Module 1: Introduction Wood shall be tested first before using as the

main structural system

Note: All Standards, Equipment, Apparatus

cited on this presentation conforms to the

ASTM Standards and Specifications.
Materials of Construction and Testing
Why is Testing of Material Important?
1. Testing of materials will identify potential
problems during and after the construction of
the project

•The GOAL of this course is to familiarize and 2. Ensures the safety of the structure and its
train the students in the standard testing occupants
procedures of common construction materials
3. Usage and selling of substandard construction
•For students to be ready for the DPWH BRS materials is punishable by law
Materials Engineering examination, which is an
essential advantage of a Professional Civil
Engineer working in the construction industry Philippine National Standard for Important
Construction Material
•To prepare students for Researches related to
material testing especially concrete engineering

•It is essential to test all the materials such as

(sand, gravel, concrete, masonry, steel and
wood) in order to determine its physical and
mechanical properties.

Construction in the Philippines

Construction in the Philippines is usually
classified by these techniques/materials:
1.Reinforced Concrete
Reinforced Concrete is the typical material,
technique used for building in the Philippines
because of its lower cost compared to other
materials
Made from concrete and steel reinforcing bars
DPWH Blue Book
This book from Department of Public Works and
Highways Bureau of Research and Standards
(DPWH BRS) is one of the bases for standard
specifications for construction of all DPWH
related projects
The bureau of Research and Standard is the
governing body that strictly follow the standards
of construction materials

2.Structural Steel American Society for Testing and Materials

Structural Steel is the usual the choice material ASTM is the leading organization that
for construction of warehouses, standardized the testing of materials specially for
refineries/factories, structures with large area, construction materials
and sometimes for tall buildings
The Philippines is following most of the
Structural Steel (I beams and C Channel) are methodologies and techniques based on their
made from hot rolled steel procedures

3.Masonry ASTM Designation

Masonry structures are usually for bungalow General ASTM Classifications

because its weak against lateral forces created by
high winds, earthquakes, etc

Most of the time, these structures are

considered non engineered and low construction
cost

4.Wood/Bamboo

Wood as the main construction material may Laboratory

vary in cost depending on the type of wood used
All necessary equipment needed for all
Not a good material for areas with high winds but
experiments can be borrowed from our
safer from earthquakes
laboratory during testing/laboratory experiment
Important Reminders for Laboratory ASTM C566 Standard Test Method for
Total Evaporable Moisture
1.Safety is top priority of our school. All Content of Aggregate by
unnecessary task/behavior is prohibited on the Drying
laboratory. ASTM C29 Determination of bulk
density (“unit weight”) of
2. Turn off all equipment especially electronic
aggregate
devices/heat related equipment after usage.
ASTM C127 Standard Test Method for
3. First aid kits are all available in the laboratory. Relative Density (Specific
Gravity) and Absorption of
4. Call for help if needed. Coarse Aggregate
ASTM C128 Standard Test Method for
5. Do not operate UTM and oven without the
Relative Density (Specific
supervision of the faculty member or laboratory
Gravity) and Absorption of
assistant. Fine Aggregate
6. No eating allowed in the laboratory ASTM C131 Resistance to Degradation of
Small Size Coarse Aggregates
7. Immediately clean all equipment and tools by Abrasion and Impact in Los
after usage. Angeles Machine
ASTM C187 Standard Test Method for
Why ASTM? Normal Consistency of
• ASTM is the leading organization for Hydraulic Cement
standardizing materials and its testing

• 12,800+ Standards Development of ASTM Standard

• 110 Countries Adopted their standards 1. Member will identify certain problem,
material, revision of existing standard
• Available in English and SI Units
2. Members will prepare a draft standard
Headquarters: 100 Barr Harbor Drive P.O. Box
C700 West Conshohocken, PA 19428 2959, USA 3. The parent subcommittee will review the
proposed standard.
ASTM Standard
DPWH-BRS Blue Book
ASTM Standard Title
ASTM C191 Time of setting of hydraulic It is hereby directed that henceforth, the DPWH
cement by means of the Vicat Standard Specifications for Public Works and
needle Highways 2004 Edition Volume II Highways,
ASTM C143 Determination of slump of Bridges and Airports shall be adopted in the
hydraulic cement concrete, implementation of all infrastructure projects of
both in the laboratory and in said categories except for projects which have
the field. already been advertised for bids and for which
ASTM C192 Standard Practice for Making specifications other than the above standards
and Curing Concrete Test have been adopted Where necessary, these
Specimens in the Laboratory Standard Specifications shall be supplemented
ASTM C39 Standard Test Method for by special provisions
Compressive and Flexural
Strength of Concrete
ASTM C1314 Standard Test Method for
Compressive Strength of
Masonry Prisms
ASTM D4761 determination of the axial
compressive, tensile and
bending strength of stress
graded lumber and other
wood base structural
material
ASTM A615 Tensile Strength of
Reinforcing Bars
ASTM C136 Determination of the particle
size distribution of fine and
coarse aggregates by
sieving.

DPWH-BRS Materials Engineer
Department Order No. 098 Series of 2016
1.0 CRITERIA FOR ACCREDITATION
The following criteria shall be applied in the
evaluation for accreditation of
Contractors’/Consultants’ Materials Engineers
1.1 Minimum Requirement
As a minimum requirement for accreditation of
materials engineers, the applicant must be a
registered and licensed Civil Engineer This
minimum requirement may be extended to
foreign applicants
1.2 Written Examination
A written examination shall be administered to
all the applicants The raw score obtained in the
examination shall be converted to percentage
100 maximum) to obtain the total score for
accreditation
1.3 Practical Examination
Practical examination shall be administered to an
accredited Materials Engineer I applying for
upgrading to Materials Engineer II It shall be
conducted at the Bureau of Research and
Standards (BRS) Office in Quezon City or at a
selectedjidentified DPWH Regional Office
1.4 DPWH Engineers and other government
engineers are prohibited from taking the
examination for the accreditation of
Contractors’jConsultants Materials Engineers to
prevent private entities from engaging the
servicesof the former while still employed by the
government
4.0 CLASSIFICATION OF CONTRACTORS’/
CONSULTANTS’ MATERIALS ENGINEERS
4.1 Materials Engineers shall be classified
according to the results of Written and Practical
Examinations.
4.1.1 Written Examination
Applicants who got a score of 60% and above are
automatically accredited as Materials Engineer I.
4.1.2 Practical Examinations
(For upgrading from Materials Engineer I to
Materials II only)
a. Laboratory
The applicants will be required to demonstrate
the actual sampling and testing procedures of
construction materials in accordance with the
existing standards to determine their testing
capability
b. Field
The applicants will be required to demonstrate
the actual implementation of quality control
supervision and decision making in the project
4.2 Accredited Materials Engineer I may be
upgraded to Materials Engineer II by undergoing
only a Practical Examination and not a written
examination
Applicants must obtain a total score of at least 75
in the Practical Examination to qualify as
Materials Engineer II
4.3 Accredited Materials Engineer I who applied
for upgrading but failed to be upgraded to
Materials Engineer II after two 2 successive
attempts is barred from taking the Practical
Examination for one 1 year and should take a
refresher course related to Materials Quality
Control

4.4 An accredited Contractors’/Consultants’

Materials Engineer who enters the government
service and wishes to be accredited as DPWH
Materials Engineer may apply for accreditation
His/her score in the written examination will be
considered and he/she must undergo the
practical examination However, in the case of
upgraded Materials Engineer II who have
undergone practical examination, he/she will be
automatically conferred the same rank

4.5 DPWH engineers who took the DPWH

Materials Engineers examination and got a score
of 60 and above but are separated from
government service can be accredited as
Contractors’/Consultants’ Materials Engineers I,
without undergoing practical examination for
Contractors’/Consultants’ Materials Engineers

5.0 CRITERIA FOR THE ASSIGNMENT OF

CONTRACTORS’ CONSULTANTS’ MATERIALS
ENGINEERS

Accredited materials engineers may be assigned

to DPWH projects, subject to the following limits
of assignment

Classification Limits of Assignment

a. Materials Engineer I One 1 project costing not

more than P 150 M, or

–Two 2 projects, with an aggregate cost of not

more than P 250 M, or

–Three 3 projects, with an aggregate cost of not

more than P 200 M

b. Materials Engineer II One 1 project, no cost

limit, or

–Two 2 projects, with an aggregate cost of not

more than P 300 M, or

–Three 3 projects, with an aggregate cost of not

more than P 250 M

Non accredited materials engineers may be

assigned to three 3 projects, with an aggregate
cost of P 150 M or below