The Testing & Industrial Services (TIS) Branch performs tests on a wide range of Building and Civil Engineering Materials. The Branch also conducts technical assessments of building systems, and on-site building defects investigations while participating in the review and development of national and international standards, including the Jamaica National Building Codes.
The Concrete & Masonry Unit (CMU) Laboratory is an arm of the TIS Branch which administers a range of testing of concrete specimens, such as hollow concrete blocks, cubes, cylinders, and kerb walls. The tests conducted are categorized as destructive and non-destructive tests. The CMU Laboratory also conducts on-site core sampling, slump testing and building defect investigations.
The Cement Laboratory administers the testing of locally manufactured and imported cement within the Jamaican construction industry.
The Aggregates Laboratory provides quality assurance tests on various aggregates and soils used in construction.
The Laboratories are accredited by JANAAC according to ISO/IEC 17025. The accreditation is valid only for the scope listed in the annex of the accreditation certificates.
Tests offered:
- Aggregates Impact Value
- Aggregates Crushing Value
- Percentage Wear {L.A. abrasion}
- Sieve Analysis of Coarse and Fine Aggregates
- Organic Impurities and Sugar
- Specific Gravity Coarse
- Specific Gravity Fine
- Water Absorption
- Deleterious Substances
- Material Finer than 75um
- Moisture Content
- Moisture content
- Specific Gravity
- Specific Surface Fineness
- Compressive Strength Mortar
- Consistency
- Setting Time
- Density
- Autoclave Expansion
- Concrete Blocks
- Compressive Strength
- Dimensions
- Density
- Width of Cavity
- Volume of Cavity
- Kerb Walls
- Bending Strength (Modulus of Rapture)
- Water Absorption
- Dimension
- Visual Inspection
- Paving Stones and decorative blocks
- Dimensions
- Water absorption
- Compression strength
- Moisture content
- Temperature
- Air Content
- Slump
- Unit Weight
- Density
- Cubes and Cylinders
- Concrete Cores
- Concrete beams
- Coupons
- Rebound Hammer Test
- Technical Assessments of Building Systems
- On-site Building Defect Investigations
- Quality Assurance Testing
- Concrete Coring (strength determination)
- Consumer Complaints