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Stress vs. Strain: Selecting Equipment to Measure Load & Displacement

July 08, 2025

<p><a href="/measuring-load-and-displacement-article"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="/Content/Images/uploaded/blog/2025/july/stress-vs-strain-hero.jpg" alt="Stress vs Strain" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 100%; max-width: 715px;" width="715" height="515" /></a></p><p>Knowing how to determine stress versus strain is central to almost any strength assessment performed in a construction materials testing lab. In this blog, we explore the various the test methods and instruments available for measuring load and displacement.</p>

Tags: Testing Insights , Soil Testing , Soil Mechanics , Geotechnical , Direct Shear Strength Test , Triaxial Shear Testing , Unconfined Compressive Strength , Marshall Stability , CBR , Load and Displacement

Gilson Servo Control Load Frames: Comprehensive, Adaptable, Precise

May 07, 2025

<p><a href="/blog/servo-control-load-frames-comprehensive-adaptable-precise"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="/Content/Images/uploaded/blog/2019/April/load-frames-hero.jpg" alt="Guide to the Gilson Servo Control Load Frames" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 100%; max-width: 715px;" width="715" height="515" /></a></p><p>Laboratory load frames perform multiple test methods on a variety of soil, asphalt, and cement materials simply by changing prescribed components used for load and distance measurements. This blog post introduces Gilson’s innovative Servo Control Load Frames and explores important considerations for selection of a suitable load frame and testing components for your applications.</p>

Tags: Soil Testing , Soil Mechanics , Geotechnical , Asphalt Testing , Compressive Strength , Shear Strength , Marshall Stability , Semi-Circular Bend , Lottman Test , Tack Coat , ISS Method , Load Frames , Unconsolidated-Undrained , Consolidated-Undrained , Consolidated-Drained , Equipment Selection Guide

Soil Field Testing: Physical Properties of Soil

May 10, 2023

<div><a href="/blog/soil-field-test-article"><img loading="lazy" src="/Content/Images/uploaded/blog/2023/may/soil-field-testing-article.jpg" alt="Soil Field Testing: Physical Properties of Soil" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 100%; max-width: 715px;" /> </a></div><p>Soil is a natural material and is sometimes employed as a construction material without modification. It is crucial to understand how it performs in its original (in-situ) environment. For this article, we will examine various field tests of soil and the equipment required to perform them.</p>

Tags: Testing Insights , Equipment Selection Guide , Moisture Testing , In-situ Testing , Field Testing , Penetration Test , Soil Testing , Geotechnical , Soil Density , Permeability Test , Soil Foundation

Archive

Soil Sampling & Visual Classification, Methods & Procedures

August 03, 2022

<div><a href="/blog/soil-sampling-and-visual-classification"><img loading="lazy" src="/Content/Images/uploaded/blog/2022/august/soil-sampling-classification.jpg" alt="Soil Sampling and Visual Soil Classification" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 100%; max-width: 715px;" /> </a></div><p>Performing geotechnical and engineering tests on soils in the field is a combination of necessity and practicality. In this two-part series, this first post looks at methods, procedures, and equipment needed for field sampling and visual classification of soils.</p>

Tags: Soil Testing , Geotechnical , Soil Sampling , Visual Classification , Sample Collecting , Testing Insights , Field Testing

Soil Sample Preparation: Saving Money in Your Geotechnical Lab

May 04, 2022

<div><a href="/blog/soil-sample-prepping"><img loading="lazy" src="/Content/Images/uploaded/blog/2022/May/soil-sample-prep-hero.jpg" alt="Soil Sample Preparation" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 100%; max-width: 715px;" /> </a></div><p>With a little thought and planning, you can avoid duplicating the equipment needed to perform many sample preparation tasks. Many ASTM and AASHTO soil tests performed follow similar techniques and use the same or similar equipment to set up samples for your soil testing.</p>

Tags: Resource Guide , Sample Prep , Sample Collecting , Field Testing , Soil Testing , Soil Mechanics , Geotechnical , Permeability Test , Consolidation , Triaxial Compression , Direct Shear Strength Test , Soil Cement , Unconfined Compressive Strength

Triaxial Shear Testing of Soils, Understanding Methods and Equipment

October 06, 2021

<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="/Content/Images/uploaded/blog/2021/October/triaxial-test-hero.jpg" alt="Triaxial Shear Testing of Soil" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 100%; max-width: 715px;" width="715" height="515" /></p><p>This month's blog discusses the triaxial shear test of soil. It focuses on three different test methods, all with variable requirements based on soil types and properties of individual specimens.</p>

Tags: Soil Testing , Soil Mechanics , Geotechnical , Unconsolidated-Undrained , Consolidated-Undrained , Consolidated-Drained , Shear Strength , Triaxial Shear Testing , How-To , Testing Insights

California Bearing Ratio Test: CBR Values & Why They Matter

October 01, 2020

<div><a href="/blog/cbr-testing"><img loading="lazy" src="/Content/Images/uploaded/blog/2020/October/cbr-test2025.jpg" alt="CBR Testing Article" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 100%; max-width: 715px;" /> </a></div><p>In this blog post we discuss why it is important to perform strength tests of soil subgrades for pavement design, and also review what is needed for each type of test method whether it be in the lab or out in the field including the DCP test.</p>

Tags: CBR , Soil Testing , Geotechnical , Field Testing , LBR , DCP , Laboratory , Strength Testing , Compaction , Resource Guide , Testing Insights

Soil Hydrometer Testing: Sedimentation Method Techniques & Equipment

August 02, 2020

<div><a href="/blog/soil-hydrometer-analysis"><img loading="lazy" src="/Content/Images/uploaded/blog/2020/August/soil-hydrometer-testing.jpg" alt="Soil Hydrometer Testing Article" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 100%; max-width: 715px;" /> </a></div><p>Measuring the particle size distribution of fine-grained soils like clay and silt is best performed using the soil hydrometer test. In this blog post, we provide some guidance from sample prepping to performing the test procedure by following the ASTM D7928 standard test method.</p>

Tags: Soil Hydrometer Test , Soil Testing , Geotechnical , Sedimentation Method , Particle Sizing , How-To , Testing Insights

Soil Permeability Test: All You Need To Know

March 09, 2020

<p><a href="/blog/soil-permeability-test"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="/Content/Images/uploaded/blog/2020/march/soil-permeability-hero.jpg" alt="Permeability of Soil: All You Need to Know" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 100%; max-width: 715px;" width="715" height="515" /></a></p><p>In this blog, we briefly discuss what soil permeability (hydraulic conductivity) is and detail what equipment can be used for a wide array of soil permeability tests.</p>

Tags: Permeability Test , Soil Testing , Geotechnical , Permeameters , Penetration Test , Laboratory , Resource Guide