Materials Testing and Special Inspection/CoMET Services

Construction Observation and Materials Testing Services

One of BSK’s core values is customer service, and our Construction Services Group exemplifies that in their ongoing efforts to support our clients. From day-to-day interactions, proactive planning and responsive service, our goal is to seamlessly integrate with our clients and their project teams while fulfilling the project needs expeditiously. We understand our business and our professions. By keeping an eye on the horizon, we adapt to changing technologies, regulatory and code requirements, and project delivery methods. We are also constantly modifying or increasing our capabilities in support of our clients with the ultimate goal of contributing solutions and providing superior customer service.

BSK’s Construction Services Group provides construction testing, quality assurance/quality control observation, and special inspection of construction materials in accordance with International Building Code (IBC) and California Building Code (CBC) Section 1704A.1.1.

Members of our construction services team work under the direction of Professional Engineers, and our laboratories are accredited by a number of agencies including:

American Concrete Institute (ACI)
American Welding Society (AWS)
CA Department of Transportation (Caltrans)
CA Division of the State Architect (DSA)
American Society for Non-Destructive Testing (ASNT)

U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
Office of Statewide Health Planning & Development (OSHPD)
International Code Council (ICC)
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)
AASHTO Accreditation Program

(See Scope Listed Below)

*Accreditation is limited to the laboratory and standards for which the laboratory is accredited.

Construction Observation

BSK’s Special Inspection team provides onsite and offsite inspection services for various construction processes as required by the Building Code and/or project specific requirements or special provisions. The team at BSK has experience operating in either the quality assurance or quality control capacity, and carries the wide array of certifications required by our clientele, including certifications through the American Concrete Institute (ACI), International Code Council (ICC), American Welding Society (AWS), California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), Division of the State Architect (DSA) and National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET).

Materials Testing

BSK maintains certified and accredited materials testing laboratories throughout California. Our technicians are expert in a wide-range of testing on soils, aggregates, hot-mix asphalt, reinforcing steel, portland cement concrete, masonry, structural steel, and other construction materials.

AASHTO Accreditation

Printable Version

Capabilities in Testing

Soil, Aggregate, Asphalt

Maximum dry density
Expansion Index
R-Value
Plasticity index
Sand equivalent
Sieve analysis
Hveem stability
Asphalt content
Hardness and abrasion

Reinforcing Steel

Tensile strength
Bend test
Sample and tag specimens

Concrete

Cylinder compression strength
Anchor pull-out
Core extraction
Slump and air content testing
Concrete cylinder sampling
Beam flexure strength
Shrinkage

Masonry

Grouted prism
Mortar compression
Grout compression
Anchor pull-out
Block compression
Block measurement
Block moisture/absorption
Shrinkage
Efflorescence

Structural Steel

Bolt and washer hardness
Fireproofing density
Bolt bend/tensile
Weld procedures
Charpy impact

Coatings

Paint thickness testing
Holiday testing

Forensic Engineering

Often referred to as Forensic Engineering Services, BSK Associates provides a wide range of materials consulting and specialty testing services in support of our clients and projects. The services offered by BSK include investigative methods and proven problem-solving techniques which can be applied to a wide variety of real-world construction conditions encountered. Studies have included such things as seismic damage assessment, the effects of aging on construction materials, and environmental exposure and the misuse of materials in construction.

Techniques for performing structural testing and material assessments include:

Verification of existing reinforcing steel within concrete beams, slabs and columns (i.e., size, type and placement)
Deterioration studies of concrete exhibiting alkali-silica reaction, sulfate attack and other deleterious effects
Investigation of moisture problems related to concrete slabs receiving resilient flooring.
Investigation of delaminating resilient flooring over concrete, wood and other underlayments.
Full-scale structural load tests on floors and other building components
Instrumentation using crack monitors and deflection recording devices.
Foundation surveys including concrete drilled caissons and footings to determine the size, depth and condition of these subsurface structures.
Anchorage and condition assessment on a variety of building facades and veneers
Testing of existing or newly installed anchorage into concrete, masonry and other materials related to floor, wall, false ceiling and cladding connections (i.e., tension and shear tests)
Compressive and tensile strength determination of various materials
Physical and chemical testing of structural steel and reinforcing bars.
In-place masonry shear testing on URM buildings to determine mortar strength
Moisture emission tests on floors to receive resilient rubber or vinyl flooring.
F-Number Measurement (Floor Flatness Testing).

As California Prevailing Wage compliance reporting has become more complex and onerous. BSK’s compliance services personnel work with our clients to assure that we are maintaining records that protect against audits, penalties and fines. We assure that our Lower-tier subcontractors are held to our high standards and maintain all compliance records for our projects.

Material Testing and Special Inspection/Comet Resources