SOLICITATION NOTICE
A -- Using Both Infrared and High-Speed Ground Penetrating Radar for Uniformity Measurements on New HMA Layers
- Notice Date
- 7/29/2008
- Notice Type
- Combined Synopsis/Solicitation
- NAICS
- 541712
— Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Biotechnology)
- Contracting Office
- The National Academies, Transportation Research Board, Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP 2), 500 Fifth Street NW, Washington, District of Columbia, 20001
- ZIP Code
- 20001
- Solicitation Number
- SHRP2R06C
- Archive Date
- 9/24/2008
- Point of Contact
- Monica A. Starnes,, Phone: 202-334-1894, Linda Mason,, Phone: 202-334-3241
- E-Mail Address
-
mstarnes@nas.edu, lmason@nas.edu
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- SHRP 2 Request for Proposals Focus Area: Renewal Project Number: R06-C Project Title: Using Both Infrared and High-Speed Ground Penetrating Radar for Uniformity Measurements on New HMA Layers Date Posted: July 29, 2008 SHRP 2 Background To address the challenges of moving people and goods efficiently and safely on the nation's highways, Congress has created the second Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP 2). SHRP 2 is a targeted, short-term research program carried out through competitively awarded contracts to qualified researchers in the academic, private, and public sectors. SHRP 2 addresses four strategic focus areas: the role of human behavior in highway safety (Safety); rapid highway renewal (Renewal); congestion reduction through improved travel time reliability (Reliability); and transportation planning that better integrates community, economic, and environmental considerations into new highway capacity (Capacity). Under current legislative provisions, SHRP 2 will receive approximately $150 million with total program duration of 7 years. Renewal Focus Area The U.S. highway system is aging and must be rebuilt while we are driving on it and living next to it. Research in the SHRP 2 Renewal focus area therefore addresses the need to develop a consistent, systematic approach to completing highway projects quickly, with minimal disruption to the community, and producing facilities that are long-lasting. Identifying new technologies for locating underground utilities; developing procedures to speed the evaluation of designs and the inspection of construction; and applying new methods and materials for preserving, rehabilitating, and reconstructing roadways and bridges are among the goals for this focus area. Alternative strategies for contracting, financing and managing projects, and mitigating institutional barriers also are part of the emphasis on rapid renewal. The renewal scope applies to all classes of roads. Project Background For hot-mix asphalt (HMA) pavement, in-place density is a critical determining factor for pavement durability. Real-time nondestructive testing (NDT) procedures are ideal tools to provide immediate feedback to paving crews so that corrective action can be taken. Promising recent studies have shown that infrared (IR) and ground penetrating radar (GPR) technologies can be used to identify in-place density during construction operations. Both technologies can be used to provide near 100% coverage of constructed layers in contrast to other existing technologies such as nuclear density gauges and electrical impedance devices, which take discrete measurements. Temperature uniformity is critical for achieving the needed density. Temperature segregation continues to be a frequently reported defect in new HMA overlays, and such segregation is difficult to detect with traditional techniques during mat placement. Thermally segregated areas results in periodic low-density areas in new mats that let water enter lower layers, significantly shortening the performance life of new overlay. IR techniques are already being implemented by some transportation agencies for quality assurance (QA) purposes. GPR can also be used to measure in real time the density of HMA layers, both during and after compaction. Although this technology is not new, very little progress has been made at implementing them in construction specifications. The Finland Road Authority, for example, has used GPR for HMA density (Saarenketo, 1998) and this was implemented in 2002 as an accepted method of measuring HMA layer density. No department of transportation in the United States has, however, implemented GPR for QA of HMA layers. Field demonstrations are needed to prove that both of these technologies can improve the quality assurance testing of new HMA surfaces. Objectives The objective of this project is to demonstrate IR and GPR technologies as NDT techniques to assess HMA density and segregation and to make recommendations for how these technologies can be incorporated into existing department of transportation specifications for construction QA. The IR and GPR technologies under investigation should provide near 100% coverage of the constructed surface area. Tasks Task descriptions are intended to provide a framework for conducting the research. SHRP 2 is seeking the insights of proposers on how best to achieve the research objectives. Proposers are expected to describe research plans that can realistically be accomplished within the constraints of available funds and contract time. Proposals must present the proposers' current thinking in sufficient detail to demonstrate their understanding of the issues and the soundness of their approach to meeting the research objective. Task 1: Conduct an international literature search to identify applicable IR and GPR NDT technologies for assessing HMA density and segregation during construction activities. Task 2: Based on the findings from Task 1, evaluate and recommend the most promising NDT equipment and testing protocols for assessing HMA density and segregation during pavement construction. The recommendations need to include detailed evaluations of the practical performance values, such as speed, accuracy, precision, ease of use, etc. of these technologies/techniques for their successful implementation. Task 3: Develop and submit to SHRP 2 detailed plans for field demonstration and validation of the recommended NDT techniques. Task 4: Conduct a field demonstration of these techniques in one transportation agency and conduct validation of the results using core testing to determine actual densities. Task 5: Prepare and submit to SHRP 2 an interim report documenting Tasks 1 through 4. The interim report should include recommendations to demonstrate the techniques in the three remaining AASHTO regions. Additionally, the report should include any recommendations regarding modifications to testing procedures that could improve the performance of these technologies. Task 6: Conduct field demonstrations in the remaining three AASHTO regions recommended in Task 5. Task 7: Document testing protocols and prepare training material for these technologies based on the lessons learned during the field demonstrations. Task 8: Prepare a draft final report documenting the entire project and submit to SHRP 2 for review. Task 9: Prepare and submit a revised final report that responds to review comments. Deliverables • Work plan for field demonstration • Interim report • Draft final report documenting the entire project • Final report • Quarterly progress reports • Two (2) interim meetings with SHPR 2 staff: One (1) in Washington, DC and one (1) at the contractor's facility • Telephone conference calls, as needed Funds Available: Not to exceed $250,000 for the entire project. Contract Period: Twenty-four (24) months for the entire project Responsible Staff: Dr. Monica A. Starnes, mstarnes@nas.edu, 202-334-1894 Authorization to Begin Work: January 2009, anticipated Proposals (20 single-bound copies) are due not later than 4:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) on September 9, 2008 This is a firm deadline, and extensions simply are not granted. In order to be considered, all 20 copies of the agency's proposal accompanied by the executed, unmodified Liability Statement must be in our offices not later than the deadline shown, or they will be rejected. References Saarenketo, T. and Roimela, P. 1998. Ground Penetrating Radar Technique in Asphalt Pavement Density Quality Control. Proceeding of the Seventh International Conference on Ground Penetrating Radar, May 27-30, 1998, Lawrence Kansas. Volume 2, pp. 461 -466. Liability Statement The signature of an authorized representative of the proposing agency is required on the unaltered statement in order for SHRP 2 to accept the agency's proposal for consideration. Proposals submitted without this executed and unaltered statement by the proposal deadline will be summarily rejected. An executed, unaltered statement indicates the agency's intent and ability to execute a contract that includes the provisions in the statement. The Liability Statement is Figure 1 in the Manual for Conducting Research and Preparing Proposals for SHRP 2 ( http://trb.org/shrp2/SHRPII_Instructions.asp ) (see General Note 4). Here is a printable version of the SHRP 2 Liability Statement ( http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/shrp2/LiabilityStatement.pdf ). A free copy of the Adobe Acrobat PDF reader is available at http://www.adobe.com. Delivery Address PROPOSAL-SHRP 2 ATTN: Neil F. Hawks Director, Strategic Highway Research Program 2 Transportation Research Board 500 Fifth Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 Phone: 202-334-1430 General Notes 1. Proposals will be evaluated by SHRP 2 staff and Expert Task Groups (ETGs) consisting of individuals collectively very knowledgeable in the problem area. Selection of an agency is made by the SHRP 2 Oversight Committee, based on the recommendation from SHRP 2 staff and the ETG. The following factors are considered: (1) the proposer's demonstrated understanding of the problem; (2) the merit of the proposed research approach and experimental design; (3) the experience, qualifications, and objectivity of the research team in the same or closely related problem area; (4) the proposer's plan for participation by disadvantaged business enterprises-small firms owned and controlled by minorities or women; and (5) the adequacy of facilities. 2. Any clarifications regarding this RFP will be posted on the SHRP 2 Web site ( www.TBR.org/SHRP2 ). Announcements of such clarifications will be posted on the front page and, when possible, will be noted in the TRB e-newsletter. Proposers are advised to check the Web site frequently until August 26, 2008, when no further comments will be posted. 3. According to the provisions of Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 21, which relates to nondiscrimination in federally assisted programs, all parties are hereby notified that the contract entered into pursuant to this announcement will be awarded without discrimination on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or disability. 4. The essential features required in a proposal for research are detailed in the Manual for Conducting Research and Preparing Proposals for SHRP 2 ( http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/shrp2/PreparingSHRP2Reports.pdf ). Proposals must be prepared according to this document, and attention is directed specifically to Section IV for mandatory requirements. Proposals that do not conform to these requirements will be rejected. 5. The total funds available are made known in the project statement and line items of the budget are examined to determine the reasonableness of the allocation of funds to the various tasks. If the proposed total cost exceeds the funds available, the proposal is rejected. 6. All proposals become the property of the Transportation Research Board. Final disposition will be made according to the policies thereof, including the right to reject all proposals. IMPORTANT NOTICE Potential proposers should understand that the research project described herein is tentative. The final content of the program depends on the level of funding made available. Nevertheless, to be prepared to execute research contracts as soon as possible after sponsors' approvals, the Strategic Highway Research Program is assuming that the tentative program will become official in its entirety and is proceeding with requests for proposals and selections of research agencies.
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