Quality Control & Testing

Quality Control & Testing

At iMix Concrete we pride ourselves on providing a quality product, as well as a quality service.
To ensure and prove that we always strive to provide the best quality product we are approved to the British Standards Kitemark scheme BS EN 206-1 & BS8500 for ready mixed concrete.
To maintain this accreditation we must follow strict guidelines and procedures, we also have policies in place ensuring all our staff are fully trained and qualified to produce a product that is second to none.
Our quality assurance aims to verify that all quality control measures in place and are being adhered to properly, such as batching, testing and inspection.

This guarantees the quality of your concrete and it is fit for purpose for each and every project, using only prime aggregate and materials to create the required strength and grades.

One of the most important requirements of this quality assurance is testing our concrete on a regular basis. Typical testing includes compressive strength of concrete cubes, this ensures the product we are offering constantly meets its strength requirements.

Concrete Cube Test

Concrete cube testing determines the strength of hardened concrete usually at intervals of 7, 14 and 28 days after casting in steel moulds.
This is especially important when producing high strength concrete during construction of concrete structures.
At iMix Concrete we test our concrete multiple times on a weekly basis to ensure that every load of concrete we provide is meeting its requirements, this is why are we always confident we are providing a quality product, every time, every pour.

Another common method of testing is slump testing, this type of testing is to ensure the concrete is workable after it has been mixed and that the correct amount of water has been added to achieve the specified slump.
This type of testing is usually carried out by the site supervisor. There also other methods of testing concrete, for example, testing air content (for PAV mixes), this is just some of the testing services we are able to provide.

How we cube test:

• First we will clean the concrete mould making sure it is free of debris, and oil the mould to ensure the concrete does not stick to the sides once set.
• We then pour out a sample of concrete batch from our mixer/vehicle.
• We will then fill the mould with concrete using a concrete scoop, we then use a testing bar to tamper the concrete a certain amount of times according the BSI standard requirements (usually a minimum of 3 cubes are taken from each sample).
• These cube moulds are then stored in a temperature controlled room until the concrete has set.
• Once the concrete is set, the moulds are opened to safely take out the concrete cubes and are then placed in a temperature control water tank.
• Depending on when the cubes are due to be tested, the cubes are then taken to a third party testing laboratory, where they will continue to be stored in temperature controlled tanks until they are ready to be tested.
• They are then placed in a compression testing machine which will test the strength and durability of the cube by subjecting the cube to a required amount of force in order to measure the extent of how much compression pressure it can take before cracking, this machine will then give you strength results (in N/mm).

The quality of your concrete is absolutely vital because once it is laid, built on or in serviceable use, you need guarantees that it will last and perform exactly how it was intended to.
As a result of using only prime quality aggregates, the right mix for every job and no use of recycled materials, iMix concrete can guarantee each and every customer we deliver to, will be receiving the very best quality concrete or screed at competitive pricing and a professional service.