FHWA Resource Center

STRUCTURES TEAM

PCEF - QA/QC subcommittee minutes

May 31, 2002

TO:
Louis N Triandafilou, P.E.
City Crescent Building
Eastern Resource Center
10 S. Howard St, Suite 4000
Baltimore, MD 21201

From:
Robert Horwhat, P.E.
Materials and Testing Division
Bureau of Construction & Materials
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation

A subcommittee meeting was held on Wednesday, May 29, 2002 at 9:30 a.m. at the Maryland State Highway Association building in Frederick, MD. The following persons were in attendance:

Name	Organization
Paul Finnerty	MDSHA
Pat Finno	VDOT
Joe Policelli	FHWA
Mike Kaulen	Shockey Precast
Paul Ramsburg	Rotondo Precast
Jeff McMaster	PENNDOT
Bob Horwhat	PENNDOT

The following is a summary of the discussion from the meeting. Assignments are indicated in bold. Please note that distribution of these minutes will be via e-mail in electronic format (MS-WORD attachment) only.

Preliminary introductions were made. Shockey Precast was represented by Mike Kaulen. Joe Olsen may attend future meetings. Mike indicated that Greg Black should continue to be copied on future minutes. Tony DeCosta will be retiring from Rotondo shortly. Paul Ramsburg will be replacing Tony on the subcommittee.

Paul Finnerty indicated that he had spoken with Lou Triandafilou earlier in the week. Lou had not gotten the main committee minutes and attachments from the April meeting in Atlantic City, NJ distribution. To date, no comments have been received from the main committee.

Finalize Guide Specification for Materials


Paul Ramsburg made a motion to consider a calcined shale for inclusion in the pozzolan list of the guide specification. Product literature was copied indicating that VDOT had tested the material and approved it for use in cement concrete for alkali silica remediation. MDSHA had tested the material but had not approved its use. PENNDOT was unaware of whether the material had been approved or not. Bob Horwhat indicated that he would inquire about the material through Margo Thomson ( a member of the AASHTO Innovative Highway's lead states team for ASR remediation.)


Following the meeting, and from a discussion with Margo Thomson it was determined that the Lehigh XPM calcine shale was tested and approved by PENNDOT in 1999 as a class N pozzolan. Margo also indicated that the AASHTO lead states team recently approved lithium based admixtures for ASR remediation. Subcommittee members are hereby requested to provide feedback to Paul Finnerty or Bob Horwhat with your comments regarding adding the calcined shale material to section 2.7 and adding the lithium admixtures to section 2.8. Based on the majority vote, PENNDOT will draft an addition to these sections for subcommittee review prior to completing the final draft.




Section 7, Tolerances, was distributed and discussed. It was decided that the Quad T and Pier deck panel members were not standard bridge structure elements. A consensus decision was also made to add a double-T beam. Paul Ramsburg indicated that PCI had issued a new standard for product tolerances. Paul will verify whether the existing PCEF standards/tolerances are in conformance with the new standard.


Following the meeting, Bob Horwhat received an e-mail from Paul indicating that the PCEF standards and tolerances are exactly as shown in the new PCI standard. Paul Ramsburg will forward the PCI double-T and tolerances to Bob via hardcopy. Bob Horwhat will update the guide spec..




Paul Finnerty distributed a condensed version of the grout specification he received from Claude Napier, which was used on the Woodrow Wilson bridge. A decision was made to incorporate the specification into the guide spec. Paul Finnerty will forward the grout specification and Section 7, tolerances, to Bob Horwhat electronically. Bob Horwhat will update the guide specification accordingly.




The National Steel Bridge Alliance (NSBA) QA/QC guide specification was distributed and briefly discussed. A proposal was made by Bob to have the subcommittee consider this type of document as the focus for the group's next effort. The example document goes beyond material specifications and defines both QA and QC roles, responsibilities and practices. The group pointed out that PCI has a Quality Systems Manual requirement which defines mandatory QC activities for fabrication. Paul Ramsburg said that the PCI document, QSM MNL116 was recently revised. Paul will forward a copy to Bob Horwhat for distribution to the subcommittee. Each subcommittee member agreed to review the QSM and the NSBA document and be prepared to discuss at the mext subcommittee meeting in October 2002, the applicability of adopting the PCI document and additionally, whether the QA any other portions of the NSBA document have merit for consideration for prestressed concrete fabrication.

New Business


Bob Horwhat indicated that PENNDOT had recently toured the Turner-Fairbanks Highway Research center in McLean, VA. During the tour, a new concept in fabricating ultra-high strength prestressed concrete beams was demonstrated. Paul Ramsburg indicated that the concrete is more than likely DUCTAL a proprietary concrete made by Lafarge Cement Co. The subcommittee group is interested in coordinating the next subcommittee meeting in October at Turner Fairbanks to evaluate the new material. By copy of this letter, the subcommittee is requesting Lou Triandafilou to make the necessary arrangements.

Bob Horwhat indicated that PENNDOT is currently engaged in their second research project with self consolidating concrete. A research problem statement had been submitted through NCHRP but it appears that the project will not be funded during this fiscal year. MDSHA will be utilizing the material for an environmental containment vessel. VDOT has done some preliminary research work but has not used SCC for any highway or bridge projects. Bob Horwhat asked that the results of any testing or research from SCC be shared within the subcommittee.

Bob Horwhat indicated that two main prestressed fabricators in PA had approached PENNDOT regarding the use of a sodium bicarbonate blast medium to be substituted in lieu of sand blasting (for shear key ways on adjacent box beams). PENNDOT has informally evaluated the technology and found that it did provide an acceptable surface condition. PENNDOT is initiating a specification change to permit its use.

Pat Finno inquired about whether any states had experience with spun reinforced piles produced in Malaysia. The piles are prestressed with a bar rather than 7-wire strand. VDOT has not been successful in testing the material. None of the subcommittee members have had experience with the material.

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