Search
Filters
Close
RSS

Gilson Insights

Have questions about your materials testing equipment?  We have the answers to these questions and much more right here! Check back monthly for long-form blog posts, how-to guides and infographics. We’ll address industry insights, the operation and maintenance of specific equipment, and our product line recommendations, all designed to better serve you.

Bookmark this page, add it to your RSS reader, or subscribe to our newsletter, so you never miss a hot topic.

How To Set Up A Field Lab For Construction Materials Testing: The Essentials

In this blog, it will discuss setting up and furnishing temporary field-testing labs with essential laboratory equipment. Field labs are generally limited to a few particular tests, but no matter the material, most require the same essentials to measure properties like size, weight, and moisture.

Concrete Crack Measurement Techniques and Equipment to Use

Cracks in concrete are so common that they're practically inevitable. The good news is, not all of them are bad. The bad news is, sometimes it's hard to tell the difference. In this blog post, we will discuss how best to measure and monitor cracks and select the best equipment for the job.

Cement Testing Resource Guide: Methods & Equipment

"…[Hydraulic] cement can't be characterized as just one material."

In this blog, we discuss what specifications define hydraulic cement and their use, as well as test methods and which testing equipment to use for your test application.

Air Meter Calibration: A Step-By-Step Guide

In this blog, concrete air meter calibration will be broken down into everyday language in such a way where the practice won't be tough to carry out and won't take long either.

Concrete Air Testing: Why, When, & How: An In-Depth Look

Testing for air content is always recommended to profile characteristics of the admixtures in concrete. In this blog, we discuss what, why, and how to perform such test methods for concrete air testing.

Tyler Ley, Inventor of the Super Air Meter: The Interview

He's the professor who's passionate about concrete! In this exclusive Gilson interview, Dr. Tyler Ley discusses some of the history of concrete testing, his incredibly entertaining and informative videos on YouTube, and how he invented one of the industry's most innovative tools - the Super Air Meter!

Fineness Modulus of Aggregate

When designing concrete mixes, fineness modulus of the fine aggregate alone is required for effective proportioning of mixes. This blog post explores the process of determining and calculating fineness modulus, and how to accordingly select proportions of coarse aggregate.

The Gray Pages: ASTM’s How-To for Concrete and Aggregates Testing

The Gray Pages: the how and why of test methods and a guide to performing concrete and aggregate tests efficiently while complying with requirements within the standards.

Construction Materials Testing Certifications: an Overall Compilation
 Overall Certification Compilation

Over the past several months, we have explored various materials testing technician certifications and what it takes to achieve them. This final summary blog in the series includes what’s new, schedules for 2018 programs and testing, and a downloadable PDF Resource List. As any additional information becomes available, we will update the blog series accordingly.

The Road to Earning a Technical Certification in Concrete
Concrete Technical Certification

This is the second in Gilson’s series on preparing for construction materials testing certification of technicians working in concrete, asphalt, aggregates, and soils/geotechnical fields. This blog post provides information and resources specifically related to some of the different concrete technician designations.