Materials Research & Testing
Comprehensive Pavement Testing Service
Highway Testing (HT) Laboratory is a division of PMS Pavement Management Services Ltd. Originally based on the University of Galway campus, HT has now expanded to larger premises in Athenry, Co. Galway.
HT offers a full suite of laboratory material testing services for granular, bituminous, and cementitious materials. We work with local authorities, material suppliers, and contractors to ensure top-quality results. Our on-site testing programs for pavement materials include QA/QC services for prominent clients such as Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) and specialised surfacing contractors.
Unbound Granular Materials
Unbound granular materials are crucial in road construction for capping layers, sub-bases, and roadbases. Their grading, determined through wet sieve analysis, must meet specified standards. Key factors for performance include plasticity, mechanical strength, moisture content, and density. Highway Testing Laboratory Ltd. offers comprehensive sampling, testing, and certification services for these materials, including grading, moisture content, specific gravity, and density tests, ensuring compliance with relevant standards like B.S. 1377 and B.S. 812.
Hot Bituminous Materials
Hot-mix bituminous materials, like coated macadams and hot rolled asphalt, are essential for roadbase, basecourse, and wearing course construction. New mixes, such as porous asphalt and stone mastic asphalt, have also been introduced. Regular testing of binder content and aggregate grading is crucial for compliance, with a sampling rate of 1 sample per 100 tonnes. Highway Testing Laboratory Ltd. designs, tests, and certifies these materials, ensuring quality through various tests like binder drainage, PRD, and moisture sensitivity tests.
Aggregates
Aggregates used in construction must be clean, hard, and well-shaped. Their physical, mechanical, and chemical properties are regularly tested. Physical tests include grading, dust content, and flakiness index, with sampling recommended every 200 tonnes. Mechanical properties like resistance to crushing and polishing are assessed via ACV, AAV, and PSV tests, certified twice yearly. Highway Testing Laboratory Ltd. offers comprehensive testing for aggregates used in surface dressing and concrete, including grading, ACV, LAAV, and chemical composition, ensuring compliance with B.S. 812 and I.S. 5 standards.
Recycled Asphalt Products
Recycled Asphalt Products, like grave emulsion and stabilised wet-mix macadam, are produced using granular materials, water, and bitumen emulsion. The unbound granular material is tested for grading, strength, and plasticity (1 sample per 500 tonnes). Highway Testing Laboratory Ltd. provides testing and certification services for Recycled Asphalt Products, including grading, binder content, methylene blue, and Duriez testing, ensuring compliance with B.S. 812 and other relevant standards.