Testing Services

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

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;

 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.