REVISED June 2013STATE MATERIALS OFFICE

Goals in this Session

To understand: Why we certify The Sampling & Testing process The Project Certification process The EAR/DDM process The Project Administrator’s Statement What an Exception is, and The Certification process & tools available

Why Certify?

23 CFR 637B

Federal Aid Policy Guide Sampling & Testing Program

Material Certification (MM 5.4)and MM 5.2 for LAP projects

Sampling, Testing & Reporting Guide

Field S & T: An Overview

Does it meet Specs?

QC Testing

Verification Testing

EAR

Remove &

ReplaceNo

ResolutionNoDo they

Compare?

Yes

MaterialAccepted

Yes

Project Material Certification

ComponentsMaterials Engineer’s Certification

Contractor’s FinalCertification

PA’s MaterialsStatement

Contractor’s MonthlyCertification

Approved EARFor failing Material

Passing & VerifiedQC results

Reported Test Results

Monthly Checklist Items

Verify the area represented contained acceptable material

Verify all material issues are resolved Verify Exceptions are complete and

accurate Verify the Exceptions match w/ Pay

penalties Verify all supporting certifications for

materials accepted by certification are received and meet specifications

Engineering Analysis Report

A report prepared by an approved licensed engineer providing analysis of failing material left in place

Evaluation of affected material, e.g., Analysis of additional samples, Life Cycle Cost Analysis, etc

Reporting structural adequacy with reference to the design criteria

“Disposition of Defective Material” form

What is an EAR?

EAR Processing

Contractorsubmits EAR w/

recommendation to PA

PA. authorizesuse Of EAR

PA forwardsa copy of EAR

to DME

Non-standard material

left is in place

Contractorrequests PA use Of EAR

Use EAR ?

SCE makes final decision

PA & DME set up parameters

Yes

DME reviews EARand proposes

disposition to PA

PA sends EAR &disposition to DCE

Concur ?

DCE approvesdisposition

Yes

Dispositionimplemented

No

DCE prepares recommendation

DCE forwardspackage to SCE

No

Project Administrator’s

Materials Statement

Financial Project #:

Federal Project #:

Contract #:

County:

All materials incorporated into the referenced project(s) were accepted in accordance with the STRG or pertinent contract documents and met all applicable requirements.

•Earthwork density test locations and results are in substantial compliance with the pertinent specification requirements of this project. A spot-check of the project density records indicate substantial compliance with the governing specifications, sampling and testing guides, and procedures.

•All Contractor Quality Control (QC) material test results have been verified in accordance with contract requirements. The final disposition of all material represented by QC results has been accurately documented.

•All required certifications and/or certified test reports have been received in accordance with contract requirements.

• Earthwork density test locations and results are in substantial compliance with the pertinent specification requirements of this project. A spot-check of the project density records indicate substantial compliance with the governing specifications, sampling and testing guides, and procedures.

• All Contractor Quality Control (QC) material test results have been verified in accordance with contract requirements. The final disposition of all material represented by QC results has been accurately documented.

• All required certifications and/ or certified test reports have been received in accordance with contract requirements.

Exceptions

What are Exceptions?(to the Certification)

Material Not Meeting StandardsFor CQC Testing: Asphalt does not meet standards if C.P.F. for

a Lot is less than 90%– However, we are noting failing tests, at the

request of the Bituminous technical unit Concrete does not meet standards if

“payment tests” do not pass Earthwork does not meet standards if ‘QC’

tests do not pass and are not verified

What are Exceptions?(continued)

Material Not Meeting Standards (cont.)For Non-CQC Testing: Material does not meet standards if ‘V’ test

does not pass

Testing Frequency Material not tested, or tested at a frequency,

not in conformance with the Specifications and left in-place

Qualifications Sampling and testing performed by unqualified

technicians (when specified in the Contract documents)

Testing performed at unqualified laboratories or at qualified laboratories during a time that they were removed from the list of Qualified Laboratories

Materials produced when the production facility was not on the accepted list, and left in-place

What are Exceptions?(continued)

You have an Exception, how do you report it?

Description

Location

Quantity

Resolution (and at what pay)

Concurrence…obtained?

Example of Format

Concrete, Class IV

The following Quality Control and Verification samples did not compare within the required tolerance. Resolution was not performed therefore these areas are not verified.

Sample Station Result (psi) Quantity (cy)CC4006V 806+77 to 807+97 7983 22.25CC4006Q ------------------------ 9330 -------

Project personnel recommended leaving the material in-place at full pay based on the QC results. The District Materials and District Construction Engineers concurred.

Our Review(the process & tools)

• Method of Acceptance –

What we look at: for all materials that have a paid qty, make sure have proper method of acceptance (examples: sampling and testing or certification)

USE: Final pay estimate for Reg. Pay Item Projects

*For Design Build and Lump Sum we use the final Job Guide Schedule

• Open Samples

Use: Sample Status Progress Report and Samples Not Tested Report

The samples on these reports need follow up. They may need to be processed through LIMS (from receipt to approval)

• Failing Material

USE: Samples with Disposition other than Full Pay per Spec (FS) Report

For material not meeting standards.

Do we have a DDM documenting resolution and concurrences?

• Unqualified Personnel and Labs

When contracts specify to have qualified technicians and labs

Requirements will be under spec book Section 105 for both personnel and labs.

Need justification and how accepting material tested by unqualified personnel or labs

• Material Certifications

USE: Required Certification Tracking Report to determine certifications that need to be sent to Gainesville

Make sure only those certifications that come to Gainesville are logged in LIMS

Others (sampled by PP tested by PP) are scanned into Hummingbird with the project files

• Random Sampling Program

For more information, see section in the Materials Manual 5.6.15

• Individual Material Review

For example: Earthwork, Concrete, Asphalt, Reinforcing Steel and all other materials

Make sure sampling and testing frequency is met per specifications

Since, at times the data entry in LIMS is less than adequate (garbage in, garbage out), we need additional information

Data for Base LOTS

Frequency: One QC test per 8 LOTSOne VT test per 16 LOTS (every 2 QC)

Data for Structural Concrete LOTS

Frequency: One QC test per 50 cy or day’s productionOne VT test per 4 LOTS (same mix design)

• Please submit the steel sample as soon as it is received at the project, do not wait until final acceptance

• The SMO Lab will store an unidentified sample for 2 weeks before it is discarded

• If your sample is discarded deliver one of the “hold” samples with the appropriate paperwork– Copy of LIMS C22, tag and mill analysis– Do not login a separate LIMS entry for the “hold”

sample . The LIMS ID for the original sample will be used for the “hold” sample

– LIMS life cycle must be completed

Steel Samples

Wrap-upWe discussed: Why we certify The Sampling & Testing process The Project Certification process The EAR process The Project Administrator’s Statement What an Exception is The certification review, and Tools to use

• Questions• Comments