Exploring Emerging Technologies for Highway Construction Inspection

Abstract

Inspection for highway construction is essential for State Departments of Transportation (DOT) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to provide high-quality products and facilities that meet or exceed specified quality standards. State DOTs have historically specified quality standards based on detailed instructions describing the required materials and construction methods. However, because of the growing infrastructure demand and reductions in the number and experience levels of inspectors, state DOTs are seeking methods to achieve greater efficiencies in quality management. In the digital age, various technologies exist that convey efficient approaches for completing specific tasks and assignments. In addition, emerging new and innovative technologies are changing how state DOTs deliver, inspect, and maintain highway construction projects. New and emerging technologies support the acquisition of digital data for estimating quantities, verifying and accepting, creating as-built records, and enhancing visualization. Despite these rapid advancements, these technologies are still in their infancy, and much work remains. When implemented thoughtfully and appropriately, technology can produce a significant return on investment, safety, and efficiency benefits. To address this knowledge gap, this research aims at exploring the technologies used by DOTs to inspect highway infrastructure during the construction and maintenance of assets. Three main types of technologies, including geospatial technologies, remote sensing & monitoring technologies, and mobile devices & software applications, were investigated in detail. This dissertation is divided into four main segments. The first segment is a literature review to understand the use of various technologies in highway construction and maintenance sites. The second part is a survey distributed to members of state DOTs to gather information about the using of various technologies in different highway construction and maintenance activities. The survey also aimed to collect the issues preventing some DOTs from fully adapting technologies in highway construction. The data collected from the survey is then analyzed and visually represented. The third segment is conducting a statistical analysis to examine prior experience's effect on using the technologies in various activities. Finally, a descriptive conclusion regarding the need for expertise to use the technology is presented from the analysis. The fourth segment of this dissertation is a case study regarding the Return on Investment (ROI) of using mobile mapping technologies on highway construction sites. A case study in Jordan was conducted in detail. The ROI result of this case study is compared to a case study conducted in the United States (Oregon DOT) to see how different environments can affect the ROI on the use of similar technology. The results varied substantially due to labor and implementation environment variables. This research found that state DOTs have used various technologies for highway inspection during construction and maintenance with different degrees of success. Furthermore, it was found that the lack of training is one of the main factors that are holding back the adaptation of technology in the inspection process. According to the Chi-square statistical analysis, it was found that some technologies can be used for certain activities without having a significant experience to achieve the desired results. This study is one of the first attempts to examine the use of technologies for inspection for both construction and maintenance. This study's results may help practitioners better understand which technologies are suitable for their specific construction inspection activities. The findings also help transportation asset managers evaluate and select the technologies to better understand the asset conditions.