FORT MYERS, Fla.-- Divers in Southwest Florida only get to see the road closures, the crew working, and then the finished product when when the Florida Department of Transportation starts a roadway project.
Most residents don't know there are FDOT testing labs that review all of the construction materials in order to make sure they are safe to use.
In Fort Myers, there is a lab where every piece of aggregate used in a construction project, such as sand, gravel, or asphalt, goes through extensive testing.
“One of the main things we do here is the testing of the gradation of the aggregate," said Materials Coordinator James Maddox.
Pieces of construction material are shaken during the gradation test, mixed with water in the rice test, or compressed and rotated in the gyratory compactor.
However, Maddox said these tests aren't exactly pass or fail.
“We’re looking for that consistency," explained Maddox. "So we’re trying to find the little things so it doesn’t become a bigger issue later.”
Maddox said larger construction projects could be tested thousands of time before and during the construction process.
Bottom line, Communications Manager Zach Burch said these tests make sure all of the materials are safe by they end up at the construction site.
“It’s to make sure not only is the state getting what it paid for, but also making sure the facility is safe and going to last,” said Burch.
