Materials Testing Consultants

Materials Testing Consultants Peace of mind. . . from the ground up Materials Testing Consultants, Inc. MTC was founded in 1968 by Raymond P.

(MTC) specializes in geotechnical engineering, construction materials engineering and testing, and environmental consulting. Elliott, P.E., and has earned a reputation in engineering innovations that provide reliable and cost effective solutions. We regularly team with municipalities, state agencies, architects, developers and private clients by applying our skills and knowledge of the engineering

challenges and solutions. We provide service to our clients from both our corporate offices in Grand Rapids Michigan and our South East office in Ann Arbor Michigan; our services cover the entire Great Lakes Region.

Happy Labor Day!Wishing everyone a safe, relaxing, and well-deserved holiday.
09/07/2026

Happy Labor Day!

Wishing everyone a safe, relaxing, and well-deserved holiday.

Things are moving fast in the lab, and our team is ready for it! 🔬Whether it's routine testing like sieves and Proctors ...
09/04/2026

Things are moving fast in the lab, and our team is ready for it! 🔬

Whether it's routine testing like sieves and Proctors or something more specialized like thermal resistivity testing, our team has the expertise and equipment to get the job done.

Need a test performed and not sure where to start? Give us a call. We're always happy to discuss your project and how we can help.

As campuses come back to life for the new school year, we want to highlight one of the many higher education projects ou...
09/02/2026

As campuses come back to life for the new school year, we want to highlight one of the many higher education projects our team has helped bring to completion: Michigan State University's STEM building. Supporting spaces where students learn, collaborate, and grow is work we’re always proud to be part of.

MTC Services:
đź“Ś Mass Timber
đź“Ś Deep Foundations
đź“Ś Structural Steel Fabrication and Onsite Inspection
đź“Ś Concrete Floor Flatness (FF) and Levelness (FL) Testing
đź“Ś Density Testing of Soil, Aggregates, and Asphalt

See more here: ➡️ https://ow.ly/PLJ350ZFPao

💭Question of the Week: What’s the difference between Asphalt and Pavement?Have your answer? ✅Asphalt is a type of Paveme...
08/31/2026

💭Question of the Week: What’s the difference between Asphalt and Pavement?

Have your answer?

âś…Asphalt is a type of Pavement
âś…Asphalt is made when aggregates (like sand and gravel) are combined with a binder (like bitumen)
✅Pavement is not always Asphalt—it could be concrete, bricks, or gravel!
🪏Below is a picture of one of MTC’s technician performing density testing for the City of Grand Rapids

Meet Hichem Cherid!Hichem has been a member of the MTC team for more than five years and serves as an Assistant Project ...
08/28/2026

Meet Hichem Cherid!

Hichem has been a member of the MTC team for more than five years and serves as an Assistant Project Engineer.

Over the years, he has contributed to a variety of projects, helping support clients and project teams throughout the process. His experience, technical knowledge, and commitment to delivering quality work have made him an important part of our team.

Thank you, Hichem, for your contributions over the past five years. We appreciate all that you do and are glad to have you as part of MTC.

🏢 Building enclosures are designed to keep the elements out, but verifying performance is just as important as design.Ou...
08/26/2026

🏢 Building enclosures are designed to keep the elements out, but verifying performance is just as important as design.

Our team recently performed water spray testing to evaluate building enclosure performance and help identify potential leakage pathways around exterior wall systems. This targeted testing can provide valuable information during new construction, renovations, troubleshooting, and forensic investigations.

When questions arise about how a building is performing, controlled field testing can help turn assumptions into answers.

💭Question of the Week: What’s the difference between Cement and Concrete?Have your answer? ✅Cement is made from primaril...
08/24/2026

💭Question of the Week: What’s the difference between Cement and Concrete?

Have your answer?

âś…Cement is made from primarily limestone, clay, and some gypsum that is then heated and ground into a fine powder
✅Cement is an “ingredient” of Concrete (along with water and aggregate)
âś…Concrete is stronger and more durable than Cement alone

🪏Below is a picture of some sidewalks MTC tested the concrete of for the city of Ann Arbor

This week, our Geotechnical Project Manager, Kathryn Crow, PE, spent her day volunteering at Habitat for Humanity throug...
08/19/2026

This week, our Geotechnical Project Manager, Kathryn Crow, PE, spent her day volunteering at Habitat for Humanity through the NAWIC (National Association of Women in Construction)!

Thank you, Kathryn, for making a difference!

Hydrometer analysis is used to determine the particle-size distribution of fine-grained soils, primarily silts and clays...
08/18/2026

Hydrometer analysis is used to determine the particle-size distribution of fine-grained soils, primarily silts and clays.

During testing, a soil sample is suspended in a 1,000 mL sedimentation cylinder, and a hydrometer is used to measure the density of particles remaining in suspension at specific time intervals. As the soil settles, coarser particles fall out of suspension more quickly than finer particles.

When combined with sieve analysis results, hydrometer testing helps develop a complete particle-size distribution curve, providing valuable information about soil characteristics and behavior.

Meet Ryan Starcher, P.E.!Ryan has been a valued member of the MTC team for more than five years, serving as a Geotechnic...
08/14/2026

Meet Ryan Starcher, P.E.!

Ryan has been a valued member of the MTC team for more than five years, serving as a Geotechnical Project Manager and Professional Engineer.

When asked about his favorite part of the job, Ryan shared that geotechnical engineering combines the precision of math with the creativity of problem-solving. Because no two sites are exactly alike, each project requires a balance of technical analysis, engineering judgment, and experience.

What Ryan finds most rewarding is the opportunity to make a lasting impact on the built environment. As he puts it, "The ground is the common denominator of nearly every construction project," giving geotechnical engineers a unique role in helping shape the communities around us.

Thank you, Ryan, for your expertise, dedication, and contributions to MTC over the past five years!

Address

693 Plymouth Avenue NE
Grand Rapids, MI
49505

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

Telephone

(616) 456-5469

Website

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