Vancouver’s Experience with

Statistical Quality Acceptance for

HMA

!
Objectives (Answer the following)
What is the difference between Quality Control and Quality
Acceptance?
Who does what on a COV Paving Job?
What methods of evaluation for acceptance are available in
the WSDOT Specifications?
What is “Statistical Evaluation”?
Why does the City use Statistical Acceptance for HMA?
How does the City incorporate Statistical Acceptance into
its Construction Specifications?
What is the status of the transition described in 2005?
 What is the difference
between Quality Control and
Quality Acceptance?
 HMA Quality Control

QC, Quality Control is. .

.
testing performed by the
Contractor to monitor
the production process.
 HMA Quality Acceptance

QA, Quality Acceptance is. . .

testing carried out by the
Agency to accept the product. It can be
conducted by the Agency or an
independent lab.
 HMA Quality Assurance

Quality Assurance is. . .

achieved through proper process
control and acceptance testing.

Assurance = Control + Acceptance

Who does what on a City of
Vancouver Paving Job?
 HMA Quality Control

QC, Quality Control is. .

.
testing performed by the
Contractor to monitor
the production process.
 HMA Quality Acceptance

QA, Quality Acceptance is. . .

testing carried out by the
Agency to accept the product. It can be
conducted by the Agency or an
independent lab.
HMA Quality – What gets Measured
by the City of Vancouver?
Surface Smoothness – Not for Payment
Mix Properties – Yes, all three
– Gradation -- Yes
– Voids -- Yes
– Asphalt Content -- Yes
• Compaction
– Density -- Yes
– Cyclic Density -- No
– Longitudinal Joint Density -- No)
2007 Resurfacing Special Provisions
QC/QA for Mix Properties
2007 Resurfacing Special Provisions
QC/QA for Compaction
 Compaction QC Requirements
Compaction Control Plan
Submit to the Agency one week prior to
beginning of project
Must be specific to Project
Provide detail on how continuous
monitoring is to be achieved
Identify the Compaction Foreman
New plan if 2 failing sublots in one day
of paving or on consecutive days
 Compaction QC Requirements
Compaction Foreman
Have 5 years experience & thorough
knowledge of compaction process
Be onsite, monitor the mat temperature and
compaction process
Have authority to change/regulate the paving
operation
Direct the testing, tabulate test results,
provide copies to the Engineer, communicate
with the Engineer
 What methods of evaluation
for acceptance are available in
the WSDOT Specifications?
Evaluation Methods in WSDOT

Statistical
Non-statistical
Commercial
What is “Statistical
Evaluation”?
Statistical Acceptance
 Definitions

Population
Sample
Mean
Standard Deviation
Normal Distribution
Upper Specification Limit
Lower Specification Limit
 Population and Sample
A population is the set representing all
measurements of interest to the sample
collector
A sample is a subset of measurements
selected from the population
The objective of statistics is to make
inferences (predictions, decisions) about a
population based upon information contained
in the sample
Mean and Standard Deviation
Sample Mean
– A measure of central tendency
– Equal to the sum of the measurements
divided by the number of measurements
Sample Standard Deviation
– A measure of variability… the larger the
number the more variable the data
– Equal to ….. a complicated formula nobody
ever does by hand….
Two Sets of Data – Same Quality?
The “Standard” Normal Probability
Density Function
•0 represents the mean
of a sample
•1, 2 and 3 are distances
away from the mean in
terms of the standard
deviation of the sample
•68 % of the values are
within 1 Standard
Deviation
•95% are between +/-2
•99.7% are between +/-3
 Specification Limits

Lower Specification Limit (LSL) is the

target value minus any allowable
tolerance (For compaction it is 91.0
Upper Specification Limit (USL) is the
target value plus any allowable
tolerance
Process for Determining Pay Factor

Determine the Mean of the Sample

Measurements
Determine the Quality Level
Determine the Percent Within Limits
Determine the Individual Pay Factor
Determine the Composite Pay Factor
Determine the Item Adjustment Factor
(CPF-1)
The Standard Normal Distribution
Z Table of Values
 Area Under the Curve

Area = Area = Area =

0.500 0.500 0.977

Area =
0.023
Simple Example with Two Sets of
Data
Standard Specifications – Quality
Levels Table 1 Page 1
Standard Specifications Quality
Levels Table 1 Page 2
Graphical Display of Information

93.16 91 91.66
Area =
0.996

Area =
91
Area = 0.623
0.377

Area =
0.004

2.63 0.31
Standard Specifications Pay Factors
Table 2
Job Mix Price Adjustment Factors
Calculating a Composite Pay Factor
 Compaction
Key Components of Gyratory Compactor

height control and data

measurement acquisition panel

reaction
frame loading
ram

tilt bar mold

rotating
base
 Compaction
Gyratory compactor
– Axial and shearing action
– 150 mm diameter molds
» Aggregate size up to 37.5 mm
» Height measurement during compaction
Allows densification during
compaction to be evaluated
Ram pressure
600 kPa

1.25o
 Volumetric Properties
VOLUMES (cm3 )

Va air

Vb
asphalt VMA VFA
Vba absorbed asphalt
VT
aggregate Surface Voids
Vsb
Vse
Solid Agg.
Particle
Relative Density of Compacted HMA

Compacted Maximum
HMA Sample HMA Density
Density (Rice Density)
Impact of Average and Variability
Data Near the Lower Specification
Limit
Data Near Lower Spec Limit

91 91.66
90.9 91

Area =
Area = 0.429
Area = 0.623
Area =
0.377 0.571

0.31 - 0.18
Why does the City use Statistical
Acceptance for HMA
Do we ever remove/replace?
Gives better information about the
product and consistency of construction
We believe that the contractor pays
closer attention to QC
 How does the city incorporate
Statistical Acceptance into Projects
Invoke statistical acceptance
Generally follow WSDOT
Incorporate testing procedures to
address common issues at local agency
level
 Our future

Continue to use Statistical, Non-

Statistical and Commercial Evaluation
appropriately
Continue using Gyratory Compactor for
construction control
Complete a project using HMA Cl. 1/2 –
inch PG 64-22 with a 50 Gyration
design (Low volume local streets )
Questions - ?
 My Info

Bill Whitcomb
City of Vancouver
PO Box 1995
Vancouver WA 98668-1995
360.487.7702 (Voice)
306.487.7699 (FAX)
bill.whitcomb@ci.vancouver.wa.us