Current News

WACEL ADDS FOUNDATIONS AND REINFORCED CONCRETE SPECIAL INSPECTOR CERTIFICATIONS TO ONLINE TESTING PLATFORM

WACEL has updated its Foundation Special Inspector and Reinforced Concrete Inspeector Certification programs and added them to the online testing platform.  WACEL Members can download the new study guides from the members only side of this website.

 

WRITTEN AND PRACTICAL CERTIFICATION EXAM OPTIONS

WACEL is currently providing the following options for written certification exam testing:

  1. The cost of written WACEL certification tests increased August 1, 2022 by $10 per test. 
  2. Testing at the WACEL office in Bethesda, Maryland. To register a technician to take a certification exam, call WACEL at 301-652-7925 the day before the test date to determine availability.  Almost all of the time, requests can be honored.  A completed application is required to take a test.  Either bring the application at the time of testing or email it to tcohn@wacel.org.
  3. Testing at member facilities.  WACEL will conduct written exams at a member’s facility provided there is a minimum of (5) technicians and that the exam space will allow for technicians to be at least six feet apart from one another.
  4. Testing online.  Concrete I, Soil I Special Inspector Field, Reinforced Concrete Special Inspector, Foundation Special Inspector and Concrete Masonry Strength Laboratory Technician exams are available online.  Please review the procedure below.
  5. All Practicals must be administered by an approved WACEL proctor.  If  practicals are proctored by in-house staff, the proctor must make a separate video of each test that the technician performs and forward the package of videos to WACEL for grading.

WACEL is currently providing the following options for practical certification exam testing:

  1. Testing internally following the WACEL procedure.  This can be done following the guidelines and submitting videotaping to WACEL.
  2. Testing at member facilities.  WACEL will conduct practical exams at a member’s facility provided there is a minimum of (5) technicians.
  3. Testing at Vulcan Materials  WACEL is offering concrete proficiency exams at Vulcan Materials in Springfield on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month.  Register technicians for concrete practicals below.  

Please email bob@wacel.org. for member facility requests or any other questions you may have.

ONLINE TESTING

The WACEL Online Testing Platform is now operational for Concrete I, Soil I Special Inspector, Foundation Special Inspector, Reinforced Concrete Special Inspector, and Concrete Masonry Strength Lab exams.

To register your technicians for online exams, you must have supervisor status in the WACEL database. If you need supervisor status, email tcohn@wacel.org with the names and email address of those in your organization who should be designated as supervisors.  

Steps to register technicians for online exams:

  • Log on to the WACEL web site at www.wacel.org.
  • Click on the drop down menu on the TECHNICIAN CERTIFICATION PROGRAM tab underneath the WACEL logo on the landing page and click on online testing.
  • Click on the blue bar at the bottom of the page that says "Click here to register technicians".
  • If the technician you want to register has previously taken a WACEL certification exam while in your employ, his or her name should be listed under the select a person. If the tech has not previously taken an exam while in your employ fill in the first and last name in the appropriate fields. You must provide a valid email address for the technician and you also must provide a password that is at least six characters in length and one of the characters must be a number.  
  • You will note that there are options for Concrete I and Soil I.  Soil I will not be active until early next week.  If you select Soil I no exam will be assigned.
  • After you hit submit, an email is sent to WACEL to assign the exam as well as to the supervisor and the technician taking the exam. After WACEL assigns the exam, the exam will be available the following business day beginning at 7:00 am. If you register your technicians today, May 15 for Concrete I, the exam will be available from May 18-May 20 between the hours of 7am and 7pm. 
  • Technicians must take the exam at your office in an environment that follows CDC and local and state health official guidelines. 
  • After the technician completes the exam, a PE or designated supervisor must submit an application (attached) signed by the technician and supervisor and submitted to WACEL (tcohn@wacel.org) along with a photo of the technician and a photo of the technician’s government-issued identification (e.g. driver’s license). By signing the application both the PE/Supervisor and the technician certify that they followed online testing guidelines and that they did not compromise the integrity of the WACEL certification program. If you do not submit an application or the required photos, no certification will be issued.

Call us at 301-652-7925 or email tcohn@wacel.org with questions or if you need more information.

Certification and Accreditation Program Updates

WACEL is currently scheduling inspections and audits for the laboratory accreditation program. Call us at 301-652-7925 or email bob@wacel.org to schedule your inspection and/or audit.

  • WACEL Study Guides and videos demonstrating concrete testing are now available online.  Click here to go to the Resources Section.

Wacel Directories

Upcoming Events

Register for meetings, training classes and practical exams, and keep up-to-date on the latest program updates and changes.

Soil Class

March 11, 2023
ABC - Virginia
42680 Trade W Drive
Sterling, VA 20166
8:30am – 5:00pm

Please note that the Soil Class does not include the Soil Practical.

Register

Concrete Class

March 25, 2023
ABC - Virginia
42680 Trade W Drive
Sterling, VA 20166
8:30am – 5:00pm

Please note that the Concrete Class does not include the Concrete Practical

Register

Concrete Practicals

March 14, 2023
Vulcan Materials
5412 Industrial Drive
Springfield, VA
5-9pm

March 28, 2023
Vulcan Materials
5412 Industrial Drive
Springfield, VA
5-9pm

WACEL will also  perform concrete and soil level I proficiency testing at members' laboratories.  Five technicians are required for an in lab concrete practical.  

Register

View All Events

WACEL Membership Meetings

AASHTO 2020 LRFD Bridge Specifications and their Impact of Mechanically Stabilized Earth Design

The AASHTO 2020 specifications include four different design methodologies for MSE walls. Dr. Jim Collin will discuss the key differences in these methodologies and their implications on results. He also will review design methods that are appropriate for any MSE system (i.e., RECo, Keystone, etc.). The presentation concludes with a review of the ASCE Geo-Institute IDEA program. This program evaluates MSE systems with respect to meeting the AASHTO 2020 specifications and provides an evaluation report that State DOTs are using to add MSE Systems to their approved products list.

Dr. James G. Collin, P.E., founded The Collin Group, Ltd., in 1995. The Collin Group has been involved with the design and construction of 15 column supported embankment projects across the US. As part of this work Dr. Collin conducted column (pile) load tests to verify the design capacity of the columns. Dr. Collin was the principal investigator for a FHWA research program to develop design guidelines for column supported embankments and co-authored the FHWA Design Manual on Deep Mixing for Embankment and Foundation Support.

Dr. Collin is the author of the National Highway Institutes “Soil Slope and Embankment Design Manual”, “Slope Maintenance and Slide Restoration Manual”, “Ground Improvement Methods Manual,” and “Shallow Foundations Manual”.  Dr. Collin is also a certified instructor for the Federal Highway Administration courses on Ground Improvement, MSEW and RSS Design and Construction Guidelines, Soil Nail Wall Design, Earth Retaining Structures, Geosynthetic Design and Construction Guidelines, Shallow Foundations, Soil Slopes and Embankments, Slope Maintenance and Slide Restoration, and Geosynthetics. He was recognized by NHI as an “Instructor of Excellent” in 2008, 2009, 2011, and 2012.

Dr. Collin has been a member of ASCE since 1985. He is a fellow and a Diplomat of Geotechnical Engineering with ASCE. He is currently on the board of governors of the Geo-Institute

Register Now

 

 

 

WACEL Certification Program

WACEL certification or equivalent certification is required by all metropolitan area jurisdictions.

Find Certified Technicians

Register to take an exam

 

Accreditation Programs

WACEL membership requires that all laboratories in the WACEL service territory be accredited by WACEL or an equivalent accreditation program.

WACEL membership requires that all inspection agencies participate in an Inspection Agency Audit Program or an equivalent audit program.

Learn more about the laboratory accreditation program

Learn more about the inspection agency audit program

Membership

WACEL offers membership to Engineering Laboratories and Inspection Agencies that are directed and managed by full-time professional engineers.

Engineering Laboratories

Engineering Laboratories

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Inspection Agencies

Inspection Agencies

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Government Entities that Recognize WACEL Programs

Maryland

Montgomery County

Prince George's County

Maryland State Highway Administration

 

Other Cities/States

State of New Jersey

City of Houston, Texas

Washington, D.C.

Virginia

Arlington County

City of Alexandria

Culpeper County

Fairfax County

Fauquier County

Loudoun County

Prince William County

Stafford County

Spotsylvania County

Virginia Department of Transportation

Federal and Public Agencies

American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO)

Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA)

Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA)

Naval Engineering Facilities Command (NAVFAC) Chesapeak Division

Testing On Demand at WACEL HQ

7508 Wisconsin Avenue, 4th Floor, Bethesda, MD, 20814   |   Phone: 301-652-7925   |   Fax: 301-907-9326