Research & Development
Product Testing & Quality Control
At Ozinga, we do more than just supply building materials. Our Research and Development Lab works to advance and test new products and solutions in a controlled environment. Our team of engineers and scientists develop, analyze and experiment with customized concrete mix designs in our CCRL and AASHTO-accredited laboratory located in Chicago, Illinois. Ozinga’s purpose is to leave a lasting positive impact on the communities where we live and work for generations to come. One way that we live out our purpose is by providing lab services and testing for our customers and partners and committing to more sustainable building options for the construction industry as a whole. Our testing and product development lab has opened up the opportunities to partner with local and national organizations, universities and associations. Student groups of all age levels have toured the research facilities at Ozinga, enabling and empowering the next generation of scientists, researchers and engineers.
Lab Services
- Lower Embodied Carbon Concrete
- Customized Concrete mix Designs
- Controlled performance testing environment
- Shrinkage crack tests
- Field Testing
- Environmental Product Declarations (EPD)
- Concrete AI Motion learning
- Strength and compression testing
- Thermal Requirements
- Cement, fly ash and slag testing
- Controlled testing environment for set times and modulus of elasticity
Lab Certifications
Ozinga Lab Technician and Researcher Certifications
- IDOT PCC Concrete Levels I, II, and III
- IDOT Aggregate Technician
- ACI Concrete Field Technician Level I
- FE Certification
- ACI Concrete Strength Testing Technician
- ACI Aggregate Technician
- IDOT Hot-Mix Asphalt Technician Levels I, II, and III
- Troxler Nuclear Density Gauge
- ACI Cement Tester Certification
Innovation and Sustainability
Our resources allow us to develop mix designs with lower embodied carbon emissions, helping our customers and partners reach their net-zero targets. With emerging technologies, innovative building solutions, and state-of-the-art facilities, our Research and Development team works to constantly be at the forefront of the latest solutions for building material products while maintaining all ASTM standards. Having a certified lab gives us the opportunity to collaborate with architects, structural engineers, contractors and property owners to identify unique requirements and find the right solution to meet specifications for each project.
“Working with Ozinga’s team of engineers allowed us to be a part of a historic project for the city of South Bend. We had a long list of specifications for this project including temperature controls and high cement replacement and Ozinga’s team developed and tested a mix design that had everything we needed without impacting workability or performance. We don’t know how they did it but around here we’ve started calling it the magic mix.”
– Ruben Alvarado, Project Manager, Rieth-Riley Construction Co.
Concrete AI Technology
We work on developing new concrete mixes and cementitious blends as well as optimizing the existing products through utilizing the most advanced Artificial Intelligence and Design of Experiments methods. This is done at all development stages (design, model, optimization), and monitored with Control Charts to reduce the defect and nonconformance probability. Moreover, the implemented models help Quality Control teams predict the performance as well as fresh and hardened properties, hence submit the least over-designed and most sustainable products with a significantly lower Global Warming Potential.
Request an EPD
We provide plant and mix-specific Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) in accordance with strict international standards certified by ASTM. These EPDs are third-party verified documents that quantify the environmental information for the lifecycle of a product to allow for comparisons of other products with the same function. By evaluating these EPDs, designers and builders can determine the long-term environmental impact of products.
It’s vitally important to discuss project specs and net-zero targets as early in the process as possible, especially with material suppliers. Discuss your sustainability goals with us to learn more about how you can build greener with less embodied carbon.
