CENTRAL MATERIALS TESTING LABORATORY (CMTL)
 

Civil Engineering Works constitute the core of a country's economic development. Successful operation and maintenance of these works require geotechnical investigation, field testing and laboratory testing of construction materials under simulated field conditions. Such investigations and testing facilities are essential for ensuring public safety and finding economic solutions to complex problems.
 

The need to establish the Central \materials Testing Laboratory (CMTL) comes out of  WAPDA's concern for its existing and planned development works. For the past 35 years, Wapda  has been active in developing Pakistan's infrastructure. In 1967, Wapda completed the 450 feet high Mangla Dam, containing 142 million cu. yd. of earth fill and 1.6 million cu. yd. of concrete. In 1974, Wapda completed the Tarbela Dam Project, the world's biggest earth and rock fill dam with a height of 485 feet containing 165 million cu. yd. of earth and 1.75 million cu. yd. concrete.
 

In addition, Khanpur Dam, Hub Dam, Simly Dam, Chashma Barrage, Taunsa Barrage, Taunsa Barrage and many link canals were constructed by Wapda Pakistan.

In order to further develop the water and power resources of Pakistan, Wapda intends to build a number of new dams, hydroelectric plants and thermal power stations in the near future. Presently, investigations and Testing of the Diamer Basha Dam project. Bunji Hydropower project, Dasu Hydropower project, Neelum Jehlum Hydro Electric  project and various Small Dam projects are underway.

During the nineteen sixties and seventies, a few local laboratories at major project sites were set up for testing construction materials and for providing design parameters. However, each project could not afford all the costly and sophisticated equipment required for successful testing and design. Special tests were therefore performed in foreign laboratories. After the completion of these projects, the expertise generated in these local laboratories was often lost. further, these project laboratories, generally located in remote areas, gradually became unproductive for want of trained people spare parts and proper maintenance.

The need to establish CMTL as a permanent institution to provide for geotechnical investigations and for testing of material such as rock, soil, cement, concrete, asphalt, and water became imperative in response to the demands, of Pakistan's existing and planned development.

The Government of Pakistan, through Wapda, decided in September 1986 to establish CMTL in Lahore as a joint venture with the United Nations Development Program, UNDP allocated a grant of US $ 4.3 million for the purchase of laboratory equipment, for the training of engineers and technicians abroad and for consultants assistance in various fields of expertise under UNDP project Pak/87/006. Wapda has contributed Rs.28.6 million for construction of buildings and for laboratory staffing.

The CMTL will enables Pakistani engineers to perform large scale tests and dynamic tests, establish Pakistan testing standards, and carry out research projects in Pakistan. Hence CMTL is a facility designed to support Pakistan's past, current and future development works. It is worth mentioning that CMTL  is the only laboratory in Pakistan which provides state of the art testing facilities at commercial level including the Dilatometer Test, SPT Calibration, Cone Penetration Test, Resonant Column Test, Cyclic Triaxial Test, Plate Load Test (100 Tons) and In situ shear Test.

CMTL operates under the administrative control of General Manager (Technical Services) and is headed by Project Director with staff Strength of 82 persons. The staff consists of experienced engineers, and scientific officers to carry out laboratory and field testing.

CMTL is situated adjacent to the Wapda Employee Phase-II Cooperative Housing Society, near the village of Muhammad Pura, about 1.5 Kms. Off Raiwind Road, in Lahore Pakistan. It is approximately 25 KMs. South west of Wapda House, located in downtown Lahore.
 

CMTL has 72 canals of land and is housed in its own building complex. having five blocks covering 46,000 sq. ft. In addition there will be a two story administration building, a library and a conference hall with a total area of about 18,000 sq. ft.

• Direct shear & Triaxial test Machines in Soil Mechanics Section of CMTL have been upgraded & installed through M/s ELE International expending an amount of Rs. 19.5 Million from CMTL's own funding.
• New equipment i.e. (3000 KN compression machine, with required accessories, Dilatometer for Hard Rock & Hydro Fracture-test machine) have been procured under WCAP Component B-3 for Rock Mechanics Section of CMTL.
• RCC  Specialist Dr. Ernest Schrader has been engaged by Wapda for upgradation of Roller Compacted Concrete Section of CMTL for Special Tests of RCC. Infrastructure in this regard and new equipment for special tests of RCC are being arranged under WCAP-B3 Component.

The following activities are currently in progress.

• 08 No. Plate Load tests with Bore Hole Extensometer had been planned at Bunji Hydropower project, Core Drilling & Surface Preparation Works Are being carried out in Adit GR-01.

• Roller Compacted Concrete (RCC) Mix Design of Dasu Hydropower project is in progress at CMTL.

• Concrete (Reinforced Cement Concrete Mixes, Roller Compacted Concrete Mix, Steel Testing).
• Soil Mechanics (Triaxial Tests, Consolidation Tests, Direct Shear Test, Compaction tests etc.).
• Rock Mechanics (Hoek Triaxial Test, Big Direct Shear Test, UCS etc.).
• Chemical & Environmental (Water Quality and Environmental Tests.

PROMINENT PROJECTS ON WHICH CMTL CARRIED OUT INVESTIGATION/TESTING DURING 2011-2012

• Seismic Refraction Survey and Profile Survey at 4320 MW Dasu Hydropower Project
• 48 No. Trial Mixes for Roller Compacted Concrete (RCC) of Dasu HPP
• Material Investigation work of Dasu HPP
• 08 No. Plate Load Tests with Bore Hole Extensometer at Adit#04 of 4500 MW Diamer Basha Dam Project
• SSI Works at Diamer Basha Dam project for 3.6 MW and 2 MW Hydropowers at Thor & Thank Nullah.
• Geotechnical and Geophysical Investigations at 80 MW Phandar Hydropower Project
• Field Direct Shear Test at Darwat Dam Project
• SSI work at Construction of Protection of Emergency Tower Mangla Dam Organization WAPDA.
• Resistivity Survey at Wanna Gridstation
• SSI work of 07 Nos 132 KV Grid Station under GEPCO
• SSI Work of 132 KV Grid Station, Quetta Textile Mills Phool Nagar
• SSI Work of 03 No 132 KV Transmission Lines Gepco.
• SSI Work of 132 KV Grid Station, Mankot Multan
• SSI Work of 132KV Grid Station, Kumb District Khairpur
• SSI Work of 132KV Grid Station , Shaikh Bhirkio Tando Muhammad Khan
• SSI Work of 132KV Grid Station, Sahiwal lll Sahiwal
• SSI Work of 132KV Grid Station D.G.Khan-ll
• SSI Work of Master Station Boundary Wallat Badoki
• SSI Work of 220/132 KV Grid Station, Piyaro Sugar Mill Dadu