Road Research Laboratory Department Of Scientific And Industrial Research -- Concrete Laboratory for slicing concrete.The Road Research Laboratory was founded at Harmondsworth in Middlesex by the Ministry of Transport in 1929, and was taken over by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research in 1933. Its work is concerned with the various aspects of road construction and is divided into four sections.(a) The Soil Research Laboratory, the work here is in connection with road foundations and earthworks. All types of soil, including those from the tropics, are dealt with here, the use of soils and local materials in constructing low cost roads is a very important problem.(b) The Concrete Laboratory deals with scientific research on the construction of concrete roads. January 1, 1946. (Photo by British Official Photograph).