CEEX - 4th Module

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Qualitative increase of laboratory testing in the field of geotechnical engineering by infrastructure enhancement according to European norms
Excellence Research Programme - 4th Module "Infrastructure development for conformity evaluation and certification"
 

General information of the project:

  • Project number: 2588
  • Project title: "Qualitative increase of laboratory testing in the field of geotechnical engineering by infrastructure enhancement according to European norms"
  • Contractor Authority : Romanian Accreditation Association - RENAR
  • Contractor : NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR BUILDING RESEARCH - INCERC
  • Project Manager: Dr. Ing. Cornelia Dobrescu
  • Contract period: 2006 - 2008 (1 year & 6 month)

Project aims:

  • Infrastructure enhancement of the laboratory, which has over 30 years of tradition in Geotechnical field and qualitative increase of laboratory testing by means of procurement of High Technology equipments and apparatuses according to the quality level required by the European Union;

  • Expanding of the testing area and increase of concurrency by means of enhancing of the services offered by the Laboratory of Research and Testing for Geotechnical and Foundations Engineering for Constructions;

  • Accreditation by RENAR of the testing procedures package;

Project Stages:

  • Stage I: Enhancing of the infrastructure of the testing laboratory - procurement of the equipments, and setting up the devices, training of the laboratory personnel;
  • Stage II: Elaboration of documentation regarding Quality Management (testing procedures, maintenance, inter-laboratory testing)
  • Stage III: Performing of laboratory testing in correlations with European norms in this field, deploying documentation for accreditation of the testing procedures.
  • Stage IV: Accreditation of the testing procedures package and dissemination of results
     

PROJECT STAGE I

 Planned objective: Elaboration of the research report, acquisition of the laboratory equipments and devices

 Obtained results:

  • Enhancement of the infrastructure of the laboratory and of the offered services for achievement of the quality level requested by the European norms in all activities regarding soil testing in Geotechnical and Foundation Engineering;

  • Documentary report (study) regarding methods and equipments used in laboratory testing in Geotechnical and Foundation Engineering field.

Technical, economical and social indexes:

  • Testing range extension  according to quality level requested by the European norms and furthermore laboratory testing accreditation;

  • Testing methods automation by means of computer driven devices with the capability of immediate data processing;

  • Increasing of the measuring precision of monitored parameters in specific laboratory testing and reading errors elimination due to human factor;

  • Decreasing of measurement uncertainty correlated to laboratory testing;

  • Building of opportunities for the pursuit of market efficiency, with results in quality assurance;

  • Building of opportunities for general improvements;

  • Building of a well-known and efficient laboratory at national and international level;

  • Increasing of the number of economic clients who will benefit from the testing activity results.

Testing Equipments acquired in order to determine the geotechnical parameters

MOTOR OPERATED CASAGRANDE APPARATUS

Technical data:

- Base for Casagrande Cup;

- Adjustable crank;

- Mechanical blow counter;

- Motor operated;

- Accessories (10 flexible spatula)

Determination of plastic limits according to STAS 1913/4-76

 
MOTORISED SIEVES  AND PERFORATED METAL PLATE SHAKER

Technical data:

- 200 mm diameter sieves and 50 mm height according to STAS 1077-67;

- Perforated metal plate set (plus pan and cover), with 5 mm, 10 mm, 20 mm and 25 mm diameter;

- 200 mm diameter and 50 mm height collector;

- Fast clamping;

- Measurement range: 50 µm ÷ 25 mm;

- Motorised sive shaker.

Particle size analysis by sample grading method according to STAS 1913/5-74

 

EXTRUDING SOIL SAMPLES

Technical data:

- Motorised hydraulic action;

- Soil samples from 38 ¸160 mm diameter;

- Maximum load: 60 KN

 

OEDOMETER

Technical data:

- 3 consolidation cells with 60 mm diameter;

- Rigid aluminium alloy frame;

- Slotted steel weights sets including 2x0,25 kg, 1x0,50 kg, 1x1,00 kg, 1x2,00 kg, 1x4,00 kg, 7x8 kg, with a total of 64 kg;

- Accessories for calibration and transducers;

-Connection to the data acquisition and processing system using the special program;

- Connection to other testing apparatus.

Soils compressibility determination by oedometer testing according to STAS 8942/1-89

CBR LABORATORY APPARATUS

Technical data:

- CBR loading press, 50 KN capacity, testing speed 1,30 mm/min;

- CBR penetration piston with 19.35 cm2 max.area, 19,1 cm max.length, 3.6 kg weight;

- Connection to the data acquisition and processing system using the special program;

- Connection to other testing apparatus.

Determination of Californian Bearing Ratio according to IM 003 - 96

 

 

AUTOMATIC DIGITAL DIRECT SHEAR MACHINE

Technical data:

-    Load cell 5 KN capacity;

-    Shear box assembly 60x60 mm square (with accessories: porous plates and perforated grids) ;

-    6 cm2 extraction device;

-    Variable speed from 0,00001 and 11,0000 mm/min; 

-    Vertical load air pressure transducer;

-    Digital display;

-  Connection to the data acquisition and processing system using the special program;

-  Connection to other testing apparatus.

Determination of soil strength by direct shearing according to STAS 8942/2-82
 

AUTOMATIC DATA ACQUISITION AND PROCCESING SYSTEM- DATALOG - 8

Technical data:

- Allows the connection of 2 to 4 DATALOG - 8 systems (oedometer - CBR - direct shear - triaxial machine)

- Easy calculation of test parameters;

- Independent access to recorded data from the different type of tests in progress at the same time;

- Diagrams in real time of tests in progress;

- Display and printout of test data and graphs;

- Transducers calibration by software by polynomial equations;

- Export of recorded data in ASCII code for further analysis;

- Customized printout of test reports by a proper dedicated graphical editor.

- Protection key installed in the parallel port of PC.

 
   

AUTOMATIC PROCTOR APPARATUS

Technical data:

- Proctor rammers (low energy: 2,5 kg and medium energy: 4,5 kg);

- Height of rammer fall: 300 ÷ 457 mm;

- Standard Proctor mould: Ø100 ±1 mm ;

- Modified Proctor mould: Ø150±1 mm;

- Height of standard Proctor mould body: h=100 mm 

- Height of modified Proctor mould body: h=150 mm 

- Capacity of standard Proctor mould body: V0=904 cm3 ;

- Capacity of modified Proctor mould body:V0=2649 cm3 ;

- Accessories;

- Protection guards for operator safety according to CE norms;

-  Automatic control for compaction sequence selection;

- Control panel (display counts the numbers of layers and the diameter of mould);

- Digital display.

 

Determination of compaction characteristics. Proctor test according to STAS 1913/13-83

 

ELECTRONIC BALANCE

Technical data:

- Readability: 0,01 g;

- Capacity: 2100 g;

- Built-in calibrated mass;

- LCD display;

- Overcharge protection of the pan;

- Power supply.

 

    

ELECTRONIC BALANCE

 

Technical data:

- Readability: 0,1 mg ;

- Capacity: 210 g ;

- Built-in calibrated mass;

- LCD display;

- Overcharge protection of the pan;

- Power supply.

CASAGRANDE HYDROMETER

Technical data:

- Calibration at 200 C;

- Reading interval: 0,995 ÷ 1,030 g/ml;

- Precision: 0, 0005

 

Particle size analysis by the hydrometer method according

to STAS 1913/5-74