Evaluate The Use Of Percent Within Limits As Payment Adjustment Factor For Placement Of Asphalt Mixes

Form ProjStat (Rev. 5/2013)

(RTI) Research Project Statement 18-245

FY 2018 Annual Program

Title: Evaluate the Use of Percent Within Limits as Payment Adjustment Factor for Placement of Asphalt Mixes The Problem: The current specification book has placement payment adjustment factors for in-place voids for different asphalt mixes (Items 341, 344, 346). These factors are computed typically using two cores per sub lot. The placement payment adjust factor for a completed lot is then determined based on the average of the placement payment adjustment factors for up to four sub lots within the completed lot. A drawback of this current method is that it is based on the average pay factors from different sub lots and does not account for consistency in the quality of compaction achieved. As such, there is a possibility that a contractor can compensate poor quality and in-place density in one sub lot with significantly better compaction in another sub lot such that the average pay factor is greater than 1.0. The current method for pay factors does not have any provision to encourage contractors to achieve greater consistency. Technical 1. Use historical data to evaluate the typical trends in Objectives: terms of pay factors and consistency of compaction achieved by different contractors over a period of few years for different kinds of mixtures. The data will also be used to ascertain whether factors such as type of mix; e.g., warm mix, or other factors; e.g., use of IR bars, has any relationship with the consistency of the in-place density. 2. Develop several different alternative methods to compute pay factors. These alternative methods should be based not only on the average in-place density, but also on the consistency of density achieved by the contractors. 3. Use historical data to evaluate and compare the hypothetical cost to TxDOT for each of the proposed alternative pay factor method. 4. For each proposed alternative, clearly demonstrate the number of jobs and potential costs that could have been saved by not rewarding contractors with inconsistent placement quality. Desired 1. Technical memorandum for each task completed. Deliverables: 2. Monthly progress reports. 3. Value of Research (VoR) that includes both qualitative and economic benefits. 4. Research report documenting the methods used and findings from the study, including a summary of the different alternatives to the current pay factor tables (Items 341, 344, and 346). The alternatives must be ranked based on potential benefits to TxDOT. 5. Project Summary Report. Proposal 1. Utilize the deliverable based templates (see the Requirements: appendices provided or in the University Handbook)

Project Statement 18-245 Form ProjStat (Rev. 5/2013)

(RTI) 2. Proposals will be considered non-responsive and will not be accepted for technical evaluation if they are not received by the deadline or do not meet the requirements stated in RTI’s University Handbook. 3. Proposals should be submitted in PDF format, 1 PDF file per proposal. File name should include project name and university abbreviation.

Project Statement 18-245 Form ProjStat (Rev. 5/2013)

(RTI) Pre-Proposal Monday, March 27, 2017 10:00AM – 12:00PM Meeting Information: Austin Riverside Campus 118 E. Riverside Dr. RTI Conference Room, 1st Floor

Webex Information: 1. Go to https://txdot.webex.com/txdot/j.php?MTID=me11dc4e52f086598f833e5727ca7b65f 2. If requested, enter your name and email address. 3. If a password is required, enter the meeting password: GzDup33h 4. Click "Join".

Teleconference information: Provide your phone number when you join the meeting to receive a call back. Alternatively, you can call: Call-in toll-free number: 1-855-437-3563 (US) Conference Code: 734 178 806 Notifying RTI In order to be notified if additional project information is distributed by TxDOT, you must contact RTI, at of Intent to (512) 416-4730 or [email protected] by April 3, 2017, if you plan to propose. Propose: Proposal Proposals are due to RTI by 4:00 p.m. Central Time, May 11, 2017. Email submissions should be sent to Deadline: [email protected].

Project Statement 18-245