Introduction

Construction Materials Testing is an essential step before using resources for construction purposes to check their quality and properties. Here are the different types of Construction Materials testing.

Construction Materials Testing (CMT) involves the essential examination of all structural materials that go into the construction of a project. The industry majors or materials suppliers will not only have to make sure that their products weather certain conditions but also comply with ever-complex national and international building standards and regulations. If inferior materials are used in construction, that will result in an inordinate delay of the projects, besides compromising on the quality, which will result in liability risks and impact the properties' longevity.

Makers of materials and semi-finished products are liable for maintaining the quality and performance of their products. Construction Materials Testing and certification assures the manufacturers, property owners, and developers that the construction materials used in the construction projects meet these safety and environmental sustainability requirements.

Benefits

Construction Materials Testing can benefit the real estate business in many ways. Let's learn the tangible benefits accruing out from carrying out CMT. In the first place, Construction Materials Testing protects the brand image of the suppliers. With materials testing and certification, the manufacturer ensures that the test reduces the probability of costly and image-tarnishing product recalls. Secondly, it accelerates time to market by meeting globally recognized regulatory requirements and standards.

The test also minimizes the risk of regulatory non-compliance and legal liabilities with independent and impartial testing services. Also, the manufacturer of these materials gains a competitive edge for having an independent third-party certification that improves the quality of the materials and safety and accelerates buyer confidence in these products and brands.

There are test labs that support the manufacturers by conducting elaborate testing and certification of materials and semi-finished products such as ready-mixed concrete (RMC), cement, stone, sand, rebar, glazing, insulation materials, timber products, road products, waterproofing membranes, and sealants and building facades.

Construction material testing is done for physical and chemical damage checking and quantity verification and is conducted to ensure quality and ensure that the materials comply with the specifications. It is also essential to comply with legislative requirements such as building regulations.

Suppliers ensure that the materials are tested to meet the standards and recommendations and use a third-party accreditation to prove it. Hence, the usual tests carried out at the site include quantity against the cost/order as per the delivery note and a visual inspection to ensure there are no damaged pieces.

Testing  methods

For example, take the case of bricks. There are several ways to test bricks, and it includes compressive strength test, water absorption test, Efflorescence test, Hardness test, Soundness test, and Structure test. Let's see how bricks are tested. 

Compressive strength test

A brick is kept on a compression testing machine, and pressure is applied. The ultimate pressure level is noted. Often, five bricks are tested at a time, and the average ultimate pressure level is noted as the compressive strength of the bricks.

Water absorption test

Ideally, the water absorption of bricks should not go above 20%. For this test, bricks are weighed in dry condition and then immersed in water for 24 hours. It's weighed again, and the weight is recorded. The difference between both weights is the amount of water absorbed by the bricks.

Efflorescence test

Often, a salty deposit can be seen on the surface of the bricks. The alkalis cause efflorescence, and to observe the same, the brick is immersed in water for 24 hours and allowed to dry. If the whitish layer is not there, it shows that there are no alkalis on the brick.

The permissible range of alkalis in bricks are

• About 10% of brick surface: Acceptable range.
• About 50% of brick surface: Moderate range.
• Over 50% of brick surface: Severely affected by alkalis.

Size, shape, and color test

To test the size, shape, and color, 20 bricks are stacked lengthwise, width-wise and height-wise. They are checked for consistency of shape, size, and color.

Hardness test

To test the hardness, the brick's surface is scratched. If no dint is left, it is considered good quality.

Soundness test

When two bricks are held in each hand and struck together, they should not break, instead should give a metallic ringing sound if it is of quality.

Structure test

A brick is broken and cautiously examined. If there are no flows, cracks, or holes on the broken face, it is considered good quality.

Services

Some firms offer testing and inspection, product certification, failure analysis, quality assurance, and construction monitoring safety and sustainability advisory and training.

In testing and inspection, experts from the testing lab will help the manufacturers ensure that the materials and products they use to meet the stringent quality requirements. They also carry out mechanical and chemical tests on-site or in their full-scale testing laboratories. Their tests include evaluation of material selection, raw materials analyses, damage analyses and assessments, non-destructive testing (NDT), warranty testing for material lifespan, mechanical testing, material characterisation, curtain wall performance and skylight testing, acoustics testing, fire testing, green/ecological product testing, pipe testing, ready mixed concrete (RMC) inspection, and civil engineering related material tests, among others.