Gilson Insights

The two most popular types of end treatment for cylindrical concrete specimens are sulfur mortar capping and neoprene compression pads. Both have their advantages. Neoprene pads are convenient and reusable many times over. Sulfur mortar is economical when testing large numbers of cylinders, and is often the preferred end treatment for cylinders because of its long history of use. Reliable strength results and consistent display of fracture patterns are predictable and well understood. In this article, we go over the equipment and techniques used for sulfur mortar capping.

Test methods for dry granular materials must be built around the flowability of the material. No sampling, sizing, or handling method can be performed accurately or efficiently if it does not work in harmony with the material's flow properties.

Unconfined compressive strength is a standard geotechnical test performed on cohesive soil samples in construction materials testing laboratories. Straightforward sample preparation and a rapid, uncomplicated procedure makes unconfined compression tests cost-effective when fundamental strength values are adequate for design.

The list of essential ingredients for hot mix asphalt is exceedingly short for a composite material with such complex characteristics: asphaltic cement and mineral aggregates. Modern, flexible pavements with different mix designs are simply variations in the properties and ratios of the essential ingredients and adjustments to temperatures, handling, and placement methods. This article is an overview of past and present asphalt mix design methods and equipment, including Hveem, Marshall, Superpave, and Balanced Mix Design (BMD).

Every stage of sampling, dividing, and testing granular material is affected by its flow properties. Understanding a particular material and the unique factors that impact its flowability increases the efficiency and accuracy of your laboratory testing and can even help control your budget. In this article, we discuss what equipment is best suited for your testing application.

Particle sizing with test sieves is a hands-on process with many small, repetitive tasks that must be carried out properly. Selecting the right accessories for each job and using them correctly makes the work faster and easier, but it also significantly affects testing efficiency, accuracy, and repeatability. This article closely examines the tools that optimize test sieving procedures and ensure your sieves meet the requirements of standard test methods.

Construction aggregates are traditionally mined or extracted from natural sand and gravel deposits or geological rock formations, then further crushed and sorted into size fractions for blending. In this blog article, we discuss the tests and equipment to determine the characterization of aggregate shape properties for roads and structures.

Although Alkali-Silica Reactivity (ASR) has created problems in concrete mixtures for centuries, the mechanism was not understood and documented until the mid-1930s. ASR is now recognized as a significant cause of concrete deterioration anywhere in the world where siliceous aggregates are found. In this blog article, we discuss what ASR is, the effect it has on concrete, prevention, and the equipment to use for testing.

Soil is a natural material and is sometimes employed as a construction material without modification. It is crucial to understand how it performs in its original (in-situ) environment. For this article, we will examine various field tests of soil and the equipment required to perform them.

Some test methods must be performed on the spot to ensure that the best products are being produced or placed following specified procedures. Portable weighing devices are especially important to operate accurately and conveniently in remote locations. In this blog post, we’ll discuss what to look for when choosing one.