Testing Services...
Axle Techno Lab is your trusted partner that delivers quality testing lab services and ensures complete safety and regulatory compliance with our testing inspection and certification services. Axle Techno Lab is the best laboratory testing service provider in Delhi, NCR Noida India.
Soil Test
Soil testing is a critical step in construction to assess the suitability of soil for supporting structures like buildings, roads, bridges, and dams. The theory behind soil testing lies in understanding the physical and engineering properties of soil to ensure stability, safety, and longevity of the structure being built.
🔍 Purpose of Soil Testing
Determine bearing capacity – How much load the soil can safely support.
Identify soil type – Clay, silt, sand, gravel, etc.
Assess compaction characteristics – Essential for foundation support.
Check moisture content – Affects stability and shrink-swell behavior.
Detect potential problems – Like expansive soil, loose fill, or contamination.
🧪 Common Soil Tests and Their Theoretical Basis
| Test | Purpose | Underlying Theory |
|---|---|---|
| Moisture Content Test | Determines water content in soil | Gravimetric method based on mass difference before and after drying |
| Atterberg Limits Test | Determines plasticity of fine-grained soil | Theory: Soil changes behavior based on moisture – solid, semi-solid, plastic, or liquid states |
| Specific Gravity Test | Measures density of soil particles | Ratio of soil particle density to water density |
| Proctor Compaction Test | Determines optimum moisture for maximum dry density | Compaction theory: Soil can achieve maximum strength when air voids are minimized |
| Standard Penetration Test (SPT) | Measures soil resistance to penetration (field test) | Correlates blow count to soil strength and density |
| Unconfined Compression Test | Determines shear strength of cohesive soil | Based on Mohr-Coulomb failure theory (σ = c + σ tan φ) |
| Triaxial Shear Test | Measures shear strength under different confining pressures | Based on stress-strain behavior and failure envelope |
| Permeability Test | Determines the rate at which water passes through soil | Darcy’s Law: Q = kiA |
| CBR Test (California Bearing Ratio) | Determines strength of subgrade soil for roadwork | Ratio of test load to standard load at a given penetration |
NDT (Non-Destructive Testing) for Structures.
Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) refers to techniques used to evaluate the strength, durability, and quality of a structure without damaging it. It is widely used in civil engineering for concrete, steel, masonry, and composite structures.
🔹 Objectives of NDT in Structures
Assess in-situ strength of materials.
Detect cracks, voids, honeycombing, or other defects.
Evaluate corrosion of reinforcement.
Check quality control during construction.
Monitor structural health over time.
Common NDT Methods.
1. Rebound Hammer Test (Schmidt Hammer)Measures surface hardness of concrete.
Gives an estimate of compressive strength.
2. Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity (UPV) Test
Ultrasonic waves pass through concrete.
Higher velocity → denser & better-quality concrete.
Detects voids, cracks, honeycombing.
3. Rebar Locator / Cover Meter
Locates reinforcement bars and measures cover depth.
4. Half-Cell Potential Test
Assesses corrosion activity in reinforcement.
5. Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR)
Maps reinforcement layout, thickness, and detects voids.
6. Core Cutting (Semi-Destructive)
Extracts a concrete core for lab testing of strength.
7. Load Testing
Applies controlled load to check serviceability & safety.
8. Infrared Thermography
Detects delamination and moisture in structures.
Road Material Test
1. Soil Tests (for subgrade & embankment)
| Test | Purpose | Key Result |
|---|---|---|
| Moisture Content (Oven Dry Method) | To find natural water content | % water |
| Specific Gravity Test | To classify soil | G value |
| Grain Size Analysis (Sieve & Hydrometer) | To know soil gradation | % passing |
| Atterberg Limits (LL, PL, PI, SL) | To know soil consistency & plasticity | LL, PL, PI |
| Proctor Compaction Test (Standard/Modified) | To find Optimum Moisture Content (OMC) & Maximum Dry Density (MDD) | OMC, MDD |
| CBR Test (California Bearing Ratio) | To assess soil strength for pavement design | CBR % |
| Plate Load Test | To determine bearing capacity & modulus of subgrade | Settlement curve |
2. Aggregate Tests (for base, sub-base, surface course)
| Test | Purpose | Key Result |
|---|---|---|
| Aggregate Crushing Value (ACV) | Resistance to crushing | % ACV |
| Aggregate Impact Value (AIV) | Resistance to impact | % AIV |
| Los Angeles Abrasion Test | Hardness & wear resistance | % wear |
| Specific Gravity & Water Absorption | Density & porosity | SG value |
| Flakiness & Elongation Index | Shape of aggregates | % flaky/elongated |
| Stripping Value Test | Adhesion with bitumen in presence of water | % stripping |
| Soundness Test | Resistance to weathering (Na₂SO₄/MgSO₄ cycles) | % loss |
3. Bitumen Tests (for binding material)
| Test | Purpose | Key Result |
|---|---|---|
| Penetration Test | Hardness/softness of bitumen | Pen value (mm/10) |
| Softening Point Test (Ring & Ball) | Temperature at which bitumen softens | °C |
| Ductility Test | Stretching ability before breaking | cm |
| Viscosity Test | Flow characteristics | seconds |
| Flash & Fire Point Test | Safety against ignition | °C |
| Specific Gravity Test | Density of bitumen | SG value |
| Water Content Test (Distillation) | Presence of water | % water |
| Marshall Stability Test | Stability & flow of bituminous mix | Stability (kg), Flow (mm) |
4. Pavement/Surface Tests (in field)
| Test | Purpose | Key Result |
|---|---|---|
| Benkelman Beam Deflection Test | To measure rebound deflection & evaluate pavement strength | Deflection (mm) |
| Skid Resistance Test (Pendulum, Polished Stone Value) | Surface friction for safety | SRV value |
| Rutting Test | Resistance to deformation under load | Rut depth (mm) |
| Roughness/IRI Measurement | Ride quality | IRI (m/km) |
💧 Water Testing – Overview
1. Objectives
Ensure water is safe for drinking.
Check suitability for construction works (mixing concrete, curing).
Assess water quality for irrigation & industries.
Monitor environmental pollution.
2. Types of Water Tests
🔹 A. Physical Tests
| Parameter | Purpose | Acceptable Value (Drinking Water) |
|---|---|---|
| Color | Indicates organic matter, iron, etc. | < 5 Hazen units |
| Odor | Should be pleasant | No offensive smell |
| Taste | Palatability | Agreeable |
| Turbidity | Suspended solids | < 1 NTU (desirable), max 5 |
| Temperature | Affects taste, aquatic life | Ambient (≈ 20–25°C) |
| pH | Acidity/alkalinity | 6.5 – 8.5 |
🔹 B. Chemical Tests
| Test | Purpose | Acceptable Value (WHO/IS:10500) |
|---|---|---|
| Hardness (Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺) | Causes scaling | < 200 mg/L (desirable) |
| Chlorides | Salinity indicator | < 250 mg/L |
| Sulphates | High → laxative effect | < 200 mg/L |
| Nitrates | Toxic to infants (blue baby syndrome) | < 45 mg/L |
| Iron & Manganese | Causes staining, taste issues | < 0.3 mg/L |
| Fluoride | Teeth health vs. fluorosis | 0.6–1.5 mg/L |
| Alkalinity | Buffer capacity | 200 mg/L |
| Dissolved Oxygen (DO) | Essential for aquatic life | > 5 mg/L |
| Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) | Organic pollution | < 3 mg/L |
| Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) | Oxidizable pollutants | < 10 mg/L |
🔹 C. Biological & Microbiological Tests
| Test | Purpose | Standard Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Total Coliforms | Indicator of contamination | 0 per 100 mL |
| E. coli Test | Confirms fecal contamination | 0 per 100 mL |
| Plate Count | Bacterial load | < 100 CFU/mL |
3. Water Testing in Civil Engineering
Construction use:
pH ≥ 6, free from salts, oils, sugar, acids, organic matter.
Chlorides ≤ 2000 mg/L, Sulphates ≤ 400 mg/L.
Drinking water supply: Must meet IS:10500 (India) or WHO standards.
Irrigation water: Sodium Adsorption Ratio (SAR), EC, pH checked.
Wastewater analysis: BOD, COD, TSS, pH, heavy metals.
4. Common Instruments
Turbidity meter
pH meter
Spectrophotometer
DO meter
BOD incubator
COD digester
Microbiological culture media
✅ Summary:
Water testing involves physical, chemical, and biological analysis. It ensures water is safe for drinking, construction, irrigation, and environment, following standard limits (IS, WHO, EPA).
🌍 What We Do
Soil Testing – Subgrade strength, compaction, bearing capacity, and soil classification.
Road Material Testing – Aggregate, bitumen, and pavement evaluation.
Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) – Structural health monitoring, rebound hammer, ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV), core cutting, load testing, etc.
Water Testing – Drinking, construction, and industrial water quality analysis.
🎯 Our Mission
To provide the construction industry with accurate, timely, and reliable testing services, ensuring every project is safe and durable.