Our capabilities

Earth Works / Compaction control testing

The commercial reality of earthworks construction testing is driven by the need for exceptional service. As one of the industry’s leading service provider of geotechnical testing, our workforce is committed to exceeding industry expectations. Our large team of skilled field and laboratory technicians means we are well resourced to service major infrastructure projects. Our NATA accreditation covers most tests covered in AS1289.

Recent major infrastructure projects completed or currently operating include;

Road Projects

-          CPB: Tullamarine Freeway widening, Bulla Road to Power Street

-          WBHO: section 1, Princes Highway duplication, Winchelsea to Armytage

-          BMD: section 2, Princes Highway duplication, Armytage to Warncoort

-          Decmil: section 3 Princes Highway duplication, Warncoort to Colac East

-          BMD: Yan Yean Road Duplication, Plenty

-          Decmil: Plenty Road Upgrade, McKimmies Road to Bush Boulevard, Mill park

-          Civilex: Melbourne Lancefield Road, Lancefield

-          Bitumill: Midland Highway duplication,

-          WSP: OSARS

Rail Projects

-          BLJV: Regional rail link (package E) Deer Park to West Werribee Junction

-          John Hollands: Mitcham grade rail separation, Mitcham

-          CPB: Level Crossing Removal Project, St Albans - Ginifer

-          Fulton Hogan /Lang O’Rourke: NEPA Level Crossing Removal Project

-          BMD: Melton Highway, Sydenham Level Crossing Removal

Ports

-          CPB: Webb dock West, Port Melb

Airports

-          Civilex: RAAF base, Sale

-          Evergreen Civil, Essendon airport, Hart Hangers

-          Civilex, Melbourne Jet base

-          Civilex: Melbourne long term carpark

Landfill

Stawell Landfill

Murrindindi Landfill

Other major Projects

CPB: Werribee treatment plant stage 2, Werribee

NATA accreditation

Our accreditations cover a broad range of AS1289 and AS1141 test methods

·         Ground Science 15055

·         Ground Science South West 20109

·         Ground Science East

Engineering testing

Ground Science operates a specialist engineering testing laboratory that services a broad range of geotechnical consultants across the country. Our capabilities include:

AS 1289 3.5.1

Soil Particle Density

AS 1289 3.6.2

Particle Size by Hydrometer

AS 1289 3.8.1

Emerson Dispersion

AS 1289 3.8.3

Pinhole Dispersion

AS 1289 4.3.1

pH value Electrometric method

AS 1289 4.4.1

Electrical resistivity of a soil

AS 1289 6.4.1

UU Triaxial

AS 1289 6.4.2

CU Triaxial

AS 1289 6.6.1

One Dimensional Consolidation

AS 1289 6.7.1

Permeability – Constant Head

AS 1289 6.7.2

Permeability – Falling Head

AS 1289 6.7.3

Permeability – Flexible wall (triaxial method)

AS 1289 7.1.1

Shrink Swell

 

Free Swell test

Q125D

Capillary rise

RC 131.01

Lime Demand test

 

Vane Shear on U-tube

ASTM D5731 – 16

Point Load on core or irregular lumps

Rootzone

Coarse Gravel Hydraulic Conductivity 5mm – 60mm

 

Sand Replacement – field density

 

Landfill waste bulk density by water replacement

  Aggregate testing

Ground Science South West is Victoria’s only commercial testing facility with the capability of conducting the full suite of tests for railway ballasts as detailed below;

AS1141 Part:

Title

Property

Limiting Value

4

Bulk Density of Aggregate

bulk density

>1200 kg/m³

6

Particle density and water absorption of coarse aggregate - Weighing-in-water method.

particle density

>2600 kg/m³

11

Particle size distribution by sieving.

grading

Use Table 1 in AS 2758.7

14

Particle Shape, by Proportional Calliper

(+ Amendment No.1)

Mis-shapen particles

<30%

@ 2:1 calliper ratio

15

Flaky particles in ballast material retained on 6.70 mm sieve

Flakiness Index

<30%

21

Aggregate crushing value (passing 26.5 mm sieve and retained on 19.0 mm sieve)

crushing value

<25%

22

Wet/dry strength variation 

wet strength

wet/dry strength variation

>175 kN

<25%

23

Los Angeles Value

(+ Amendment No.1)

resistance to abrasion

<25%

27

Resistance to wear by attrition (passing 53.0 mm sieve and retained on 37.5 mm sieve).

wet attrition value

<6%

32

Weak Particles (including clay lumps, soft      and friable particles) in Coarse Aggregates.

weak particles

<0.3%

 We also provide the following AS1141 suite of tests

AS 1141.4

Aggregate Bulk Density

AS 1141.5

Particle Density & Water Absorption - Fine Aggregate

AS 1141.6.1

Particle Density & Water Absorption -  Coarse Aggregate

AS 1141.14

Particle Shape - Proportional Calliper (Includes PSD)

AS 1141.15

Flakiness Index & PSD

AS 1141.20.2

Average Least Dimension of Fine Aggregate (<=7mm) (Includes PSD)

AS 1141.20.3

Average Least Dimension & Flakiness (Includes PSD)

AS 1141.21

Aggregate Crushing Value

AS 1141.22

Aggregate Wet/Dry Strength

AS 1141.23

LA - Source Rock Spalls

AS 1141.23

LA - Aggregate

AS 1141.24

Sodium Sulphate Soundness

AS 1141.25.1

Degradation Factor - Source

AS 1141.25.2

Degradation Factor - Aggregate

AS 1141.25.3

Degradation - Fine

AS 1141.30.1

Unsound Stone - Visual assessment

AS 1141.31

Light Particle

AS 1141.32

Weak Particle

AS 1141.33

Clay and Silt Content

RC 372.04

Foreign Materials Content

AS 5101.4

Unconfined Compressive Strength - with MDD curve

AS1012 3.1

Concrete Slump Test (Includes making 3 cylinders for compressive strength testing)

AS 1012.9

Compressive Strength of Concrete (Per cylinder)

AS 2891 9.2

Bulk Density of Asphalt (Pre-saturation Method)

 Turf fields & arenas

Ground Science is Australia’s premier materials testing laboratory servicing consultants, councils, associations, industry bodies and clubs. We aim to deliver a complete testing, designing and problem-solving package, to our client base with highly skilled and qualified staff.

We service all aspects of sports and leisure including; AFL, Rugby, Soccer, Horse Racing / Equine facilities, Golf, Cricket, Lawn Bowls, School and Council ovals, Greyhound tracks, Hockey, and Tennis.

A large part of any sporting facility is the materials used in construction and installation. Our laboratory provides an integral component to the delivery process by providing Quality Assurance testing during production of the raw materials either for the producers or the consultant.

Our problem-solving skills may involve site investigations and field testing or a review of the test results completed in our NATA accredited laboratory.

Research into innovative solutions forms a part of our specialist skills in the sports field market place, with numerous research projects in a variety of field completed which are now state of the art practices in the sporting field market place.

Cricket Soil testing

                      Cracking pattern

                      Core Shrinkage

                      Silt & Clay determination

                      Crushing strength

                      Emerson class

                      pH & EC

                      Organic content by Loss on Ignition

                      Calcium/Magnesium Ratio

                      CEC

                      Nutrient suite

                      Maximum bulk density & Optimum Moisture

Perched water table design tests

                      Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity

                      Moisture Release Curve

                      Stability – drop cone

                      Particle Size Analysis

                      Water holding & Porosity

                      Gravel suction

                      Gravel Hydraulic Conductivity

                      Bridging Factors

                      D-Values

                      Calcium Content

Bunker sand testing

                      Angle of Repose

                      Ball Plugging

                      Crusting strength

                      Particle shape, colour, texture

Equine facilities testing

                      Synthetic fibre deconstruction

                      Stability by drop ball

                      Clegg hammer testing

                      Rutting by Gmehling Turf tester

                      Research programs

AS4419 Test Methods

                      App B Bulk Density

                      App C Determination of wettability

                      App D pH & Dissolved Salts only

                      App E nitrogen draw down

                      App F Toxicity to plants

                      App G Dispersibility

                      App H Hydraulic conductivity

                      App I Soil Texture general description

                      App J Presence of plant propagules

                      App K measurement of stone volume

                      Phytopthora

Field testing

                      Double Ring Infiltrometer

                      Clegg Hammer

                      Core plug inspections & measurements

                      Stability by drop ball

                      Dynamic Cone Penetrometer

                      Field bulk density by Nuclear gauge

Synthetic field and hard surface playing facilities

Ground Science are market leaders and innovators in the engineering of synthetic playing fields and facilities with unique and cost effect designs.

The long-term performance of a synthetic playing surface, relies upon good sound engineering. The pavement needs to be designed based on the performance criteria and is dependent on subsurface conditions at the site.

The process should commence with a geotechnical investigation to identify potential design issues. The variability of sites including; reactive/swelling soils, weak soils, old landfill sites, deep under compacted fill zones or sites requiring fill placement are sites which may have elevated risks.

A Geotechnical investigation and pavement design are required to mitigate the construction and longer-term risks associated with this type of asset. We are leading the way in innovative designs and risk management. Our extensive portfolio of projects is testament to our expertise in this field.

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