We specialize in the testing of soils, rock, and engineered construction materials; including aggregate, concrete, and asphalt, for the geotechnical engineering and construction and mining industries. We pride ourselves upon our ability to provide accurate and timely results for our clients. With over 18 years in business, we have the experience that enables us to look at the bigger picture of your project, and help you determine the tests required to provide the most cost effective solution to your project’s testing needs.
 
Qualifications

We are an American Association of the State and Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO), and US Army Corps of Engineers accredited laboratory.  Obtaining and maintaining these accreditations requires us to participate in proficiency sample programs, maintain calibration and training records, and successfully complete inspections from the AASHTO Materials Reference Laboratory (AMRL) and the Cement and Concrete Reference Laboratory (CCRL).  Proficiency demonstration in soils, aggregate, concrete, and asphalt is a required standard of all of our technicians. Currently, all NGE-TFT technicians are Western Alliance for Quality Transportation Construction (WAQTC) and American Concrete Institute (ACI) certified.
 
Testing Solutions

We offer a full range of materials testing solutions, ranging from basic classification analyses (such as material gradations, moisture content determinations, etc.) to more advanced testing services (such as consolidation, thaw consolidation, hydraulic conductivity and triaxial strength testing, etc.). We also have the ability to perform cold regions materials testing, and we maintain a temperature-controlled cold room. A list of the standard tests we perform along with a brief description of the test can be seen by highlighting the links below. However, if you have a unique materials testing problem, we are experts at providing unique, specialized testing solutions to obtain the answer you need. In addition to our Anchorage based laboratory, we have two complete mobile soils testing labs, a mobile asphalt lab (including burn oven) and a concrete break machine, that are ready to ship out at a moment’s notice for your remote project.

Construction Materials Laboratory Test Methods

Soils:
•    Standard Test Methods for Laboratory Determination of Water (Moisture) Content of Soil and Rock by Mass (ASTM D2216)
•    Standard Test Method for Sieve Analysis of Fine and Coarse Aggregates (ASTM C136)
•    Standard Test Methods for Particle-Size Distribution (Gradation) of Soils Using Sieve Analysis (ASTM D6913)
•    Standard Test Method for Particle-Size Analysis of Soils (ASTM D422)
•    Standard Test Methods for Determining the Amount of Material Finer than 75-μm (No. 200) Sieve in Soils by Washing (ASTM D1140)
•    Standard Test Methods for Frost Heave and Thaw Weakening Susceptibility of Soils (ASTM D5918)
•    Standard Test Methods for Specific Gravity of Soil Solids by Water Pycnometer (ASTM D854)
•    Standard Test Methods for Liquid Limit, Plastic Limit, and Plasticity Index of Soils (ASTM D4318)
•    Standard Specification for Topsoil Used for Landscaping Purposes (ASTM D5268)
•    Standard Test Methods for Moisture, Ash, and Organic Matter of Peat and Other Organic Soils (ASTM D2974)
•    Standard Test Method for Permeability of Granular Soils (Constant Head) (ASTM D2434)
•    Standard Test Methods for Laboratory Determination of Density (Unit Weight) of Soil Specimens (ASTM D7263)\
•    Standard Test Methods for Laboratory Compaction Characteristics of Soil Using Standard Effort (ASTM D698)
•    Standard Test Methods for Laboratory Compaction Characteristics of Soil Using Modified Effort (ASTM D1557)

Aggregate and Rock:
•    Standard Test Method for Soundness of Aggregates by Use of Sodium Sulfate or Magnesium Sulfate (ASTM C88)
•    Aggregate Durability (Degradation) Index (AASHTO T210/ATM T313)
•    Standard Test Method for Relative Density (Specific Gravity) and Absorption of Coarse Aggregate (ASTM C127)
•    Standard Test Method for Relative Density (Specific Gravity) and Absorption of Fine Aggregate (ASTM C128)
•    Standard Test Method for Bulk Density (Unit Weight) and Voids in Aggregate (ASTM C29)
•    Standard Test Method for Determining the Percentage of Fractured Particles in Coarse Aggregate (ASTM D5821)
•    Standard Test Method for Flat Particles, Elongated Particles, or Flat and Elongated Particles in Coarse Aggregate (ASTM D4791)
•    Standard Test Method for Resistance to Degradation of Small-Size Coarse Aggregate by Abrasion and Impact in the Los Angeles Machine (ASTM C131)
•    Standard Test Method for Resistance to Degradation of Large-Size Coarse Aggregate by Abrasion and Impact in the Los Angeles Machine (ASTM C535)
•    Plastic Fines in Graded Aggregates and Soils by Use of the Sand Equivalent Test (AASHTO T176)
•    Standard Guide for Petrographic Examination of Aggregates for Concrete (ASTM C295)
•    Standard Test Method for Evaluation of Durability of Rock for Erosion Control Under Freezing and Thawing Conditions (ASTM D5312)
•    Standard Test Method for Evaluation of Durability of Rock for Erosion Control Under Wetting and Drying Conditions (ASTM D5313)
•    Standard Practice for Evaluation of Rock to be Used for Erosion Control (ASTM D4992)
•    Method Of Testing Stone for Expansive Breakdown on Soaking in Ethylene Glycol (COE CRD-C 148)
•    Standard Test Method for Splitting Tensile Strength of Intact Rock Core Specimens (Brazilian Test) (ASTM D3967)
•    Standard Test Methods for Compressive Strength and Elastic Moduli of Intact Rock Core Specimens under Varying States of Stress and Temperatures (ASTM D7012)

Concrete and Masonry:
•    Standard Practice for Capping Cylindrical Concrete Specimens (ASTM C617)
•    Standard Practice for Use of Unbonded Caps in Determination of Compressive Strength of Hardened Concrete Cylinders(ASTM C1231)
•    Standard Test Method for Compressive Strength of Cylindrical Concrete Specimens (ASTM C39)
•    Standard Test Method for Flexural Strength of Concrete (Using Simple Beam with Third-Point Loading) (ASTM C78)

Asphalt:
•    Standard Practice for Preparation of Bituminous Specimens Using Marshall Apparatus (ASTM D6926)
•    Standard Test Method for Bulk Specific Gravity and Density of Non-Absorptive Compacted Bituminous Mixtures (ASTM D2726)
•    Standard Test Method for Asphalt Content of Hot-Mix Asphalt by Ignition Method /ASTM D6307)
•    Standard Test Method for Mechanical Size Analysis of Extracted Aggregate (ASTM D5444)
•    Standard Test Method for Theoretical Maximum Specific Gravity and Density of Bituminous Paving Mixtures (ASTM D2041/AASHTO T209)

Specialized Geotechnical Laboratory Testing:
•    Standard Test Methods for Measurement of Hydraulic Conductivity of Saturated Porous Materials Using a Flexible Wall Permeameter (ASTM D5084)
•    Standard Test Methods for One-Dimensional Consolidation Properties of Soils Using Incremental Loading (ASTM D2435)
•    Standard Test Method for Unconsolidated-Undrained Triaxial Compression Test on Cohesive Soils (ASTM D2850)
•    Standard Test Method for Consolidated Undrained Triaxial Compression Test for Cohesive Soils D4767
•    Method for Consolidated Drained Triaxial Compression Test for Soils (D7181)
•    Standard Test Method for Unconfined Compressive Strength of Cohesive Soil (D2166)
•    Standard Test Method for Field Measurement of Soil Resistivity Using the Wenner Four-Electrode Method (ASTM G57)
•    Total Dissolved Solids (Salinity) (Electrical conductivity method)
•    Standard Test Method for Measuring pH of Soil for Use in Corrosion Testing (ASTM G51)

Other Laboratory Services:
•   Concrete and Asphalt Mix Design
•   Low-Temperature Testing and Storage
•   Mobile Laboratories