Notice of Intent to Sole Source - Humboldt Mfg

The Round Panel Determinate (RDP) test machine is needed because the RDP test is an established and industry-recognized method for evaluating the behavior of fiber-reinforced shotcrete. This capability will provide a standardized reference point for the shotcrete mixtures used in the in current research. The same shotcrete mix designs can then be tested using the RDP machine, NIOSH’s High Energy High Deformation (HEHD) machine, and the MTS Mark II impact drop test machine.

This machine is critical because the HEHD and MTS Mark II machines provide unique and valuable research insight, but their test methods are not directly tied to a standard ASTM shotcrete test. Without RDP testing, results from these specialized machines may be difficult for industry stakeholders to interpret or compare against commonly accepted shotcrete performance metrics.

The RDP machine will allow SMRD to correlate experimental HEHD and MTS Mark II results back to a test method that mine operators, shotcrete suppliers, engineers, and ground control practitioners can readily understand and apply.