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speedy moisture meters

Speedy Moisture Testers


Few people realise the important role moisture plays in the construction industries. Too much or too little moisture can cause the very fabric of a building to crumble, or a road to crack and become a death-trap. It could be a major problem. Yet it's one which rarely troubles the professionals within the industry who are responsible for building roads, bridges and buildings.

The reason is simple!

The worldwide construction industry puts its trust in an invaluable piece of equipment - the Speedy moisture tester. This essential aid has rightly earned an enviable reputation as the only type of test equipment designed to perform on-site in the most demanding of environments and climatic extremes.


Getting The Measure Of Moisture

The Speedy is a sturdy chemical moisture tester designed for durability. You can depend on it to stand up to the hardest of knocks in the toughest of terrain's. At the same time, it is completely portable and offers a level of accuracy normally only found in the laboratory.

But perhaps it's most at home in the construction, road and building industries - where it is acknowledged as an unrivalled world leader; playing a crucially important part.


Construction

Ever since the Romans began linking towns and settlements with the first network of purpose-built roads, man has realised the importance of maintaining the correct balance of water content in construction materials. Those early pioneer roadbuilders were careful to incorporate drainage ditches into their designs. Today, we have more sophisticated safeguards. But, as in Roman times, a thorough site investigation is still imperative at the very outset of any road construction project.

The objective: to determine the physical properties of the soil. Its cohesion, suction, swelling and shrinkage plasticity, compaction and permeability -all of which are heavily influenced by the amount of water in the soil. Moisture also acts as a solvent for any salts which may be present. Because it is of prime importance that the exact amount of moisture content is known, the Speedy moisture tester proves a priceless asset.

This handy, lightweight instrument is the perfect way to carry out on-going on-site testing as a complement to laboratory tests. Site engineers agree that it is an invaluable aid, providing with speed and accuracy an abundance of information about the water conditions on-site.

Speedy helps combat subgrade seepage, frost heaving, and 'lens' formation and ice formation in base and sub-base materials, whilst avoiding potential pitfalls such as concrete failure, 'D' line cracking, foundation failures etc. Proof of its effectiveness can be found in the United States. In one of the world's major road-building nations, the Speedy moisture tester is recommended by the Federal (FHA) Highway Authority and designated by the American Society of State Highway and Transportation Officials (ASSHTO) as the standard measure of testing for moisture. In fact, the Speedy is tried, tested and approved by Highway Authorities worldwide - and regarded by many as the only acceptable field check for moisture content.


Concrete Mixing

Just as important as the moisture content in the soil is the moisture content in fresh concrete. When concrete is mixed it is essential to ensure that the moisture content is absolutely correct to prevent any problems arising later. Workability, blending, segregation and the ultimate strength of the concrete are all vital factors.

The Speedy moisture tester provides a handy safeguard check in two ways. First, it measures the moisture content in the sand and aggregate to be used in the mix. Secondly, it gives an effective check on the content of the final mix. The Speedy is trusted by ready mix concrete companies worldwide. Recognised as a dependable test of sand and aggregates in batching plants, it is also used to ensure the correct settings of control equipment.


How Speedy Works

Like all great ideas the Speedy moisture tester is deceptively simple in operation. Test material is inserted to enable a reaction with calcium carbide reagent. The moisture in the test material forms acetylene gas which, sealed in the Speedy body, registers the percentage of moisture in the sample on the integral Bourdon tube gauge.

Percentage moisture content is displayed as an actual percentage of moisture content. This direct reading means that no graphs or conversion charts are necessary. All necessary equipment, including scales and chemicals, comes complete in a handy carry case for easy transportation to any on-site location.

The Speedy is available in a range of sizes to suit all jobs: Standard, Large, and the Super 200 designed primarily for the testing of aggregates.


You Can Depend On A Speedy Moisture Tester

  • Durable construction - tough enough to take on-site knocks
  • Completely portable - designed for ease of handling
  • Very fast - moisture measurements within minutes
  • Accurate - results you can trust
  • Reliable - comparable with laboratory tests
  • Used worldwide - wherever On-site damp investigation is vital
  • Recognised as the best - and recommended by scores of official organisations - many US Highway Authorities stipulate in their contracts that Speedy be used.

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