MATERIALS LABORATORY

The year 2007 saw the amalgamation of Grenada Bureau of Standards with the Materials Laboratory of the Ministry of Works. Since then the Bureau’s Laboratory has continued its monitoring programmes in accordance to the following national standards:

• GDS 63: Pt. 2: 2002 - Specification for Ready-Mix Concrete
• GDS 50:1999 - Specification for Portland Cement
• GDS 6: 1992 - Specification for Hollow Concrete Blocks

GDBS Materials Laboratory offer the following services:

• Testing of Soil
• Testing of Concrete Block 
• Testing of Asphalt 
• Testing of Aggregates
• Testing of Ready-Mix Concrete & Cement
• Geotechnical Investigation

Testing of Soil

• Moisture Content  
• Atterberg Limit 
• Linear Shrinkage 
• Specific Gravity 
• Unit Weight (Wet Density) 
• Grain Size Distribution (Wet and Dry Sieve) 
• California Bearing Ratio (Soil Strength) 
• Compaction Test (Standard and Modified Proctor)   

Testing of Concrete Blocks  

•   Compressive Strength 
• Dimension  
• Density  
• Shrinkage    

Testing of Asphalt  

• Bitumen Content (on Hot Mix Samples)  
• Core Density (to check thickness of pavement)  
• Maximum Theoretical Specific Gravity (to check air void on hot mix)  
• Penetration Test (on Raw Bitumen used for Making Mix) 
• Marshall Stability and Flow Test (to determine the strength of the asphalt)   

Testing of Aggregates  

• Specific Gravity  
• Sand Equivalent  
• Bulk Density  
• Density
• Aggregate Impact Value
• Flakiness Index
• Elongation Index
• Aggregate Crushing Value
• Soundness
• Los Angeles Abrasion (to check the hardness of the aggregates)

Testing of Ready-Mix Concrete

• Compressive strength 
• Volume 
• Meter Gauge Calibration 

Testing of Cement 

• Setting Time 
• Compressive Strength 
• Fineness 

Geotechnical Investigation  

• Insitu Density  
• Permeability  
• Compressive Strength  
• Soil Resistance  
• Shear Vane  
• Percolation  
• Load Bearing Capacity  
• Consolidation  
• Unconfirmed Compressive Strength