Nguyen, P H D and Tran, D (2024) Exploring the use of quality control plans for alternative contracting methods in highway projects. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 150(5): 04024030, ISSN 0733-9364
Abstract
Quality control (QC) is an essential component of quality assurance (QA) programs used to monitor and ensure the highway construction projects' quality. After receiving the contractor's QC plan, state departments of transportation (DOTs) conduct review and acceptance, monitor the QC process, and ensure construction quality by performing inspection activities. Given that state DOTs are increasingly implementing alternative contracting methods (ACMs), including construction manager/general contractor (CM/GC), design-build (D-B), and public-private partnerships (P3), it is essential to consider the impact of shifting more responsibility to the contractor on quality management activities, including developing and monitoring QC plans throughout the project development. The objective of this paper was to investigate the implementation of QC plans for administering QA specifications in highway infrastructure projects delivered using ACMs. The data collected from a national survey questionnaire of 43 DOTs in the US and structured interviews with seven DOT representatives were employed to investigate this research's objective. As a result, eight typical requirements of QC plans in ACM projects were identified in terms of certification and qualification of QC personnel and process control. Additionally, the standard of care of QC staff in ACMs was not found to be higher than that in design-bid-build. Nine risk factors related to the oversight of QC plans in D-B, CM/GC, and P3 highway projects were identified. There was no statistical difference in the nine risk scores among D-B, CM/GC, and P3 projects. The findings from seven case studies provide insights regarding the implementation of QC plans for ACM highway projects. This study contributes to the body of knowledge by advancing the understanding of how state agencies execute and oversee QC activities in ACM projects. The outcomes of this study may help state DOTs identify optimal QC practices to administer the QA process in ACM projects.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | alternative contracting methods; quality assurance; quality control |
| Index terms: | national survey, case study, qualification, partnership, design-bid-build, inspection, highway construction, monitoring, risk factor, highway infrastructure, quality management, implementation, quality control, project development, personnel, interview, certification, specification, general contractor, quality assurance, program, process control, construction manager, contracting method, questionnaire, body of knowledge, agency, construction quality |
| Subjects: | profession, data collection methods, control systems, practitioner, research products and data, knowledge management, contractual arrangements, project delivery, management, educational resources, civil engineering, software systems, contractual condition, partnership management, sociology, administrative processes, quality assurance, environmental hazards |
| Topics: | Procurement, Sustainability, Stakeholder Management, Roles and Professions, Project Management, Research Practice, Information Management, Engineering Principles, Site Management, Education, Contract Administration, Human Resources, Quality Management, Digital Applications |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here