Development of Risk-Based Methodologies for Highway Pavement Construction Inspection

Construction inspection plays a critical role in Portland cement concrete pavement (PCCP) and hot mix asphalt (HMA) pavement projects. To ensure the quality of pavement projects, state departments of transportation (DOTs) in the U.S. typically conduct construction material tests and inspect workmanship processes using quality assurance (QA) programs. Given today’s reality of reduced QA inspection resources such as funding, staff ability, and availability, several state DOTs have used a risk-based inspection (RBI) approach to optimize their QA processes. A thorough review of existing literature revealed limited studies examining RBI methodologies in highway pavement construction projects. The aim of this study is to investigate the use of RBI for pavement construction projects. It employed a triangulation research methodology, including an extensive literature review, a survey questionnaire of 50 state DOTs, focus groups, and a vetting workshop. A list of 16 core items in field inspection for both PCCP and HMA pavement projects was developed and verified. A generic risk rating of these critical inspection activities was determined. Additionally, inspection frequency, documentation effort, and inspector experience associated with these critical inspection activities identified through focus groups and the vetting workshop served as a reference point when conducting RBI for PCCP and HMA pavement projects. This study contributes to the body of knowledge and the highway construction industry by identifying and prioritizing 16 core inspection items for PCCP and HMA pavement construction. Construction project managers and inspectors may benefit from this study by analyzing the risks of core inspection items and implementing appropriate risk mitigation plans.