Overview
The certification programs for Asphalt employ local testing procedures to ensure consistency with local provincial and municipal test requirements. CCIL’s Asphalt laboratory certification programs have four mandatory components:
- Laboratories must participate in and satisfy CCIL annual inter-laboratory correlation program requirements. This correlation program distributes prepared proficiency test samples to participating laboratories which test the samples and submit the results to CCIL’s for statistical analysis.
- At least once every two years, CCIL conducts laboratory inspections to verify that appropriate equipment and qualified personnel are in place, that the testing equipment is calibrated and properly maintained, and that up-to-date testing procedures are followed.
- Each CCIL certified laboratory must employ at least one certified laboratory technician. Technicians must meet minimum requirements for training and experience, and pass practical and written examinations. As of May 1, 2021 this is required of all certified laboratories across Canada.
- Certified laboratories must have an appropriate quality manual and quality system. CCIL has developed a quality manual template and user guide as an aid for laboratories developing a quality system. This is a requirement of all certified laboratories across Canada.
There are four categories of Asphalt laboratory certification; Type A, Type B, Type E and Type F as indicated below:
- Marshall and/or Superpave Mix Design testing (Type “A” Certification)
- Marshall and/or Superpave Mix Compliance testing (Type “B” Certification)
- Recovered penetration of extracted asphalt (Type “E” Certification), and
- Performance Graded Asphalt Binder Certification (Type F)
Unless a laboratory is dedicated to binder testing only (Type F), all certified labs must, as a minimum, be certified in mix compliance testing (Type B certification).
Asphalt technicians employed by certified laboratories must demonstrate their proficiency in carrying out test procedures, for which the laboratory is certified, through practical tests and written examinations. Technicians passing the written and practical examinations are issued CCIL certification cards valid for a period of 5 years.
Laboratory certificates are issued on annual basis dated May 1st to April 30th the following year. Typically, laboratories apply for certification in the summer, and CCIL sends out proficiency samples in the fall, with testing results required to be reported to CCIL in early January. Analysis of the data, including mini-correlation testing as may be required, is completed over the winter months. All work is completed by spring and laboratory certificates are issued to qualified laboratories effective May 1st to coincide with new construction season.
Applications from new laboratories and from certified laboratories seeking certification upgrade are accepted any time.
Program Details and Tests
CCIL Asphalt laboratory certification programs have developed over the past 25 years and continue to evolve to respond to new responsibilities, challenges, technologies and test procedures in the quality control/quality assurance testing industry. The following document provides the terms of reference for the Asphalt Certification Program
