Materials Testing for Road Construction Project

The UK has 262300 miles of paved road network. With the increased demand for housing and road infrastructure, the importance of materials testing for road construction is paramount to ensure safety and compliance at every stage. Kiwa CMT partnered a major road construction company throughout their project lifecycle. Partnering with Kiwa allowed our client to obtain a reliable, independent transition throughout the road construction project. Our experienced team, and our independent reporting gave our client confidence that the results of our tests were accurate. Our Kiwa Base Plate System allowed our technicians to record data while on site, with the client receiving their report the same day. At the Subgrade stage, we carried out CBR testing and soil classification to confirm conformance to standards. At the Capping layer and Subbase layer stages, our technicians carried out Plate Testing for CBR and Aggregate Compliance Testing – both of which are taken at site and tested further in Kiwa laboratories. At the Bituminous Base and Binder Course, our technicians conducted Nuclear Density Testing, Binder Content and Grading for Conformity. Diamond drilling of core samples for thickness, density, and air voids was undertaken. We then took Texture Depth, Binder Content and Grading again at the Bituminous surface course. The complete involvement of Kiwa from the beginning allows for a consistent flow of communication with the client, avoiding delays in both testing and reporting. With the increased use of recycled materials, it is particularly important to ensure that materials are compliant and appropriate. We tested materials to ensure they did not contain non-conforming particulates, such as asbestos, and an unacceptable proportion of foreign objects. As part of the road’s aftercare and ongoing maintenance, a long-term agreement is in place with the client to use the Kiwa TSD (Traffic Speed Deflectometer) to monitor the health of the roadway.