Importance of Materials Testing

prior to incorporation
into the works

Presented by:

ENGR. ALICAN D. CASIR

Engineer II - DPWH Regional Office No. 12
Quality Assurance and Hydrology Division
What is the importance of Materials Testing

- Engineers do not guess!!!

- Testing is an important complement of quality control in engineering

- Materials testing is not done by sight or other means without the

benefits of laboratory tests. If it is done by sight, it is pure and
simple guessing.

So without testing even in the field or in the laboratory, no one

can state definitely if the quality of materials is satisfied or
not, even the expert.
WHAT IS MATERIALS TESTING?
Is the basic means or a tool by which an engineer or an inspector can
be used to determined whether the materials should be allowed to be
incorporated or be rejected into work.

It is a documented proof of the quality of materials indicating it

meets or it fails the desired properties as called for in the
specifications requirements of an approved contract.

There can be no quality assurance without adequate quality control at

the source or manufacturer or at construction, therefore testing is a tool
for measuring quality control in project implementation.
CONTROL OF MATERIALS
In engineering construction, control of materials ensure the
highest quality of work and minimize cost of maintenance.
Construction materials are usually check or regulate prior to
incorporation into the work.

Project Engineers has the overall responsibility in

terms of control of materials who check and regulate its use so as
to economize the cost during the construction of the project. He
is authorized to accept or reject the materials intended for the
project.

Materials Engineers has the primary responsibility

in the control of materials by ensuring the quality prior to its use
in the work thru proper sampling, testing and inspection. He
advise and recommends to the Project Engineer for the
acceptance and or rejection of the materials.
HOW TO CONTROL THE
CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS

In the DPWH, construction materials is being

controlled by checking and evaluating the materials
physical and chemical properties thru testing to
ensure the materials meets the required Standard
Specification.

Control of Materials can be done thru

proper selection, handling, Storage, sampling, testing
and inspection.
SAMPLING, TESTING AND INSPECTION
REQUIREMENTS ON MANUFACTURED,
PROCESSED OR NATURAL PRODUCTS.

 ACCEPTANCE TEST
• The results of this test shall be the basis of
acceptance of materials.
 RE-TEST OR REFEREE TEST
• The results of this test shall be final.

In case the result of the acceptance test is

unsatisfactory, the supplier shall have the option to
request a re-test at his expense. The delivered material
shall be re-sample by authorized government
representative in the presence of the supplier or his
representative.
SAMPLING, TESTING AND INSPECTION
REQUIREMENTS ON MANUFACTURED,
PROCESSED OR NATURAL PRODUCTS.

 PRE-TESTING
Pre-testing of material is applicable to materials
manufacture in bulk, such as Portland cement, asphalt, reinforcing
steel bars, etc. Arrangement shall be made with the concerned
implementing office to assign a Materials Technicians/Materials
Engineer who shall obtain the necessary samples at the plant.
If the result of the test is satisfactory, the materials
Technician/Materials Engineer, upon receipt of the test report, shall
identify the stock represented, witness the loading of the materials
and issue a Pretesting Certificate.
The material may be re-sampled at the point of
delivery at the option of the consignee especially if there are
evidences of deterioration or tampering. Otherwise, the Pretesting
Certificate shall be the basis of acceptance of the materials.
Handling and Storage of
Materials
Delivered construction materials should be placed or stored in a
safe location/place to protect from contamination or in action of
weather and to avoid damaged and to maintain the desired quality.

To prevent contamination of materials to other similar type

particularly those coming from others sources, it should be provided
with separator or partition in case of an small stockpile area,
however, in case of a big stockpile area, provide adequate distance
for each type of materials depending on sources and sizes.

Other construction materials which are sensitive to weather

conditions like cement, steel bars, etc. should be kept in a site that
are protected from direct sunlight and rain. It should not be place
directly on the ground to maintain its quality.
Sampling of MATERIALS
Is the process of selecting a part (sample), which will
be used to judge the whole (lot). Sampling of construction materials
should be done the delivered materials at the project site and not in
the place where it was purchase. Example: Cement 1 – Quality for
every 2,000 bags.

Sampling of materials shall be in accordance with the

Standard Sampling Procedures to obtained a true representative of a
lot and based on the minimum testing requirement as prescribe for
the item of works.

The quality of representative sample to be brought to

a testing laboratory should be adequate and meets the requirements
for the sizes, shapes and part of the material where it should be taken
to obtained are reliable test result in the conduct of the required
physical and chemical analysis of a material that will subjected for
testing.
 Testing and Inspection of
Materials Testing and Inspection in the construction works
compliments with each other and should be done at the right time as
the work progresses.

Testing refers to the process of making tests to

determine the degree of compliance of the delivered materials with
the required specifications. It is a documented proof of the materials
where an engineer or an inspector can be used as basis for the
Acceptance or rejection.

Inspection is the basic means or a tool by which an

Engineer or an Inspector can be used to determined physically the
acceptability of the delivered construction materials on site if it
conforms to the required quantity, size and conditions stipulated in
the purchase order of the materials intended for use in the work.
COMMON ABUSES IN MATERALS
TESTING & QUALITY CONTROL
 No approved Quality Control Program
(QCP) for the project prior to the start of
works.

 This happened when the Construction personnel has no coordination

with the Materials personnel. Approved Program of Work of the
project is not furnished for the preparation of quality control program.

 This practice shows that relationship of personnel in the project are in

poor situation. Construction and Materials personnel have no
harmonious relation and do not cooperate to each other during the
implementation of the project.
Incorporation of Materials into
the works without Quality Test
 Construction materials are being incorporated into the works
without the benefits of quality tests.
 Testing of materials were not timely done as the work
progresses. Testing are done as only compliance to the
requirement of the project for billing purposes.

Fabrication of Test Report on Construction

Materials
 Test Report of materials are not authentic and contains doubtful
results
 Signatures of the personnel and officials of testing laboratories
are forged.
 Testing of materials not done in accordance with
the standard sampling and testing procedures

 By witnessing the actual performance of the laboratory technicians

in the sampling and testing of materials and or by reviewing the test
accordance with the standard requirements.

Laboratory Testing Apparatus/Equipment are

not calibrated prior to Testing of Materials

 Testing of materials are tested using laboratory testing

apparatus/equipment that are not calibrated for long period of time
which will affect the accuracy and reliability of tests.
HOW MATERIALS IS
REPRESENTED BY A TEST
The usual procedure is to make a test for
certain quantity of materials representing the
quantities to be incorporated into the work or in
accordance with the minimum testing requirements
prescribed in each project. The requirements specify
the kind and number of tests for each items of works.

It be emphasized that what are specified

are the minimum number of testing only. Should
Additional number of test can be require to the
materials or the finished structure.
 An aspect of testing which is very important and
most often overlook is when testing should be conducted.

Important thing to note:

Testing of material is conducted prior to
incorporation into the work.

If the test is not conducted at the proper time, there

is no quality control since it will then be too late to correct
anything that is defective.

if someone will attempt to evaluate the quality of

materials without testing he is taking a big risk because
he is guessing.
 INTERPRETATION OF
MATERIALS TEST RESULTS
Who will interpret the materials test results?
 It is the responsibility of the Materials Engineer
assigned in the project either from the contractor,
consultant or from the owner to interpret the test results
correctly and accurately.
 Interpretation of materials test reports needs
familiarization of materials specifications and a lot of
experienced in materials testing and quality control works.
 Project Engineers/Inspectors must also have the ability
to interpret and evaluate test reports of materials and must
not always depend in their Materials Engineer, hence, they
have the great responsibility in the implementation of the
project.
INTERPRETATION OF
MATERIALS TEST RESULTS
How & When a materials test report is applied in the
project?
 The composition and properties of a material is
individually verified when it is subjected to a quality test to verify
if it meets or fails the specification requirement prior to
incorporation into the work.

 The contents of the Test reports of materials will be

the basis of an engineer for the acceptance or rejection of the
delivered materials in the project site. It is the documented proof
that determined the quality of materials.

 When the contents of the test reports after proper

interpretation shows that it fails or meets the specifications
requirement, the Project Engineer thru advise of the Materials
Engineer shall immediately act to whether utilized or not the
 INTERPRETATION OF
MATERIALS TEST RESULTS
 The rejection or utilization of a material
depends on the outcome of test results. A material may
fail in one or more of its properties but still can be utilized
into the work thru the application of alternative measures
and Engineers should have good judgment and in-depth
knowledge on the properties of the materials

 Engineers should familiarize in the

significant properties of materials so that they can
immediately decide in the acceptance or rejection.
Incorrect interpretation of material test reports can cause
delay in the project interpretation, additional cost and
failure of the structure
 ACCEPTANCE/REJECTION
OF MATERIALS
Who’s Responsible For the Acceptance/Rejection of Materials?

 The Project Engineer has the authority to reject or accept construction

materials intended for use in the project upon the recommendation of the
Materials Engineer based on the test results.

Guidelines in the Acceptance and Rejection of Materials:

a. No material shall be incorporated into the work unless and found

satisfactory.
b. The approval of preliminary samples shall not be considered a guarantee of
the acceptance of all materials from the same source, as to the quality or
quantity of such materials.
c. Any material that has been sampled and passed the standard specification
may be re-sampled and re-tested anytime before, during and after
incorporation into the work.
thank you!