6.1 - Product Strategy

6.1.1 What are the features of your product or service?

Laboratory

1. Particle size analysis - When working with soils for engineering purposes, it is always necessary to properly classify the soil with which one is working. This is so that engineers who might later attempt to interpret results from a particular job will know with some certainty the type of soil involved. These types of soils can then be correlated to their engineering properties. One of the main descriptors of soil used for engineering purposes is the distribution of grain sizes in the soil mass. The most common method of obtaining information regarding this distribution is analysis using sieves. This procedure is usually performed using 8 inch woven wire sieves.
2. Moisture content - In almost all soil tests natural moisture content of the soil is to be determined. The knowledge of the natural moisture content is essential in all studies of soil mechanics. To sight a few, natural moisture content is used in determining the bearing capacity and settlement. The natural moisture content will give an idea of the state of soil in the field
3. Atterberg limit - The Atterberg limits are a basic measure of the nature of a fine-grained soil. Depending on the water content of the soil, it may appear in four states: solid, semi-solid, plastic and liquid. In each state the consistency and behavior of a soil is different and thus so are its engineering properties. Thus, the boundary between each state can be defined based on a change in the soil's behavior. The Atterberg limits can be used to distinguish between silt and caly, and it can distinguish between different types of silts and clays
4. Specific gravity test - The ratio of the unit weight of a material to the unit weight of distilled water at 4°C is a common definition of specific gravity. Soil specific gravities, however, are normally referred to the weight of water at 20°C. In itself, the specific gravity is not an index property of a soil. It is, however, required for determination of the unit weight of a soil and in many computations
5. Consolidation Test - This test is performed to determine the magnitude and rate of volume decrease that a laterally confined soil specimen undergoes when subjected to different vertical pressures. From the measured data, the consolidation curve (pressure-void ratio relationship) can be plotted. This data is useful in determining the compression index, the recompression index and the preconsolidation pressure (or maximum past pressure) of the soil. In addition, the data obtained can also be used to determine the coefficient of consolidation and the coefficient of secondary compression of the soil
6. Triaxial compression test - The triaxial compression test is used to measure the shear strength of a soil under controlled drainage conditions. In the conventional triaxial test, a cylindrical specimen of soil encased in a rubber membrane is placed in a triaxial compression chamber, subjected to a confining fluid pressure, and then loaded axially to failure. Connections at the ends of the specimen permit controlled drainage of pore water from the specimen. The test is called "triaxial" because the three principal stresses are assumed to be known and are controlled. Prior to shear, the three principal stresses are equal to the chamber fluid pressure
7. Consolidated undrained triaxial test - This method determines the angle of internal friction (φ) and cohesion (c) strength parameters of soils by triaxial compression testing. When pore pressures are measured, the effective values of internal friction and cohesion,(φ') and (c') respectively, can be calculated. The values given in parentheses (if provided) are not standard and may not be exact mathematical conversions. Use each system of units separately. Combining values from the two systems may result in nonconformance with the standard
8. Direct Shear - In many engineering problems such as design of foundation, retaining walls, slab bridges, pipes, sheet piling, the value of the angle of internal friction and cohesion of the soil involved are required for the design. Direct shear test is used to predict these parameters quickly. The laboratory report covers the laboratory procedures for determining these values for cohesion less soils
9. Point load test - Point load testing is used to determine rock strength indexes in geotechnical practice. The point load test apparatus and procedure enables economical testing of core or lump rock samples in either a field or laboratory setting. In order to estimate uniaxial compressive strength, index-to-strength conversion factors are used

Field Testing

1. Boring test - Boreholes are advanced using rotary wash boring in cutting tools is rotated by a drilling rig while water or drilling mud is pumped down the drill rods to wash soil cuttings to ground level. The sides of the boreholes are usually supported are usually supported either by casing or by drilling mud consisting of water/betonies mixture. As the borehole is advanced, samples of soil or ground water are takes at specified depth by the technique described later on this sheet or elsewhere. Boring in soil is continued until are specific resistances is reached either according to the Standard Penetration Test (SPT) or a specific depth. Record s of ground water level are made by measuring depth tow water at beginning and end of each day work
2. Field inspection vane - Field inspection vane tester is used to determine the maximum shearing force that can be exercised on soil. Measurement in the field (on the surface, in profile pits or at the bottom of bore holes) as well as in the laboratory (on samples) are possible. There are 3 different models for shear stress measurement with a large range up to 200kpa to a depth of 10m.
3. Dynamic cone penetrometer - used to evaluate the thickness and the soil bearing capacity of the subbase and subgrade soil in site .The handling is quite simple where it needs three people in conducting tests using the DCP that is one to hold the apparatus vertically from the surface of the ground, one to lift and drop the weight and the other one is to record number of blows
4. Proving Ring Penetrometer - cone type of penetrometer which can be used in a number of applications. It serves as a rapid means for determining the penetration resistance of soils in shallow exploration work. The reading obtained in this method may be correlated to standard or modified compaction data for compaction control in the field. Trafficability relationships can be obtained for quick field evaluation of sites. Correlation with the CBR or bearing capacity tests can be established by the user

Design

1. Foundation - The preparation of strong building foundation in accordance to works specification is important in any structure or building construction. Understanding and exposure towards soil testing, supervision of deep and shallow foundation works and pile load testing aspects are required to ensure building foundation is constructed safely, strongly and in accordance with the design requirements and specifications
2. Retaining wall - The design of retaining walls requires a thorough knowledge of structural and geotechnical engineering. This does not mean that one person has to design every aspect of a retaining wall. Design loads and allowable pressures recommended by a geotechnical engineer are often later used by a structural engineer to design the wall. The following design procedures convey general methods and do not address every design situation
3. Geo-material - Geo-materials are including soil, rock, and concrete which are the common building materials for civil and defense structures. Our services are to test these properties and design suitable structure for used in civil engineering works
4. Soil Improvement - ground improvement is a controlled alteration of the state, nature or mass behavior of ground materials in order to achieve an intended satisfactory response to existing or projected environmental and engineering actions. A vast number of the new development nowadays takes place on a poor ground and this is will give a challenge to the geotechnical engineer in designing a foundation performance at a low cost. Ground improvement has a long history and it has been suggested that soil improvement is probably the oldest of all common execution methods in civil engineering

6.1.2 How will your product or service benefit the costumer?

Good Quality Customer Service

The best organizations always put their customers first, and we want to be the best. QGES have taken a long, hard look at how we do things to come up with a better way wherever possible. Our aim is to make our service to the public as good and customer-friendly as it can be. Our aim is to put costumer and service first

Good Quality Result Service

QGES quality result service is defined by the standards and expectations of customers. QGES will present factual report base on customers' requirements as follows :-

1. Maintain record of samples received for testing and storage
2. Perform any or a combination test according to specifications and international standards
3. Verify for additional instruction to test variations on specific test methods
4. Provide a summary of tests results for overall presentation
5. Specify fastest delivery time based on test duration and capacity
6. Provide technical competence to deal with enquiries on uncertainties of test results
7. Provide track record and approval of engineering consultants who require the quality data

6.1.3 What is your Unique Selling Proposition?

QGES has applied accreditation from internationally accepted standards by SAMM produce our services. All services that were provide as the copyrights, trademarks or other intellectual properties owned by QGES.

QGES provided good services where once the laboratory testing or field testing is applied the design will be proceed on time. Our service is important in preventing an error occurred in designing. So that, client will take this advantages to rerun the testing to ensure the data collected is accurate or not.

Determined to maintain and meet the levels of satisfaction expected by clients, QGES Top Management is committed to continually improve our proven processes by identifying future actions to improve our performance. Our control measures are designed to ensure risk is as low as reasonably practicable. Management at all levels must develop and promote these processes by setting targets, involving and motivating all staff, in the pursuit of quality products and services