The Role of Quality Assurance in Delivering Long–Life Concrete Pavements

The fundamental goal behind any pavement design and construction project is to provide a system that will survive the predicted traffic and environment for the selected lifetime. Considerable effort is paid to the structural design of a pavement in order to reach that goal. On the other hand, the concrete mixture and construction practices are generally assumed to be acceptable, yet the properties that most affect pavement life are not tested or not tested in real time when corrections can be accomplished. This paper will provide an overview of the two sides of quality assurance (QA) (quality control and agency acceptance) and the role each plays in ensuring that the pavement both meets specifications and provides a long service life. The roles of both the agency and contractor must be clearly understood. New technologies are available for both quality control and agency assurance that could significantly improve pavement quality and contractor profitability.