Asphalt QC/QA and contractor-performed quality control

An effective program of quality control /quality assurance (QC/QA) is the key to a successful asphalt construction project. There is a national trend in state departments of transportation (DOTs) toward allowing contractor-performed quality control (CPQC). At the same time, there is a concern in many DOTs with using the contractor-reported data for acceptance and payment purposes. In order to learn from experience of others, a national survey was conducted. Additionally, a large number of asphalt projects in Kentucky were examined. The statistical analyses showed that, for the most part, there is not a significant difference between the contractorperformed acceptance data and side-by-side highway agency-performed verification data. Obviously, this is a very encouraging finding, and it is expected to enhance the level of trust between the contractors and highway agencies.