DOT, FED HWY ADMN, Office of Acquisition Management, 400 7TH ST, SW, Room 4410, Washington, DC 20590

A -- DEVELOPMENT OF THE NDE VALIDATION CENTER SOL DTFH61-96-R-00054 DUE 052496 POC Behrooz Behpoory, Contract Specialist, (202)-366-4224. The objective of this project is to construct and maintain an NDE Validation Center for the development and testing of nondestructive evaluation technologies with highway applications. This Validation Center will accelerate the development of NDE, and establish credible parameters for the implementation of new and existing technologies. This facility will act as a national center for researchers and industry involved in the development of NDE methods. The Validation Center will be available to the research and industrial community for the testing of new and existing NDE technologies. This project will include the creation of a Test Control Center (TCC) in the structural research lab located in the Annex building at the TFHRC in McLean, VA. This TCC will act as a nucleus for development and testing of NDE technologies with highway applications. The TCC will support three bridges identified for use as test bridges. The bridges will enable researchers and industry to test equipment and methods under real world conditions, while providing detailed parametric data of test conditions. Defects and deterioration that may be the subject of NDE methods will be documented and controlled in these test structures, such that scientific studies of the capabilities of an NDE method may be performed. The TCC will support a computer modeling facility that will maintain and monitor remote links to the test structures, and provide detailed finite element models of the structures. The computer facility will support the modeling of NDE tests, evaluation of test results, and post - processing of test data. Control specimens will be created in the TCC for preliminary test and evaluation of NDE methods. The control specimens will provide researchers with the ability to test new methods, evaluate the ability of methods to detect defects and deterioration, and demonstrate the quantitative capabilities of a technology. Additionally, methods will be developed for implanting defects in the test bridges to enhance the value of the bridges as evaluation tools. The validation center will be utilized by the research and industrial community for the testing of NDE technologies on a continuing basis following the development of the center. It is anticipated that a consortium of State Department of Transportation, university and/or industrial partners will be required to effectively accomplish the project goals. All responsible sources may submit a proposal which shall be considered by FHWA. To expedite the request, please furnish two self addressed gummed lables for each solicitation requested. The solicitation number should appear on the bottom edge of the labels. (0081)

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