Misplaced and mishandled cylinders in the field are a clear violation of ACI procedures and therefore are now a violation of the Georgia Building Code.
Georgia Ready Mixed Concrete Association (GRMCA) Misplaced and mishandled cylinders in the field are a clear violation of ACI procedures and therefore are now a violation of the Georgia Building Code.

Have you ever asked a ready-mixed concrete producer if they’ve had problems with labs correctly sampling and testing concrete in the field? Or perhaps even breaking cylinders in the lab?

Many producers will tell you that poor concrete testing is a widespread and longstanding problem plaguing the industry. The Georgia Ready Mixed Concrete Association (GRMCA) and its Technical Activities Committee (TAC) thought outside the box and decided to address this issue through building codes. The end result was several amendments that place stricter certification requirements on technicians in the field and in the lab.

“In the Georgia market, we’ve seen a lot of inexperienced and uncertified technicians in the field as the economy has improved,” says TAC chairman Vance Robinson. “The inexperience oftentimes lends itself to poor testing and inaccurate results. The concrete producers find themselves in a situation where they are guilty until proven innocent, so to speak. Whether the concrete is good or bad, it is critical to producers to receive accurate results on the testing of their product.”

Building Code Amendments

To address this problem, the GRMCA TAC drafted several simple code amendments. In Robinson’s opinion, relying on references to ASTM and ACI standards in the building codes is not enough. “We wanted it to be in black and white who could sample and test concrete in the field and in the lab.”

GRMCA’s first amendment simply states that only ACI-certified field technicians can sample and test concrete in the field. While this seems logical, the code previously permitted “competent” licensed Georgia engineers, or individuals working under their direct supervision, to conduct testing. This created the potential for newly hired and inexperienced technicians to perform tests under the management of a licensed Professional Engineer.

The second amendment requires ACI Strength Testing Technician certification for individuals breaking cylinders in the lab. There previously was no direct requirement that lab technicians carry this certification.

GRMCA Executive Director Jimmy Cotty explains. “The industry was concerned that there was nothing to define what ‘competent’ meant. Did this mean an engineer who took a materials course 25 years ago while in school? Does that demonstrate competency? We weren’t so sure.”

ACI certification programs are internationally recognized and GRMCA felt it was critical to specifically acknowledge them in the code. “When Vance and I met with our State Codes Advisory Committee,” Cotty continues, “we took the position that demonstrating competency was achieved by passing the relevant ACI certifications. It wouldn’t matter if you were a licensed engineer or a newly hired technician. These certifications are industry standard and recognized by all.”

Active and Enforceable

The amendment process for GRMCA has been a year in the making. After speaking conceptually with members of the State Codes Advisory Committee in the fall of 2016, GRMCA formally filed its proposed amendments in early 2017. The amendments received several hearings in the spring and were recommended for approval to the full board of the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA) during the summer. The DCA board formally adopted the amendments November 15. They are active and enforceable as of January 1, 2018.

During this process, both Robinson and Cotty were invited to speak on the issue to several code enforcement officials’ groups, including the Building Officials Association of Georgia (BOAG). The BOAG conference was a real eye opener. “They were not aware how critical this issue is to the industry and the downstream ramifications that occur when testing is not done properly,” says Robinson. Cotty further drove the point home with this comparison, “You wouldn’t let an unlicensed electrician wire a building, so why would we let uncertified individuals test the material that gives the building its structural competency?”

The new amendments will give concrete producers in Georgia better standing to challenge testing procedures. Now, testing concrete will carry very clear certification requirements. If you are uncertified and testing concrete, it will be a building code violation.

This is a victory for the GRMCA and its members, but the association is still actively examining the building code for other opportunities to ensure its ultimate goal of consistent and high quality testing.