Laboratory services

In every construction project, one of the key tasks is to choose a material that will ensure the durability of the structure but also provide safety for its users. Choosing poor construction materials can lead to the rapid deterioration of the structure and cause additional costs for renovation and the inability to obtain an operating licence.

Our Laboratory experts conduct numerous tests to examine the quality of materials. Tests performed on the most modern equipment will give you the most accurate information about the quality and properties of the material. Primarily, the activity of the laboratory is related to testing and researching of properties of fresh and hardened concrete, concrete in structures, materials for protection and repair of concrete structures, mortars, chemical and mineral admixtures, precast concrete elements, structural elements made of different types of materials (concrete, metal, wood) and ceramics. In addition, the laboratory provides the following services:

• Examination of material properties
• Concrete quality test
• Research aimed at increasing the durability of concrete structures
• Experimental load testing of road and railway bridges and viaducts
• Testing of natural and waste materials and by-products of other industries
• Finding the possibility of disposing of waste materials and by-products, their application in construction and production of new materials

The experts of this laboratory have worked on some of the most significant infrastructure projects in Croatia and abroad, such as the roadway network of the Republic of Croatia, the Pelješac Bridge, and the Mochavce Nuclear Power Plant in Slovakia, thermal power plants, refineries and more.

Contact for inquiries and business offers:
Karla Ille / Bernardica Crnogorac

Reinforced concrete and prestressed structures must be dimensioned, designed and realized in such a way that they can take on all loads and influences that are expected to occur during their construction and subsequent use, and this throughout the design life of such facilities. The strength of concrete and steel must be satisfactory to avoid structural collapse or cave-in.

In the laboratory for metals, we can provide you with 48 types of tests for construction materials you intend to use in your construction project. The tests of construction materials are carried out on our modern equipment to pass durability tests and compatibility with other materials.
To ensure the durability and safety of your construction, our laboratory experts conduct detailed and precise tests. Our laboratory staff's expertise is built into every major construction project in Croatia.

When tested in our laboratory, all materials forming part of civil engineering structures are checked following the demanding quality control system applied by the laboratory. Practically all facilities in Croatia - from bridges to tunnels and motorways - have undergone stringent testing in this laboratory. A notable example of these structures is the highly attractive steel dome embellishing the newly constructed handball hall in Višnjik District in Zadar.

The laboratory provides the following services:

• Testing of structural steel
• Testing of products that are installed in structures
• Testing of structural elements by test load
• Quality control of all materials for building structures

Rock and soil materials are natural constructs that have been formed in the course of long-lasting geological processes. They are the base and support for the entire structure. Also, they are responsible for the stability of man-built facilities ranging from buildings to bridges, tunnels and other underground structures. Natural processes occurring over the life span of a structure (such as erosion, climate changes, the influence of vegetation, insects etc.) affect the mechanical properties of soil and alter the behaviour of geotechnical facilities. This is why geotechnical tests are conducted throughout the working life of structures, starting from the design and construction to the use and final disposal of such facilities.

IGH’s Geotechnical Laboratory conducts various laboratory and on-site tests relating to geotechnical engineering and environmental protection applications. Tests are made in one of the top-of-the-range laboratory and field equipment specially designed to assess rock and soil usability and stability. In fact, adequately conducted geotechnical investigations are the foundation of subsequent design and construction of all civil engineering structures. It should be noted that geotechnical investigations and tests can not entirely eliminate all possible risks because the situation encountered during excavations can never be accurately predicted. Nevertheless, practical problems faced by the laboratory are successfully solved thanks to proper testing, backed by high expertise and extensive experience of our experts.

In the Geotechnical Laboratory, we can conduct laboratory tests of the mechanical and physical properties of soil and rocks for:

foundations of bridges and larger structures
design of underground structures (triaxial strength, deformability, durability, physical properties)
petroleum engineering
design and construction of backfill dams
determination of residual effective strength parameters by circular shear and consolidated drained peak and residual strength for stability analyzes
determining the suitability of materials for the construction of motorway embankments
determining swelling, consolidation and strength parameters for research purposes
determining the suitability of materials for the construction of airport runways

The following field soil tests and observations of geotechnical structures are carried out in the Geotechnical Laboratory:

static CPT / CPT penetrometer
soil and rock deformability tests with Menard pressuremeter (PMT)
Marchetti dilatometer (DMT)
determination of shear strength of fine-grained soil by field wing probe (FVT)
control of density and humidity of clay sealing barriers with a nuclear densimeter
the static load of the pilot
vertical inclinometers for monitoring horizontal displacements (landslides, supporting structures)
horizontal inclinometers for monitoring vertical displacements (embankment subsidence, foundation soil)
clinometer measurements of the inclination of buildings during the excavation of construction pits in urban areas

Experts working in this laboratory have been included in many significant projects in the Republic of Croatia (Jakuševec Waste Disposal Project, Pelješac Bridge, various motorway tunnels, etc.) and international water engineering projects on road constructions in Iraq, Iran and Algeria. The laboratory is currently engaged in testing campaigns conducted on the new highway from Velika Gorica to Sisak, on the Corridor Sc section passing through the region of Baranja, on the Split to Ploče and Dubrovnik highway, and on the Rijeka Bypass tunnel projects.

In the Geotechnical Laboratory, we can also help you with:

• Testing clay insulation layers when designing landfills (water permeability, strength, soil contact strength and geosynthetics).
• Testing the tensile strength of geotextiles and geotextile-like products and the breakdown strength of CBR.
• Ensuring geotechnical tests present throughout the working life of the structure
• Provide you with a wide range of testing in geotechnical engineering and environmental protection
• Give assessments of suitability and stability of rocks and soil
• Conducting field research

Water engineering activities traditionally involve the collection and supply of required quantities of water to areas where such water is needed, as well as the protection of the population, industry and infrastructure, against the harmful action of excessive quantities of water (groundwater, flood water, etc.). However, as new times place new demands on water engineers, we are increasingly required to extend our activities to environmental engineering related to water, i.e., the study of water pollution causes and levels.

Water Engineering Laboratory provides high-quality solutions for water supply and sewerage systems in urban areas, irrigation and drainage systems, river regulation and flood protection schemes, and environmental projects, as well as for the improvement of legislative acts passed in the field of water engineering. Water Engineering Laboratory is appropriately accredited for testing various elements and systems relating to irrigation, water supply and water quality preservation. The laboratory conducts measurements on water engineering structures (watercourses, water sources) and sewer facilities.

In addition to hydrometrical measurements and analyses and the hydraulic study of groundwater and surface waters, the laboratory also participates in the physical modelling of all types of water engineering facilities (dams, maritime structures, water storage facilities, and watercourses) in cases when problems can not be solved through theoretical procedures only.

The hydropower plant on the Ombla River, and the influence of Split Port widening on the height of waves, stand out as two attractive testing campaigns currently undertaken by the laboratory. Other prominent facilities tested by this laboratory include important hydropower plants such as Lešće, Podsused, hydropower plants along the Drava River, hydropower plants in Čakovec, Dubrava, etc.

This laboratory can help you by providing services as follows:
• Testing of components for irrigation, water supply and water protection
• Measurements on hydraulic structures and sewage collectors
• Hydrometric measurements and treatments, hydraulic research of groundwater and surface water
• Physical modelling of all types of hydraulic structures

For many years, the experts of the Building physics laboratory have been conducting tests of building materials and products according to 62 accredited methods, which include tests of products for thermal insulation, fire tests, and thermal characteristics test, for which this laboratory holds the prestigious Keymark certificate. In addition to the above, we also offer the services of testing the air permeability and water tightness of doors and windows, acoustic tests and tests of construction adhesives.

Tests of building materials that are covered by accredited methods are divided into several areas, and some of them are listed here:

• Doors, windows and shutters: determination of air permeability, water tightness, resistance to wind load and classification with regard to the results of the above tests, air permeability of buildings or parts of buildings, resistance to bullets and punctures, testing of glass by the impact method and classification with considering the results of that test
• Thermal-insulating materials: determination of tensile and compressive strength, behaviour under point load, long-term and short-term water absorption, water vapour permeability, stability of measurements under given conditions, linear measures of samples, the thickness of insulating products for floating floors, mechanical properties of glass fibre mesh and moisture by drying at an elevated temperature
• Fire tests: tests of reaction to fire, tests of resistance to fire, tests of exposure of roofs to fire from the outside and appropriate classification according to the results of those tests
• Acoustic tests: laboratory and field tests of sound and insulation and measurement of sound absorption in an echo chamber.
• Tests of thermal characteristics of building products: determination of thermal resistance and related sizes of building materials
• Construction adhesives: testing of adhesives for ceramic tiles, determination of shear adhesion of dispersion adhesives and adhesives based on reaction resins, the adhesion strength of cement-based adhesives, open weather conditions, slip, deformation in the transverse direction for cement-based adhesives and grouts

With a rich tradition spanning several decades, the Laboratory for Transport Infrastructure offers a wide range of services in the field of road pavement construction. These services include material and road pavement construction product testing and research, quality control and supervision during construction and repair, as well as consultancy in asphalt technology processes and material selection. Additionally, the laboratory provides expertise for post-construction quality verification. The laboratory's portfolio includes a wide array of laboratory and field tests, amounting to over 100 accredited testing methods. These tests are categorized into eleven distinct areas, depending on the type of material or product and its intended application in the construction industry.

In our recent expansion of its services & activities, the laboratory has extended its scope to cover activities related to road pavement construction within an integrated building management system. This expansion involves critical tasks such as main road pavement inspections, investigative work, road pavement structure dimensioning, and the development of repair projects.

The Laboratory's remarkable journey began in the 1970s with its involvement in the construction of the first segment of the Zagreb-Karlovac highway, otherwise known as the "Dalmatina." Over time, through the adoption of innovative technologies and advanced construction methods, the Laboratory has contributed greatly to the sustainability and durability of the road network & infrastructure. By ensuring the longevity and structural integrity of roads hinges on the quality of their foundations, these roads rank among the highest in terms of quality within the European road network & infrastructure. To achieve those results, it involved properly installing subgrades, embankments, and subbases. The tests cover the upper load-bearing layers of road structures made of unbound, mechanically compacted stone material as well as load-bearing layers bonded with hydraulic binders.

In Croatia, asphalt road pavements are the standard for finishing road and transportation surface construction. To ensure quality control and assurance (QA/QC) in asphalt layer construction, various testing and research are conducted on properties related to asphalt mixtures, installed asphalt layers, bitumen, bitumen emulsions, and bitumen tapes, all in accordance with prevailing regulations. Furthermore, field measurements evaluate road surface characteristics such as smoothness, texture, and skid resistance. The laboratory is also equipped to assess the retroreflective properties of traffic signage for quality assurance! Apart from testing and research, the laboratory offers valuable advisory services. These services are of great help when it comes to material selection, quality preparation, production, and installation of asphalt mixtures, all geared towards achieving the desired safety, durability, and stability attributes in road pavement construction.

With more than 40 years of tradition, the laboratory specializes in the examination of the physical and mechanical properties of stones used in architectural applications for both interior and exterior building coverings. These applications also include the paving of squares, parks, and pedestrian surfaces.

Beyond their aesthetic appeal, architectural stones must also meet other building & architectural requirements. The emergence of artificial, so called "agglomerated stone" in the market represents an evolving trend. Construction-technical stone and aggregates, produced through crushing rock masses, are used in various engineering ranging from transport infrastructure and hydro-construction to railways and high-rise buildings. This also includes the construction of concrete and masonry structures. In addition to natural materials, recycled and industrially produced aggregates are gaining traction, their usability validated through testing tailored to their intended purpose.

The laboratory's expert services extend to conducts tests and evaluations of stone blocks used in hydraulic structures, such as those employed in maritime infrastructure construction and development. Additionally, the laboratory offers consulting services for the selection and assessment of stone quality, particularly in the context of restoration work.
With a rich history, the Laboratory for Transport Infrastructure has played a major role in numerous high-profile infrastructure projects, not only in Croatia & the region, but also on the international stage. Our expert team and their contributions have been instrumental in the construction and reconstruction of highways in Bosnia and Herzegovina, China, Georgia, and Libya, showcasing our commitment to excellence, quality and innovation in the field of transport infrastructure and materials testing.

Cement is one of the key ingredients in concrete and other building materials, without which the environment in which we live would look significantly different. The properties and application of cement, other binders and building materials depend on their chemical composition. If you are working on a construction project, doing a chemical and physic-mechanical analysis of the material is highly advisable.

Our professional laboratory staff can test and analyze the following materials for you:

• cement and raw materials for cement production (limestone, marl, clay, raw flour, slag)
•lime
• flying ash
• silicon dust
• aggregates and fillers
• ground blast furnace slag
• concrete
• concrete admixtures and products for the protection and repair of concrete structures
• water for concrete preparation
• pigments and fillers
• plaster
• and other building materials

The production of cement and other construction materials also significantly impacts the environment but also opens up significant opportunities for usage (recycling of materials and energy recovery). The need to protect and preserve the environment and human health also requires knowledge of the impact of construction products installed in buildings, primarily on water and soil, during their service life. The professional staff of the Laboratory for Binders and Ecology can test the quality of:

• groundwater and surface water
• wastewater
• waste and waste eluate
• soil and soil eluate
• eluate of construction products
• raw materials and construction products to report CO2 emissions