This course introduces the student to testing procedures and methods used for classifying soils, concrete mixes, and bituminous asphalt mixtures. The objective of this course is to outline the more commonly used in-situ and laboratory tests used in distinguishing the characteristics, properties, and gradations of various soil, concrete and bituminous materials encountered in road construction. 

The course covers a wide range of topics essential for understanding materials testing in road construction. In soils, it includes compaction and density tests, equipment and calibration, sample preparation, data and calculations, the modified Proctor test, sand cone or displacement methods, in-situ testing, site preparation, the nuclear moisture density meter method, CBR bearing tests, and hydrometer analysis. For concrete testing, the focus is on hardening, gradation, durability, deterioration, chemical composition, aggregate sampling and gradation, soundness and impurities, specific gravity and absorption, surface moisture, admixtures such as accelerators, retarders, plasticizers, and densifiers, as well as waterproofing, air-entrainment, and workability agents. Additional topics include curing parameters, slump and air content tests, and unit weight, compressive, and flexural strength tests. Bituminous materials testing covers emulsions and road tars, solubility, asphaltic cutback, ID, distillation, flash point, penetration, aggregates grading, mineral dust, specific gravity tests, mix design, and hazardous materials precautions.