on specimens of concrete are the main way of characterising the quality of the concrete products or base materials and deciding whether or not a standard is met.

Tensile splitting strength on hardened concrete (NF EN 12390-6)
Compression strength of hardened concrete (RMC) (NF EN 12390-3)

Tests on rocks and aggregate

Compressive strength tests on specimens of rocks are used in particular in rock mechanics to study rock structures and for the supply of riprap materials.

The properties of rocks can then be refined by carrying out identification tests.