Coring & UMS

Core Sampling & Testing

Effective highway maintenance requires an understanding of how paved assets have been constructed and maintained, and clients often need to investigate pavement construction to help determine strength of underlying base layers, level of unbound material, and drainage characteristics. 

We drill, reinstate, log, and analyse over 10,000 samples annually and we are capable of drilling to 1m in depth through bituminous and cementitious layers with core barrel diameters of 100mm, 150mm, 200mm and 300mm. Ground bearing capacity and CBR can be determined by DCP testing and we offer PAK-Marker and PAH testing to ensure a comprehensive pavement evaluation is undertaken in accordance with national standards.

Delivering innovation to support asset management applications 

At XAIS-PTS, we are committed to leveraging cutting-edge technology and innovation to enhance the accuracy, efficiency, and transparency of road core data reporting and analysis. Our software and technology team’s help us integrate advanced digital tools, automation, and real-time data collection to our XA^© asset management system, to provide clients with actionable insights as soon as possible. This is in support of our site and laboratory technicians, that use our extensive resources to deliver site coring and testing services. We deliver an end-to-end solution to our clients therefore.  

Our XA^© Enterprise system, currently utilised in various areas of network management by VIA EM, working on behalf of Nottinghamshire County Council, is a step change in asset management and is for organisations who wish to manage their assets in a holistic way using best asset management practices. It gives asset managers the ability to use and access any data held by the organisation – with full access to the latest data sets for managing all assets. 

Our continuous investment in research and development ensures that we remain at the forefront of the industry, adapting to emerging technologies that can further enhance our reporting capabilities. For delivery of coring and trial pitting services to VIA EM, the following software features will provide efficiencies and advanced solutions alongside the site data collected.   

XA^© & XA^© Explorer: 

We have implemented an interactive cloud-based system, allowing clients to access road core data results in as near to real-time as possible. Our XA^© suite of software provides: 

·        Secure client portals in line with Local Authority security protocols, with two-factor authentication available if required. 

·        Dashboard visualisation tools, ensuring comprehensive data transparency. 

·        Mobile compatibility, ensuring clients can review data on any device, anytime, anywhere. 

·        Custom reports tailored to specific client needs, ensuring relevance and usability. 

·        Role-based access control, ensuring secure data access for authorised personnel only. 

·        Historical trend analysis, enabling better forecasting and decision-making. 

·        Geographic Information System (GIS) Integration - XA^© is GIS-based providing spatial analysis and mapping of road core results. This enables clients to: 

o   Visualize core sample locations on interactive maps, improving spatial understanding of road conditions. 

o   Identify trends and inconsistencies across the network, e.g. if tar-bound material is found in any given location, adjacent road sections can be flagged as areas of concern / interest / further investigation. 

o   Integrate road core data with other infrastructure datasets, providing a holistic view of asset conditions. 

o   Export GIS-compatible reports for further analysis, ensuring compatibility with client systems. 

o   Correlate test results with environmental factors such as weather patterns to understand how flooding is affecting the road pavements. 

o   Apply topographical analysis tools to predict road surface degradation over time. 

Through our XA^© software we are making it as simple and engaging as possible for key stakeholders to visualise and understand critical data about the performance of their assets. The integration of road core data in XA^© forms a key component of this, and this service innovation will be delivered to VIA EM alongside contract testing services.  

Coring Rig in use

Once drilled the cores are returned to the Pavement Laboratory at Preston, where they are logged using our own in-house test method along with a purpose designed database and software that complements any data obtained by Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR). These in-house methods take the methodology set out in the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges Volume 7, Part 3, Section 3, HD30/99 “Annex A Test Methods at investigation sites” and add additional treatment and detail to improve the quality of information provided in the core logs, taking the traditional core logging methods to the next level. The core log reports can include UKPMS layer codes at the client’s request.