Testing Procedures Committee

The Testing Procedures Committee is charged with the responsibility for the creation and revision of all DOTD Testing and Reporting procedures. The committee is made up of representatives from the Materials and Testing Section, the District Laboratories, Technology Transfer and Training, Contracts and Specifications, the Construction Division, and the Federal Highway Administration. The chairman of the committee is the Materials Engineer Administrator.

The Materials Qualifications Unit is responsible for the publication of the Testing Procedures Manual.

The Testing Procedures Manual gives the DOTD testing and reporting procedures which ensure consistency and accuracy in the Department's Quality Assurance Program. These procedures are utilized when testing materials related to DOTD construction and maintenance activities. All DOTD TR procedures are approved by the FHWA for use on federally funded projects.

POLICY FOR SUBMITTING NEW OR REVISED TESTING PROCEDURES

Following are guidelines governing the submission and adoption of new procedures or revisions to existing procedures for the Testing Procedures Manual. The DOTD Testing Procedures Guidelines for Standard Format may be found at the beginning of Volume 1 of the Testing Procedures Manual.

A. Submission of Procedures

1. In accordance with the DOTD Testing Procedures Guidelines for Standard Format and the following.

a. New procedures shall be forwarded to the Testing Procedures Committee Chairman with a cover letter briefly explaining the necessity or reasons for establishing the new procedure.

b. Revised procedures shall be forwarded to the Testing Procedures Committee Chairman with a cover letter briefly summarizing the revisions made. In addition, for minor changes, the submitter must include a copy of the existing procedure with all parts where changes are proposed underlined and the suggested revisions clearly indicated. For major revisions, a completely revised procedure, developed in accordance with the DOTD Testing Procedures Guidelines for Standard Format must be submitted.

1. All proposed additions, changes or revisions to the Testing Procedures Manual are studied, corrected and/or changed by the Testing Procedures Committee.

2. After the committee has completed its evaluation of the testing or sampling procedure, it is submitted to the Testing Procedures Review Group which consists of the Construction Engineer Administrator, Maintenance Engineer Administrator, Associate Director of LTRC, each District Training Specialist and each District Laboratory Engineer.

3. Members of the review group are furnished a copy of the complete procedure and requested to evaluate and make written suggestions within a specified period for either changing the procedure or approving it as written. If the requested comments from the review group are not received by expiration of the deadline, it is assumed that silence is approval.

4. After all comments are received, the committee prepares a final draft of the proposed procedure and submits it to the DOTD Chief Engineer for approval. Following approval of the Chief Engineer, the proposed procedure is submitted to the FHWA for final approval.

5. After approval by the FHWA is received, the Materials Qualifications Unit has the procedure printed and distributed to all persons having Testing Procedures Manuals.

6. The Materials Qualifications Unit maintains a supply of current printed procedures for the Testing Procedures Manual, Volumes 1 and 2 and the Field Testing Procedures Manual, which are furnished upon submission of a request to the Materials Qualifications Unit.

The following agencies and personnel are authorized to receive the Testing Procedures Manual at no charge.

1. Materials engineers from highway agencies of all fifty states and Puerto Rico.
2. Governmental agencies (local, state and federal).
3. Authorized DOTD employees.
4. Consulting engineers serving as project engineers.
5. Consulting engineers performing design work for the Department.

All other entities may purchase a Testing Procedures Manual by contacting the General Files Section, 1200 Capitol Access Rd., P.O. Box 94245, Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9245, (225) 379-1107. The manuals will then be mailed or may be picked up from the Materials and Testing Section.