On Friday, October 9, 2015, seven students attended the American Concrete Institute’s (ACI) Concrete Field Testing Technician training and certification course on the University of Florida (UF) campus in Gainesville. The attendees were a mix of undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students under the supervision of Dr. Chris Ferraro, P.E., in the Engineering School of Sustainable Infrastructure and Environment at UF. During the eight-hour classroom lecture, T2 Instructor Wayne Rilko taught attendees the seven procedures from the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) for measuring the plastic (unhardened) properties of concrete, such as slump, temperature and air content.

The following Friday, October 16, 2015, the students completed written exams and then performed each of these test procedures to meet the requirements of the performance exam, which replicates concrete testing performed in the field. Concrete was batched and placed in wheelbarrows, similar to the procedures used at construction sites. All seven students took a turn using each testing device. Some procedures have over 30 steps, and every one must be completed correctly in order to pass the exam. After successful completion of the written and performance exams, students earn an ACI Concrete Field Testing Technician Grade 1 certification, which is accepted worldwide.

ACI is a non-profit technical organization founded in 1904 to bring standard practices to the construction industry. Wayne Rilko is an approved instructor and examiner for eight ACI certification programs, including Concrete Field Testing Technician. Mr. Rilko has been an ACI examiner since 2003 and is a member of the institute’s faculty network.

For more information, visit the UFTI T2 Center at http://www.t2ctt.ce.ufl.edu/t2ctt/default.asp.