Schemmer Receives United States Army Corp of Engineers (USACE) Validation
Schemmer’s geotechnical laboratory has once again received the United States Army Corp of Engineers’ (USACE) validation.
Congratulations to our Geotechnical and Construction Materials Testing staff for their hard work and meticulous record keeping, which enables our firm to continue to hold this important validation.
The firm has held USACE validation for more than a decade, enabling us to provide proof to government and private clients that Schemmer’s laboratory provides accurate and reliable soil investigations and construction materials testing services.
Construction Materials Testing Services Laboratory Accreditation
Every commercial laboratory requires accreditation in order for clients to be assured the provided test results meet industry standards. There are several commercial entities with which a geotechnical laboratory can be accredited. Each of these entities uses similar criteria that the laboratory must pass in order to meet the minimum requirements of accreditation. These include:
- being part of uniform sample test programs,
- maintaining proper records on employee training,
- equipment calibration and maintenance, and
- maintaining proper test protocols.
USACE Laboratory Accreditation Program
Schemmer carefully reviews the available accreditation entities and continues to use the USACE laboratory accreditation program. This program allows our laboratory to perform work for projects on Federal lands for private contractors and work directly for the USACE. Other accreditation programs may use the same criteria but without the USACE laboratory accreditation, cannot perform work on Federal lands or for the USACE.
In addition to performing standardized tests for uniform sample programs and keeping files of proper laboratory records throughout the year, the Corps reevaluates and validates each laboratory after a three-year period. The validation process consists of an on-site audit completed by a team of Corps personnel to perform a physical review of:
- laboratory records,
- visual observation of equipment, and
- visual observation of technicians performing key laboratory tests.
The site visit typically requires one to two days with the assistance of two Schemmer laboratory personnel to complete.
Schemmer’s Construction Materials Testing Services
Schemmer is proud to provide our clients with experienced and certified personnel who can handle any of your geotechnical and construction materials testing needs in our USACE-certified laboratory. Our staff is experienced in determining properties of soil, rock, and underground water, as well as their relation to the design, construction, support, and operation of engineering projects.
Our professionals offer you:
- Experts in this highly specialized field
- In-house laboratory and testing equipment
- Laboratory certified by USACE
- Laboratory certified by the Nebraska Department of Transportation
- Laboratory procedures certified by the Iowa Department of Transportation
- Use of “best practices”
- Calibrated equipment
- Certified technicians
Design with Purpose. Build with Confidence.
Schemmer is a full-service architecture, engineering, and construction field services, consultant. Providing responsible solutions for complex design and construction-related challenges.
Founded in 1959, we are grounded in our past but remain fully committed to the future. Located in three States and six offices throughout the Midwest, Schemmer is providing services to clients from coast-to-coast and border-to-border across the United States.
