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Quality Results in Ground Investigation Seminar Presentations

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Tags: AGS Chris Swainston Chris Wallace Graeme Thomas Hugh Mallett John Powell Matthew Baldwin Quality Results in Ground Investigation seminar Roger Brown

The AGS recently held a Quality Results in Ground Investigation seminar which focused on site investigation, what laboratories can provide and the importance of quality sampling.

The event, which took place in Hamilton House, London on 14th October 2015, saw over 80 AGS Members and non-Members listen to seven key industry speakers including; Hugh Mallett (Technical Director, BuroHappold Engineering), Roger Brown (Associate Director, Laboratories, Fugro), Matthew Baldwin (Technical Director, Soil Engineering), Chris Swainston (Principle Engineer, Geotechnics), John Powell (Technical Director, Geolabs) Graeme Thomas (Assessment Manager, United Kingdom Accreditation Service) and Chris Wallace (Technical Manager, Geolabs).

To view speaker presentations from the event, please click on the below links;

 

Hugh Mallett, Technical Director, BuroHappold Engineering: Quality Laboratory Data – are Consultants Bovvered?

Roger Brown, Associate Director, Laboratories, Fugro: The Replacement of BS1377 has Begun

Graeme Thomas, Assessment Manager, United Kingdom Accreditation Service: Double Standards – Accreditation and Transition to New Standards

Matthew Baldwin, Technical Director, Soil Engineering: Sample Extraction

Chris Swainston, Principle Engineer, Geotechnics: Sampling Standards

John Powell, Technical Director, Geolabs: Ensuring Quality of Testing in the Geotechnical Laboratory – Proficiency Testing and What goes Wrong!

Chris Wallace, Technical Manager, Geolabs: Good Result/Bad Result

Report Laboratories

Laboratories Working Group Report

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Tags: 341 526 BS 1377 BS/526/3 BSI CEN CEN TC consultation John Powell laboratories Labs UKAS WG6

John Powell, Chairman, Laboratories Working Group writes:

The meeting had 8 member attendees  and 7 apologies.

BSI Committee B/526/3

Revision of BS5930: Section 8- Laboratory Testing on Samples

The public consultation is now complete with around 1000 comments being received (many just editorial) with only about half a dozen of these being for the Labs section. Publication is anticipated later this year.

Future of BS 1377 and CEN TC 341 WG6

WG6 had progressed well –

  • Parts 1 (Water Content) and 2 (Density Tests) – both were published worldwide on 31/12/2014, in the UK as BS EN ISO 17892-1 and BS EN ISO 17892-2.
  • The corresponding parts of BS1377: Part 2 (Clauses 3.2 and 7 respectively) will be withdrawn by 30/06/2015. UKAS has issued a memo relating to these two tests. Labs that are accredited to the BS equivalents can have these added to their accreditation schedules by signing a self-declaration, rather than by application, fee and audit.
  • Parts 3 (Density of Solid Particles) and 4 (Particle Size Distribution) – are under final review taking into account public comments. It is expected they will be submitted for final formal vote within a month or so, and will be published around mid-year
  • Parts 5 (incremental oedometer) and 6 (fall cone) – are in public review now (BSI website until 18 April). Please take opportunity to comment.
  • Parts 7 (Unconfined Compression test on Fine Grained Soil), 8 (Unconsolidated Undrained Triaxial Test) & 9 (Consolidated Triaxial Compression Test on Water Saturated Soils) – are close to submission for public consultation, these are expected to be out during the second half of this year.
  • Parts 10 (Direct Sheer Test) & 11 (Determination of Permeability by Constant and Falling Head) and Part 12 (Determination of Atterberg Limits) – remain under review in WG6.

The AGS lab group are to considering if there any tests they would like to be standardised and brought to European level (and other AGS members are welcome to do the same via the Labs group).

An Introduction to Geotechnical Laboratory Testing for Routine Construction Projects

In reviewing the guide reference is made to “Selection of Geotechnical Soil Laboratory Testing” and the AGS Power Point presentation on “Ground Investigation Testing”. It was agreed that these also needed a detailed review.

The document “Selection of Geotechnical Soil Laboratory Testing” would need to be reviewed by a separate sub group of consultants and others and this would require approval from the Executive. John Powell agreed to raise it at the next Executive meeting on the 19th February 2015.

All to 3 documents to be reviewed together to ensure consistency.

Membership Drive for Laboratory Testing Organisations Only

John Powell announced the Executive had approved the proposed Laboratories Seminar. It was decided the seminar would be held in October, depending on venue availability and would be aimed towards clients and consultants educating them on what Laboratories can provide and the importance of sampling.

Proficiency testing

John Masters would be running a scheme in 2015. Test to be notified.

UKAS

UKAS are reinstating the Construction Technical Committee and the AGS had been invited to contribute and has asked for volunteers. Kevyn Brooks advised he had been asked to be involved also and was happy to represent the AGS.