BACKGROUND

Transportation funding has increased steadily, resulting in larger state DOT construction programs. Concurrently, however, many state DOTs have been required to decrease agency construction personnel. To address this issue, state DOTs are attempting to optimize resources by using contractor-performed tests to aid in the quality-assurance process.

The use of contractor-provided data shifts certain responsibilities from state DOTs to highway contractors. Within state DOTs, there are concerns about this shift and its associated risks. Consequently, there is a need to evaluate the effectiveness of contractor-provided data in assessing product quality and to develop procedures to assist state DOTs in effectively using contractor-performed tests to aid in the quality-assurance process.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this research is to develop procedures to assist state DOTs in effectively using contractor-performed tests in the quality-assurance process.


Accomplishment of the project objective will involve the following tasks.

TASKS

PHASE I (1.) Conduct a comprehensive literature review and investigate the state of practice for using contractor-performed tests in the quality-assurance process for highway construction projects. (2.) Identify state DOTs, Corps of Engineers Districts, and Federal Lands Highway Divisions that use contractor-provided data in assessing product quality. Identify products and properties tested. Identify specific tests and determine how they are being used. Identify specific highway construction projects that have sufficient data available for performing a statistical analysis. (3.) Critically evaluate the results of Tasks 1 and 2. Discuss both effective and ineffective agency programs that use contractor-performed tests. Develop a synthesis of current practice on the use of contractor performed tests in the quality assurance process for highway construction projects. Identify specific quality-assurance programs where there is sufficient project data available to perform a statistical analysis to evaluate program effectiveness. Recommend for analysis the most promising projects that will provide an evaluation of program effectiveness. (4.) Submit an interim report documenting the information developed in Tasks 1 through 3. The interim report shall contain a detailed research work plan for completing Phase II. The plan shall include the proposed statistical analysis techniques and the projects identified in Task 3 for approval by the NCHRP panel. The Task 3 synthesis will be a separate appendix to the interim report. Meet with the NCHRP panel to discuss the interim report and the proposed research work plan for completing Phase II of the research.

PHASE II (5.) Using data from the projects approved by the NCHRP panel in Task 4, conduct a detailed statistical analysis to determine the effectiveness of quality-assurance programs that use contractor-performed tests. (6.) Identify elements that contribute to an effective quality-assurance program that incorporates contractor-performed tests. In addition, identify short-comings of ineffective programs. Update the Task 3 synthesis to include discussion of effective and ineffective quality-assurance programs. (7.) Develop procedures to assist state DOTs in effectively using contractor-performed tests in the quality-assurance process for highway construction projects. (8.) Submit a final report that documents the entire research effort. Include the Task 6 synthesis and the Task 7 procedures as stand-alone appendices to the final report.

Status: Completed.

Product Availability: NCHRP Research Results Digest 323: Using the Results of Contractor-Performed Tests in Quality Assurance. Select chapters of the contractor’s final report are available as NCHRP Web-Only Document 115.