Laboratory Services
Tetra Tech provides laboratory services in the water, geotechnical, and infrastructure sectors. Tetra Tech uses its in-house laboratory facilities to provide solutions in the water and infrastructure sectors. Our researchers conduct both chemical and biological analyses for municipal, commercial, and private clients.
Toxicological Analysis
Tetra Tech conducts biological and toxicological analyses at its state-of-the art ecological testing facility, which is accredited through the National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (NELAP). Tetra Tech’s ecological testing facility routinely performs:
- Aquatic, sediment, and soil laboratory toxicity tests for site water, sediments, soils, chemicals, wastewater effluents, and leachates
- In-situ toxicity tests using either surrogate or indigenous species in acute or chronic toxicity exposures
- Water effect ratio toxicity studies
- Toxicity Identification/Reduction Evaluation (TIE/TRE) testing
- Bioaccumulation studies
Tetra Tech’s ecological testing facility routinely cultures surrogate test species and has tested more than 25 different species including amphipods, polychaetes, fish, annelids, insects, and crustaceans.
Biological and Chemical Analysis
Tetra Tech’s staff also has decades of experience designing and implementing biological assessment protocols, including those for field sampling, laboratory processing, data management, and indicator analysis for evaluating ecological health. Our field technicians perform ecological assessments for streams, large rivers, lakes and reservoirs, wetlands, and estuarine and near-coastal waters at spatial scales ranging from regional to national levels.
Our researchers analyze water samples at municipal facilities to ensure compliance and optimize facility performance. Analytes may include pH, turbidity, conductivity, chlorine residuals, ammonia, and many others that are commonly tested for water characterization. In addition to in-house laboratory work, testing can be performed in the field using portable equipment, such as pH probes or ultraviolet (UV) meters. Our drinking water laboratory carries out studies for clients based on their design needs including, but not limited to, jar testing for coagulation and flocculation, disinfection by-product (DBP) testing, and chlorine demand/decay studies.
Tetra Tech provides bench-scale testing and treatability studies for industrial and municipal clients, where we design and conduct experiments to help clients determine the best treatment processes for consistently removing contaminants of concern to below target concentrations. These tests serve to guide our clients in developing the best processes for designing new water and wastewater treatment facilities. For existing treatment facilities, Tetra Tech helps clients optimize treatment processes to minimize chemical dosages and reduce waste to save on overall operating costs.
Geotechnical Analysis
Tetra Tech has some of the most advanced geotechnical testing facilities in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. We have provided a wide range of testing services directly to owners, contractors, manufacturers, government agencies, and other consulting firms. Fully equipped facilities are available for materials testing, geotechnical testing, and product testing.
Tetra Tech’s fully automated geotechnical laboratory in the United States includes most geotechnical tests (strength, permeability, compressibility, classification etc.) required for designing infrastructure and resource projects. The laboratory has been inspected and qualified by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for geotechnical testing and the Geosynthetic Accreditation Institute Laboratory Accreditation Program for geosynthetics testing and has a United States Department of Agriculture soil permit to import foreign soils for testing purposes.
The laboratory includes a full-service, automated synthetic liner testing facility equipped with several testing devices, including a 50 kN electromechanical system capable of simultaneously evaluating five liner samples. This facility is equipped to efficiently provide accurate analysis on high volumes of liner and geosynthetic materials.
Tetra Tech can handle significant volumes of the common laboratory tests including, but not limited to, the following:
- Compressive strength testing of concrete cylinders utilizing calibrated testing machines
- Particle size analysis on aggregates or granular soils (sieve analysis)
- Determination of natural moisture content in soils
- Atterberg Limits test (plasticity index testing)
- Standard or modified proctor test for compaction testing
- Measurement of mass, volume, and density of concrete, asphalt, or soil samples
- Properties and strength analysis of asphalt, binders, cement, aggregates, concrete, and soil
Tetra Tech’s Canadian laboratory facilities are recognized and certified by the Canadian Council of Independent Laboratories (CCIL) as Category 0, I, and II concrete testing laboratories in accordance with the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) Standard A283. Our Canadian laboratory facilities also are recognized in asphalt testing for Type A (Marshall Design), Type B (Marshall and Superpave Mix), with Type C, D and Superpave properties for aggregates.
In Australia and New Zealand, Tetra Tech applies specialized testing and analysis services using international best practice and conformance standards to achieve detailed, quality results and provide clients with deep insights into the properties of the materials they are dealing with. Using our national network of laboratories, our soil and rock technicians test and assess ground conditions to inform appropriate design decisions for property development, transport infrastructure, and mining projects. We support our clients’ design and construction teams by providing testing to ensure materials meet quality control standards, comply with regulations, and exhibit the physical characteristics required for construction. We provide independent NATA and IANZ accredited testing services.
