DOT Panel Discussion Quality Acceptance Programs & Inspection Guidelines www.concrete-pipe.org

Why are they here? Quality Assurance Programs Share DOT expectations Improvements Research Inspection practices Lots of companies with their own methods Different company culture May be more familiar with Precast than pipe Focused on contractor sales more than marketing www.concrete-pipe.org

DOT Panelist Michael Black (KY) Structural Materials Branch Manager Chuck Hasty (GA) State Materials Engineer Tim Ruelke: (FL) Lamar Sylvester (NC) Construction Engineer Troy Witty (TX) www.concrete-pipe.org

The Rules Let’s Share Information w/ our Customer 3 mins / response 1.5 min / follow-up Lots of companies with their own methods Different company culture May be more familiar with Precast than pipe Focused on contractor sales more than marketing www.concrete-pipe.org

Section 1 Quality Acceptance Programs www.concrete-pipe.org

Question #1 How does the QCast program help your Quality Assurance Program? Lots of companies with their own methods Different company culture May be more familiar with Precast than pipe Focused on contractor sales more than marketing www.concrete-pipe.org

Question #1 (Follow-up) What additional tasks does the state perform for its Quality Assurance Program beyond the QCast program? Lots of companies with their own methods Different company culture May be more familiar with Precast than pipe Focused on contractor sales more than marketing www.concrete-pipe.org

Question #2 Shadowing QCast Audits: Has your state participated in this way, and if so what perspective have you or your staff gained from that experience? Lots of companies with their own methods Different company culture May be more familiar with Precast than pipe Focused on contractor sales more than marketing www.concrete-pipe.org

Question #3 As an owner, do you have any reservations about industry working with a 3rd party to audit its own production facilities? Lots of companies with their own methods Different company culture May be more familiar with Precast than pipe Focused on contractor sales more than marketing www.concrete-pipe.org

Question #4 For those of you that do not use QCast how does your state manage its Quality Assurance Program with your limited resources? Lots of companies with their own methods Different company culture May be more familiar with Precast than pipe Focused on contractor sales more than marketing www.concrete-pipe.org

Question #5 Are there other QA programs that you would like to use? Lots of companies with their own methods Different company culture May be more familiar with Precast than pipe Focused on contractor sales more than marketing www.concrete-pipe.org

Question #5 (Follow-up) Follow-up: What features do you find beneficial about those programs that the QCast program doesn’t provide? Lots of companies with their own methods Different company culture May be more familiar with Precast than pipe Focused on contractor sales more than marketing www.concrete-pipe.org

Question #5 (Follow-up) Unannounced Audits. Do you, as owners, value the unannounced audit as a key part of the program? Lots of companies with their own methods Different company culture May be more familiar with Precast than pipe Focused on contractor sales more than marketing www.concrete-pipe.org

Question #6 Does your state anticipate utilizing the AASTHO Standard Practice for Evaluation and Acceptance of Precast Concrete Products at the plant and jobsite, and how will that change your current policy? Lots of companies with their own methods Different company culture May be more familiar with Precast than pipe Focused on contractor sales more than marketing www.concrete-pipe.org

Question #6 (Follow-up) Does your state consider it a good Visual Inspection guideline for the acceptance of pre-installed RCP and will it be helpful to your state? Lots of companies with their own methods Different company culture May be more familiar with Precast than pipe Focused on contractor sales more than marketing www.concrete-pipe.org

Question #6 (Follow-up) The proposed Guideline includes evaluation guidelines for: Cracks Manufacturing defects Damaged ends Would a guideline on these issues be helpful to your plant inspectors or inspectors on the job site. Lots of companies with their own methods Different company culture May be more familiar with Precast than pipe Focused on contractor sales more than marketing www.concrete-pipe.org

Section 2 Research on RCP www.concrete-pipe.org

Question #7 What has been your experience with the service life of RCP in your state? Lots of companies with their own methods Different company culture May be more familiar with Precast than pipe Focused on contractor sales more than marketing www.concrete-pipe.org

Question #8 What studies has your state done (or would do if you had sufficient funding) to analyze the long-term performance of RCP? Lots of companies with their own methods Different company culture May be more familiar with Precast than pipe Focused on contractor sales more than marketing www.concrete-pipe.org

Question #9 What RCP studies at AASHTO have peaked your interest? Lots of companies with their own methods Different company culture May be more familiar with Precast than pipe Focused on contractor sales more than marketing www.concrete-pipe.org

Question #10 What studies could our industry do to analyze the long-term performance of RCP or other precast concrete products like box culverts? Lots of companies with their own methods Different company culture May be more familiar with Precast than pipe Focused on contractor sales more than marketing www.concrete-pipe.org

Section 3 Post Installation Inspection www.concrete-pipe.org

Question #11 What Post Installation Inspection Requirements does your state require? Lots of companies with their own methods Different company culture May be more familiar with Precast than pipe Focused on contractor sales more than marketing www.concrete-pipe.org

Question #11 (Follow-up) Would better levels of inspection during construction improve your pipe installation as well as reduce post installation inspection issues/repairs? Lots of companies with their own methods Different company culture May be more familiar with Precast than pipe Focused on contractor sales more than marketing www.concrete-pipe.org

Section 4 Questions from Audience? www.concrete-pipe.org

Final Question What value could we provide to states in order to intrigue more DOTs to participate at our pipe schools or other training meetings? Lots of companies with their own methods Different company culture May be more familiar with Precast than pipe Focused on contractor sales more than marketing www.concrete-pipe.org