Technician Certification Requirements in ASTM Standards
By Brian Johnson, Program Supervisor (AAP)
It has been over a year since AMRL started to request technician certification information during a laboratory’s annual review for AASHTO accreditation rather than during the on-site assessment. This change was made to improve the consistency of our evaluation of laboratory conformance to the ASTM quality system standards that require technician certification (ASTM C1077, D3666, D3740, or E329). Read More 
The Road to Developing an Effective Quality Management System – Part 2, Getting Started
By Tracy Barnhart, Quality and Information Manager
It's time to hit the road and get this QMS thing started! The first part of my series ("Part 1 – Why Bother?") focused on the many benefits of developing and implementing an effective QMS. Let’s see where this road will take us next... Read More
Sieves: Making the Grade, Part I
Sieves come in many shapes and sizes and are used for a variety of materials. The purpose of putting a sieve to good use is always the same; separating particles into size fractions. You are probably familiar with sieving in some capacity - we use the process every day... Read More
The Skinny on Precision and Bias: Aiming our Sights on Precision
By Rob Norris, Laboratory Assessor
"Precision and bias statements are those often skimmed-over sections at the end of the AASHTO and ASTM test methods. You know - the section after the “Report” and before the “Keywords” sections. Although these statements are easy to overlook, without precision and bias statements, test methods would have no merit. These statements are the evidencethat proves that the test method works. Read More
Metrology Musings: Measurement Uncertainty for Hillbillies
By Bob Lutz, AMRL Manager
In my last article ("Uncertainty? There’s An App For That") I promised that we would further explore the numbers and the math that goes into estimating measurement uncertainty. As Churchill Eisenhart once said, “A quantitative result without any kind of uncertainty estimate is not only useless, it is dangerous because it can be misused.” Unlike bias, or systematic error, measurement uncertainty is always there and can never be eliminated. Read More
Calibrating Thermometers: The Science Behind Meaningful Temperature Measurement
By Maria Knake, Program Manager for Training and Technical Services
A Promise is a Promise
I've said it myself: without calibration, we have no confidence in the measurements that we take. And if a measurement isn’t meaningful, why even bother? Nevertheless, if you’ve read my previous articles, "The Anatomy of a Liquid-in-Glass Thermometer" and "Let’s Get Digital," you know that, up to this point, I have (intentionally) avoided the subject of thermometer calibration. So, if calibration is such an important subject, why have I been avoiding it for so long? The answer is simple: I’ve been procrastinating. Read More
The Dynamic Shear Rheometer: Understanding the Temperature Requirements
By Brian Johnson, Program Supervisor (AAP)
& Russell Dabbs, Laboratory Assessor
The Importance of the Dynamic Shear Rheometer to the Performance Graded Binder System
The dynamic shear rheometer (DSR), as described by AASHTO T 315, is arguably the most important apparatus used in the performance-graded (PG) binder system. The DSR is utilized in three instances as part of the binder grading specification, AASHTO M 320. Read More
Did You Know?
By Mike Adkins, Laboratory Assessor
Some tips and tricks to make life in the testing lab just a little bit easier... Read More
Rock Testing, Soil Sampling, and More: New Test Methods Recently Added to AMRL Scope
By Greg Uherek, Program Supervisor (LAP)
To better serve our customers, AMRL is continuously reevaluating the scope of standards covered by the Laboratory Assessment Program (LAP) and the AASHTO Accreditation Program (AAP). As a result, we have added several new standards to these programs over the past year or so. This article provides a brief summary of the most recent additions. Read More