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Statistical Analysis of 2018 HMA Production and Construction Data to Improve Quality Assurance and Acceptance Practices in Idaho
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2021-07-01
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[PDF-14.26 MB]
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Edition:[Final or Interim] Report [07/01/2018 – 06/30/2021]
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Abstract:Quality assurance procedure is adopted to ensure hot mix asphalts meet design performance. Robustness of QA reports, however, were challenged during 2017 and 2018 data reviews conducted on projects constructed over several previous years by the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). To further investigate the sources of discrepancies and unnatural trends between material testing reports produced by the prime contractors, third-party contractors, as well as ITD in HMA projects, this research study analyzed an audit trail dataset of submitted material testing results. The audit trail dataset showed multiple spreadsheet cell corrections before the final submitted test results. This research project analyzed this audit trail data, and categorized instances of multiple data corrections for certain parameters as Plausible Correction (P.C.) and Unexplained Corrections (U.C.). P.C. cases are those that can be attributed to typographical-type mistakes, and U.C. cases are those that cannot be simply explained as such. Results show that all 15 projects from year 2018 for which audit data was available contained data corrections that accumulated to several hundred instances of U.C., acknowledging that both the prime contractors and ITD reported data may be produced by third-party contractors hired by either party to act on their behalf. Further, the project analyzed the financial repercussions of U.C. cases from the prime contractors, third-party contractors, and ITD, which proved that an absolute majority of projects (i.e., 12 of the 15 projects that had enough audit trail data for financial analysis) indicated overpayments to the prime contractors due to U.C. cases. This research study highlights the importance of a rigorous oversight protocol for acceptance testing to be implemented by state and local highway agencies. Since 2018, ITD has ended its use of QC results for acceptance and payment, and has implemented several new policies in materials testing, specifications, and training to help eliminate instances of P.C. and U.C. and to ensure higher accuracy in reporting results from all parties conducting material acceptance testing.
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