Training as a building materials tester

The curriculum at the vocational school includes, among other things:
determining the physical and chemical properties of building materials, testing inorganic binders, testing bitumen and bitumen-based binders, identifying and classifying rocks and soils, determining the properties and potential applications of aggregates, developing concrete mix designs, determining soil properties and calculating soil parameters, testing asphalt and developing mix designs, testing fresh and hardened concrete

As a building materials tester, you generally follow a three-step process: You take samples of soil and building materials, test the samples for suitability for use, and finally evaluate the results. As you can see, the work of a building materials tester is very varied and takes place in different locations. You take samples outdoors on construction sites, examine them in the lab, and finally process the data on a computer.
Building materials testers at the University of Kassel contribute to the development of new, innovative building materials. They also assist students with laboratory work as they compile data for their bachelor’s and master’s theses.