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Gilson Insights

Have questions about your materials testing equipment?  We have the answers to these questions and much more right here! Check back monthly for long-form blog posts, how-to guides and infographics. We’ll address industry insights, the operation and maintenance of specific equipment, and our product line recommendations, all designed to better serve you.

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Relative Density/Specific Gravity of Fine and Coarse Aggregate

Determining relative density, or specific gravity, allows accurate conversion of volumes to gravimetric weights for proportioning materials. Learn more about relative density/specific gravity test methods and the equipment used to perform this laboratory test.

Brass or Stainless Steel Test Sieves: That Was Then, This Is Now

For this blog article, we will look at the use of brass for weaving the mesh of laboratory test sieves and how stainless steel has become a more efficient and cost-effective mesh material.

Construction Materials Testing: An Overview
Construction Materials Testing Resource

The term construction materials testing sounds like a catch-all term for analyzing everything from nails to doorknobs. However, for the civil engineering industry, it has come to mean the characterization of a handful of things by using specific test methods in a construction materials testing laboratory: concrete, aggregates, asphalt, and soils. This blog will take a high-altitude view of what construction materials are, the most important properties to test for, and the right equipment to get the job done.

The Gilson Rice Shaker: A Versatile Tool for Specific Gravity Testing

If you regularly perform asphalt theoretical maximum specific gravity (Rice) tests, the Gilson Rice Shaker is a time-saving tool to have in your lab. Find out why this unit is the key to determining accurate specific gravity determinations for asphalt, aggregates, and soils.

Factoring in Flowability of Granular Materials: Sieving and Sizing

Test methods for dry granular materials must be built around the flowability of the material. No sampling, sizing, or handling method can be performed accurately or efficiently if it does not work in harmony with the material's flow properties.

Factoring in Flowability of Granular Materials: Choosing the Best Lab Equipment

Every stage of sampling, dividing, and testing granular material is affected by its flow properties. Understanding a particular material and the unique factors that impact its flowability increases the efficiency and accuracy of your laboratory testing and can even help control your budget. In this article, we discuss what equipment is best suited for your testing application.

Aggregate Shape and Texture, Tests and Testing Equipment

Construction aggregates are traditionally mined or extracted from natural sand and gravel deposits or geological rock formations, then further crushed and sorted into size fractions for blending. In this blog article, we discuss the tests and equipment to determine the characterization of aggregate shape properties for roads and structures.

Portable Field Scales: A Guide to Features and Selection

Some test methods must be performed on the spot to ensure that the best products are being produced or placed following specified procedures. Portable weighing devices are especially important to operate accurately and conveniently in remote locations. In this blog post, we’ll discuss what to look for when choosing one.

Choosing the Right Gilson Screen Shaker

Particle size gradation is the most often-performed test on aggregates, and effective characterization can’t move forward without it. Testing screens offer an efficient and cost-effective method for accurate size determinations of coarse materials. This blog post will help you select the right Gilson Screen Shaker for your testing applications.

Sulfate Soundness Test: Estimating Aggregate Durability

Sulfate Soundness of Aggregate, procedures for this popular test method are straightforward. In this blog post, we will discuss why the soundness of aggregate is necessary, what the procedures are when using either magnesium or sodium sulfate, and what equipment is needed to perform the test.