REPORT to RPF November 2007 TMH1 Revision & Proficiency Testing Mervyn Henderson TMH1 report prepared by Dave Wright

TMH1 Revision - OVERVIEW  Under auspices of MTC  Funded by SANRAL, PAWC, Freetrans and SABITA  Priorities set by funders PURPOSE  Rewrite TMH1 methods into SANS format, where necessary improving and amending  Publish as SANS managed by SABS  Legal standing, credibility in Africa and long- term ownership  Stand-alone methods – reviewed after first year in use

TMH1 Revision - OVERVIEW PROCEDURE First Draft circulated as widely as possible throughout industry (also SADIC) Contentious issues reviewed by small working groups Final Draft approved by MTC and submitted to SABS SABS: Tech review, Edit review, TC 61 subcommittee, call for Public Comment & Objections, Final Approval and Publication

PILOT STAGE 11 Methods – In Final Draft Awaiting 2 normative references  Wet grading, Atterberg Limits and Linear Shrinkage (3 LL procedures), Moisture content, Dry grading, ALD (Meas & Comp), Calcs of GM, FM etc, Mod and CBR  Been through SABS up to review by TC61 subcommittee

SECOND STAGE 17 First Drafts sent out for industry comment  Aggregates: grading, FI, ACV, 10% FACT, ARD / BRD  Concrete: Lab mix specimens, Slump, Dimensions of specimens & compr. strength  Checking, handling and maintenance of sieves  Stabilization testing including UCS & ITS Currently being prepared for Final Drafts

SECOND STAGE SABITA funded work 5 Asphalt Methods - First Draft To be discussed separately in RPF 6 Binder Distributor Tests from SABITA DRAFT MANUAL  Being ‘SANS-ified’ by Project team  SABITA investigating alternative procedures to annual ‘certification’ of BDs – move away from ‘test centres’ to more accessible form of checking for ‘fit for purpose’ using SANS test methods

NUCLEAR DENSITY TESTING Recent Problems with Nuclear Gauge Density measurements Issues raised in meeting at SANRAL WC in March 2007 – Dave Wright asked to work on as priority in conjunction with Barry Dumas Work attached to TMH1 brief and funded through PAWC contribution Major misconception – not a density meter!

NUCLEAR DENSITY TESTING Issues requiring attention  Calibration of gauges  Operator certification including handling procedures  Verification – standard blocks  Testing procedure – initialization, bedding, orientation, count time, block checks  Interpretation of results  Problem materials

NUCLEAR DENSITY TESTING Calibration investigation  Currently under way – prelim results indicate interesting improvement to calibration  Will confirm with more detailed investigation over year-end break when a suitable assortment of makes and ages of gauges will be available  Will then proceed with validation of gauges and field testing

TMH1 PROJECT TEAM Tony Lewis Wim Westra Basie Nothnagel Dave Wright CONTACT cell phone

Proficiency Testing Tender for phase 1 finalised by Wesley Weber in May 2007 –Phase 1 : establishment of framework for the National Proficiency Testing Services Tender items include –Provide a Business Plan for (National Proficiency Assessment Services for Roads) NPASR which includes the functional and administrative structure of the National Proficiency Testing Scheme, based on ISO 43 and ILAC G13:2000 –Design a Test Method Registry as well as providing a list of National Standard Test methods required for the Proficiency Testing Programme –Provide a document for statistical randomised sampling procedures and test item preparation as required by the Proficiency Testing Programme –Establish and provide procedures for test item preparation, handling, transporting, storage as well as containers and labelling, etc. (18 items)

Proficiency Testing NO TAKERS could be found in private industry Rob Damhuis of SANRAL suggested that we ask the National Laboratory Association to assist NLA has experience with inter laboratory comparison schemes –The scheme empowers the laboratory with valuable data to evaluate staff competency and to identify potential deficiencies in the measurement system Rob is arranging a meeting with Steve Sidney of the NLA Board to take the matter further