Ontario’s ministry of transportation qualifies AECOM material testing lab

Image courtesy AECOM.

The Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO) has qualified infrastructure consulting firm AECOM’s Toronto-based high-complexity material testing laboratory in Toronto. It was previously certified by the Canadian Council of Independent Labs (CCIL).

The facility serves growing local demand for qualified material testing of soil, aggregate and rock for all phases of small and large-scale infrastructure projects throughout Ontario, including inspection of shallow and deep foundations, earthwork construction, installation of utilities, and ground improvement projects. Using numerical modelling software to evaluate and analyze subsurface conditions, the lab’s geotechnical team can address complex issues related to the design of foundations, pavements, tunnels, dams, slope stabilization and geo-hazard assessments.

“Executing groundwork on any construction project means evaluating the earth and designing the most practical way to build on it,” says Marc Devlin, chief executive for AECOM in Canada. “Our experienced geotechnical team uses the latest, sophisticated laboratory testing equipment to assess the quality of soil and rock required for new infrastructure. We are pleased to be advancing a variety of civil engineering developments.”

“Our laboratory engineers and technicians work closely with our hydrogeology and tunnelling groups to ensure all required standards are met for industrial, commercial and government-sector projects, from field investigations and site characterization to geotechnical design, and provide ongoing geotechnical inspection and monitoring during construction,” says Karin Wall, senior vice-president (SVP) of AECOM’s environment business in Canada. “We are particularly pleased to have received approval from the MTO for high-complexity soil and rock testing that can support a growing number of projects that will move people and goods across Ontario.”

With the qualification, the firm can perform material testing services for soil index, consolidation, permeability, triaxial, shear box, unconfined compression strength, point load and tensile strength of rock.