RESEARCH PROBLEM STATEMENT:
Construction practices
vary across the country and from contractor to contractor. Experience
of construction inspectors and engineers varies depending upon
training and experience. Airfield pavement construction techniques
and practices need to be documented and each practice or technique
discussed with respect to advantages and disadvantages. The documentation
will include those practices that are known to result in poor
pavement performance. The details or specific concrete pavement
mixture design procedures will not be included in this effort.
However, a general discussion about different cements and mix
design practices is considered appropriate. The document must
include a commentary on the variability of common problems encountered
in meeting specifications and there should be recommendations
as which practices best help the contractor overcome those problems.
Example topics include
but are not limited to:
- Pre-Construction Considerations
- Staking, Stringlines, Grade
Control
- Sequencing Haul Routes,
Cure Time, Pilot Lane Layout
- Joint Layout, Design Details
- Construction
- Variables in Concrete Mix
Designs
- Concrete Production
- Admixtures
- Subbase Preparation and
Equipment
- Concrete Delivery, Dumping,
and Spreading
- Consolidation Equipment
- Finishing (Mechanized and
Hand)
- Edging
- Texturing (Bleed Water Control)
/ Grooving
- Curing
- Saw Cutting (Green Saw and
Dimension)
- Sealing and Seal Types
- Special Construction Considerations
- Placing Reinforcement
- Load Transfer Mechanisms
- In Pavement Structures (Penetrations)
- Plastic Concrete Repairs
- Flexible Pavement Interfaces
(Joints)
- Considerations for Fast-Track
Construction
- Hot and Cold Weather Placement
- Attaining Smoothness / Ride
Quality (how to get it, not measure it)
OBJECTIVES:
The investigator shall
prepare a research plan. That plan begins with a review of the
Department of Defense "DRAFT" Standard Practices Manual, a 191-page
document that will be provided to the research group or individual
selected for contract award. The research team or individual will
also determine what recognized documentation is currently available
that speaks to the standard practice of portland cement concrete
pavement construction. The research team shall develop an outline
of the proposed best practice manual in sufficient detail to show
what topics will be included in the manual. This conceptual outline
will be reviewed and approved by a technical committee before
work proceeds (20% submittal and review).
The majority of the
resources for the research will involve a thorough and systematic
investigation of airport rigid pavement construction projects.
Researchers shall develop a list of projects with applicability
to topics included in the manual, and then interview respective
designers, constructors, inspectors, State Aviation Officials,
and owners. An important part of this effort will be ensuring
that the practice used resulted in acceptable pavement performance.
Therefore, the project owners and maintainers must be included
in the interview process. It is anticipated that some interviews
will occur over the phone and some will occur on site. Pavement
performance will be validated by nothing more than a review of
pavement condition survey data or through the performance of visual
inspection.
After the interviews
are completed, the investigator's task will be to identify what
procedures are successful, or unsuccessful, and document those
procedures that consistently result in superior airport pavements.
Precautions associated with specific practices shall be included
and the manual should recommend the conditions under which procedures
are suitable or unsuitable.
PRODUCTS:
The final product
will be an industry reference about portland cement concrete pavements
for the airfield environment that can be used by designers, contractors,
and inspectors. The format of the document will be specified by
the IPRF. The investigator will provide two originals of the manuscript
including any artwork or photos. The publication will also be
submitted in an electronic format compatible with industry recognized
desktop computer publication software.
The investigator will
be responsible for the preparation of quarterly reports that describe
the progress of the research effort. Reports will be due in the
offices of the IPRF on the last day of the quarter. The reports
will be limited to two pages in a format specified by the IPRF.
SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS:
After the technical
panel completes the evaluation of proposals, each of the proposals
will be rank ordered. The organization, group, or individual that
is ranked as the first and second choice for the recommendation
to award will be asked to make a presentation to the project technical
panel. The Principal Investigator, and one other person, representing
the entity ranked first and second choice by the technical panel
will participate in an interview to discuss the project details,
goals, and objectives. The IPRF will reimburse the expenses (up
to 2 people) to make this presentation at a location yet to be
determined in Skokie, IL. The interview will occur within a 30-day
window subsequent to the proposal submittal deadline.
The investigator will
be responsible for the preparing and submitting quarterly reports
that describe the progress of the research effort. Reports will
be due in the offices of the IPRF on the last day of the fiscal
year quarter (i.e., last day of March, last day of June, last
day of September, and the last day of December). The reports will
be two pages maximum in a format that will be specified.
PROJECT DIRECTOR:
James L. Lafrenz, P.E., (202) 842-1010, jlafrenz@pavement.com
| Have
Questions? |
| Contact
Jim Lafrenz, Cooperative
Agreement Programs Manager |
Phone:
202-842-1010 |
