Soils + Materials Testing Laboratory

EDP Consultants' soil and construction materials testing laboratory is equipped to perform soil tests ranging from index properties tests to triaxial shear strength tests. We are one of the few commercial soils laboratories in the US to have a Bromhead ring shear device to properly determine the residual shear strength of clays. These tests are vital to the proper evaluation of slope stability.

Our construction materials laboratory is equipped to perform concrete, masonry, aggregate and asphalt tests. Materials research programs are designed to meet the client's particular project needs. Recent studies have investigated the properties of soil-flyash-lime blends, Calciment soil stabilization and the effects of Calciment blending on the permeability and plasticity of soils, stabilization of expansive clays and shale, construction uses of foundry sand, and the engineering properties of construction debris. We also perform specially designed forensic and structural tests.

Laboratory Testing Services:
Index properties of soils
Direct shear and triaxial compression testing
Bromhead ring shear
Consolidation & shrink-swell characteristics
Falling & constant head permeability
Proctor, relative density & CBR
Aggregate testing
Sodium soundness
Concrete, mortar & asphalt testing
Rock core compression
Resistivity of soils
Asphalt & concrete mix designs
Drilling Services

The first and one of the most important activities in any geotechnical or environmental study is the site characterization through a properly designed drilling and sampling program. EDP Consultants provides the drilling services needed for the successful completion of your geotechnical and environmental projects. Having an in-house staff for drilling services allows EDP Consultants to maintain control over the quality of the work and reduces coordination problems and confusion when it comes to utility checks, planning the boring program, locating the borings in the field, arranging for site access, and verifying that materials are available when and where needed. This also saves money because there is no markup of subcontracted drilling services. All EDP drilling personnel have received OSHA health & safety training with regular reviews and are included in a medical monitoring program.

Exploration Services:
Hollow stem, flight auger and mud rotary drilling
SPT, CPT, BST testing
Undisturbed samples
NX rock coring
Asphalt & concrete coring
Plate load and field CBR tests
Slope inclinometer tubes
Piezometers and pore pressure transducers
Groundwater monitoring wells
Truck, skid, and ATV (track) drill rigs
Low clearance, compact, and portable drilling equipment
Monitor well and instrumentation materials are in stock
Geophysical Imaging

Ground penetrating radar is a non destructive method for locating buried obstructions and objects hidden in walls or beneath floor slabs. The effective depth of imaging is a function of the dielectric properties of the medium being penetrated. EDP Consultants' skilled GPR operators have used ground radar to quickly and accurately locate buried tanks and drums, underground utilities, voids beneath pavements and floor slabs, concrete reinforcement, and conduits in walls. The magnetic locator may be used alone to locate buried metal tanks, drums and other objects, or is used in conjunction with ground radar to supplement its imaging capabilities. EDP Consultants can evaluate whether these geophysical methods are suited to your particular project needs.