In The News

Fall Line Panama Obtains Core Samples of 100 year old Concrete
October 2011
Fall Line Testing and Inspection Panama, S. de R.L. was asked to do coring work in the existing set of locks on the Panama Canal.  Fall Line had the opportunity to board a working boat and head into the Miraflores and Pedro Miguel locks on the Pacific side of the canal to take core samples of concrete dating over 100 years old.  Fall Line worked closely with the Canal Authority on timing of the sampling, because the Canal never seizes operations.  After several days Fall Line was able to obtain the required amount of core samples needed for testing.   

Fall Line Panama Receives ISO 17025:2005 Accreditation
September 2011
Fall Line Testing and Inspection Panama, S. de R.L. receives ISO 17025:2005 accreditation for both laboratories on the Panama Canal Third Set of Locks project.  After enduring a week long audit, performed by IAS, Fall Line was able to correct only a few minor non conformances found during the audit to receive our accreditation.  Although following an ISO equivalent system was a contractual obligation, the full audit and accreditation process to become ISO 17025:2005 Accredited was something Fall Line did to show our commitment to quality and our ability to institute a proven system of quality work, no matter where we go. 

Fall Line Receives Contract for the Panama Canal Third Set of Locks Project
December 2010
Fall Line Testing and Inspection Panama, S. de R.L. received the contract to be the independent testing lab for the Panama Canal Third Set of Locks Project.  Fall Line is provided with equipped laboratories on both the Atlantic and Pacific sides of the isthmus. The Third Set of Locks project is an additional set of locks being added to the existing canal, this will allow for the new Post Panamax ships to make their way through the canal. The Third Set of Locks is a just a part of the work being done, and is scheduled to be completed in August 2014.  Fall Line will expand its testing horizons on this project with testing including mass spectrometer analysis of cement and pozzolan, and durability testing to predict the life of the concrete structure.

Fall Line Receives AASHTO Accreditation
September 17 & October 7, 2010
Fall Line recently received its AASHTO Accreditation with R18 designation for Soils, Aggregates, and Portland Cement Concrete. The AASHTO Accreditation Program recognizes the competency of a testing laboratory in construction materials testing. The program is available to all laboratories including independent laboratories, manufacturers' in-house laboratories, university laboratories, and government laboratories. The AAP utilizes laboratory assessment and proficiency sample services provided by the AASHTO Materials Reference Laboratory (AMRL) and the Cement and Concrete Reference Laboratory (CCRL).

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Materials Reference Laboratory (AMRL) was established at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) (formerly the National Bureau of Standards) in 1965, under the sponsorship of the AASHTO Highway Subcommittee on Materials.

ASDSO Dam Safety Conference & Trade Show
September 19 – 23, 2010
Fall Line will be one of over 85 companies exhibiting at the 2010 Association of State Dam and Safety Officials (ASDSO) Dam Safety Conference and Trade Show in Seattle, Washington, one of the leading conferences in the US dedicated to dam safety engineering and technology transfer. Fall Line can be found at Exhibitor Booth 75.

HydroVision International Conference & Trade Show
July 27 – 30, 2010
Fall Line will be one of over 250 exhibiting companies from around the world at the 2010 HydroVision International Conference and Trade Show in Charlotte, North Carolina. Over 2,500 attendees will attend hydropower-focused meetings, workshops, tours, and the exhibition. Attendees and Exhibitors represent a broad range of global hydro professionals with environmental, technical, social and regulatory perspectives. Fall Line can be found at Exhibitor Booth 1052.

American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) – New RCC Standards
May – June 2010
Scott C. Nichols, President of Fall Line, joined the ASTM subcommittee for RCC.  After attending an ASTM subcommittee hearing for RCC, discussions were held to develop a new standard for obtaining air content and unit weight of RCC.

Fall Line Receives International Accreditation Services (IAS) ISO 17025 Certification
May 2010
After a two day inspection of their Quality Manual and Testing Procedures, Fall Line received its ISO 17025:2005 accreditation with no Corrective or Preventative Action Requests.  Four staff members also received their ISO Internal Auditor certification.

Fall Line's Scope of Accreditation includes: ASTM C 31, C 39, C 40, C 117, C 123, C 127, C 128, C 131, C 136, C 138, C142, C 143, C 172, C 173, C 192, C 231, c 469, C 496, C 535, C 566, C 617,C 684, C 702, C 1064, C 1077, C 1170, C 1231, C 1435, D 75, D 2216, D 2419, D 4318, D 4791.

USSD Annual Conference & Trade Show
April 2010
Fall Line was one of 35 companies exhibiting at the 30th Annual United States Society on Dams (USSD) Conference and Trade Show in Sacramento, California. The conference theme was “Collaborative Management of Integrated Watersheds”, and brought together over 350 professionals from the public and private sectors, including federal and state agencies, academia, consultants, contractors, and dam owners.

Mix Design Plant Opens in Tucson, AZ
February 2010
Fall Line announced the opening of a 10,000 square foot Mix Design Facility in Tucson, Arizona.  The facility will be utilized for intricate and complex mix designs, and will serve as the company's Western Regional office.

Fall Line Awarded Sallisaw Creek Watershed Spillway Project
May 2009
Fall Line was awarded the Quality Control and Quality Assurance contract for the Sallisaw Creek Watershed Spillway Project in Stillwell, Oklahoma.  Fall Line performed the mix design program and test section for the project, as well as the density testing, conventional concrete testing, aggregate testing and RCC testing for the 8,000 cubic yard RCC dam. 

Fall Line Awarded ICTA Contract for Bear Creek Rehabilitation Project
November 2008
Fall Line was awarded the Independent Commercial Testing Agencies (ICTA) contract for the Bear Creek Rehabilitation Project in Hodges, Alabama.  Fall Line performed the mix design program and the full scale test section for the project, as well as Quality Assurance testing for the entirety of the project, and continued to break the remaining cylinders after the project was completed.  The project included the placement of approximately 90,000 cubic yards of RCC.

Fall Line Awarded ICTA Contract for Taum Sauk Upper Reservoir Rebuild Project
April 2007
Fall Line was awarded the Independent Commercial Testing Agencies (ICTA) contract for the Taum Sauk Upper Reservoir Rebuild Project in Ironton, Missouri.  Fall Line performed the mix design program and full scale test section for this project, as well as the Quality Assurance portion of the testing for the entirety of the project.  Tests performed included: aggregate testing, nuclear density testing of in-place RCC, moisture content of aggregate and RCC, conventional concrete testing,  RCC tests (air content, VEBE test, unit weight, 200 lb. wash), compressive strength, tensile strength, and modulus of elasticity.  The project included the placement of approximately 3 million cubic yards of RCC.