STATISTICAL QUALITY CONTROL OF HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS
THE GREAT INCREASE IN HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION WORK WHICH WAS EXPERIENCED DURING THE 1950'S AND EARLY 1960'S RESULTED IN RAPID ADVANCEMENT OF CONSTRUCTION METHODS. WITH EMPHASIS BEING PLACED UPON HIGH PRODUCTION. TESTING AND CONTROL PROCEDURES DID NOT KEEP PACE AND THIS RESULTED IN A SLIGHT REDUCTION IN OVERALL QUALITY. HOWEVER, THE HIGHWAY INDUSTRY WAS CHALLENGED AND, THROUGH READJUSTMENT OF CONTROL PROCEDURES, IMPROVEMENT IN QUALITY WAS MADE. TO DATE, SPECIFICATIONS HAVE BEEN OF THE ABSOLUTE TYPE WITH CONSIDERABLE RELIANCE BEING PLACED UPON THE EXPERIENCE OF THE ENGINEER AND HIS ABILITY TO SELECT REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLES. THIS SYSTEM HAS DRAWBACKS, PARTICULARLY UNDER THE STRESS OF AN INCREASING TEMPO OF CONSTRUCTION AND LACK OF TRAINED INSPECTORS. IN AN ATTEMPT TO IMPROVE SPECIFICATIONS, IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT THE HIGHWAY ENGINEER CONSIDER ADOPTING STATISTICAL QUALITY CONTROL (SQC) PROCEDURES. THE FIRST STEP IN THIS DIRECTION WAS TAKEN BY THE UNITED STATES BUREAU OF PUBLIC ROADS WHO HELD WORKSHOPS ON QUALITY CONTROL THROUGHOUT THE NATION IN THE FALL OF 1963. AT THESE WORKSHOPS THE BUREAU PROPOSED THAT THE STATE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENTS RESEARCH THE SUBJECT OF USING STATISTICAL CONTROL METHODS. IN THE SPRING OF 1964, THE CALIFORNIA DIVISION OF HIGHWAYS SUBMITTED A RESEARCH PROPOSAL INTENDED TO DETERMINE THE CONTROL LIMITS TO BE USED IN STATISTICAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR NINE CONSTRUCTION ITEMS. THE RESEARCH HAS BEEN COMPLETED ON THESE NINE ITEMS AND EIGHT INTERIM REPORTS CONTAINING THE FINDINGS RELATIVE TO THESE CONSTRUCTION ITEMS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED, AND ARE LISTED IN BIBLIOGRAPHY. /AUTHOR/
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Supplemental Notes:
- Final Rept NO M & R 631133-9, 30 PP, 5 FIG, 12 REF, 1 APP
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Corporate Authors:
California Division of Highways
Bridge Department
Sacramento, CA United States 05914 -
Authors:
- Sherman, G B
- Watkins, R O
- Publication Date: 1968-5
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Construction; Construction management; Inspection; Quality control; Road construction; Specifications; Statistical quality control
- Uncontrolled Terms: Construction specifications
- Old TRIS Terms: Construction inspection
- Subject Areas: Construction; Geotechnology; Highways; Materials;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 00216917
- Record Type: Publication
- Files: TRIS
- Created Date: Mar 9 1970 12:00AM