Material Testing

Testing of soil and rock to assess nature and properties of relevant ground strata.

The key purpose of geotechnical and geological investigations is to facilitate the development of a reliable ground model.  In order to adequately support a project’s risk management and design process the ground model must provide details of the anticipated 3D distribution of ground strata.  The model must include details of the nature of soil and rock types and how they can be expected to respond to changes in stress, strain and/or groundwater conditions. 

A key and fundamental aspect of any geotechnical investigation is the execution of material testing of representative samples of the soil and rock materials that will influence the project design, construction and performance.  These material testing processes include insitu heep testing to assess properties such as strength, density, permeability and discontinuities.  Samples obtained from mapping, test pits and boreholes are typically subjected to sophisticated testing in specialist soil and rock laboratories.  These tests will provide specific measurements of strength, density, permeability and discontinuities and can be extended to include Atterberg Limits, moisture content, particle size grading, compaction characteristics, chemical composition and organic content.

Assessment of the range of field and laboratory tests enables experienced geotechnical engineers and geologist to ensure reliable and appropriate description and logging of the soil strata as well as evaluation of relevant properties and design parameters. 

CWM has significant experience in the selection, specification, commissioning and assessment of a wide range of soil and rock material testing procedures.  This capability enables us to efficiently and effectively produce reliable and realistic ground models that help project teams identify and resolve project geotechnical risks.