Accredited Building Materials Testing Services for Construction Quality Assurance

Construction Materials Testing (also known as Building Materials Testing) is a vital process in every modern infrastructure project. It ensures that materials like concrete, steel, asphalt, aggregates, soil, and coatings meet Qatar Construction Specifications (QCS) and international standards such as ASTM, BS, ISO, and EN.

At METS Laboratory, we perform both field and laboratory testing on construction materials to verify mechanical performance, chemical composition, and long-term durability, ensuring structures are safe, compliant, and built to last.

1. Importance of Construction Materials Testing

Construction materials testing verifies the quality, strength, safety, and reliability of materials used in buildings, roads, bridges, and infrastructure.

It involves:

• Field and laboratory testing
• Material-specific quality checks
• Performance and durability assessments

Proper testing ensures that materials comply with design codes, resist environmental stress, and support sustainable construction practices.

Types of Construction Materials Tested

3. Building Materials Testing Methods

1. Mechanical Testing

These tests evaluate how materials respond under compression, tension, bending, or impact.

Material	Name of the test	Applicable Standards
Concrete	Compressive Strength Test Flexural Strength Test Split Tensile Strength	ASTM C39 / BS EN 12390 ASTM C78 / BS EN 12390-5 ASTM C496
Cement	Compressive Strength Soundness & Setting Time	ASTM C109 / BS EN 196-1 ASTM C191 / BS EN 196-3
Steel (Reinforcement Bars)	Tensile Test Bend / Re-bend Test	ASTM A370 / BS EN ISO 6892 ASTM A615 / BS 4449
Masonry Units (Blocks, Bricks)	Compressive Strength Water Absorption	ASTM C140 / BS EN 772 ASTM C140 / BS EN 772-11
Aggregates	Aggregate Crushing Value Los Angeles Abrasion	BS 812-110 ASTM C131 / C535
Tiles / Stones	Flexural Strength	ASTM C880 / BS EN 12372
Timber / Wood	Tensile, Compression, Bending	ASTM D198 / BS 373
Bitumen / Asphalt	Marshall Stability & Flow Test	ASTM D6927 / AASHTO T245



2. Chemical Testing

Chemical testing of construction materials evaluates composition, impurities, and reactivity.

Material	Name of the test	Applicable Standards
Concrete	Chemical composition (CaO, SiO₂, Al₂O₃, Fe₂O₃) Insoluble residue Loss on ignition (LOI) SO₃ content	ASTM C114 / BS EN 196-2
Cement	Chloride & sulfate content Alkali content Carbonation depth	ASTM C1218 / BS 1881-124
Water (for concrete mixing)	pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), chloride, sulfate, hardness	ASTM C1602 / BS EN 1008
Admixtures & Additives	pH, solid content, chloride content	ASTM C494
Steel (Reinforcement Bars)	Carbon, manganese, sulfur, phosphorus content Chemical composition analysis	ASTM A751 / BS EN 10025
Masonry Units (Blocks, Bricks)	Compressive Strength Water Absorption	ASTM C140 / BS EN 772 ASTM C140 / BS EN 772-11
Aggregates	Sulfate, chloride, organic impurities, alkali reactivity	ASTM C87 / BS EN 1744
Soil	Sulfate, chloride, pH, organic matter	BS 1377-3
Paints / Coatings	Lead, VOC, pigment content, binder ratio	ASTM D198 / BS 373
Bitumen / Asphalt	Penetration index, softening point, asphaltene content, ash	ISO 15148 / ASTM D2369




METS also performs hazardous substance testing for:

• Asbestos
• Formaldehyde
• Hexavalent Chromium
• Heavy Metals (Pb, Cd, Cr, Hg)
• PCBs and VOCs


3. Durability Testing

Durability testing determines how materials perform under long-term environmental exposure.

Material	Name of the test	Applicable Standards
Concrete	Freeze-Thaw Resistance Rapid Chloride Penetration Test (RCPT) Sulfate Resistance Test Water Permeability Test Carbonation Depth Test Drying Shrinkage Test	ASTM C666 ASTM C1202 / BS EN 12390-18 ASTM C1012 BS EN 12390-8 BS EN 13295 ASTM C157
Cement	Autoclave Expansion	ASTM C151
Bricks / Blocks	Efflorescence Test Water Absorption	ASTM C67 ASTM C140
Coatings / Paints	UV Aging Test Salt Spray Test	ASTM G154 ASTM B117
Steel (Reinforcement Bars)	Salt Spray / Corrosion Test Coating Adhesion Test	ASTM B117 / ISO 9227 ASTM D4541
Aggregates	Soundness Test (Na₂SO₄ /MgSO₄) L.A. Abrasion Test	ASTM C88 ASTM C131 / BS EN 1097-2



4. Field Testing

Field testing validates material behavior and quality on-site under real conditions.

Material	Name of the test	Applicable Standards
Concrete	Slump Test Concrete Temperature Air Content Rebound Hammer Test Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity (UPV) Cover Meter / Rebar Locator	ASTM C143 / BS EN 12350-2 QCS Clause 5.6 ASTM C231 BS EN 12504-2 ASTM C597 BS EN 12504-4
Asphalt / Pavement	Marshall Stability Field Test Compaction / Density Test Surface Smoothness (Profilometer)	ASTM D6927 ASTM D2950 / QCS 2022 ASTM E950
Masonry / Blocks	Dimension Check Visual Inspection	BS 6073 QCS Clause 6.2
Coatings / Paints	Dry Film Thickness Adhesion Test	ASTM D4138 ASTM D4541
Steel (Reinforcement Bars)	Visual Inspection Rebar Position Check	ASTM A615 BS 8110 / QCS
Aggregates	Sieve Analysis Moisture Content	ASTM C136 ASTM D2216
Soil / Subgrade	Field Density Test (Sand Cone / Nuclear Density) Moisture Content Plate Load Test	ASTM D1556 / D6938 ASTM D2216 ASTM D1194



5. Non-Destructive Testing (NDT)

NDT allows evaluation of structures and welds without damaging them — essential for QA/QC and maintenance.

Material	Name of the test	Applicable Standards
Concrete	Rebound Hammer (Schmidt Hammer)	BS EN 12504-2, ASTM C805
Concrete, masonry	Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity (UPV)	ASTM C597, BS EN 12504-4
Reinforced concrete	Cover Meter / Rebar Locator	BS EN 12504-4
Concrete, welds, masonry	Radiographic Testing (X-ray / Gamma-ray)	ASTM E1742
Concrete, masonry, coatings	Infrared Thermography	ASTM C1153
Concrete, steel, composites	Acoustic Emission Testing	ASTM E976
Concrete slabs, pavements	Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR)	ASTM D6087
Coatings, paints, plaster	Pull-off / Adhesion Test	ASTM D4541
Concrete, rock	Sclerometer / Surface Hardness Test	ASTM C805
Concrete, masonry	Impact Echo Test	ASTM C1383

4. Regulatory Requirements for Building Materials Testing in Qatar

In Qatar, construction materials testing is mandatory under:

• Qatar Construction Specifications (QCS 2014 / 2022)


• Public Works Authority (Ashghal)


• Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME)


• Civil Defense & Fire Safety Department

All projects must submit third-party testing certificates from ISO/IEC 17025-accredited laboratories to verify compliance and safety before approval.

5. Why Choose METS for Construction Materials Testing

• ISO/IEC 17025 Accredited Laboratory (recognized by QGOSM & Ashghal)


• Testing as per QCS, ASTM, BS EN, and ISO Standards


• Complete Field + Laboratory Testing Facilities


• Accurate Reports with Traceable Calibration Certificates


• Fast Turnaround for Project Deadlines


• Comprehensive Testing for Concrete, Steel, Asphalt, Soil & Paints

METS supports contractors, consultants, manufacturers, and developers across Qatar and the GCC in achieving total compliance and construction quality assurance.

Conclusion — Quality Built on Verified Materials

Construction Materials Testing ensures every brick, beam, and slab performs as designed — safe, durable, and compliant.

With METS Laboratory, you get trusted, accredited, and technically precise building materials testing services that align with QCS and global standards, ensuring your projects are certified for excellence.