Advanced Quality Systems: Guidelines for Establishing and Maintaining Construction Quality Databases
FHWA-HRT-07-019
November 2006
PDF Version (1.27 mb)
FOREWORD
Construction quality databases are a key element of any construction quality assurance system. The use of construction quality databases enables highway agencies to make sound and informed decisions upon analyzing the data. This report contains guidance on how highway agencies can best establish and maintain construction quality databases for hot-mix asphalt and concrete construction. It describes an ideal database and presents illustrative examples of the types of analyses that can be performed to make sound, data-based decisions that lead to cost-effective construction.
This report should be of interest to engineers concerned with highway construction quality assurance, specifications, and management systems. Sufficient copies of this report are being distributed to provide eight copies to each FHWA Resource Center, six copies to each FHWA Division, and a minimum of ten copies to each State highway agency. Direct distribution is being made to the division offices for their forwarding to the State highway agencies. Additional copies for the public are available from the National Technical Information Service (NTIS), 5285 Port Royal Road, Springfield, VA 22161.
Gary Henderson
Director, Office of Infrastructure
Research and Development
Notice
This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Transportation in the interest of information exchange. The U. S. Government assumes no liability for the use of the information contained in this document. This report does not constitute a standard, specification, or regulation.
The U. S. Government does not endorse products or manufacturers. Trademarks or manufacturers’ names appear in this report only because they are considered essential to the object of the document.
Quality Assurance Statement
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) provides high-quality information to serve Government, industry, and the public in a manner that promotes public understanding. Standards and policies are used to ensure and maximize the quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of its information. FHWA periodically reviews quality issues and adjusts its programs and processes to ensure continuous quality improvement.
Technical Report Documentation Page
1. Report No. FHWA-HRT-07-019 |
2. Government Accession No. | 3. Recipient’s Catalog No. |
4. Title and Subtitle Advanced Quality Systems: Guidelines for Establishing and Maintaining Construction Quality Databases | 5. Report Date November 2006 |
6. Performing Organization Code |
7.Author(s)
C. Rao, M.I. Darter, A.F. Smit, J. Mallela, K.L. Smith, H.L. Von Quintus, J. Grove |
8. Performing Organization Report No.
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9. Performing Organization Name and Address Applied Research Associates (ARA), Inc.
505 West University Avenue
Champaign, IL 61820 | 10. Work Unit No. (TRAIS)
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11. Contract or Grant No. DTFH61-05-D-00027 |
12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address Federal Highway Administration
Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center
6300 Georgetown Pike
McLean, VA 22101 | 13. Type of Report and Period Covered Final Report
(October 2005 – September 2006) |
14. Sponsoring Agency’s Code
|
15. Supplementary Notes Contracting Officer’s Technical Representative (COTR): Peter Kopac, HRDI-12 |
16. Abstract The main objective of this study was to develop and present guidelines for State highway agencies (SHAs) in establishing and maintaining database systems geared towards construction quality issues for asphalt and concrete paving projects. To accomplish this, a literature search and review was performed on the subject matter, followed by a survey of construction quality practices at nine States and a more detailed review of practices at four of those nine States.
Information collected from the survey responses and the in-depth interviews provided insight into the multiple databases maintained by the agencies, the data categories stored, the analyses performed, links to other State databases, and the reports generated. Results indicated that the nature of information collected, the level of detail in the process, and the length over which this information is retained, differ significantly from agency to agency. In addition, the current systems differ considerably in their architecture, purpose, data collection and access procedures.
On a broad scale, it was learned that agencies are somewhat "data rich and information poor" and that agencies are "mostly focused on entering, not retrieving data." Also, because of poor linkages between construction quality and pavement performance and cost data, there is very limited ability to "close the loop" by showing how improvements in specifications and construction affect performance and life-cycle costs.
In addition to documenting these and other observations and findings, this report presents a detailed description of the features and capabilities of the ideal construction quality database. It also provides illustrative examples of how the ideal database can be used to improve the overall quality of highway pavement projects. The recommended database is a web-based system with client server architecture. It is comprised of the following four main modules, each of which are described in detail in the report:
- Database Server Module.
- QA Data Input Module.
- QA Management Module.
- Data Translation (Referencing) Module.
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17. Key Words Quality, Construction, Materials, Database, Quality Assurance, Quality Control, Acceptance, Pay Factor, Pavement Performance | 18. Distribution Statement
No restrictions. This document is available to the public through the National Technical
Information Service, Springfield, VA 22161. |
19. Security Classif. (of this report) Unclassified | 20. Security Classif. (of this page) Unclassified | 21. No. of Pages 106 | 22. Price |
| Form DOT F 1700.7 (8-72) | Reproduction of completed page authorized. |
Metric Conversion Chart
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
1.2 Objective and Scope
1.3 Methodology and Research Approach
1.3.1 Surveys
1.3.2 In-depth Interviews
1.3.3 Program Demonstrations
1.3.4 Development of a Model Database
1.4 Highway Quality Assurance Terms
1.5 Organization of the Report
CHAPTER 2. LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Literature Review Findings
2.2.1 Construction Quality Data Items
2.2.2 Web-Based Quality Systems
2.2.3 Integration of Pavement Management and Other Systems With Construction Quality Databases
2.3 Summary
CHAPTER 3. STATE PRACTICES
3.1 Summary of Survey Results
3.1.1 Survey Design and Agency Selection
3.1.2 General Database-Related Queries and Summary of Agency Responses
3.1.3 QA Program Management Queries and Summary of Agency Responses
3.1.4 QA Data Collection Queries and Summary of Agency Responses
3.1.5 QA Process Queries and Summary of Agency Responses
3.1.6 Database Integration Queries and Summary of Agency Responses
3.1.7 Specifications and Standards Related Queries and Summary of Agency Responses
3.1.8 Data Analysis Queries and Summary of Agency Responses
3.2 Detailed Investigations (by State)
3.2.1 Introduction
3.2.2 In-depth Review of ADOT Construction Quality Database Systems
3.2.3 In-depth Review of GDOT Construction Quality Database Systems
3.2.4 In-depth Review of TxDOT Construction Quality Database Systems
3.2.5 In-depth Review of FDOT Construction Quality Database Systems
3.2.6 In-depth Review of WSDOT Construction Quality Database Systems
CHAPTER 4. DEVELOPMENT OF MODEL DATABASE
4.1 Purpose and Objective of the Database
4.1.1 Introduction
4.1.2 Agency and Contractor Needs
4.2 Model Construction Quality Database
4.2.1 Referencing System
4.2.2 Software Architecture and Features of the Database
4.2.3 Data Types in Input Categories
4.3.4 Outputs and Analysis
4.3.5 Benefits
CHAPTER 5. ANALYSIS OF DATA in CONSTRUCTION QUALITY DATABASES - EXAMPLES
5.1 Data Analysis – Potential and Uses
5.2 Analysis Illustrations
5.2.1 Estimation of Variability and Comparison of Test Results
5.2.2 Contractor Test Results Used in the Acceptance Decision
5.2.3 Illustration of Relationships between Pavement Construction AQCs and Performance
5.2.4 Relating AQC, Cost and Performance Data
5.2.5 Use of Construction Database for Development of Performance-Related Specifications and Warranties
CHAPTER 6. SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS
6.1 Summary
6.2 Recommendations
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
REFERENCES
BIBLIOGRAPHY
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1. Schematic of HMA View system (White et al., 2002)
Figure 2. Schematic of ELVIS system architecture (Yuan et al., 2006)
Figure 3. The concept of linking databases (Hudson et al., 2003)
Figure 4. Conceptual framework design for TxDOT ForenSys database system (Zhang and Zhou, 2002)
Figure 5. Conceptual sketch of GDOT’s planned integrated database systems (courtesy GDOT)
Figure 6. Context diagram for Statistical Analysis of Materials (courtesy WSDOT)
Figure 7. Conceptual sketch – field data transferred from Web forms to database server
Figure 8. Architecture for construction quality database system
Figure 9. Comparison of State and contractor mean sublot core thicknesses
Figure 10. Frequency histogram and validation of normal distribution through Chi-square test for thickness measurements by contractor A
Figure 11. Frequency histogram and validation of normal distribution through Chi-square test for thickness measurements by contractor B
Figure 12. Lot slab thickness versus percent slab cracking along project
Figure 13. Lot compressive strength versus percent slab cracking along project
Figure 14. Lot slab thickness versus IRI along project
Figure 15. Lot initial IRI versus percent mean terminal IRI of lots along project
Figure 16. Lot month of construction versus mean joint faulting along project
Figure 17. Variation in construction binder contents
Figure 18. Average IRI roughness measurement distributions
Figure 19. Maintenance costs from construction date
Figure 20. Example survival plots at varying failure criteria for LTPP JPC projects designed and built by highway agencies nationwide
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1. Attributes used for QC and acceptance of HMA paving (Hughes, 2005)
Table 2. Attributes used for QC and acceptance of PCC paving (Hughes, 2005)
Table 3. Sample location reference data in TxDOT’s ForenSys database (Zhang and Zhou, 2002)
Table 4. Distribution of systems across functional areas at GDOT OMR
Table 5. Data from simulated AQC slab thickness in 10 lots built by contractor A
Table 6. Data from simulated AQC slab thickness for 10 lots built by contractor B
Table 7. Summary of results for lot mean thicknesses from State and contractor AQC tests
Table 8. Comparison of lot means of core thickness measured by contractor and State using a paired t-test analysis
Table 9. Summary of analysis to test differences between core thickness variances between the contractors and the State
Table 10. Summary of analysis to test differences between core thickness variances between contractor A and B using only contractor tested data
Table 11. AC air void test results, percent
Table 12. F-Test - Two-sample for variances at a level of significance of 0.01
Table 13. t-Test: Two-sample assuming equal variances (a = 0.01)
Table 14. Data from simulated AQC slab thickness, core strength, and initial IRI in 20 lots measured two lanes along project
Table 15. Summary of cracking, joint faulting, and smoothness (IRI) after 15 years
Table 16. ANOVA results showing the effect of AQCs on slab cracking
Table 17. ANOVA results showing the effect of AQCs on joint faulting
Table 18. ANOVA results showing the effect of AQCs on IRI
Table 19. General information of 19-mm Superpave projects
