Evaluating the Use of Contractor-Performed Test Results in Highway Construction and Material Acceptance Decisions
Publication: Journal of Infrastructure Systems
Volume 19, Issue 1
Abstract
Transportation agencies around the world are using contractor-performed test results in construction and material acceptance and pay decisions. This practice is termed contractor acceptance testing (CAT) in this paper. Although CAT has helped transportation agencies to deal with a shrinking workforce and intensive construction schedules, it has been controversial. This paper provides insights into the technical and conceptual pitfalls of CAT. The technical pitfalls are revealed through Monte Carlo–based computer simulations of pavement specifications that use CAT. These simulations show that the verification process, which relies on the statistical F-test and t-test, is unreliable and can lead to erroneous pay decisions. The conceptual pitfalls are revealed by demonstrating that CAT encourages a quality-control approach that focuses on defect detection and containment, rather than defect prevention. Finally, potential alternatives and improvements to CAT are provided.
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Acknowledgments
This material is based in part upon research funded by the Federal Highway Administration. The authors thank Mr. Peter Kopac for his insightful comments. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the viewpoints of the Federal Highway Administration. The authors thank the anonymous reviewers for their helpful and constructive comments.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Infrastructure Systems
Volume 19 • Issue 1 • March 2013
Pages: 67 - 73
Copyright
© 2013 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jun 18, 2010
Accepted: May 16, 2012
Published online: May 19, 2012
Published in print: Mar 1, 2013
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