Visiting with Huell Howser: California Testers

Huell visits the Smith-Emery Company in Los Angeles, which has been in business since 1904 and whose staff of inspectors and engineers put all sorts of construction materials through rigorous tests.

[@mchi3727]

The laboratory keeps the original concrete compressive strength test machine; which was used to test concrete samples during construction of Hoover Dam in the 1930's.

[@Tony.Technics.1200s]

I always wondered how they know that those huge glass panels on high rises won't just pop out, glad to know that someone tests all that before the building is built up.
Fascinating stuff.