Information Technology, Intelligent Transportation Systems, Operations Research, Transportation

FHWA Construction Quality Assurance Support

Aided in advancing the state of the practice in highway construction and materials quality assurance and improving the accuracy and precision of cost estimation

To support the Highway Quality Assurance Program at FHWA’s Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center, Weris conducted research and provided as-needed technology transfer to advance the state of the practice in construction and materials quality assurance; this included developing guidelines for selecting optimum sample size for improved application of F– and t-testing, developing a manual using nondestructive testing and case studies, and determining improved pavement-ride quality using 3D modeling and automatic-machine guidance. In addition, Weris also presented findings at FHWA, American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), and Transportation Research Board (TRB) conferences and via webinars.

  • Client:  U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT)/
    Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)
  • Services: 
    • Cost estimation
    • Data analytics and visualization
    • Data mining
    • Mathematical models
    • Predictive analytics
    • Software development
    • Trend analysis
    • Website construction and web-based application development

Solutions

Index-Based Method with Improved Accuracy and Precision

The index-based method Weris developed went far beyond being just a statistical mode or method; it was able to access many types and large amounts of current and historical data and be supported by advanced information technologies and data analytics. To demonstrate this method and assist state DOTs in understanding and implementing the index-based method, Weris’s project team developed a prototype built on advanced information technologies, including big-data analytics. Weris conducted webinars to demonstrate the project, its methodology, and how to use the tool. FHWA and AASHTO’s Cost Estimation Committee prototyped the research technology, and Weris provided management support to state DOTs that chose to pilot this method.

Powerful Statistical Tool for Construction Quality Assurance

Weris developed software to analyze the power value of various numbers of quality control and verification samples using existing and readily available programs or common programming languages. The tool provided a simple and quick ability to analyze an individual project to assess what is my risk? for the appropriate sampling size or frequency.

Determining Improved Quality of Pavement Surface

Weris and its team partners determined the scope of the research and how using statistical and mobile light detection and ranging (LIDAR)-survey and 3D-design modeling can be used in conjunction with automatic-machine guidance to improve smoothness on roadway surfaces.