Concrete is the composite mixture comprising of sand, fine & course aggregates, cement , water and sometimes admixtures. It is an integral part of building materials testing in civil & construction Industry. The quality of concrete is the most critical to ensure the  design and construction of the structures are robust and have a big span life. Consequently, the testing of fresh, hardened and in-situ concrete for both field and laboratory testing is mandatory to ensure that concrete structures comply with specifications and relevant standards of BS, EN, ASTM & AASHTO.

The quality of cement is vital for the production of good concrete, so the manufacture of cement requires stringent control. A number of tests are performed in the cement plant laboratory to ensure that it is of the desired quality and conforms to the requirements of the relevant national standards. The following are the most important tests conducted on cement, lime, plaster and mortar.

Since approximately three quarters of the volume of concrete is occupied by aggregates, it isn’t surprising that its quality is of prime importance. Not only may the aggregate limit the strength of concrete, but the aggregate properties also greatly affect the durability and structural performance of concrete.

Aggregate is relatively inexpensive, does not enter into complex chemical reactions with water, and has been customarily treated as an inert filler material. However, with the increasing awareness of the role played by aggregate, this concept is being challenged

Asphalt is a composite construction material used in roads and pavements. Asphalt contains bitumen which acts as a binder for mineral aggregates such as sand and rocks. The quality of asphalt is critical for the protection and safety of road/pavement users and to ensure its effective utilisation in various infrastructures. Tinius Olsen manufactures a comprehensive range of field and laboratory asphalt testing equipment to ensure compliance with specifications and relevant standards of BS, EN, ASTM & AASHTO.

The time and effort required to prepare specimens for compaction studies can be costly and time consuming. The Tinius Olsen Compactor automatically compacts soil specimens, eliminating the effort of hand compaction. The height and weight of the hammer is adjustable to suit test requirements. An automatic blow pattern ensures optimum compaction for each layer of soil. The hammer itself travels across the mold and the table rotates the mold in equal steps on a base that is extremely stable. The number of blows per layer can be set at the beginning of the test by means of the simple digital counter system.