Materials laboratory testing & field inspection

Materials and Fabrication Inspection staff test and approve a variety of materials for use in construction projects.

Specialty Services Testing

The Specialty Services Section staff conducts a variety of tests on the following roadway construction materials to determine conformance with WSDOT Standard Specifications:

Cements
Joint materials
Bridge paints
Curing compounds
Epoxies
Pigmented sealers

Bituminous Materials Testing

The Bituminous Materials Section staff perform a variety of tests on the following roadway construction materials to determine conformance to WSDOT Standard Specifications:

Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) mix design (SS 5-04)
Mix design conformation testing (SS 5-04)
Performance Graded (PG) binder testing (SS 9-02)
Emulsified asphalt testing (SS 9-02)
Flexible Bituminous Pavement Marker Adhesive Testing (SS 9-02)

The Bituminous Materials Section also provides forensic testing on asphalt binders and mixtures, new bituminous technology evaluation, nuclear density gauge services (maintenance and calibration), and special project technical assistance.

Structural Materials Testing

The Structural Materials Section staff perform a variety of tests on the following roadway construction materials to determine conformance to WSDOT Standard Specifications:

Aggregates (SS 9-03)
Structural steel (SS 9-06)
Reinforcing steel (SS 9-07)
Riprap, quarry spalls etc. (SS 9-13)
Grout and mortar, strength testing (SS 9-20)
Construction geosynthetic (SS 9-33)
Concrete, strength testing (SS 6-02)
Mechanical splices (SS 6-02)
Foundation data (SS 6-01)
The Soils lab performs a wide variety of Specialized and Index tests to determine characteristics of rock and soils from test borings, test pits, or other sources.