Experience with Asphalt Laboratory Certification in Canada

With respect to asphalt pavement construction in Canada, only the Province of Ontario has requirements that testing on Ministry of Transportation projects be conducted by certified asphalt and/or aggregate laboratories. Laboratory certification ensures that current test procedures are employed and that testing is performed by qualified, trained staff. It improves overall standard of testing "within each laboratory" and reduces "between laboratory" testing variation. It increases confidence in the test results and reduces the potential for job interruptions and contract disputes. Certification promotes and implants a culture of quality, where the integrity of the testing quality system is as important as the result itself. In general, material testing protocols in support of most major asphalt construction projects in Canada do not have overlying requirements for certification of the testing laboratories involved. This paper outlines what laboratory certification is and why laboratory certification is important. It presents an overall view of available laboratory certification programs in Canada with details on the Canadian Council of Independent Laboratories (CCIL) certification programs for highway material testing laboratories. The paper presents test data before and after certification with examples from Ontario and British Columbia illustrating the benefits of laboratory certification. (A)

• Corporate Authors:

  Canadian Technical Asphalt Association

  ,   United States 
• Authors:
  • Kamel, N
  • MCINTEE, G
  • Rogers, C
  • Maynard, A
• Conference:
  • FIFTY-SEVENTH ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF THE CANADIAN TECHNICAL ASPHALT ASSOCIATION (CTAA)
  • Location: Vancouver British Columbia, Canada
  • Date: 2012-11-18 to 2012-11-21
• Publication Date: 2012

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 277-89
• Monograph Title: Proceedings of the Fifty-Seventh Annual Conference of the Canadian Technical Asphalt Association: Vancouver, British Columbia November 2012

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bitumen; Conferences; Evaluation; Information management; Laboratories; Test procedures
• Geographic Terms: Canada
• ITRD Terms: 4963: Bitumen; 8018: Canada; 8525: Conference; 9020: Evaluation (assessment); 8555: Information documentation; 6237: Laboratory (not an organization); 6288: Test method
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; I10: Economics and Administration; I31: Bituminous Binders and Materials;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01494238
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transportation Association of Canada (TAC)
• Files: ITRD, TAC
• Created Date: Sep 24 2013 12:57PM