Material Testing Overview

 

Our world-class Research & Development Center houses well-qualified and experienced staff operating in a modern, well-equipped laboratory where clays and finished products are characterized, tested and developed to ensure their suitability for given applications and environments, which can vary from site to site and country to country.

 

For example, the 30cm x 30cm shearbox enables site specific data to be acquired on GCL's in contact with aggregates and other geosynthetics, while triaxial test cells enable the crucial property of permeability to be measured under a variety of conditions designed to simulate those found in the field.

 

The laboratory equipment and technical expertise available allows clay to be prepared, analyzed and tested for a variety of uses and applications ranging from foundry sands and consumer products to wastewater treatment and construction waterproofing.

 

For all these applications, however, an extensive knowledge of bentonite clays, their properties and manner of use is required. We have this knowledge, backed by experience gained over 83 years by our parent company in the USA, and by data acquired through CETCO sponsored research at Universities and contract testing establishments.

 

Bentomat^® Direct Shear Testing

 

Direct shear testing on Bentomat has been performed by CETCO and other laboratories on a project-specific basis for the past several years. This data will give the designer some general information about the shear strength of commonly used GCL interfaces and should be the first step in evaluating a proposed liner system where slope stability is a concern.

 

The variables in any direct shear test are numerous, including specimen preparation, hydration pressures, liquids and sequencing, rate of shear, and others. Test results will vary accordingly, which is partially accountable for the wide range of data reported, even for similar interfaces.

 

Project-specific interface testing is emphatically recommended by CETCO. Individual test reports for most of the summarized data can be provided upon request.