Firm Profile: Braun Intertec

Market Leadership: Established in 1957, Braun Intertec has grown into a premier engineering, environmental consulting, and testing firm. Headquartered in Minneapolis, the firm operates dozens of offices across the central United States, providing highly specialized technical support for infrastructure and building projects.
Professional Integrity: As a 100% employee-owned (ESOP) company, the firm prioritizes long-term quality and technical excellence. This ownership structure incentivizes every field technician and engineer to maintain high standards of professional practice and client communication.
Accreditation and Standards: All testing services are conducted in accordance with rigorous industry standards, including ASTM International and the American Concrete Institute (ACI). Their laboratories are regularly audited to ensure precision and calibration of all testing equipment.
Technical Breadth: The firm’s capabilities extend far beyond construction materials testing, encompassing geotechnical engineering, environmental site assessments, forensic engineering, and non-destructive testing (NDT). This breadth allows for a holistic approach to project safety and risk management.
Commitment to Safety: Braun Intertec maintains a proactive safety culture, evidenced by their comprehensive internal training programs. They focus on identifying and mitigating potential hazards on construction sites to protect both their personnel and the client's project assets.
Geographic Reach and Local Expertise: By maintaining a significant presence in North Dakota (including Dickinson, Bismarck, and Minot), the firm combines the resources of a large national entity with the nuanced understanding of local geological conditions and regional building codes.
Quality Assurance Processes: Every project is overseen by senior project managers and professional engineers who review all technical reports before they are released to the client. This multi-layered review process ensures data integrity and regulatory compliance for every inspection performed.

I. Scope of Services

Soil and Earthwork Services: This critical phase involves the professional observation of soils exposed during excavation to confirm alignment with Geotechnical Evaluation B2406649.01. Technicians will observe structural fill placement, documenting compaction through nuclear moisture-density meter testing. This ensures that the foundation rests on a stable, non-yielding base, preventing future structural settling.
Concrete Observation and Sampling: Braun Intertec will provide ACI-certified technicians to observe the placement of structural concrete. The scope includes verification of reinforcement steel, checking for proper bar size and spacing, and ensuring adequate concrete cover. During the pour, technicians sample the plastic concrete to measure slump, air content, and temperature, preparing compressive strength cylinders for laboratory analysis.
Structural Steel Inspection: Field specialists will perform visual inspections of structural steel connections. This includes checking high-strength bolted connections for proper tension and observing field-welded connections. The team also inspects metal roof and floor decking, verifying fastener patterns and shear stud placement as per the structural design drawings.
Helical Pile Foundations: The project includes 35 helical piles supporting the new library addition. Braun Intertec will provide full-time, continual observation during the installation of every pile. Technicians will record the installation depth and the final torque achieved, ensuring each pile meets the specified load-bearing capacity required by the structural engineer of record.
Laboratory Analysis and Reporting: All collected samples (soil and concrete) are transported to a Braun Intertec laboratory for standardized testing. Compressive strength tests on concrete cylinders are performed at specified intervals (typically 7 and 28 days). Reports are issued weekly, providing the project owner and building officials with a transparent record of all inspection activities and test results.
Administrative and Project Management: Senior engineering staff will provide oversight for all field and laboratory activities. This includes coordination with the general contractor and the City of Dickinson to ensure that all inspections are scheduled in a way that minimizes construction delays while fulfilling every requirement of the International Building Code (IBC).

Technical Definition: ASTM C31 & C39

ASTM C31 is the standard practice for making and curing concrete test specimens in the field. ASTM C39 is the standard test method for compressive strength of cylindrical concrete specimens. These regulations ensure that concrete is tested under identical conditions to verify its structural reliability.

II. Technical Evaluation Criteria

Compaction Requirements: All structural fill must be compacted to a minimum percentage of the maximum dry density as determined by the Standard Proctor test (ASTM D698).

Concrete Strength: Compressive strength must meet or exceed the specified f'c (typically 3,000 to 4,000 psi) at 28 days to ensure the durability of foundations and slabs.

Helical Torque: Installation torque is used as an empirical indicator of load capacity. Piles must reach a specific "K-factor" or torque-to-capacity ratio defined by the manufacturer.

IBC Special Inspections: Compliance is measured against the 2018 or 2021 International Building Code (IBC) Chapter 17, which defines mandatory inspections for structural safety.

Contract Summary

Total Estimate $29,392.50

Project No. B2406649.01

Asset Library Addition

Glossary & Acronyms

CMT

Construction Materials Testing. The science of verifying that physical materials meet engineering specs.

IBC

International Building Code. The primary regulatory framework governing structural safety in the US.

ACI

American Concrete Concrete Institute. The leading authority for concrete consensus standards and technician certification.

BRAUN INTERTEC

Employee Owned Firm

Testing & Inspection