Section 400 Sub Base, Base Courses, Shoulders, Pavement ... · Ensure the underlying sub-base has been installed to the correct grade and cross section Visually inspect underlying

Construction Field Inspection Manual 400-1

Massachusetts Department of Transportation,

Highway Division

Construction Field Inspection Manual

Chapter 400

Sub-Base, Base Courses, Shoulders, Pavement and Berms

Revision No.: 0

Publish Date: August 2018

Approved By:

(signature on original) 11/19/18

Patricia A. Leavenworth, P.E.

Deputy Administrator and Chief Engineer

Date

(signature on original) 10/24/18

Michael A. McGrath

Assistant Administrator of Construction

Engineering

Date


REVISION 0 DATED AUGUST 2018 CHAPTER 400 - SUB-BASE, BASE COURSES,

SHOULDERS, PAVEMENT AND BERMS

This page intentionally left blank.




Massachusetts Department of Transportation,

Highway Division


Chapter 400

Sub-Base, Base Courses, Shoulders, Pavement and

Berms

Change History Page

Revision No. Description of Changes Pages

Revised

Pages

Added

Pages

Replaced

0 Original Issue N/A N/A N/A




i

CHAPTER 400 SUB-BASE, BASE COURSES,

SHOULDERS, PAVEMENT AND BERMS FIELD

GUIDE


ii





CHAPTER 400 SUB-BASE, BASE COURSES, SHOULDERS,

PAVEMENT AND BERMS FIELD GUIDE

401 GRAVEL SUB-BASE REFERENCE: Standard Specifications: Section 401

BEFORE WORK BEGINS:

Check the subgrade for proper alignment, grading and compaction

If underlying material is disturbed, have the Contractor fix the affected areas

Remove yielding, pumping, or frozen material, and replace with suitable material

Confirm that the gravel sub-base material to be used is from an approved source

Ensure samples that are representative of the materials to be used are taken

Deliver samples to the DME with the RMS 779 Form for testing

Review test results before allowing the Contractor to proceed and place the form into the project

file

DURING WORK:

Continue to monitor the material placed to ensure it is the correct material, the proper aggregate

size, free of organics and contamination, and of uniform consistency

Ensure the material is placed in compacted lifts of no more than 8 inches

Confirm the material is compacted properly and installed to the proper thickness

Have compaction tests performed as needed

Check that the Contractor is maintaining the correct grade

Enter daily quantities in the Project Calculation Book

AFTER WORK IS COMPLETE:

Check that the depth of the sub-base course meets the depth shown on the plans

Check the fine grading along with the Contractor

Ensure that the Contractor has corrected any grading issues that were identified




402 DENSE GRADED CRUSHED STONE FOR SUB-BASE REFERENCE: Standard Specifications: Section 402

BEFORE WORK BEGINS:

Verify that the dense graded crushed stone is provided by a source approved by the DME

Provide sample for the DME to perform testing and complete Form RMS 779 to include with the

sample - ensure samples are representative of the material to be used

Review test results before allowing the Contractor to proceed, then place the form into the

project file

Ensure the underlying sub-base has been installed to the correct grade and cross section

Visually inspect underlying sub-base for any disturbances, frozen material or wet areas

DURING WORK:

Continually inspect/monitor the material placed to ensure it is the correct material, of the proper

aggregate size and free of organics and contamination

Confirm the material is installed at the thickness shown on the plans

Ensure the Contractor is compacting the material to meet the required density

Have compaction tests performed by the DME as needed

Monitor truckloads of dense graded crushed stone delivered to support partial payments


Confirm that the dense graded crushed stone thickness, density and grading is as specified in the

contract documents

Measure quantity of materials placed for payment




403 RECLAIMED PAVEMENT FOR BASE COURSE AND/OR

SUB-BASE REFERENCE: Standard Specifications: Section 403

BEFORE WORK BEGINS:

Ensure that reclamation will be performed between April 15 and October 15 (unless otherwise

approved in writing) and is scheduled to be completed in time to allow for paving before winter

shut-down

Ensure erosion control items, such as sedimentation fence and hay bales, are in place (for

additional information refer to Chapter 007 Environmental Compliance)

Review test borings to understand the depth and type of underlying material that was the basis

of design

Obtain written submittal from Contractor describing the specific equipment and construction

methods that will be used

Verify all castings (water gates, cast iron, raised pavement markers, traffic signal loops, etc.) are

removed, lowered, and/or deactivated prior to reclaim operation

Ensure that all drainage structures in the roadway area are lowered and covered with steel plates

and backfilled. Deteriorated structures must be rebuilt

Privately owned utility structures and gates must be lowered by the respective utility company

Check for existing pavement cleanliness (Swept & Clean)

Ensure that the Contractor has sawcut the existing pavement to full depth where adjacent

surfaces are to be protected

Have test section performed by the Contractor

Provide a sample of the test section reclaimed material for the DME to test and approve before

proceeding (if required, the Contractor must perform additional test sections that result in an

approved sample)

Coordinate with the Contractor so that the area to be reclaimed can be processed and

compacted in one day to allow the road to be open to traffic at the end of the day

DURING WORK:

Monitor the speed and depth at which the Contractor is operating the reclaiming machine

Ensure that operation is the same as performed in the test section

Check to make sure that the roadway is open to one-way traffic during working hours if so

specified by the contract

Ensure proper reclaim depth (as specified on the typical sections)

Check the reclaimed material (suitable material, proper gradation)

Arrange for the District Materials Engineer to perform a sieve analysis (at least every 5,000 square

yards)

Verify that the reclaimed material is uniformly compacted and has uniform moisture content

Verify the line, grade & cross-slope of final reclaim surface is correct and graded to drain

For reclaimed materials that are rehandled and placed at an adjusted profile grade or in a

different location on the project site:

o Verify that the line, grade & cross-slope of placement surface is correct




o Measure lift thickness (not to exceed the specified maximum)

Check to make sure that a smooth and safe roadway is open to two-way traffic during non-

working hours if so specified by the contract

Check that all of the existing unsuitable material has been removed and replaced with suitable

material and the Contractor fine grades and compacts the final reclaim surface

Arrange for on-site density testing to be performed



Confirm reclaimed material depth, density and grading is as specified in the contract documents

Instruct the Contractor to raise all of the lowered structures and to adjust castings to final grade

Ensure that the roadway drains adequately




404 RECLAIMED PAVEMENT BORROW MATERIAL REFERENCE: Standard Specifications: Section 404

BEFORE WORK BEGINS:

Ensure samples that are representative of the materials to be used are taken at the site prior to

placement

Deliver samples to the DME with the RMS 780 Form for testing

Review test results before allowing the Contractor to proceed and place the form into the project

file

Check that the sequence of the delivery trucks is consistent and the material that each truck is

providing is acceptable

Check that all of the borrow material to be placed is consistent with the material that was

approved

DURING WORK:

Ensure that grade control is established and closely followed by the Contractor

Have the DME perform on-site density testing periodically



Check that the depth of the material meets the depth shown on the plans

Ensure that the Contractor has corrected any grading issues that were identified

Confirm that the final surface of the compacted material drains adequately




430 CEMENT CONCRETE BASE COURSE REFERENCE: Standard Specifications: Section 430

BEFORE WORK:

If cement concrete base course is used to widen existing roadway, review concrete delivery

batch ticket to ensure that the specified concrete mix is used (usually high early strength

cement concrete)

DURING WORK:

Ensure that subgrade is graded/compacted properly and there are no soft spots before

concrete is poured

If widening existing roadway, ensure that pavement is sawcut clean and straight

Receive batch ticket from concrete truck and file in project records

Ensure concrete is sampled and tested by the DME

Verify that the concrete from the truck is well-mixed and uniformly flowing

Verify that the line, grade and depth of concrete is correct

Ensure that the Contractor has spread the concrete to form a level and roughened surface


Check that the concrete has been properly protected and cured




440 ROADWAY DUST CONTROL REFERENCE: Standard Specifications: Section 440

BEFORE WORK:

Ensure that the Contractor has appropriate equipment and materials are available on site to

mitigate dust issues as they arise

Review site conditions and the weather forecast to determine need for dust control

DURING WORK:

Instruct the Contractor to perform dust control before:

Dust becomes visible in the air and before complaints occur

Dust is excessively collecting on nearby cars or buildings

Vision becomes impaired, or if dust makes breathing irritable or uncomfortable

The dust causes visibility issues for drivers, workers, or pedestrians

A significant period of work-stoppage time such as weekends

Confirm that Contractor uses an approved method to control dust such as water, calcium

chloride, tarps, soil stabilizers and hydroseed

Verify that Contractor is using appropriate equipment to prevent dust from affecting pedestrians

in the area, such as wind screens or wind barriers when specified

During cold months, ensure that Contractor uses calcium chloride for dust control instead of

water

Ensure that the Contractor is taking appropriate measures to prevent trucks leaving the job site

from tracking or spilling materials in adjacent roadways during travel

Check that stockpiles are covered if they are a potential source of dust

AFTER WORK:

Instruct the contractor to clean up any excessive dust that has collected on adjacent areas and

any spilled or tracked material on nearby streets




450 HOT MIX ASPHALT REFERENCE: Standard Specifications Section 450 and 455; the Contractor’s Quality Control

Plan; NETTCP HMA Paving Inspection Manual; Mat Troubleshooting Chart (Exhibit 450-23)

General Review Standard Specification Sections 450 and 455, Contract Plans and Special Provisions

Obtain and review Contractor’s approved QC Plan

Work cooperatively with the Contractor’s Quality Control Manager throughout paving activities

Monitor Contractor’s activities and adherence to QC Plan throughout the Project

Notify Contractor of any issues observed and ensure that corrective action is taken

Issue Deficiency Report when necessary to address deficient work

Coordinate activities with Research and Materials Section, Pavement Management Section,

District Materials Staff and Contractor QC Manager

Determine HMA lot size category of the Project

Complete Inspection Report Forms to document Acceptance observations and findings

Maintain a complete file of all project Acceptance records

Assemble all Acceptance records at project closeout and provide files to the Finals Engineer

Pre-Placement

PROJECT REQUIREMENTS (450-4.1.1):

Review project plans & specifications for pavement structure, mix types, thicknesses and Lot

Category

Verify with the DME that the HMA producer, plant and mix design are approved

For Category A and B Lots, confirm with DQE that the QC Plan has been approved (not required

for Category C)

For Category A Lots review control strip requirements

Review RMS360 to determine Independent Assurance requirements and notify RMS as needed

UNDERLYING SURFACE PREPARATION (450-4.1.2)

Verify that the sub-base has been tested for compaction and has not been disturbed

Visually inspect to confirm proper grading, profile, and alignment

Verify that there is no standing water or frozen material

When inspecting milled surfaces, check profile, texture, workmanship, presence of contaminants

and soundness of milled surfaces

Use 10-foot straightedge to check milled surface texture measurements

Check that the underlying surface has been swept clean

Verify that any unsound, underlying pavement has been completely removed and replaced with

an HMA patching mixture (measure quantity of patching material placed)

Check that curbing, edging, casting, and utility structures have been installed or reset to the

proper line and grade (check that raised castings are protected)




EQUIPMENT USED ON THE PROJECT (450-4.1.3)

Consult the Contractor’s QC Plan and specifications to verify the proper equipment is on site and

will be used as prescribed

Inspect all the equipment on site to ensure that it is: the correct type, clean, working properly and

of sufficient quantity to support the size of the operation

Be alert for diesel contamination on the equipment, only approved HMA release agents may be

used for equipment and tool cleaning

Ensure tack coat and hot rubberized sealant equipment are on site

CONSTRUCTION QUALITY MEETING (450-4.1.4):

Attend the Construction Quality Meeting (Pre-Paving Meeting)

Reaffirm the scope of work, paving plan, sequence of activities and schedule

DISTRICT MATERIALS ENGINEER COORDINATION (450-4.1.5):

Provide a Request for Plant Inspection form to the DME 24 hours prior to the paving operation

JOINT LOCATION AND PREPARATION (450-4.1.6):

Check with the Contractor and review the proposed joint locations

Verify that the Contractor will stagger joints between layers of HMA

Check that vertical pavement joints have been sawcut and prepared properly

Verify that longitudinal wedge joints are formed correctly and properly compacted

PRE-PLACEMENT INSPECTION (450-4.1.7):

Monitor QC Inspection activities and commence Acceptance Inspection

CONTROL STRIP PROCESS (450-4.1.8):

Review the control strip process with the Contractor and Materials Engineer

Confirm that the control strip is accepted prior to production paving

BRIDGE DECK (450-4.1.9):

Review the project plans and specifications for mix type and thickness

Make sure the Contractors milling operations do not damage the bridge deck

Ensure that any concrete repairs have been completed

Verify that waterproofing membrane has been installed properly and is not damaged

Confirm with Contractor that MTV complies with bridge loading restrictions

Alert the DME 24 hours prior to bridge paving for on-site testing




Placement: TACK COAT AND HOT POURED RUBBERIZED ASPHALT SEALANT (450-4.2.1):

Verify that the Contractor is using the correct tack and sealant materials

Review the tack coat Certificate of Analysis and take samples for testing as directed by DME

Take sample of hot poured rubberized asphalt sealant per RMS360 for testing

Verify that the underlying surface is swept clean and dry before tack coat application

Verify uniform and adequate coverage of tack coat

Ensure that tack coat has “broken” (turned from brown to black) before HMA placement

Ensure that vertical surfaces of curbing, edging, casting and utility structures have received tack

coat

(or asphalt sealant for SSC-W)

Determine the actual quantity of tack coat placed

Confirm that sealant uniformly coats the vertical face of joint without runoff or accumulation

Measure and record length of joints that have been sealed

HMA TRANSPORTATION AND DELIVERY (450-4.2.2):

Remind the Contractor that a continuous non-stop paving operation may require increased

trucking or decreased paving speed

Ensure that each truck load is properly covered

Inspect truck for contamination and proper use of release agent

Check weight slips, verify mix type, load weight, batch time and truck sequence

Sign/initial slip and record station

MAT THICKNESS AND YIELD CHECKS (450-4.2.3):

Check to ensure that the amounts of HMA placed complies with plans and specifications

Measure mat thickness during placement

Perform yield checks to compare calculated quantity to actual quantity placed

Direct Contractor to make any required adjustments

TEMPERATURE DURING PLACEMENT (450-4.2.4):

Spot check the ambient temperature and the sub-base temperature

Measure the mix temperature in the haul unit, inside the hopper and at the mat; record on the

delivery slip

Ensure compaction is performed within the temperature range required by the PG binder

producer

INSPECTION AND TESTING DURING PLACEMENT (450-4.2.5):

Observe the Contractor’s construction activities throughout the paving operation

Ensure that proper QC inspection and testing is being performed by Contractor’s personnel

Visually check mat for uniformity, color, smoothness, segregation, and thickness

Immediately alert the Contractor to correct their operations when deficiencies are identified

Check that each piece of paving equipment is functioning properly

Ensure that all paving equipment is being used as specified in the Contractor’s QC Plan

Look for evidence of insufficient or improper compaction

Periodically check grade and cross slope with a Smart Level

Perform checks on joint and wheel path deviation using a 10-foot straight edge




MAT TROUBLESHOOTING (450-4.2.6):

Refer to Mat Troubleshooting Chart and/or NETTCP HMA Paving Inspector Manual if any issues

arise

TEMPORARY TAPERED TRANSITIONS (450-4.2.7):

Verify that all temporary tapered transitions have been installed properly before opening to traffic

Ensure that transition material has been completely removed before paving operations resume

BRIDGE DECK (450-4.2.8):

Prior to installing bridge protective course confirm that curbing and edging has been installed

and any membrane waterproofing has been applied

Make sure the Contractor does not use a vibratory roller on bridge deck

If required due to bridge load restrictions, ensure the MTV is empty when it crosses the bridge

Ensure that in-place density QC testing is performed by the Contractor

DEPARTMENT ACCEPTANCE INSPECTION (450-4.2.9):

Monitor Contractor Quality Control during placement

Perform Acceptance inspection and complete the appropriate Inspection Report Forms

Obtain samples whenever there are concerns about quality

Post Placement: CORE SAMPLES 450-4.3.2): Ensure that core samples are obtained in accordance with specifications and Contractor QC Plan

Ensure that the core sample holes are clean and dry, coated with tack, filled with similar HMA mix

and properly compacted by the Contractor

Submit core samples with a sample card to the DME for testing

COOLING TIME (450-4.3.3):

Check temperature of HMA mat prior to opening (140 °F or less is acceptable)

Review specific criteria related to opening new pavement to traffic in the Contractor QC Plan

RIDE QUALITY TEST (450-4.3.4):

Contact the Pavement Management Section and DME to schedule the Ride Quality Tests

ACCEPTANCE OF HMA MATERIAL AND WORKMANSHIP (450-4.3.5):

Routinely check the QC and Acceptance test results that have been uploaded to the QA Home

SharePoint site

Identify test results that do not meet specification or are not in conformance with Engineering

Limits

NONCONFORMING HMA MATERIALS AND WORKMANSHIP (450-4.3.6):

Generate Deficiency Report for workmanship that does not comply with Specifications

Process and resolve NCR’s initiated by Materials personnel

Work with Contractor to identify the root cause of non-conformance and develop a corrective

action




DISPUTE RESOLUTION (450-4.3.7):

Be familiar with the three step Dispute Resolution Process

HMA COMPENSATION (450-4.3.8):

Collect and countersign slips verifying total shown on slips represents total amount of HMA

placed

Verify that the amount of HMA placed is quantified, tabulated and invoiced correctly

Enter HMA quantity and unit price for each lot into spreadsheets on QA SharePoint site

Determine the pay adjustment at the completion of each lot and/or the completion of the project




Table of Contents

CHAPTER 400 SUB-BASE, BASE COURSES, SHOULDERS, PAVEMENT AND BERMS

FIELD GUIDE ............................................................................................................................................. i

400 Sub-Base, Base Courses, Shoulders, Pavement and Berms ............................................ 1

400 - 1.0 General ........................................................................................................................ 1

401 Gravel Sub-base ........................................................................................................ 2

401 - 1.0 General – Gravel Sub-base ................................................................................ 2

401 - 2.0 Construction Methods ......................................................................................... 3

402 Dense Graded Crushed Stone for Sub-base................................................... 5

402 - 1.0 General – Dense Graded Crushed Stone for Sub-base ........................... 5

402 - 2.0 Construction Methods ......................................................................................... 6

402 - 3.0 Method of Measurement ................................................................................... 7

403 Reclaimed Pavement for Base Course and/or Sub-base ........................... 7

403 - 1.0 General – Reclaimed Pavement for Base Course and/or Sub-base .... 7

403 – 2.0 Construction Methods........................................................................................ 9

403 - 2.1 Performing a Test Section ............................................................................ 10

403 - 2.2 Performing the Reclaiming Operation .................................................... 12

403 - 3.0 Method of Measurement ................................................................................ 14

404 Reclaimed Pavement Borrow Material .......................................................... 14

404 - 1.0 General – Reclaimed Pavement Borrow Material .................................. 14

404 - 2.0 Construction Methods ...................................................................................... 15


430 Cement Concrete Base Course ........................................................................ 17

430 - 1.0 General – Cement Concrete Base Course ................................................. 17



440 Roadway Dust Control ........................................................................................ 18

440 - 1.0 General – Roadway Dust Control ................................................................ 18






450 Hot Mix Asphalt Pavement ................................................................................ 23

450 – 1.0 Introduction ......................................................................................................... 23

450 – 2.0 General .................................................................................................................. 23

450 – 2.1 Hot Mix Asphalt ............................................................................................... 23

450 – 2.2 Superpave .......................................................................................................... 23

450 – 2.3 Acronyms and Definitions ........................................................................... 24

450 – 3.0 Quality Assurance Requirements ................................................................. 26

450 – 3.1 Roles and Responsibilities ............................................................................ 26

450 – 3.2 HMA Lot Categories and Quality Assurance Requirements ........... 28

450 – 3.3 Contractor Quality Control Compensation ........................................... 28

450 – 3.4 Project Acceptance Records ...................................................................... 29

450 – 4.0 Construction ........................................................................................................ 29

450 – 4.1 Pre-Placement .................................................................................................. 29

450 - 4.1.1 Project Requirements .............................................................................. 29

HMA Pavement Courses and Mixture Types ................................................................... 29

HMA Producer and Mix Design ........................................................................................... 29

Quality Control Plan ................................................................................................................ 29

Control Strip Requirement .................................................................................................... 30

Job Mix Formula ...................................................................................................................... 30

Independent Assurance ........................................................................................................ 30

450 – 4.1.2 Underlying Surface Preparation ........................................................ 30

Sub-base Materials ................................................................................................................... 30

Milled Surfaces .......................................................................................................................... 30

Permanent HMA Repair Areas and Patching Quantity ................................................ 31

Curbing, Edging, Castings, and Utility Structures .......................................................... 32

450 – 4.1.3 Equipment Used on the Project ........................................................ 32

450 – 4.1.4 Construction Quality Meeting ........................................................... 33

450 – 4.1.5 District Materials Engineer Coordination ....................................... 34

450 – 4.1.6 Joint Location and Preparation ......................................................... 35

Joint Staggering ....................................................................................................................... 36

Vertical Joints ............................................................................................................................ 37

Wedge Joints ............................................................................................................................ 38




450 – 4.1.7 Pre-placement Inspection .................................................................... 39

450 – 4.1.8 Control Strip Process .............................................................................. 40

450 – 4.1.9 Bridge Deck .............................................................................................. 40

450 – 4.2 Placement .......................................................................................................... 41

450 – 4.2.1 Tack Coat and Hot Poured Rubberized Asphalt Sealant .......... 41

Tack Coat Application ............................................................................................................ 41

Tack Coat – Wedge Joint Application ............................................................................... 45

Tack Coat Quantity ................................................................................................................. 45

Hot Poured Rubberized Asphalt Sealant .......................................................................... 45

Hot Poured Rubberized Asphalt Sealant Quantities ..................................................... 46

450 – 4.2.2 HMA Transportation and Delivery ................................................... 47

450 – 4.2.3 Mat Thickness and Yield Checks ........................................................ 47

450 – 4.2.4 Temperature during Placement ........................................................ 49

450 – 4.2.5 Observation, Inspection and Testing during Placement .......... 49

450 – 4.2.6 Mat Troubleshooting ............................................................................. 53

450 – 4.2.7 Temporary Tapered Transitions ........................................................ 55

450 – 4.2.8 Bridge Deck .............................................................................................. 55

450 – 4.2.9 Department Acceptance Inspection ................................................ 56

450 – 4.3 Post Placement ................................................................................................ 57

450 – 4.3.1 Department Acceptance ...................................................................... 57

450 – 4.3.2 Core Samples ............................................................................................ 57

450 – 4.3.3 Cooling Time ............................................................................................ 57

450 – 4.3.4 Ride Quality Test ..................................................................................... 58

450 – 4.3.5 Acceptance of HMA Material and Workmanship ....................... 58

450 – 4.3.6 Nonconforming HMA Materials and Workmanship ................. 58

450 – 4.3.7 Dispute Resolution ................................................................................ 59

450 – 4.3.8 HMA Compensation ............................................................................. 59

HMA Quality Level Pay Adjustment ................................................................................... 60

Appendix A - Hot Mix Asphalt Forms ........................................................................................... 62




400 SUB-BASE, BASE COURSES, SHOULDERS, PAVEMENT AND

BERMS

400 - 1.0 General

This Chapter discusses all components that make up the pavement structure of a

roadway. These components consist of Sub-base, Base Courses and Pavements and

Berms.

Sub-base and base courses are placed on the bottom of cuts or on embankments.

Materials commonly used for sub-base and base course construction include gravel

borrow, dense graded crushed stone, reclaimed pavement borrow, and cement

concrete. Sub-base and base courses are covered in Specification Section 400.

Sub-base and base courses support pavement, shoulders, and related appurtenances. A

durable and long lasting pavement structure cannot be obtained unless suitable

underlying materials are provided and properly installed. Traffic loading will rapidly

begin to cause deterioration of roadways that are improperly constructed, or which

exhibit poor drainage qualities. Signs of damage resulting from improper construction

are not always readily apparent and may take time to manifest themselves. By the time

such signs are noticed it is generally too late to remedy the problems without complete

reconstruction. A properly constructed sub-base allows water to drain from beneath

the pavement and intercepts the upward flow of water. Therefore, sub-base helps to

prevent the formation of ice beneath the pavement and consequently helps prevent

frost heaves and related problems.

In regard to roadway performance, each layer of material above the natural soil

subgrade is carefully considered during the design process. These layers are designed to

function collectively. The overall pavement design depends on many factors and there

are many different sub-base, base course and pavement layer combinations and

thicknesses that could be specified for a roadway. Therefore, the Resident Engineer

must ensure that the Contractor installs these layers in accordance with the design as

shown on the plans. Substituting one material for another or increasing/decreasing

layer thicknesses on site will result in a roadway that is different from the intended

roadway. Failure to install the layers as specified may result in a shortened roadway

lifetime by hindering subsurface drainage and/or reducing bearing capacity.

• The sub-base consists of granular material - gravel, crushed stone, reclaimed

material or a combination of these materials.




• The base course is a hot mix asphalt (HMA) or concrete pavement layer placed

upon the compacted sub-base. A gravel base course can be designed and

specified for low volume roadways (<2,000 vehicles per day) depending upon

loading and other design considerations.

• The intermediate course is an HMA pavement layer placed upon the base course.

• The surface course is the top HMA pavement layer and is placed upon the

intermediate course.

• Some pavement designs call for a friction course, which is a specialized thin-lift

wearing course which, when specified, is placed over the surface course. Friction

courses provide improved vehicle skid resistance, but do not provide any

structural value to the pavement. Typically, friction courses are placed on high

volume limited access roadways.

401 Gravel Sub-base

401 - 1.0 General – Gravel Sub-base

The gravel sub-base course consists of furnishing and placing one or more courses of

gravel on a prepared subgrade. The approved gravel must be placed in close conformity

with the lines and grades shown on the plans. The purpose of the gravel sub-base

course is:

• To provide a free draining material

• To provide a frost resistant material on which to support other base or surface

courses

• To prevent deformation or “pumping” of underlying soils from heavy wheel loads

where the soil column deforms causing water to percolate up through the soil

column. This would lead to decreased structural support and cracking in the

roadway surface.

• To distribute traffic wheel loads to the subgrade

The designed thickness and width of the gravel sub-base course shown on the plans is

dependent upon the geographic location, soil conditions and anticipated traffic.

Suitable material for gravel sub-base must meet the requirements of Specification

Subsection M1.03.0. Exhibit 401-1 displays a cross sectional view of gravel sub-base.




Exhibit 401-1

Example of Pavement Structure using Gravel Sub-base

401 - 2.0 Construction Methods

The subgrade shall be checked for conformance with Specification Section 170 –

Grading prior to the placement of gravel sub-base material. The Resident Engineer must

coordinate with the Contractor to ensure that survey control is in place and the

subgrade is shaped to a true surface conforming to the proposed grades and cross

section before proceeding. Refer to Chapter 100 of this Manual for more information

on earthwork, grading, and subgrade preparation. The Resident Engineer shall perform

an inspection of the subgrade and ensure that it is properly compacted, does not consist

of soft material and has not been disturbed. If there appears to be an issue with the

subgrade, the Resident Engineer shall instruct the Contractor to fix the issue. If the

alignment or grading of the subgrade does not appear to match the proposed design,

the Resident Engineer shall alert the Contractor of any non-conformity with the design

requirements and direct the Contractor to perform any required survey to correct any

issues. If alignment or grading issues are still apparent after the Contractor attempts to

remedy the issues, the Resident Engineer shall

request survey support from the District before

the Contractor proceeds. Once all grading

issues have been corrected, the Resident

Engineer shall call for an in-place density test

to be performed by the District Materials

Engineer. A Nuclear Density Report Form, RMS

901, shall be completed with the results. After

the District Materials Engineer has tested the subgrade and approved the compaction,

the subgrade is ready for the installation of the sub-base.

Helpful Hint:

The Resident Engineer should

understand that the Contractor is

solely responsible for the accuracy

of the line and grade of all features

of the Work. Refer to Specification

Subsection 5.07.




The gravel provided by the Contractor to be used as the sub-base must be from a source

approved by the District Materials Engineer. The Resident Engineer must obtain a

sample of the gravel for the District Materials Engineer to test. The samples used for

testing must be representative of the material to be used for the sub-base. The Resident

Engineer must ensure that samples are properly taken from the source. The Resident

Engineer shall then complete Form RMS 779 – Sample of (Gravel Borrow) and submit it

with the sample to the District Materials Engineer. The Resident Engineer must follow-up

with the District Materials Engineer to obtain the results of the testing. If satisfactory, the

District Materials Engineer will return the form identified as suitable for use. This form

shall be placed in the project file by the Resident Engineer. Throughout the course of

the Project, the Resident Engineer shall continue to monitor the placement to ensure

that the gravel sub-base material:

• matches the approved sample

• has aggregate of the proper size

• is free of organics and contaminants

• has uniform consistency with no

segregation.

Helpful Hint:

On a typical project, the

Resident Engineer should look

for large aggregate (potato-

size) or sandy material (too

many fines) with roots and/or

debris.

The gravel sub-base material must be placed, spread, and compacted in accordance

with Specification Section 401 to the thickness shown on the plans. During compaction

of the gravel sub-base, the Resident Engineer shall monitor the procedure. Although it is

not the role of the Resident Engineer to determine the Contractor’s means and

methods, the Resident Engineer shall ensure that the Contractor is taking sufficient

measures to adequately compact the material, in lifts of no more than 8 inches. During

compaction, the Resident Engineer shall coordinate with the District Materials Engineer

to conduct periodic density testing to ensure that the specified density is met. The

Resident Engineer shall confirm that the tests have been performed and the gravel sub-

base material has been sufficiently compacted. If the proper density was not achieved,

the Contractor must continue their compaction activities until the proper compaction is

obtained. Once the required density is achieved, the Contractor shall follow this level of

compaction for subsequent material placement.

After the gravel sub-base has been compacted, the Resident Engineer shall have the

Contractor demonstrate that the grades are correct. If the Resident Engineer has

concerns about grade, they shall notify the Contractor to remedy the situation and may

call for the District Survey Team to check the grade if concerns persist.




401 - 3.0 Method of Measurement

Gravel sub-base will be measured in place, after compaction, by the cubic yard of

material installed as shown on the plans.

If additional gravel sub-base material is required,

the Resident Engineer shall carefully monitor the

Contractor’s activities and measure the additional

material that is placed. The Resident Engineer can

keep track of the additional material by performing

a survey and measuring cross sectional areas and

computing the volumes. For irregular or complicated areas, the Resident Engineer may

request assistance from the District Survey Group to measure cross sections and

compare them to the plans. The quantities shall be entered into the Project Calculation

Book daily.

The Resident Engineer shall reference Specification Subsection 150.80 for details

pertaining to the measurement of borrow materials.

402 Dense Graded Crushed Stone for Sub-base

402 - 1.0 General – Dense Graded Crushed Stone for Sub-base

Dense graded crushed stone for sub-base consists of crusher-run coarse aggregates of

crushed stone or gravel and fine aggregates of natural sand or stone screenings

uniformly pre-mixed. It is to be placed on the subgrade or sub-base in close conformity

with the lines and grades shown on the plans. Suitable material must meet the

requirements of the Specification Subsection M2.01.7. Exhibit 402-1 displays a cross

sectional view of dense graded crushed stone as sub-base.

Helpful Hint:

Quantities can be cross

checked by collecting weight

tickets from the delivery trucks.

Volume = Weight ÷ Density




Exhibit 402-1

Example of Pavement Structure using Dense Graded Crushed Stone for Sub-Base


The dense graded crushed stone provided by the Contractor must be from a source

approved by the District Materials Engineer. The Resident Engineer must obtain a

sample of the material for the District Materials Engineer to test. The samples used for

testing must be representative of the material to be used for the sub-base. The Resident

Engineer shall ensure that samples are properly taken from the source. The Resident

Engineer must then complete Form RMS 779 – Sample of (Dense Graded Crushed

Stone) and submit it with the sample to the District Materials Engineer. The Resident

Engineer shall follow-up with the District Materials Engineer to obtain the results of the

testing. If satisfactory, the District Materials Engineer will return the form identified as

suitable for use. This form shall be placed in the project file by the Resident Engineer.

The line and grade of the underlying sub-base shall be checked before any placement of

dense graded crushed stone. The Resident Engineer shall also visually inspect the

underlying sub-base for any disturbances, frozen material, or wet areas. If there seems to

be an issue with the underlying sub-base, the Resident Engineer shall have the

Contractor remove, replace, and re-compact any specific problem areas and arrange to

have the District Materials Engineer conduct density testing.

Throughout the course of the Project, the Resident Engineer shall continuously monitor

the dense graded crushed stone placed to ensure that it is the correct material, of the

proper aggregate size and free of organics and contaminants. The dense graded

crushed stone sub-base material must be spread in layers and compacted in accordance

with Specification Section 402. Self-spreading vehicles equipped with automated grade




control equipment shall be used to place the material to the line of grade and thickness

specified in the project Plans or Special Provisions for dense graded crushed stone.

The Resident Engineer shall visually inspect the material for adequacy and thickness. It

is not the responsibility of the Resident Engineer to instruct the Contractor on means

and methods, however, the Resident Engineer shall ensure that the Contractor is

conforming to the project plans and Special Provisions. In order to ensure the proper

compaction is being met, the District Materials Engineer shall be called upon by the

Resident Engineer to periodically test the density of the dense graded crushed stone.


The material will be measured based on cubic yards in place. The Resident Engineer

shall monitor the amount of delivered dense graded crushed stone by tracking the

number of truckloads of material delivered to the site by the Contractor. The Resident

Engineer shall also measure cross-sections of the laid material and inspect the depth of

material throughout the area. The Resident Engineer can perform quick calculations of

the area of material laid as the process continues and check the results against the

marked area provided on the construction plans. By working in this manner, the

Resident Engineer can ensure that an accurate measurement for material will be

provided as well as accurate partial payments when required. Ultimately the quantity

paid shall be based on field measurements (not on weight delivery slips).

403 Reclaimed Pavement for Base Course and/or Sub-base

403 - 1.0 General – Reclaimed Pavement for Base Course and/or Sub-base

Pavement reclamation is a process that utilizes existing reclaimed pavement in place for

the base course. This process is applied when an existing pavement structure has an

inferior foundation and the pavement surface exhibits related deficiencies. Exhibit 403-1

depicts the reclamation process. During design a preliminary evaluation, which may

include test borings, is conducted to determine the depth, condition, and quality of the

existing pavement layers, as well as the amount of material that would remain as part of

the final reclaimed base product.




Exhibit 403-1

Overview of Reclaimed Pavement for Base Course Operation

The reclamation method reuses the existing pavement structure through the pulverizing

and mixing of the existing pavement and granular sub-base to produce a homogeneous

layer of gravel base material that can be used as either a base course and/or a sub-base.

It produces a specific depth of stabilized roadway material to be graded and compacted

to the lines and grades shown on the plans. This layer is then overlaid with new hot mix

asphalt.

All scarified and pulverized material must pass the 3-inch sieve and meet the

requirements of Specification Subsection M1.09.0 Reclaimed Pavement Borrow Material.

Supplementary dense graded crushed stone and/or crushed stone may be required to

be blended into the mixture to achieve a satisfactory base course. The material added

must be the correct type and free of organics and contaminants. Exhibit 403-2 displays

a cross sectional view of reclaimed pavement.




Exhibit 403-2

Example of Pavement Structure using Reclaimed Pavement for Sub-base

403 – 2.0 Construction Methods

The Resident Engineer will receive a written submittal from the Contractor, prior to the

start of construction, describing the specific equipment and construction methods that

will be used to perform the work. When reviewing the submittal, the Resident Engineer

shall ensure that the reclamation process will occur between April 15th and October

15th unless otherwise approved in writing. District construction staff can approve

reclamation outside of this time period if ambient temperature is above 40 degrees and

dry, and the work can be completed in time to allow for paving before winter shut-

down.

Before beginning the reclaiming operations, the

Resident Engineer shall confirm that the Contractor

has lowered and protected all drainage, utility, and

municipality structures in the reclaiming area. All

structures must be lowered 6 inches below the

bottom of the reclaimed base course, covered with

a protective plate and backfilled with acceptable

material. If a drainage structure is found to be

deteriorated below the plated depth, then the Contractor shall rebuild the drainage

structure from the bottom to the plated depth. In addition, the Contractor must

coordinate with the respective utility companies for lowering and raising privately

owned structures. The Resident Engineer shall confirm that the Contractor has

performed these duties.

Helpful Hint:

During the reclamation process,

the Resident Engineer should

verify that the Contractor is

maintaining proper drainage

functionality in the construction

area.




An important aspect in reclaiming base course is ensuring that the environment meets

the needed conditions for successful performance. The Resident Engineer shall inspect

for excessively wet surface conditions and frozen areas or frost. The Resident Engineer

shall also monitor the air and surface temperature and ensure that it is above 40°F.

During the reclamation process, the Resident Engineer shall monitor the Contractor’s

workmanship. Specific attributes to be inspected are:

• Existing Pavement Cleanliness (Swept & Clean)

• Proper Reclaimed Depth (as specified on the typical sections)

• Reclaimed Material (Suitable Material, Proper Gradation)

• Uniformly Compacted & Uniform Moisture Content

• Correct Line, Grade & Cross-Slope of Final Reclaimed Surface (and graded to

drain)

For reclaimed materials that are rehandled and placed in a different location on the

Project site the following additional attributes shall be inspected:

• Correct line grade and cross-slope of placement surface (and graded to drain)

• Lift thickness (not to exceed the specified maximum)

403 - 2.1 Performing a Test Section

Specification Subsection 403.61 requires that a test section be conducted before

proceeding. The Resident Engineer must identify the area in which the Contractor will

perform the test section and ensure that the Contractor has lowered all structures in the

area and covered them with a steel plate before proceeding.

During the test section, the Resident Engineer shall monitor the operation of the

reclaiming machine. The Resident Engineer shall verify that the Contractor is getting the

proper mix. If the depth is too great, then the Contractor could be getting the wrong

material into the mix. The Resident Engineer shall obtain test samples that represent the

reclaimed material and submit the samples to the District Materials Engineer for

approval. The Resident Engineer shall follow up with the District Materials Engineer to

obtain the results of the testing. Reclaiming operations cannot commence until the

samples have been approved. Once approved, the Contractor may proceed with the

operation. If the sample is not approved, the Contractor shall determine the




construction methods and/or equipment changes that need to be made in order for the

test to be successful. More test sections shall be performed as necessary until the

samples taken from the area are approved by the District Materials Engineer.

Exhibit 403-3

Reclaimed Pavement Operation at Proper Depth

The Contractor must use the same speed and

processing direction that was used in the approved

test section during the actual operation. If the

Contractor wants to change the reclamation

procedure, the Resident Engineer must provide

written approval to the Contractor before any

changes in speed, processing direction or

equipment is made.

Helpful Hint:

Make note of production rate

during the test strip to

understand how much the

Contractor can process in a

work day.




403 - 2.2 Performing the Reclaiming Operation

Exhibit 403-4

Reclamation Equipment

The Resident Engineer shall check that no

undesirable material is present on the existing

pavement during the reclaiming operation. The

Resident Engineer shall also ensure that the

Contractor has sawcut the existing pavement to

full depth where adjacent surfaces are to be

protected. During each working day, the Resident

Engineer shall coordinate with the Contractor so that the area of pavement to be

reclaimed can be processed and compacted in one day, allowing for the road to be

opened to traffic by the end of the day. Typically, half of the roadway should be open

during the reclamation operation to allow one-way traffic with traffic police or flaggers

present. When the reclaimed roadway is opened to traffic it must be smooth and safe

for travel. To ensure that a stable roadway is maintained during non-working hours, the

Contractor must provide a point of contact and 24-hour emergency response. The

Resident Engineer shall share the contact information with the District office.

The Resident Engineer must arrange to have the District Materials Engineer perform a

sieve analysis of the reclaimed material for at least every 5,000 square yards of material

processed. The Resident Engineer shall inform the Contractor of the results and work

with the Contractor to make adjustments to the reclaimed material, if required. Once the

Helpful Hint: The Resident

Engineer must coordinate with

the Contractor to ensure proper

storm weather preparation,

inspection and repair.




reclaimed material is approved, it must be fine graded and compacted according to the

plans. The Resident Engineer shall closely monitor this process and instruct the

Contractor to reprocess, re-grade and re-compact any areas that are unacceptable. The

Contractor must replace any unsuitable material with existing surplus suitable material

and properly dispose of the unsuitable material outside of the project limits.

In addition to the reclamation material being

reused in-situ, the Resident Engineer may

encounter the following situations:

1. Excess processed material - where the

reclamation operation will result in surplus

material, this material is stockpiled on site for

reuse in other areas of the Project site

where additional material is needed.

2. Regrading for profile adjustments - where profile adjustments are to be made, the

entire pavement structure is removed from the subgrade using the reclamation

operation and this processed material is stockpiled on site. The sub grade is then

regraded as required and the reclaimed material is placed on top of the

subgrade.

Helpful Hint:

Suitable surplus reclaimed

material must be used on the

project, at no additional

compensation to the

contractor, before the

contractor is allowed to bring in

new material.

The Resident Engineer must arrange to have the District Materials Engineer perform on-

site density testing upon completion of the compacted reclaimed base course.

The Resident Engineer must understand that per the Standard Specifications, the

pavement reclamation unit price bid per square yard includes moving the processed

material to allow for modifications to the remaining sub-base and/or subgrade, moving

reclaimed material from one location to another within the project and any incurred

costs resulting from the Contractor's decision to process off site.

Before the Contractor places any hot mix asphalt, the Resident Engineer shall inspect for

imperfections and instruct the Contractor to repair them before placement. The Resident

Engineer shall ensure that the Contractor raises the lowered structures to binder grade

before binder is applied. Then, upon approval to place the hot mix asphalt top course,

he or she shall ensure the castings are adjusted to final grade.





The Resident Engineer shall measure and record the area of the reclaimed roadway. The

area recorded must be in accordance with the area specified on the plans plus or minus

any changes in limits that have been approved during the reclaiming operation.

The Resident Engineer shall also measure and record the quantities of all drainage

structure items and other materials listed in Specification Subsection 403.82 (Payment

Items).

404 Reclaimed Pavement Borrow Material

404 - 1.0 General – Reclaimed Pavement Borrow Material

Reclaimed pavement borrow material is material generated in a reclamation operation

that is stockpiled and then installed in a different location as a base course or sub-base

layer in place of gravel borrow. This is a processed material consisting of a blend of

crushed asphalt pavement and/or crushed cement concrete and gravel borrow. It can

contain durable aggregate and recycled material, but the material must be free of loam,

clay, and deleterious materials such as brick, reinforcing steel, wood, paper, plaster,

lathing, and building rubble. The material must be pre-mixed and placed on the

subgrade or sub-base in close conformity with the lines and grades shown on the plans

or established by the Resident Engineer.

If the Contractor proposes the use of reclaimed pavement borrow material in place of

gravel borrow, the Contractor must request the substitution in writing and submit a

material sample for approval and offer an acceptable credit.

Suitable material must meet the requirements of Specification Subsection M1.09.0.

The purpose of the reclaimed pavement borrow is similar to the gravel borrow material

discussed in the gravel sub-base Subchapter with the difference being the reclaimed

pavement borrow material is a processed/blended material with crushed asphalt and

concrete, and the gravel borrow material is not. Exhibit 404-1 displays a cross sectional

view of reclaimed borrow sub-base.




Exhibit 404-1

Examples of Pavement Structures using Reclaimed Pavement Borrow Material


The sampling of the reclaimed pavement borrow material must be conducted at the site

prior to placement. A sample of the material must be submitted to the District Materials

Engineer for testing along with a completed RMS 780 Form. The sample must be

approved before being used in the project. The Resident Engineer shall ensure that all

borrow material placed is consistent with the approved sample. A uniform and

consistent material must be used throughout the project. The Resident Engineer shall

monitor the sequence of the delivery trucks and look for variability or non-uniform

material and visually verify that the material is uniform and consistent with the approved

sample.




When the material is placed, the Resident Engineer shall ensure that it is compacted

according to the specifications. The Resident Engineer shall then check the density of

the material by arranging for the District Materials Engineer to perform a density test on-

site. The Resident Engineer shall also check the grade of the material, ensure that grade

stakes are properly placed and are closely followed by the Contractor.


Reclaimed pavement borrow will be measured by the cubic yard of material as shown

on the plans.

If additional borrow material is required, the Resident Engineer shall carefully monitor

the Contractor’s activities and measure the additional material that is placed. The

Resident Engineer can keep track of the additional material by measuring cross sectional

areas and computing the volumes. The Resident Engineer can cross check these values

by collecting weight tickets from the delivery trucks. The Resident Engineer may request

assistance from the survey crew to measure cross sections and compare them to the

plans.

The Resident Engineer shall refer to Specification Subsection 150.80 for details

pertaining to the measuring of borrow materials.




430 Cement Concrete Base Course

430 - 1.0 General – Cement Concrete Base Course

Most roadways in Massachusetts are not constructed with this material. However, a

cement concrete base course is often used when a roadway widening requires a

narrow strip of full depth HMA. If this type of base course is used on the project,

generally high early strength (HES) cement concrete is specified in the design.

Exhibit 430-1

Example of Cement Concrete Base Course Used for Widening


During placement of the concrete base course, the

concrete will be sampled and tested by the District

Materials Engineer or his/her designee. The

Resident Engineer shall ensure that the contractor

is implementing proper construction techniques,

including:

• Properly grading and compacting the sub

base with no soft spots or unsuitable

ground conditions

Helpful Hint:

Testing may be omitted for

small quantities of concrete, as

defined in the “Small Quantity

Guidelines” memorandum,

issued by the Director of

Construction.




• Saw-cutting the existing roadway in a clean and straight manner when a

concrete base course is used for roadway widening

• Verifying the proper line, grade and depth of concrete to be placed

• Providing the proper concrete mix as

specified, verified with a concrete delivery

batch ticket

• Confirming that the concrete from the truck

is well-mixed and flowing uniformly

• Finishing the concrete after placement to

form a level and roughened base course

surface as required to accept the HMA

overlay

• Protecting and curing concrete properly as indicated in the Standard

Specifications

Helpful Hint:

Only prequalified concrete

mixes are to be used. These

mixes are listed on the

MassDOT Qualified

Construction Materials List for

Approved Cement Concrete

Producer Mix Designs.


The Resident Engineer shall measure and record the area of cement concrete course

installed. The area recorded must be in accordance with the area specified on the plans

plus or minus any approved deviations. The Contractor will have no claim for extra

payment if thickness of pavement exceeds that shown on the plans or as directed.

440 Roadway Dust Control

440 - 1.0 General – Roadway Dust Control

Roadway dust control procedures are implemented to

ensure that pedestrians, abutters, and nearby roadways

are not negatively impacted by dust during construction.

Some construction activities will create dust, and

conditions can be exacerbated by wind and equipment

movement. While some dust is inevitable on the

construction site, the Resident Engineer shall direct the

Contractor to implement dust control methods when conditions are severe enough to

impact abutters.

Helpful Hint:

The Contractor has

legal responsibilities to

control the dust at all

times (see Specification

Subsection 7.02).




Suitable materials for roadway dust control must be used as indicated in the project

contract documents and must meet the requirements of the Specification Section 440.


Roadway dust can be controlled by various

methods as described in Specification Section 440.

These means include treatment with calcium

chloride, soil stabilizer and/or treatment with

water, as shown in Exhibit 440-1. When conditions

allow, water is the preferred method for dust

control during the late spring, summer and early

fall because of environmental considerations.

However, during cold seasons calcium chloride is

preferred over water for dust control, due to the possibility of freezing. It is the

responsibility of the Resident Engineer to ensure that the Contractor implements an

appropriate dust control plan.

Helpful Hint:

On a typical project, water, soil

stabilizer and/or calcium

chloride are used on unpaved

surfaces, while paved surfaces

are kept clean by mechanical

means such as power sweepers.

Exhibit 440-1

Dust Control Method Using Water

On site, the Resident Engineer shall monitor the dust conditions and use his or her

judgment in determining when to have the Contractor implement dust control

measures. It is important for the Resident Engineer to coordinate with the Contractor to

ensure that appropriate equipment and materials are available on site to mitigate dust

issues as they arise.




If the work is taking place in an urban environment, wind screens/barriers may be used

to prevent the dust from impacting sensitive abutters such as residents, food

establishments, medical facilities and schools. Wind barriers should be used when the

workzone is adjacent to a pedestrian sidewalk, where indicated on the contract

drawings. Requirements for these dust control systems are specified in the project

Special Provisions. The Resident Engineer must be aware of how the dust is affecting

roadway abutters.

Dust control shall be implemented before dust becomes visible in the air and before

complaints occur. Exhibit 440-2 displays dust clouds developing due to construction

activities. In this case, dust control procedures should be implemented before dust builds

up on cars and impacts pedestrians walking through the neighboring parking lot. If

there is excessive accumulation on abutting properties and buildings, application of dust

control materials shall be increased.

Exhibit 440-2

Dust Clouds Affecting Abutting Businesses

The Resident Engineer shall review site conditions and the weather forecast and instruct

the Contractor to perform dust control methods before any long periods of work

stoppage. The Resident Engineer shall also be mindful of the dust conditions during

non-working hours, such as the end of the work day or before weekends, and shall

ensure that the Contractor is taking the necessary measures to control dust. This is




especially important when there are certain weather conditions that could exacerbate

the dust issue, such as dry, hot and/or windy conditions.

Dust control is not just about minimizing the spread of dust due to wind or heavy

vehicle traffic. It is also about preventing the dust, dirt, and mud from spreading to

nearby roads through construction vehicles exiting the job site. The Resident Engineer

shall be aware of impacts to nearby roadways from trucks leaving the jobsite. The trucks

must not leave excessive tracks of dirt on nearby roads or spill contents during transport.

If the Resident Engineer notices nearby streets covered in vehicle mud from trucks

exiting the work zone, he or she shall instruct the Contractor to clean up any spilled or

tracked materials.

The following measures can be implemented by the Contractor to minimize dust on

public roadways:

• Wash mud and dirt off of truck body and wheels as necessary prior to exiting the

site

• Covering haul truck cargo loads prior to exiting the site

• Use of power sweeping which consists of vacuuming, wet power sweeping,

regenerative air sweeping, or wet power broom sweeping

• Drain material with high water content prior to exiting the site or make use of a

lined cargo bed to prevent leakage during hauling

• Freeboard space must be maintained between the material load and the top of

the truck cargo bed rail

Stockpiles are also a source of dust. Measures to prevent or contain the release of dust

from stockpiles include covering the stockpiled material with tarps, hydroseed, or soil

stabilizers for inactive stockpiles, and the use of water for active stockpiles. The Resident

Engineer shall monitor the contractor’s activities and ensure stockpile dust is controlled

properly.


Dust control means are measured by the amount of material or product used to control

the dust. The Resident Engineer must be aware of the method that the Contractor uses

and the number and frequency of applications in order to keep track of the quantity.

The items used to control dust must be in accordance with the contract documents and

the contractor’s dust control plan. Payment items may include the following: Water for




Dust Control, Calcium Chloride for Dust Control, Soil Stabilizer for Dust Control, Wind

Screen for Dust Control, Wind Barrier for Dust Control, Wind Screen Remove and Reset,

Wind Barrier Remove and Reset, UV Resistant Plastic Tarp, Seed for Erosion Control.

Power Sweepers shall be measured by the hour.




450 Hot Mix Asphalt Pavement

450 – 1.0 Introduction

This Chapter discusses Department and Contractor responsibilities on a typical Quality

Assurance Hot Mix Asphalt Pavement project. With the Department’s Quality Assurance

Hot Mix Asphalt Pavement specification, the bulk of the inspection, sampling and testing

is the responsibility of the Contractor. The Department reviews and approves the

Contractor’s QC plan and monitors the Contractor’s QC activities. The Contractor is

responsible for all day-to-day QC inspection, sampling, and testing. The Department

performs Acceptance inspection, sampling, testing and ride quality tests to determine

the overall quality of the pavement materials and installation according to Specification

Section 450. Through this process, the Department also determines the pay adjustment

for quality, as specified.

450 – 2.0 General

450 – 2.1 Hot Mix Asphalt

Hot mix asphalt (HMA) is a composite material that is most commonly used for roadway

surfaces, sidewalks, and parking lots. HMA consists of heated asphalt (binder) mixed

with aggregates. The asphalt is heated to decrease its viscosity, and the aggregate is

dried to remove moisture prior to mixing. The composite material is laid down in layers

and compacted. Layering and compaction must be performed while the asphalt

material is maintained at the required compaction temperature. Smoothness, density,

and uniformity are desirable qualities of properly constructed HMA pavement.

450 – 2.2 Superpave

Superior Performing Asphalt Pavement technology, better known as Superpave, is

increasingly popular throughout the United States. Nearly every state has made an

effort to implement at least part of the Superpave system. Superpave was introduced in

the 1980’s but was not used in the field until the late 1990’s. Motives for developing a

superior system included a spike in the traffic volume on highways and a widespread

adoption of steel belted vehicle tires, both of which have increased the loading on

roadway pavements. An additional motive for researching a superior pavement system

stemmed from the perceived inadequacy of the compaction procedure for traditional

HMA application.

Superpave was developed in an attempt to optimize asphalt mixture resistance to

permanent deformation, fatigue cracking, and low temperature cracking. In other

words, Superpave attempts to produce longer lasting roadways. The success of

Superpave is a result of two key components: (1) The Performance Graded (PG) system




for specifying the properties of the asphalt binder and (2) The Superpave Gyratory

Compactor (SGC) for determining the volumetric and densification characteristics. In

contrast to the traditional mix design system for HMA, which primarily addresses the

determination of asphalt binder content, Superpave technology addresses the following

three elements of mix design:

1) Selection of component materials

2) Volumetric proportioning of aggregate and binder

3) Evaluation of the compacted mixture

By incorporating more information, the Superpave system provides a more rational mix

design than traditional methods.

The Department’s Superpave requirements consist of three elements that are covered in

Specification Sections 450 Hot Mix Asphalt Pavement and 455 Superpave Hot Mix

Asphalt Pavement:

• Production and placement (Specification Section 450)

• Mix design and material specifications (Specification Section 455)

• Sampling, testing and inspection (Specification Sections 450 and 455)

450 – 2.3 Acronyms and Definitions

• HMA – Hot Mix Asphalt: For the purpose of maintaining consistent terminology

within this Chapter, the term HMA refers to Hot Mix Asphalt (with or without

warm mix additive) and all other forms of Asphalt Pavement.

• HMA Specification – Refers to Specification Sections 450 - Hot Mix Asphalt

Pavement and 455 – Superpave Hot Mix Asphalt Pavement

• LTMF – Laboratory Trial Mix Formula: Asphalt producer’s proposed HMA mix

design pending the Department’s lab verification for approval

• DMF – Design Mix Formula: Previously approved producer’s proposed HMA mix

design pending the Department’s verification for approval

• JMF – Job Mix Formula: The LTMF/DMF that has been approved by the

Department for use on a specific project




• QA – Quality Assurance: All those planned and systematic actions necessary to

provide confidence that a product or facility will perform satisfactorily in service.

QA is an umbrella term that includes QC, Acceptance, IA, along with Dispute

Resolution, Laboratory Accreditation/Qualification, and Personnel

Qualification/Certification.

• QC – Quality Control: The system used by the Contractor to monitor, assess and

adjust their production or placement processes to ensure that the HMA product

will meet the specified level of quality.

• Acceptance: The evaluation by the Department of all factors (i.e. sampling,

testing and inspection) used to determine the degree of compliance with

Contract requirements and to determine the corresponding pay adjustments for

the HMA.

• IA – Independent Assurance: Activities that are an unbiased and independent

evaluation of all sampling and testing (or inspection) procedures used in

Contractor QC and Department Acceptance. IA is performed by the

Department’s RMS personnel, who periodically evaluate the sampling and testing

procedures used for Contractor QC and Department Acceptance.

• RMS 360 - Research and Materials Section Materials Sampling & Testing Ledger:

An automated spreadsheet database that provides sampling, testing and

documentation requirements for all materials on a given highway construction

contract. All bid items and bid item quantities along with any additional material

requirements found in the construction contract documents are entered and

stored into RMS 360. The database automatically provides the standard MassDOT

RMS Test Report Forms (TRFs) and minimum materials sampling, testing, and

documentation requirements for each item on the construction contract.

• Lot – an isolated quantity of material from a single source which is assumed to be

produced or placed by the same controlled process. Lots are defined for the

various Quality Characteristics for HMA Pavement in Specification Subsection

450.3, Table 450.2.

• Sublot – Each Lot is divided into Sublots of uniform size. Quality Control and

Acceptance inspection and testing requirements are defined in terms of Sublots.

Sublot sizes for HMA Pavement quality characteristics are defined in Table 450.10

(for Contractor Quality Control) and in Table 450.17 (for Department

Acceptance) of Specification Section 450.




• Random Sampling – The Contractor and Department will implement stratified

random sampling to ensure that all materials have an equal probability of being

selected for testing (see Specification Subsection 450.65A and 450.74A). This

process is fully defined in MassDOT Standard Operating Procedure SOP No. CSD

QA-04.

• Selective Sampling – The Contractor and Department may also utilize selective

sampling (i.e. non-random) to provide supplemental information when needed.

The Contractor may use Selective Sampling to assist in maintaining production

and placement processes in control. The Department may use Selective Sampling

to assist in quantifying the quality of apparent nonconforming material. Refer to

Specification Subsection 450.65A and 450.74B.

450 – 3.0 Quality Assurance Requirements

450 – 3.1 Roles and Responsibilities

The HMA Specification holds the Contractor responsible for controlling the quality of the

materials and workmanship. The Department is responsible for accepting the completed

work based on the measured quality as defined in Specification Sections 450-Hot Mix

Asphalt Pavement and 455-Superpave Hot Mix Asphalt Pavement. Specific roles and

responsibilities are defined in Specification Subsection 450.30A.

The Contractor is responsible for performing the following functions, as specified in

Specification Subsections 450.60 through 450.69:

• Providing a Quality Control (QC) system, as outlined in their Quality Control Plan,

adequate to ensure that all materials and workmanship meet the required quality

levels

• Providing qualified QC personnel and QC laboratory facilities

• Performing Quality Control inspection, sampling, testing, data analysis, corrective

action (when necessary), and documentation

The Department is responsible for performing all Acceptance activities and making the

final acceptance determination for each HMA Lot produced and placed. This includes

the following functions, as specified in Specification Subsections 450.70 through 450.78:

• Monitoring the Contractor’s QC activity

• Performing Acceptance inspection, sampling & testing




• Determining the Quality and corresponding payment for each Lot produced and

placed.

Contractor QC staff and Department Acceptance staff that perform the above activities

include the following:

• RE - Resident Engineer: Monitors the Contractors placement activities in the field

to ensure the quality of the HMA placed at the project site. Ensures that

Contractor adheres to the approved Quality Control Plan, the contract plans and

the contract specifications. Completes Pre-Placement, Placement and Post-

Placement Inspection Report Forms (see Appendix A) to document Acceptance

observations and findings. Monitors Contractor’s QC activities in the field,

provides timely feedback on adequacy of QC activities, notifies Contractor of any

inadequacies observed and ensures corrective action is taken.

• DME – District Materials Engineer: Monitors the HMA producer’s production

activities to ensure the quality of the HMA mix at the production facility.

Monitors Producer’s QC activities at the production facility, provides timely

feedback on adequacy of QC activities, notifies Producer of any inadequacies

observed and ensures corrective action is taken.

• DQE – District Quality Engineer: Supports the RE and DME in all quality related

activities at the project site and the Producer’s production facility. Performs

periodic reviews of Acceptance and QC test records and monitors activities

performed by the Contractor and the Producer.

• RMS – Research and Materials Section: Performs IA for the assessment of

Contractor QC personnel and equipment, and Agency Acceptance personnel

and equipment. RMS also gives formal approval of mix designs, based on

sampling, testing and inspection performed by the DME and DQE.

• Pavement Management Engineer: Reviews proposed pavement structure during

the design phase of the Project. Performs ride quality testing at Project

completion.

• Contractor – The General Contractor, all Subcontractors (including Paving

Subcontractor, Milling Subcontractor, etc.), HMA Producer, Contractor’s Quality

Control Manager, Contractor’s Testing Subconsultant, Suppliers, and all other

personnel under the employ of the Contractor. The Contractor has overall

responsibility for the production, placement and quality control of Hot Mix

Asphalt.




Any specific reference to any individual by title implies that the person in that role is

responsible; however, individual tasks may be performed by their designee(s).

The Resident Engineer must have a clear

understanding of the project and the Contractor’s

Quality Control Plan for Hot Mix Asphalt. The

Resident Engineer will oversee the pavement

operations, ensuring that the Quality Control Plan

is followed. The Quality Control activities of the

Contractor must be monitored throughout the

work, and the Resident Engineer shall provide

general oversight of the material and construction

methods being used. The Resident Engineer will

coordinate with the Contractor and with the Research and Materials Section, the

Pavement Management Section and the District Materials Lab to ensure that the

required inspection, sampling and testing are being performed properly.

450 – 3.2 HMA Lot Categories and Quality Assurance Requirements

Specification Subsection 450.30C and Table 450.3 establish three lot size categories

under which Hot Mix Asphalt Lots will be produced, placed, evaluated and accepted.

These categories are based on the total estimated contract quantity of each individual

HMA mixture type per each project location, as follows.

• Category A (Large Lot): 7,500 tons < HMA Quantity < 15,000 tons

• Category B (Small Lot): 2,100 tons < HMA Quantity < 7,500 tons

• Category C (Minor Lot): HMA Quantity < 2,100 tons

The inspection, testing and evaluation requirements for Contractor Quality Control and

Department Acceptance are defined for each HMA Lot Category throughout the

Specification.

450 – 3.3 Contractor Quality Control Compensation

Throughout the pavement production and placement operations, the District Materials

Engineer, District Quality Engineer and Resident Engineer must evaluate the

Contractor’s Quality Control performance. All QC activities must be performed in

accordance with Specification Subsections 450.60 through 450.69 and the approved

Contractor’s Quality Control Plan. The implementation of the Contractors Quality

Control system is a compensable activity as described in Specification Subsections

450.90E and 450.91E. This is paid under Payment Item 450.90 - Contractor Quality

Control system. The Resident Engineer shall monitor the Contractor’s QC activities on a

Helpful Hint:

It is the Department’s intent

that all Resident Engineers

overseeing HMA work are to be

certified by the “Northeast

Transportation Training and

Certification Program” (NETTCP)

as an HMA Paving Inspector.




daily basis to ensure that the QC Plan is being adhered to. The method of measurement

for this pay item is by the ton of HMA placed. The Resident Engineer may withhold

payments for deficient execution of Quality Control by the Contractor.

450 – 3.4 Project Acceptance Records

Maintaining a complete file of all project acceptance records is a critical function

performed by the Resident Engineer. This will facilitate Department Acceptance activities

and the efficient completion of project closeout. Periodic maintenance of files will be

necessary throughout the project, not only at the end of the project. The Resident

Engineer must coordinate with both the District Materials Engineer and the District

Quality Engineer to ensure that they are maintaining their Acceptance documentation

properly. At project closeout the Resident Engineer will assemble all Acceptance records

and provide the files to the Finals Engineer.

450 – 4.0 Construction

The Resident Engineer must work cooperatively with the Contractor’s Quality Control

Manager throughout the paving activities. The Contractor Quality Control Manager will

ensure that the Quality Control Plan is followed. The Resident Engineer is encouraged

to consult the Standard Specifications, HMA Specifications and the NETTCP HMA Paving

Inspection Manual and checklists. Specific tasks the Resident Engineer shall perform on

a typical project are described below.

450 – 4.1 Pre-Placement

450 - 4.1.1 Project Requirements

HMA Pavement Courses and Mixture Types

Proposed HMA pavement courses, mixture types and thicknesses will be defined in the

project contract documents. The Resident Engineer shall review the project plans and

specifications to become familiar with the pavement structure established during

design.

HMA Producer and Mix Design

Prior to production paving, the Resident Engineer must verify with the District Materials

Engineer that the HMA producer, the HMA plant and the mix design have been

approved by the Department through laboratory verification.

Quality Control Plan

For HMA Category A (large) Lots and Category B (small) Lots, a detailed Quality Control

Plan conforming to the specifications will be prepared by the Contractor and submitted

for approval. The Resident Engineer shall confirm with the District Quality Engineer that




the Contractor’s Quality Control Plan has been approved. A Quality Control Plan is not

required for Category C (minor) Lots. See Specification Subsection 450.30C (Table 450-

3).

Control Strip Requirement

Control strips are only required for Category A Lots. See Specification Subsection

450.30C (Table 450-3). A control strip is used to ensure that the HMA can be placed

with the methods outlined in the QC Plan and to complete verification of the LTMF or

DMF. See Specification Subsection 450.66 for specific control strip requirements.

Job Mix Formula

The LTMF or DMF must be approved as the job mix formula for the project by the

District Materials Engineer based on the approval of the producer, plant and mix design,

and for Category A Lots, after verification that the control strip meets the specified

quality characteristics. The Resident Engineer shall check with the District Materials

Engineer to verify that the project-specific approved mix design is being used.

Independent Assurance

The Resident Engineer shall notify RMS that Independent Assurance random core

sample testing will be required during production paving. The frequency of IA sampling

and testing is identified in RMS360 – Materials Sampling and Testing Ledger, based on

the total quantity of HMA on the Project.

450 – 4.1.2 Underlying Surface Preparation

Sub-base Materials

Pavement must be placed on a properly prepared sub-base. A day or two prior to

pavement placement, the Resident Engineer shall verify that the sub-base has been

tested for compaction and has not been disturbed. A visual inspection shall be

performed by the Resident Engineer to look for signs of disturbance, to ensure there is

no standing water or frozen material, and to confirm proper grading, profile and

alignment. On the day of paving, the Resident Engineer shall perform a “boot test” by

walking on the prepared sub-base to confirm that the underlying material is compacted

without showing signs of any soft, loose, or wet material. The objective is to ensure that

the Contractor has provided a surface that has the correct grading and cross-section

(see Specification Subsection 450.51), and in-place density (see Specification Subsection

450.53). Refer to Chapters 401, 402, and 403 of this Manual.

Milled Surfaces

Milled surfaces shall be checked for conformance with Special Provision Item 450,

Subsection 450.53B and Special Provision Item 415, Subsection 415.60. Profile, texture,




workmanship, presence of contaminants and soundness shall be checked. A 10-foot

straightedge is used to check surface texture, as shown in Exhibit 450-1. The

straightedge is placed transversely across the milled surface and the following three

measurements are checked:

1. The variation from the bottom of the straightedge to the top of ridges between

any two ridge contact points may not exceed 1/8”.

2. The difference in height from the top of any ridge to the bottom of the groove

adjacent to that ridge may not exceed 1/16”.

3. The transverse distance between strike areas must be between 0.2” and 0.3”.

Special Provision Item 415, Micromilling Pavement, Subsection 415.61 specifies

Contractor QC and Department Acceptance frequencies for surface texture

measurements, along with other requirements for milled surfaces.

Exhibit 450-1

Micro Milled Surface Cross Section

H

The RE shall ensure that the Contractor sweeps and cleans the milled surface to remove

all remaining millings and dust prior to opening a milled area to traffic. See Specification

Subsection 450.53F.

elpful Hint: tem 451 does not include

lacement of HMA for

emporary use, such as

ransition ramps, temporary

epair of potholes, and

ransitions at castings. Refer to

tem 472.

I

p

t

t

r

t

I

Permanent HMA Repair Areas and Patching Quantity

The Resident Engineer shall verify that surface

defects in milled surfaces and underlying existing

pavement areas that are unsound have been

completely removed and replaced with an HMA

patching mixture. For these localized repair areas,

the procedure must be completed in accordance

with Specification Subsection 450.53C and

compensated under pay item 451. This procedure




includes the following steps: partial or full depth removal, sawcutting edges, applying

hot rubberized asphalt sealant, and HMA placement. Utility trench patches must also

adhere to these requirements.

The size, depth and location of repair areas may not be completely defined in the plans,

requiring the Resident Engineer to be diligent in identifying and measuring the

placement of the HMA patching material. Measurements of HMA for Patching shall be

the actual quantity complete, in place. The Resident Engineer shall collect weight slips

from the HMA delivery trucks and shall also do a yield check to confirm the quantities.

See Specification Subsections 450.90A and 450.91A.

Curbing, Edging, Castings, and Utility Structures

The Resident Engineer shall visually check that curbing, edging, castings, and utility

structures have been installed or reset to the

proper line and grade as shown on the plans.

Specification Subsection 450.53E and project

specific requirements should be referenced. If

raised structures will be subject to traffic, the

Resident Engineer shall ensure that the Contractor

has taken appropriate measures to protect the

structures and traffic before reopening the

roadway.

450 – 4.1.3 Equipment Used on the Project

It is important that the right equipment is used for all paving operations. It is the

responsibility of the Resident Engineer to be aware of the Contractor’s plan to execute

the work. The Contractor’s Quality Control Plan shall outline what equipment is to be

used. The Resident Engineer shall consult the approved Quality Control Plan and the

project specifications to verify that the proper equipment is on site. This includes

lighting, sweepers, tack distributor truck, hot rubberized sealant machine, Material

Transfer Vehicles (MTV), haul units, pavers, rollers, and small compaction equipment.

The Resident Engineer shall inspect all equipment on site to ensure that it is clean, in

proper working order and of sufficient quantity to support the size of the operation.

The right equipment will allow the project to be completed successfully.

The Resident Engineer must be aware of the following common issues:

• Cleanliness of pavers and MTVs upon arrival to the site

Helpful Hint: The Resident Engineer should

not permit the Contractor to

place HMA by hand along

curbs and edging or around

utilities after placement and

compaction of the surface

course.




• Residual diesel contamination of pavers, MTVs, haul units, small compaction

equipment and hand tools (diesel may not be used as an HMA release agent for

cleaning the equipment because they will degrade the HMA mixture)

• Improper type and capacity of roller – static, vibratory, oscillating

• Insufficient number of haul units to support continuous paving operation

• Lack of or improper tack coat application equipment – this must be a pressurized

tack distribution system as described in Specification Subsection 450.53.G.

• Failure to mobilize a hot rubberized sealant machine

450 – 4.1.4 Construction Quality Meeting

The Resident Engineer must check that the

Construction Quality Meeting (Pre-Paving Meeting)

has been scheduled. This meeting should be held

2-3 weeks prior to the start of any paving work and

is intended to ensure that the Contractor has an

adequate Quality Control system in place and that

the project’s personnel understand their roles,

responsibilities and activities. Required attendees

include the Resident Engineer, District Materials Engineer, District Quality Engineer,

HMA producer, General Contractor, Paving Subcontractor, and Milling Subcontractor. It

is particularly important that all Contractor personnel, the Resident Engineer, the District

Quality Engineer, and the District Materials Engineer fully understand the proposed

schedule and sequence of activities. The Contractor will provide copies of the approved

Quality Control Plan at this meeting. Refer to Specification Subsection 450.50 for

additional requirements for this meeting.

The following issues are commonly discussed at the Construction Quality Meeting:

1. Project scope of work

a. Contractor Performance Expectations: Workmanship, Safety, Schedule,

b. Contract Compliance

2. Approved contractor QC plan

a. QC organization

b. Personnel roles, responsibilities and activities

3. Pavement requirements and details

4. Milling equipment, schedule and test strip requirements

5. Paving plan

Helpful Hint: QC requirements vary with the

size of the project, defined by

categories A, B and C. See QA

Specification Table 450.3 for

HMA lot categories and QA

requirements.




a. Time line: when paving will start, whether paving is expected to be

completed in one construction season or multi seasons

b. Primary and secondary production facilities

c. Paving method/sequencing, location and type of joints, temporary

transition ramps

d. Equipment: paver, roller types and number, material transfer vehicle, hot

rubberized sealant machine, tack distribution truck

e. Schedule of paving: sequence of activities, day/night time paving, length

of shifts

f. Control strip requirements

g. Ride quality testing requirements

h. Points of Contact between Resident Engineer and Contractor

6. Haul unit – numbers, cover and clean body

7. HMA release agent, prohibition of petroleum use for HMA

8. Hot rubber and tack application

9. Random HMA inspection and testing on site; Inspection Report Forms (IRF) and

Test Report Forms (TRF)

10. Uploading of test data to QA SharePoint Site and submission of Project

Information Forms (PIF)

11. Control strips

12. Ride quality test requirement

13. Core sampling for Acceptance testing (see Specification Subsections 450.65F.8(b)

and 450.74C).

a. The Department and Contractor to randomly select locations for

Acceptance and QC samples per MassDOT SOP QA-04. Contract locations

may not be the same as Department locations

b. Contractor to provide assistance to Department in obtaining samples,

when requested

14. Other: Split sample correlation process, non-conformance reports, pay

adjustments

450 – 4.1.5 District Materials Engineer Coordination

The Resident Engineer shall request that the District Materials Laboratory perform an

inspection of the HMA plant 24 hours prior to the paving operation. This request will

include items such as: the HMA producer, the HMA mix type, the anticipated quantity,

and the paving schedule. A sample Request for Plant Inspection (RPI) form that captures

all of the above information, which must be completed and provided to the District

Materials Engineer by the Resident Engineer (see Appendix A for sample).




At the plant, the District Materials Engineer will monitor the HMA producer’s QC

activities, perform HMA Acceptance inspections and conduct Acceptance sampling and

testing during production. At the paving site, the District Materials Engineer will perform

non-destructive density testing on bridge deck pavement where core sampling is not

allowed.

450 – 4.1.6 Joint Location and Preparation

The Resident Engineer must understand that joint alignment and location contribute to

the safety of the roadway during and after placement. There are two types of joints:

transverse joints, running across the roadway at the beginning and end of each

pavement pass; and longitudinal joints running along the length of the roadway

between adjacent pavement passes (see Exhibit 450-2).

Exhibit 450-2

Joint Types – Transverse and Longitudinal

The sequence of HMA placement and joint locations must be carefully planned by the

Contractor and understood by the Resident Engineer.

Close coordination with the Contractor in advance of HMA placement will be necessary.

HMA joints are discussed in Specification Subsection 450.57. The following shall be

considered when determining appropriate joint locations:

• The number of transverse and longitudinal joints should be minimized

• Transverse joints shall be offset to avoid having a continuous transverse joint

across multiple passes

TRANSVERSE

LONGITUDINAL




• Longitudinal joints should be placed at the roadway centerline, on a lane line or

on an edge line of the traveled way

• Planned locations of longitudinal joints that will be subject to traffic at the end of

the work shift should not be in the wheel path

• For surface courses, longitudinal joints must be located at least 4” from recessed

pavement markings and shall not be located in the wheel path

• Temporary tapered transitions must be provided at all vertical joints that will be

subject to traffic at the end of the work shift

Once the appropriate joint locations have been determined, the Contractor should field-

identify their locations using temporary layout markings (see Exhibit 450-3).

Exhibit 450-3

Pavement Joint Layout Markings

Joint Staggering

When building multiple layers of HMA, joints must be staggered so a single vertical joint

does not run the full depth of the pavement. See Exhibit 450-4 and Specification

Subsection 450.57B.




Exhibit 450-4

Staggered Joints Detail

Vertical Joints

Vertical joints are used at project limits which include: the project beginning, end, end-

of-shift stopping points and at driveways and side streets. They must also be used at

longitudinal joints running the length of the project if wedge joints (described below)

are not used.

All vertical joints are to be prepared in accordance with Specification Subsection

450.57B(1). At longitudinal joints, the Contractor must employ suitable equipment to

confine the longitudinal edge of the HMA mixture to establish a near vertical surface. If

a near vertical surface is not achieved, the Contractor must sawcut the pavement and

remove excess material to provide a clean vertical face before placement of the adjacent

course of HMA.

The Resident Engineer shall check pavement joints and verify that the Contractor has

sawcut the existing pavement, if necessary, removed adjacent material and provided a

clean vertical surface. See Exhibit 450-5 and 450-6.

Exhibit 450-5

Sawcut Joint Detail




Exhibit 450-6

Vertical Longitudinal Joint

Wedge Joints

The preferred longitudinal joint profile is the wedge joint. The wedge joint provides a

superior bond and improves compaction of the mix at the joint. It also improves

rideability and safety during in-process paving operations. Wedge joints and equipment

shall be identified in the Contractor’s Quality Control Plan. Wedge joints are used when

pavement course thickness is 1.75 inches or greater as discussed in Specification

Subsection 450.57B(2). Exhibit 450-7, 450-8 and 450-9 show details of wedge joint

construction.

Exhibit 450-7

Wedge Joint Detail




Exhibit 450-8

Proper Wedge Joint

NOTCH

NOTCH

TAPERED

WEDGE

TACK

COAT

Exhibit 450-9

Incorrect Wedge Joint Construction

NOT WELL

COMPACTED

AND

INCORRECT

SLOPE

INCORRECT

NOTCH

(MORE THAN

½ IN. AT TOP)

NOT WELL

COMPACTED,

TOO LOOSE

450 – 4.1.7 Pre-placement Inspection

The Contractor’s qualified Quality Control personnel must perform their pre-placement

inspection in accordance with Specification Subsection 450.64 (Table 450.8B) with a




focus on equipment, material and environmental conditions which must be

documented using the appropriate NETTCP Inspections Report Forms.

The Resident Engineer shall monitor QC Inspection activities and commence

Acceptance Inspection activities in accordance with Specification Subsection 450.73

(Tables 450.14, 450.15 and 450.16). The NETTCP Inspection Report Forms are included

in Appendix A of this Chapter.

450 – 4.1.8 Control Strip Process

In accordance with Specification Subsection 450.66B, the Contractor must produce and

place a control strip for all Lot Category A (Large Lots) to verify that the HMA can be

produced properly within the design criteria, to establish compaction patterns, and to

verify that the equipment and processes for lay-down and compaction are capable of

providing the HMA pavement course in conformance with the project requirements.

The Resident Engineer must discuss the control strip process with the Contractor so

measurement and testing can be performed quickly and easily. The Resident Engineer

shall also meet with the District Materials Engineer for an overview of the required

inspections, sampling and testing, evaluation of data, documentation and verification

process for the control strip.

The District Materials Engineer will need 24 hours to complete the control strip

evaluation of sampling and testing data. The District Materials Engineer will notify the

Resident Engineer whether or not the control strip is accepted and if the Contractor

may proceed with production paving. If unacceptable, the Contractor will perform an

additional control strip.

450 – 4.1.9 Bridge Deck

Proposed bridge HMA types and thicknesses will

be defined in the project contract documents. The

Resident Engineer shall review the project plans

and specifications for bridge paving and be familiar

with the required mix types and thicknesses.

When micromilling to resurface an existing bridge, the Resident Engineer must ensure

that the Contractor’s milling operations do not damage the bridge deck and expansion

joints by reducing cut depths, minimizing forward milling speed, and limiting the

equipment size.

Before paving on a bridge deck, the Resident Engineer shall ensure that any damaged

or deteriorated concrete has been repaired and that membrane waterproofing has

Helpful Hint:

The Resident Engineer shall

confirm that the protective

course mixture includes an anti-

stripping compound.




been installed properly, if applicable. The Resident Engineer shall ensure there is no

damage to the waterproofing prior to HMA placement.

Material Transfer Vehicles (MTV) are subject to all bridge load restrictions. The Resident

Engineer must remind the Contractor to comply with all legal and contract- stipulated

loading restrictions and verify that the MTV will not exceed the allowable bridge load.

The Resident Engineer shall provide notice to the District Materials Engineer 24 hours

prior to any bridge paving for performance of non-destructive pavement compaction

testing. Pavement cores are not permitted on bridge decks.

450 – 4.2 Placement

450 – 4.2.1 Tack Coat and Hot Poured Rubberized Asphalt Sealant

The Resident Engineer must verify that the Contractor is using the correct type of tack

coat and hot poured rubberized asphalt sealant (also referred to as HMA joint sealant)

materials. The Resident Engineer shall review the Certificate of Analysis provided by the

asphalt emulsion tack coat supplier with each delivery and shall take samples for testing

by the Research and Materials Section when directed by the District Materials Engineer.

The Resident Engineer shall take samples of the hot poured rubberized asphalt sealant

in accordance with RMS360 for testing by the Research and Materials Section. A full bag

or box of the sealant material is required.

Tack Coat Application

Immediately prior to pavement placement, a tack coat of asphalt emulsion must be

uniformly applied. The underlying surface must be swept clean and dry before the tack

coat is distributed. The application rates must be

in conformance with Specification Subsection

450.53G, as follows:

• 1/20 (0.05) gallons per square yard on

existing smooth pavement surfaces and

any new pavement course that has been

opened to traffic or that was placed 30

days prior to placement of the subsequent

pavement course

• 1/15 (0.07) gallons per square yard on milled surfaces

• Special types of HMA such as OGFC (Open Graded Friction Course), ARGG

(Asphalt Rubber Gap Graded) and SSC-W (Superpave Surface Course

Helpful Hint:

Tack coat shall be applied to

cover approximately 90% of the

pavement surface. If 1st attempt

doesn’t achieve proper

coverage, the Resident

Engineer shall have the

Contractor apply more.




Waterproofing) may require different application rates as required in the

Contract Special Provisions

The Resident Engineer shall inspect the tack coat application rate and verify the tack

quantity. Coordination with the Contractor to increase or decrease the application rate

can ensure the correct amount of asphalt emulsion is being used. As shown in Exhibit

450-10, the pressure distributor must have the spray bar adjusted to provide a double

overlap for uniform coverage. The Tack Coat shall be applied immediately prior to the

paving operation to avoid contamination of the pavement surface by dust or debris. The

Resident Engineer shall ensure that the applied emulsion has broken - i.e. turned from

brown to black - prior to the placement of HMA. See Exhibits 450-11, 12 and 13 for Tack

Coat applications.

Exhibit 450-10

Correct Application: Double Overlap




Exhibit 450-11

Incorrect Applications: All Nozzles Must Be On Full Spray

Tack coat must also be applied to vertical surfaces of curbing, edging, casting and utility

structures immediately prior to each HMA pavement course as described in Specification

Subsection 450.53G(2). When SSC-W waterproofing mix is used, hot poured rubberized

asphalt sealant must be applied to these vertical surfaces in place of tack coat.

Exhibit 450-12





Exhibit 450-13


NON-UNIFORM

TACK COAT

DISTRIBUTION

UNIFORM TACK

COAT

DISTRIBUTION

POOR –

STREAKY

COVERAGE

GOOD – NEAR

COMPLETE

COVERAGE




Tack Coat – Wedge Joint Application

For all longitudinal wedge joints, a tack coat must be applied to the entire surface of the

wedge joint prior to placement of the adjacent pull of HMA. See Exhibit 450-14.

Exhibit 450-14

Application of Tack Coat to Wedge Joint

Tack Coat Quantity

The Resident Engineer shall collect slips from the

tack truck to determine the quantity placed. If the

tack truck equipment is not capable of providing

proper volume measurements, the tack delivery

trucks shall be weighed on scales and the volume

shall be computed. See Specification Subsections

450.90B and 450.91B.

Helpful Hint:

Payment for Item 452-Asphalt

Emulsion for Tack Coat includes

sweeping of existing surfaces.

Hot Poured Rubberized Asphalt Sealant

For all vertical pavement joints, a clean saw cut vertical surface must be prepared for the

application of hot poured rubberized asphalt sealant. The sealant must be applied to

the top of the joint so that it runs down the vertical face to provide a uniform coat

without runoff or accumulation as shown in Exhibit 450-15.

When SSC-W waterproofing mix is used, hot poured rubberized asphalt sealant must

also be applied to the vertical surfaces of curbing, edging, casting and utility structures.




Exhibit 450-15

Hot Poured Rubberized Asphalt Sealant Application

The joints and sealant shall be in conformance with Specification Subsection 450.57B(1).

Exhibit 450-16 shows application of hot rubber sealant at a longitudinal joint and at

granite edging (where SSC-W waterproofing mix will be used).

Exhibit 450-16

Hot Poured Rubberized Asphalt Sealant Application at Longitudinal Joint and at Granite Edging

(Waterproofing Mix)

Hot Poured Rubberized Asphalt Sealant Quantities

The Resident Engineer must measure and record the length of all sealed joints in each

HMA pavement course. For longitudinal joints, reference to the roadway mile markers

can be used to compute the lengths. See Specification Subsections 450.90C and

450.91C.




450 – 4.2.2 HMA Transportation and Delivery

HMA delivery shall be carefully planned and

efficiently and effectively executed. The goal is to

have a sufficient amount of trucking to provide a

continuous non-stop paving operation. The

Resident Engineer shall remind the Contractor that

increased trucking or decreased paving speed may

be required. The trucks used to transport the HMA

must be in conformance with Specification

Subsections 450.54A and 450.54B. The Resident

Engineer shall check to ensure each truck load is

properly covered with a tarp or other suitable

material. Covers that are torn, undersized, fish net

or mesh are not acceptable.

Helpful Hint:

Inspect truck beds to ensure

that they are not contaminated

with previously hauled

materials. Ensure that an

approved release agent has

been applied to the bed and

applied to the gate just prior to

and after unloading the HMA.

The Contractor shall not use

kerosene, gasoline, diesel fuel

oil or other solvents as a release

agent, because they will

degrade the HMA mixture.

The Resident Engineer must collect the HMA weight slips provided with each truck

arriving at the project site. The Resident Engineer shall review each slip to verify that the

approved mix type has been delivered, the slip denotes the load weight and batch time,

and trucks are arriving in the proper sequence. The arriving slips may come in with

signatures from the MassDOT Plant Inspectors, depending on lot size and availability of

Inspectors. There should be coordination between the Resident Engineer, Plant

Inspector and the District Materials Engineer.

For each load of HMA, the Resident Engineer shall reference the station and record the

information on the weight slip, and sign or initial the slip.

450 – 4.2.3 Mat Thickness and Yield Checks

The Resident Engineer's responsibility is to ensure that the actual amount of HMA

placed by the Contractor complies with the project plans and/or specifications. There

are two methods that the Resident Engineer can use. The first method is to perform

periodic, direct measurements of the mat thickness during placement. The Resident

Engineer shall take into account the fact that the compacted thickness will be less than

the measured thickness at the time of placement. Exhibit 450-17 shows how

measurements are taken.




Exhibit 450-17

Pavement Mat Thickness Check

The second method that can be used is to perform yield checks. Yield checks will

compare the theoretical (as-designed) quantity with the actual quantity placed. The

following formula is used to calculate the theoretical quantity of mix in tons (mass)

based on the specified thickness of the mat and the length and width of pavement. The

Resident Engineer shall compare this calculated quantity to the actual quantity placed

based on the weight slips provided for the deliveries that makeup the placement area.

m (quantity) = mass required for the job, tons (2,000

lbs/ton)

d = density of mixture, lb/ft^3

t = thickness, ft

w = width of paving lane, ft

l = length of paving lane, ft

Calculate Mass

m=(dtw)l

Helpful Hint:

The density (d) for each mix

depends upon the producer,

mix type, and source of

aggregate. It normally is in the

range of 145 to 165 lb/ft^3. The

plant inspector will determine

the actual density through

testing performed at the plant.

This information can be

obtained from the District

Materials Engineer. If the actual quantity exceeds the theoretical

quantity, too much mix is being placed, resulting

in an overrun of material (over yield). If the actual quantity is less than the theoretical

quantity, too little mix is being placed and the pavement is thinner than planned (under




yield). In either case, adjustments shall be made to bring the actual quantity in line with

the theoretical quantity.

450 – 4.2.4 Temperature during Placement

Air temperature, mix temperature, and

underlying surface temperatures vary during the

production and placement of HMA. During early

and late season placements when the air

temperature falls below 50 degrees, the Resident

Engineer must monitor the ambient temperature

and the sub-base temperature to ensure that the temperatures are in conformance with

Specification Subsections 450.52 and 450.53.

Using an approved thermometer provided by the Contractor, the Resident Engineer

shall check the temperature of the mix in the haul unit, inside the paver hopper and at

the pavement mat. These temperatures shall be recorded on the HMA delivery slips as

follows:

1. at start of paving

2. periodically during paving (suggest every third or fourth load)

3. if trucks are waiting due to a delay in operations

4. whenever there is an interruption to the pavement operation, such as a

relocation of the equipment between passes

The required compaction temperature will be provided by the PG binder producer. This

shall be discussed with the District Materials Engineer prior to paving activities. This is

typically around 300 degrees Fahrenheit, depending upon the type of mix.

450 – 4.2.5 Observation, Inspection and Testing during Placement

The Resident Engineer shall observe the Contractor’s construction activities throughout

the paving operation. Construction Procedures are described in Specification

Subsections 450.50 to 450.59. The Resident Engineer shall also ensure that the

Contractor’s Quality Control personnel perform inspection and testing in accordance

with the approved Contractor’s Quality Control Plan and the project specifications, (see

Specification Subsections 450.60 to 450.69).

The Resident Engineer shall pay particular attention to the following throughout the

course of the paving operation:

Helpful Hint:

The HMA is a temperature

sensitive product; it cannot be

compacted properly if the

temperature is too cold.




• Visual Inspection

Visual inspections throughout the paving operation are vital to identify problems.

The Contractor Quality Control personnel and the Resident Engineer shall

continually monitor the appearance of the pavement mat for uniformity, color,

smoothness, segregation and thickness.

Exhibit 450-18

Potential Issues or Problems

NOT UNIFORM OR

DENSE

DIFFERENT

COLOR

SEGREGATION

Pavement mats must be smooth, dense and uniform. If any quality issues or

problems are observed, the Resident Engineer shall immediately alert the

Contractor to correct their operations and deficiencies when they are first

observed to minimize rework.

• Equipment Performance

The Contractor’s paving equipment must be capable of providing a mat with

uniformly spread material that conforms to the design. It is important for the

Resident Engineer to understand the function of each piece of equipment and to

be sure that it is operating properly.




Exhibit 450-19

Hot Mix Asphalt Placement

HAUL UNIT

PAVER

MTV

PAVER ROLLER

The Resident Engineer shall ensure that all

paving equipment is being used as specified

in the Contractor’s Quality Control Plan. The

equipment should be examined to ensure

that the correct type is being used, is

functioning properly and meets cleanliness

requirements. For MTVs, check the truck

unloading system, the paver hopper insert

and the internal storage bin with a remixing

system. For pavers, check the receiving

hopper, automatic feed and screed controls, and heated vibratory screed. Rollers

used for compaction must be of adequate size and quantity for the project and

must be capable of reversing without shoving or tearing the mixture. Refer to

Specification Subsection 450.55 for additional information for Material Transfer

Vehicles (MTVs) and pavers, and Subsection 450.56 for rollers.

Helpful Hint:

Pavement equipment and tools

need periodic cleaning to

function properly. The

Contractor must use an

approved cleaning/release

agent. When in doubt, the

Resident Engineer should

forward a sample to the DME.

• Compaction

The Resident Engineer shall ensure sufficient compaction is achieved and in

accordance with Specification Subsection 450.56. Target in-place density and




specified course thicknesses shall be accomplished by following the roller

sequence outlined in the Contractor’s Quality Control Plan. The placed pavement

must be smooth, dense, and uniform.

Exhibit 450-20

Compacted Mat and Joint Compaction

During compaction, the Resident Engineer must watch the roller and look for

issues such as excessive waves in front of the roller, deep roller marks, the roller

picking up the mat, and roller marks on the final roll. At no time shall the roller

come to a complete stop/rest on the fresh mat.

• Grade and Cross Section

The cross slope of the roadway must be constructed as defined in the project

plans. The Contractor is required to set up a reference system using line and

grade stakes to provide control of grade and cross section. The Resident Engineer

shall periodically check the grade and cross slope of the placed pavement using a

Smart Level. Refer to Specification Subsection 450.51.

• HMA Joints and Wheel Path Deviation

Finished transverse joints at the project or placement limits and longitudinal joints

shall be checked for a tight bond between the existing and new pavement and a

smooth and true surface by the Resident

Engineer. The joint deviation, a vertical

variation from one side of the joint to the

other, is typically measured with a 10-foot

standard straight edge. Specification

Subsection 450.57C further defines joint

inspection and testing.

Helpful Hint:

The joint and wheel path

deviations shall not exceed 0.25

inches when measured with a

10-foot straight edge.




The Resident Engineer shall check wheel path deviation as outlined in

Specification Subsection 450.64B for localized profile defects, if needed. Random

inspections along the wheel path are performed using a 10-foot standard

straight edge in the longitudinal direction on each wheel path. Additional

measurements can also be taken at any location.

Exhibit 450-21

Transverse Joint Deviation Check

Exhibit 450-22

Poor Joint Alignment and

Deviation

450 – 4.2.6 Mat Troubleshooting

The following troubleshooting table identifies potential HMA Mat problems and

corresponding causes. The Resident Engineer shall refer to the

NETTCP HMA Paving Inspector Manual for more discussion about causes and

preventive action.




Exhibit 450-23

Mat Troubleshooting Chart

Causes

Wavy Surface

— Short W

aves (Ripples)

Wavy Surface —

Long Waves

Tearing of Mat —

Full Width

Tearing of Mat —

Center Streak

Tearing of Mat —

Outside Streaks

Mat Texture —

Nonuniform

Screed Marks

Screed Not Responding to Correction

Auger Shadows

Poor Precompaction

Poor Longitudinal Joint

Poor Transverse Joint

Transverse Cracking (Checking)

Mat Shoving Under Roller

Bleeding or Fat Spots in Mat

Roller Marks

Poor Mix Com

paction

Problem

Fluctuating Head of Material ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Feeder Screws Overloaded ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Finisher Speed Too Fast ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Too Much Lead Crown in Screed ✓

Too Little Lead Crown in Screed ✓

Overcorrection of Thickness Control Screws ✓ ✓

Excessive Play in Screed Mechanical Connection ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Screed Riding on Lift Cylinders ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Screed Plates Worn Out or Warped ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Screed Plates Not Tight ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Cold Screed ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Moldboard on Strikeoff Too Low ✓

Running Hopper Empty Between Loads ✓ ✓

Feeder Gates Set Incorrectly ✓ ✓ ✓

Kicker Screws Worn Out or Mounted Incorrectly ✓

Incorrect Nulling of Screed ✓

Screed Starting Blocks Too Short ✓

Screed Extensions Installed Incorrectly ✓ ✓

Vibrators Running Too Slow ✓ ✓

Grade Control Mounted Incorrectly ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Grade Control Hunting (Sensitivity Too High) ✓ ✓

Grade Control Wand Bouncing on Refernce ✓ ✓

Grade Reference Inadequate ✓ ✓

Sitting Long Period Between Loads ✓ ✓

Improper Joint Overlap ✓

Improper Mat Thickness for Max. Agg. Size. X X X X

Trucks Bumping Finisher X X

Truck Holding Brakes X X

Improper Base Preparation X X X X X X X X

Improper Rolling Operation X X X X X X X

Reversing or Too Rapidly Turning Rollers X X X X

Parking of Roller on Hot Mat X X X

Improper Mix Design (Aggregate) X X X X X X X X

Improper Mix Design (Asphalt) X X X X X X X X

Mix Segregation X X X X X

Moisture in Mix X X X X X

Variation of Mix Temperature X X X X X X X X X X

Cold Mix Temperature X X X X X X X X X

1. Find problem above

2. ✓indicates causes related to the pavor, X indicates

other problems to be investigated

NOTE: Many times a problem can be caused by more than one item; therefore, it is important tthat each cause listed be eliminated to ensure that the problem will be solved.




450 – 4.2.7 Temporary Tapered Transitions

Temporary tapered transitions provide a smooth transition for traffic at all transverse

joints that will be subject to traffic at the end of the work shift. Transitions must be

constructed at a maximum slope of 12:1 on top of a suitable bond breaker. The

Temporary tapered transition materials must be completely removed before resuming

paving operations. Refer to Specification Subsection 450.57A.

Exhibit 450-24

Temporary Tapered Transition

Installation Removal

450 – 4.2.8 Bridge Deck

Paving on bridges has unique requirements that differ from paving on typical earth-

supported roadway sections:

• Pavement Structure: Typically, HMA pavement for bridge decks consists of a

bridge protective course, placed first, followed by a bridge surface course. The

Resident Engineer shall be aware of the following (see Specification Subsection

450.58A):

o Prior to installing the bridge protective course and bridge surface course,

the Contractor must install all curbing and edging.




o The protective course must be applied within 24 hours of installation of

any membrane waterproofing. Until then, the membrane waterproofing

must be protected from damage and vehicular traffic.

• Bridge Deck Equipment: For bridge deck paving, the use of oscillating or static

roller compaction equipment shall be used. The Resident Engineer must ensure

that vibratory rollers are not used on bridges. If bridge load ratings require the

MTV to be empty when crossing the bridge, the Resident Engineer shall ensure

that the Contractor moves the MTV across the bridge properly and in accordance

with Specification 450.55A(3).

• In-Place Density Test: For HMA pavement on bridges, the in-place density must

be randomly tested by Contractor Quality Control Personnel and independently

tested by the District Materials Engineer. A calibrated density gauge must be

used, and the testing must conform to Specification Subsection 450.58 to ensure

that the in-place density is not less than 90%. Cores are prohibited on bridge

decks to prevent damage to membrane waterproofing and the bridge deck, with

the exception of cores taken for dispute resolution. The Resident Engineer shall

ensure that the testing is performed and should coordinate with the District

Materials Engineer as necessary.

450 – 4.2.9 Department Acceptance Inspection

The Resident Engineer is responsible to ensure that all Acceptance Inspection is

performed and documented during placement as described in Specification Subsections

450.70 to 450.74, including the following:

• Monitoring of Contractor Quality Control during placement

• Acceptance inspection and documentation of environmental conditions,

materials and workmanship

The Resident Engineer must document the inspections by completing the appropriate

Inspection Report Forms (see Appendix A).

All Acceptance Sampling and Testing (core samples, thickness measurement, density

testing, etc.) is done post-placement. While there is no required Acceptance sampling

and testing during placement, the Resident Engineer may sample at any time or location

when there are concerns about quality. Any non-random (selective sample) must be

identified on the Test Report Forms and noted in the Comments section as “For

Information Only”.




450 – 4.3 Post Placement

450 – 4.3.1 Department Acceptance

The Department is responsible for performing all Acceptance activities and making the

final acceptance determination for each HMA Lot produced and placed (see

Specification Subsections 450.70 to 450.78).

450 – 4.3.2 Core Samples

The in-place density of the HMA mat is tested in

accordance with Specification Subsection

450.74F(4). Core sample testing is performed on

earth-supported HMA pavement, while density

gauge testing is performed on bridge pavement.

The locations for the density tests must be pre-

determined utilizing the random sampling method

(ASTM D3665) as described in MassDOT SOP No. CSD QA-04. The Contractor will

obtain Quality Control samples and will provide assistance to the Resident Engineer

when the Department collects the Acceptance samples. The Resident Engineer shall

ensure that the core samples are obtained in accordance with the Specifications and the

Contractor’s Quality Control Plan and shall coordinate testing with the District Materials

Engineer.

All core sample holes are to be filled with fresh HMA by the Contractor as defined in

Specification Subsection 450.65F(8)b. The Resident Engineer shall ensure that the core

sample holes are clean and dry, coated with tack, filled with similar HMA mix and

properly compacted.

The Resident Engineer must submit core samples with a sample card (RMS 785 form) to

the District Materials Engineer for determination of HMA in-place density and thickness.

450 – 4.3.3 Cooling Time

The newly placed HMA must be allowed time to

cool before allowing vehicular traffic to avoid

pavement deformation or flushing. The Resident

Engineer shall check the temperature of the HMA

mat prior to opening. A temperature of 140

degrees F or less per Specification Subsection

450.59 is acceptable unless otherwise directed in

the specifications. The Resident Engineer shall also

be familiar with the specific criteria related to opening new pavement to traffic in the

Contractor’s Quality Control Plan.

Helpful Hint:

A written request to initiate the

Dispute Resolution process

must be made within five (5)

days after the original sample is

obtained.

Helpful Hint:

Warm–mix asphalt additives

will lower the pavement

temperature at which traffic will

be permitted on the roadway.

This will be specified in the

Contractor’s QC plan.




450 – 4.3.4 Ride Quality Test

Ride Quality testing is performed during and after placement by the Contractor and the

Department, in accordance with Specification Subsection 450.65F(11), to ensure that

the finished surface is uniform, smooth and free from irregularities. The Contractor must

perform periodic Ride Quality Testing to monitor Quality Control during placement.

Upon completion of placement, the Resident Engineer shall contact the Pavement

Management Section and District Materials Engineer to schedule this testing. The

Department’s Pavement Management Section will perform Ride Quality Acceptance

Testing on the final HMA pavement course placed in accordance with Specification

Subsection 450.74F(6).

450 – 4.3.5 Acceptance of HMA Material and Workmanship

Specification Subsection 450.76 - Lot Acceptance Determination Based on Inspection

Results and Specification Subsection 450.77 - Lot Acceptance Determination Based on

Testing Data provide detailed procedures for the evaluation, acceptance and rejection

of the HMA produced and placed based on inspection and test results.

Throughout the course of the project, QC and Acceptance test results are uploaded to

the QA Home SharePoint site by the Contractor and the District Materials Section,

respectively. The Resident Engineer shall routinely check these test results on the

SharePoint site to identify any results that do not meet specification or are not in

conformance with the Engineering Limits. The testing data for Category A, Category B,

and Category C Lots are evaluated differently as outlined in Specification Subsection

450.77. Test results shall be compared with the Percent Within Limits (PWL) values in

Table 450.19, which sets the Acceptance Limit at 60 PWL. On the SharePoint site, the

data sheet will indicate “rejected” for any PWL below 60.

450 – 4.3.6 Nonconforming HMA Materials and Workmanship

Materials and workmanship that do not comply with the specifications are documented

with a Deficiency Report (DR) or a Non-Conformance Report (NCR) form. The DR

process is described in S.O.P. CSD 24-04-2-000, and NCR’s are documented on Form RMS

784.

These reports describe the non-conformance and the corrective action to be taken. For

HMA materials deficiencies, an NCR (Form RMS 784) is initiated by either District or

Research and Materials personnel. The Resident Engineer and/or District Materials

Engineer are informed of the non-conformance. The NCR form is sent to the District

Construction personnel, who prepare a Deficiency Report and issue it to the Contractor.

The Resident Engineer shall work with the Contractor to identify the root cause of the

non-conformance and develop a proposed corrective action. This information is




recorded on the RMS 784 form and forwarded to the District Construction Engineer (or

designee) for approval of the proposed corrective action. Upon completion of the

corrective action, this form is reviewed and signed by the District Construction Engineer

(or designee), which closes out the NCR.

450 – 4.3.7 Dispute Resolution

The Resident Engineer must be familiar with the Dispute Resolution Specification

Subsections 450.80 through 450.84. Disputable items, dispute resolution steps, and

determination of final disposition are defined within these Specification sections.

There is a specific list of quality characteristics that are utilized in the Acceptance

determination for a given lot, defined by Table 450.21, that have inherent variability in

testing. The Contactors QC test values often differ from Department Acceptance test

values. A resolution process has been developed to reconcile significant differences in

quality characteristic test values. The process may be initiated by either the Contractor

or the Department. The three (3) steps to the Dispute Resolution Process are as follows:

Step 1 – Split Sample Correlation

Step 2 – Dispute Resolution Sample Testing

Step 3 – Additional Dispute Resolution Testing (if required)

450 – 4.3.8 HMA Compensation

The work items associated with Hot Mix Asphalt Pavement are measured and paid in

accordance with Specification Subsection 450.90 through 450.93.

Helpful Hint:

Check the last truck for

remaining HMA material.

Deduct from the total tabulated

HMA quantity the amount not

used. Payment shall only be for

actual HMA material complete,

in place, and accepted by the

Department.

Hot Mix Asphalt is measured by the ton of actual

pavement complete, in place and accepted by the

Department. The Resident Engineer shall

countersign and collect slips verifying that the

cumulative total shown on the slips represents the

actual total amount of HMA placed. The amount

of HMA placed should be approximately the same

as the estimated amount that was scheduled to be

placed according to the Contractor’s plan and per

the yield checks performed by the Resident

Engineer during the paving operation. The Resident Engineer is responsible for

verifying that the amount of HMA placed is quantified, tabulated and invoiced correctly.

The amount may differ from the cumulative total amount of HMA that left the plant




because of missing loads that did not arrive on site, rejected loads, or partial loads.

Those amounts must be subtracted from the total.

Compensation requirements for patching, tack

coat, joint sealer and Contractor Quality Control

are described in Specification Subsections 450.90

and 450.91.

HMA Quality Level Pay Adjustment

The HMA Specification includes pay adjustments

that account for any deviation from the

Specification Limits for in-place HMA. These pay

adjustments are independent of the payment items

noted above, including Contractor Quality Control

(Item 450.90).

Helpful Hint:

There is no separate payment

for incidental items such as

sawcutting for HMA joints,

transportation, delivery and

sweeping. Payment for these

items is included in the Contract

unit price for the HMA Payment

items per Specification

Subsection 450.91.

The Resident Engineer must determine the pay adjustment at the completion of each lot

and/or the completion of the project. Per Specification Subsection 450.92, payment is

based on Lot Quality Level (Percent Within Limits, PWL) in accordance with the Quality

Level Analysis (QLA) procedures defined in Specification Subsection 450.78.

Each HMA lot will have a Pay Factor used to determine the pay adjustment for each

Quality Characteristic indicated in Table 450.22. The HMA Quality Characteristics are:

• PG Asphalt Binder Content

• Volumetric - Air Voids

• In-Place HMA Mat Density

• Thickness

• Ride Quality (IRI)

Helpful Hint:

Deductions resulting from

Deficiency Reports are treated

separately from these HMA

Quality Level Pay Adjustments

Specification Subsection 450.92 provides pay

adjustment equations for each of the Quality

Characteristics. These equations are incorporated

into the Department’s MS Excel QA Data

Spreadsheets that are located on the QA

SharePoint site. The spreadsheet is populated as

follows:

Helpful Hint:

Category C – Minor Lots are not

subject to pay adjustment pay

factors.




• The Contractor’s QC Manager will enter all QC test data

• The Department District Materials Engineer/District Quality Engineer will enter all

Acceptance test data

• The Resident Engineer will enter the total HMA quantity and unit price for each

Lot

The worksheet calculates the Pay Adjustment using the Department’s Acceptance test

data (and the Contractor’s QC test data if validated by the District Materials

Engineer/District Quality Engineer).




Appendix A - Hot Mix Asphalt Forms


































RMS 785 – HMA THICKNESS AND COMPACTION TEST REPORT




RMS 784 – NON-CONFORMANCE REPORT (NCR)

Documents

Section 400 Sub Base, Base Courses, Shoulders, Pavement ... · Ensure the underlying sub-base has been installed to the correct grade and cross section Visually inspect underlying