Quality Testing & Materials Consultancy to the Construction Industry

ACS was formed in 1987 to provide a quality material testing and consultancy service to the building, construction and civil engineering industries. The company has steadily evolved and now provides a comprehensive UKAS accredited sampling, site testing and laboratory testing service for natural and recycled aggregates, bituminous mixtures, fresh and hardened concrete, soils, stabilised materials and natural stone in accordance with British and European standards and approved in-house methods. Our geo-environmental consultancy team provide a wide range of environmental, geotechnical and contamination investigation and monitoring services supported by the laboratory resources within the ACS Group.

Welcome to the ACS Group of Companies new website.

Friday 6th January 2012.

This news feed will now be updated on a regular basis.

Welcome to ACS Testing

Since its inception in 1987, ACS Testing has been providing quality testing and materials consultancy to the construction industry.

From our laboratory at Holton Heath near Poole, Dorset, we are able to provide UKAS accredited site sampling, site testing and laboratory testing on a wide range of construction materials.

Since our initial UKAS accreditation in 1990, our scope of testing has steadily increased, and we now offer a comprehensive range of tests, carried out to British and European standards and to approved in-house methods.

The range of materials tested includes natural aggregates, recycled aggregates, fresh and hardened concrete, soils, stabilised materials, bituminous materials, natural stone and waters. Our experienced staff will ensure that your testing requirements are clearly understood, efficiently carried out and accurately reported.

Concrete Testing

Concrete is the most widely used construction material in the world, composed of Portland cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cements, crushed rock or gravel, sand and water. Chemical admixtures and other materials are often added to the mix to enhance the performance characteristics. It is commonly reinforced with steel rods (rebar) or ...more
Concrete Testing in depth | Downloads | Accreditation | Contact ACS Testing

Concrete & Bituminous Drilling

We are equipped to carry out core cutting on bituminous materials, and lean mix, pavement quality and structural concrete. We have the capability to accurately identify the position of reinforcing within concrete structures in order to avoid it during core cutting, if ...more
Concrete & Bituminous Drilling in depth | Downloads | Accreditation | Contact ACS Testing

Soil Testing

In the field of civil engineering, nearly all projects are built onto, or into, the ground. Unlike other materials, which are subjected to strict controls during manufacture or processing, soil is usually used in the natural condition. Whether the project is a structure, a roadway, a tunnel, or a bridge, the properties of the soil at that location are of great ...more
Soil Testing in depth | Downloads | Accreditation | Contact ACS Testing

Aggregate Testing

Aggregate is defined as a granular material used in construction, which may be natural, manufactured or re-cycled. Natural Aggregates: Naturally occurring materials of rock or sand and gravel. These are extracted directly from land or marine sources for use in construction. Manufactured Aggregate: Aggregate of mineral origin resulting from an industrial process ...more
Aggregate Testing in depth | Downloads | Accreditation | Contact ACS Testing

Bituminous Materials Testing

Bituminous road surfacing materials are produced by mixing mineral aggregate with a bitumen binder in predetermined quantities and within defined temperature ranges. Other materials are sometimes added to the mixture, including fibres, polymers and pigments to produce specific performance ...more
Bituminous Materials Testing in depth | Downloads | Accreditation | Contact ACS Testing

Recycled Aggregate Testing

Aggregate is defined as a granular material used in construction, which may be natural, manufactured or re-cycled. Recycled Aggregates: Aggregate resulting from the processing of inorganic material, previously used in ...more
Recycled Aggregate Testing in depth | Downloads | Accreditation | Contact ACS Testing

Masonry Testing

Masonry is generally a highly durable form of construction. However, the materials used, the quality of the mortar and workmanship, and the pattern the units are put in can strongly affect the durability of the overall masonry construction. The most common materials of masonry construction are stone, brick and concrete ...more
Masonry Testing in depth | Downloads | Accreditation | Contact ACS Testing

Natural Stone & Rock Testing

Building stones are naturally occurring rocks of igneous, sedimentary or metamorphic origin which are sufficiently consolidated to enable them to be cut or shaped into blocks or slabs for use in walling, paving or roofing materials in the construction of buildings and other structures. The principal rock types used as building stone are limestones (including marbles), ...more
Natural Stone & Rock Testing in depth | Downloads | Accreditation | Contact ACS Testing

Welcome to ACS Analysis

December 1999 saw the formation of ACS Analysis, to provide comprehensive testing facilities for a wide range of geosynthetic, clay soils and bentonite enriched materials. All of which are frequently used in landfill development and the construction industry.

From our purpose built laboratory near Poole, Dorset, we are able to provide a comprehensive range of tests for which we hold UKAS accreditation.

State of the art sample preparation, conditioning and testing equipment, along with experienced staff, enables us to provide quality testing to a nationwide network of clients. Our sample collection and laboratory facilities operate seven days a week, providing a level of service which is second to none.

Geomembrane Testing

High density polyethylene (HDPE) is commonly used for geomembranes. It has broad chemical resistance and excellent UV resistance, but lacks flexibility and can develop brittle stress cracking at low stresses if not properly formulated. Geomembranes are rolled out with overlapping pieces to enable the joins to be ...more
Geomembrane Testing in depth | Downloads | Accreditation | Contact ACS Analysis

Geosynthetic Clay Liner Testing

Geosynthetic clay liners consist of a layer of high swelling sodium bentonite, woven between two geotextile layers. The bentonite swells and extrudes through the geotextile fabric at the overlap, forming a seal by producing a dense and uniform clay barrier with the same hydraulic qualities in all parts of the clay liner. GCLs have low hydraulic conductivity ...more
Geosynthetic Clay Liner Testing in depth | Downloads | Accreditation | Contact ACS Analysis

Geotextile Testing

Geotextiles are made of synthetic fibres manufactured in a woven or loose non-woven manner to form blanket type products. They are rot proof and permeable to water and offer resistance to penetration damage. In land fill applications they are frequently used as a protection layer to ...more
Geotextile Testing in depth | Downloads | Accreditation | Contact ACS Analysis

Permeability Testing

Permeability testing consists of determining the volume of water passing through a specimen in a known time, under known conditions of effective stress and hydraulic gradient. The two methods in common use in the UK are the BS 1377 : Part 6 method, where the permeability stage is preceded by saturation and consolidation stages, and the Environment Agency accelerated ...more
Permeability Testing in depth | Downloads | Accreditation | Contact ACS Analysis

ACS Environmental

Established in November 2006 ACS Environmental Testing took its place within the industry to analyse a wide range of chemical elements typically found in environmental and construction samples.

At our laboratory at Holton Heath near Poole, Dorset, we are able to provide UKAS and Mcerts accredited laboratory testing and analysis. Our laboratory capabilities include waste acceptance testing, contaminated land analysis, water analysis, and top soil analysis.

Waste Acceptance Testing

The Landfill Directive requires that before waste can be sent to landfill all of the properties of the waste that determine its suitability for landfill must be known. The introduction of the Waste Acceptance Criteria (WAC) aims to obtain greater control of the waste disposed of at landfills, in order to minimise the impact of this form of disposal. Wastes can only be ...more
Waste Acceptance Testing in depth | Downloads | Accreditation | Contact ACS Environmental

Asbestos Testing

Sampling and testing of asbestos should only be carried out by suitably qualified and accredited ...more
Asbestos Testing in depth | Downloads | Accreditation | Contact ACS Environmental

Borehole Water Analysis

At ACS Environmental Testing we are able to provide, in conjunction with our other group companies, a comprehensive sampling, monitoring and analysis service for borehole waters. Sampling and testing programmes include: Sampling for chemical and biological analysis - Surveys - 24hr call out for emergency incident ...more
Borehole Water Analysis in depth | Downloads | Accreditation | Contact ACS Environmental

Leachate & Effluent Water Analysis

At ACS Environmental Testing we are able to provide, in conjunction with our other group companies, a comprehensive sampling, monitoring and analysis service for waters from a range of sources, including: Surface water e.g. rivers, streams, lakes and lagoons Effluents from various industrial processes Sewage effluents & Leachates from landfill monitoring ...more
Leachate & Effluent Water Analysis in depth | Downloads | Accreditation | Contact ACS Environmental

Soil Contamination Analysis

As the requirement for land for housing, retail, office and industrial development continues to grow, there is a real need for developers to use sites previously used for industrial purposes (Brownfield sites). These sites may not have been subject to the rigorous environmental legislation that applies today, resulting in the possibility of various levels of ...more
Soil Contamination Analysis in depth | Downloads | Accreditation | Contact ACS Environmental

Topsoil Quality Analysis

The assessment of topsoil quality is important to any landscaping project, whether for private dwellings, public parks and spaces or construction projects, and the farming community. At ACS Environmental Testing we assess topsoil quality in accordance with the current version of BS3882 (Specification for topsoil and requirements for use), which specifies requirements ...more
Topsoil Quality Analysis in depth | Downloads | Accreditation | Contact ACS Environmental

ACS Geo-Environmental Consultancy

ACS Geo-Environmental Consultancy services can cater for site specific requirements and provide a project management aspect to all aspects of site work.

We have many years of experience in all aspects of site work with a large client base. ACS Geo-Environmental Consultancy specialises in Contamination and Environmental Investigations, Geotechnical Site Investigations, Environmental Permitting, Environmental Monitoring and Definition of Waste.

All works have the support of laboratories and resources within the ACS Group of Companies which allows for seamless project progress and completion.

Geotechnical Investigations

With an extensive range of investigation techniques, ACS can cater for a range of Client requirements. Investigations are designed to provide the required geotechnical parameters. Selection of investigatory method will often depend on site access and can often be carried out in buildings and factories and limited headroom ...more
Geotechnical Investigations in depth | Contact ACS Geo-Environmental Consultancy

Phase I - Desk Based Research

Desk studies are carried out prior to investigatory works and involve obtaining information from a variety of sources. This will always include a walk over survey to identify site conditions and ...more
Phase I - Desk Based Research in depth | Contact ACS Geo-Environmental Consultancy

Phase II - Contamination Investigations

Contaminative investigations can take many forms from simple sample collection to detailed intrusive investigations. Contamination Investigations are often completed for development sites which require compliance with planning conditions relating to contaminated land issues. For potential site acquisition/investment, the Phase II investigation provides a ...more
Phase II - Contamination Investigations in depth | Contact ACS Geo-Environmental Consultancy

Environmental Monitoring

We carry out routine monitoring of over 15 landfill sites, conducting site testing for landfill gases, ground and surface water and collection of samples for laboratory ...more
Environmental Monitoring in depth | Contact ACS Geo-Environmental Consultancy

Definition of Waste Appropriate Person

In accordance with the CLAIRE Definition of Waste: Development Industry Code of Practice, the ACS Waste Qualified Person ...more
Definition of Waste Appropriate Person in depth | Contact ACS Geo-Environmental Consultancy

Planning and Environmental Permitting

ACS can provide a range of services in relation to planning applications and environmental permitting for waste developments (inert landfills, construction and demolition waste recycling centres and non-hazardous waste transfer ...more
Planning and Environmental Permitting in depth | Contact ACS Geo-Environmental Consultancy