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Transportation Talk: EU-Compliance Law That Will Affect U.S.

New Road Products: ConExpo-Con/Agg Sneak Peek3 23

PAGE PAGE Kirk Landers: Solutions for a Bankrupt Trust Fund 28

PAGE

Road Science Noteworthy Road-ConstructionEquipment Technology atConExpo-Con/Agg Page 5

Contractor Wins $1 Million Case Against Government Page 20

Stringless Pavingin the Fastest Billion-Dollar U.S. Project

3

January 2014 www.BetterRoads.com

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You’re on.TM www.JohnDeere.com/graders

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Text INFO to 205-289-3789 or visit www.betterroads.com/info

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January 2014 Volume 84, Number 1 Contents

Better Roads April 2013 1

ProduCts & serviCe

24 Marketplace 27 Advertiser Index

3 transportation talk: REACH: How this European law will challenge the U.S. equip-ment manufacturing market.

20 in Court: Federal court rejects government’s motion to dismiss a claim for nearly $1 mil-lion based on contract ambiguity.

28 Kirk Landers: Solutions for a bank-rupt Highway Trust Fund: Three fearless forecasts for road funding changes in the next decade.

CoLumns & dePartments

top reads:• Chevy unveils 2015 Colorado pickup, available fall 2014:

betterroads.com/chevy-2015-colorado• Proposed bill would raise federal gas tax by $0.15 for

highway funding: betterroads.com/federal-gas-taxContribute: If your agency or crew has worked on an exceptional project, or if you want to share your thoughts on current transporta-tion issues, email your ideas for a blog or contributed story to Online Managing Editor Amanda Bayhi at [email protected]. com and Editor-at-Large Tina Grady Barbaccia at [email protected].

Contributed: Dowel Bar Retrofit: Where Are We Now? The International Grooving & Grinding Association (IGGA) looks at past and present dowel bar retrofit case studies. betterroads.com/dbr

Contributed: Kandiyohi County uses aggregate base stabilizer on damaged county road. How liquid stabilizer was used to increase the granular equivalency (GE) value of aggregate base. betterroads.com/kandiyohi-county-aggregate

How the use of stringless paving technology on the Utah I-15 Corridor Expansion Project was used to save money, complete the project two years ahead of sched-ule and allow for future expansion plans. It was finished in 35 months, making it the fastest billion-dollar public highway project ever built in the United States.

HIGHwAy CONTRACTOR: No Strings Attached

trending online BetterRoads.com

Subscribe to our newsletter! For daily news updates sent directly to your inbox, subscribe to our free newsletter. Visit betterroads.com to sign up.

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23

ROAd SCIENCE: Expo Engineering

ConExpo-Con/Agg Products

Hundreds of products new to ConExpo-Con/Agg 2014 will be on display at that triennial exposition this year, but some of them will be distinguished by the advanced science and engineering that has gone into perfecting them. Here is a sneak peak at the most noteworthy.

A sneak peek at the equipment that will be shown at this every-three-year show.

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Tensar TriAx Geogrid saves youmoney in more ways than one.

The industry-leader has once again revolutionized the geogrid landscape. Tensar TriAx Geogrid helps save on construction costs by optimizing aggregate requirements, reducing labor costs through quick and simple installation, and even reducing future maintenance costs by improving structural performance. Compare it with conventional Tensar BX Geogrid, and judge the facts for yourself.

Learn the facts about Tensar TriAx Geogrid and how you can save money on your next project.Call 888-827-9737 or visit Triaxfacts.com/BR to request information or schedule a job site demonstration.


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E nforcement for the European Union’s (EU) REACH – the Regulation on Registration, Evaluation, Authorisiation [sic] and Restriction of Chemicals – regulations began on June 1, 2007, to control chemical manufacturing.

Under these new protocols, existing chemicals, when there is evidence of concern, are identifi ed as Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC). These trigger immediate reporting requirements to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) and then may be banned until safety is established.

The SVHC list is continuously changing, with new substances added several times per year. More than 1,000 of these SVHCs are expected to be on the list by 2020. EU REACH also has a restrictions list that allows certain substances to be used only for specifi ed purposes. ECHA provides and maintains IUCLID (International Uniform Chemical Information Database), a software application provided free that captures, stores, maintains and exchanges data on intrinsic and hazard properties of chemical substances.

These regulations are far-reaching. As the SVHC list regularly changes, it could become a trade barrier by potentially forcing U.S. equipment manufacturers to redesign their products or be banned from the EU marketplace, according to the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) EU REACH Equipment Brief.

“In addition, as materials and substances are identifi ed in the EU as SVHCs, this knowledge of their toxicity is now public information,” says John Wagner, AEM director of materials management. “If these substances are used in construction projects, contractors may have potential legal liability for their impact.”

To ensure exports can continue, AEM suggests three important steps: Manufacturers need to become aware what substances are restricted, banned or require notifi cation; identify the substance content of all materials used; and eliminate use of these chemicals through redesign.

REACH is changing the regulatory environment and making it more onerous. Like Tier 4 regulations, these EU regulations may increase manufacturing costs, which will most certainly be passed on to the end-user. This will affect contractor costs and make everything more diffi cult and expensive to buy and use.

We all want to protect the environment. But, we don’t want to be overregulated where it’s going to cost jobs and make it impossible to get the equipment we need. The repercussions from REACH are potentially more damaging than anyone has acknowledged. As the nation is recovering from the severe economic recession, we can’t afford any impairment. (For a glossary of REACH terms, go to page 6 on aem.org/pdf/2013-10_EU-REACH-executive-brief.pdf.)❖

by Tina Grady Barbaccia, Editor-At-Large

[email protected]

Better Roads January 2014 3

The EU’s REACH regs have implica-tions for U.S. equipment market

Editorial Editor-At-Large: Tina Grady Barbaccia

Editorial Director: Marcia Gruver Doyle

Online Editor: Wayne Grayson

Online Managing Editor: Amanda Bayhi

Production Editor: Lauren Heartsill Dowdle

Editor Emeritus: Kirk Landers

Truck Editor: Jack Roberts

Construction Editors: Tom Jackson, Tom Kuennen, Dan Brown

[email protected]

Design & ProductionArt Director: Sandy Turner, Jr.

Production Designer: Timothy Smith

Advertising Production Manager: Linda Hapner

[email protected]

Construction MediaSenior VP of Market Development, Construction

Media: Dan Tidwell

VP of Sales, Construction Media: Joe Donald

[email protected]

CorporateChairman/CEO: Mike Reilly

President: Brent Reilly

Chief Process O� cer: Shane Elmore

Chief Administration O� cer: David Wright

Senior Vice President, Sales: Scott Miller

Senior Vice President, Editorial and Research: Linda Longton

Vice President of Events: Alan Sims

Vice President, Audience Development: Stacy McCants

Vice President, Digital Services: Nick Reid

Director of Marketing: Julie Arsenault

3200 Rice Mine Rd NETuscaloosa, AL 35406800-633-5953 randallreilly.com

For change of address and other subscription inquiries, please contact: [email protected]

Better RoadsTM magazine, (ISSN 0006-0208) founded in 1931 by Alden F. Perrin, is published monthly by Randall-Reilly Publishing Company, LLC.© 2014. Executive and Administrative offices, 3200 Rice Mine Rd. N.E., Tuscaloosa, AL 35406. Qualified subscriptions solicited exclusively from governmental road agencies, contractors, consultants, research organiza-tions, and equipment and materials suppliers. Single copy price $5.00 in U.S. and Canada. Subscription rate for individuals qualified in U.S. and Canada $24.95. Foreign $105.00. Special group rates to companies quali-fied in quantities over five names. We assume no responsibility for the va-lidity of claims of manufacturers in any advertisement or editorial product information or literature offered by them. Publisher reserves the right to refuse non-qualified subscriptions. Periodical circulation postage paid at Tuscaloosa, Alabama and additional entries. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by an information storage retrieval system, without written permission of the copyright owner. For quality custom reprints, e-prints, and editorial copyright and licensing services please contact: Linda Hapner, (224) 723-5372 or [email protected]. POSTMASTER: Send all UAA to CFS. (See DMM 707.4.12.5); NON-POSTAL AND MILITARY FACILITIES: send address corrections to Better Roads, 3200 Rice Mine Road N.E., Tuscaloosa, AL 35406.

Correction: In the December 2013 issue of Better Roads’ “Transportation Talk,” Gov. Bob McDonnell was misidentifi ed as governor of Pennsylvania. Gov. Tom Corbett is the current governor of Penn-sylvania. McDonnell is the governor of Virginia. We apologize for the error.

TransportationTalk

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Smart decisions are rare in Vegas. This trip will be different.

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Plan now to meet us in Las Vegas for CONEXPO/CON-AGG 2014. Talk with our experts about the latest industry trends, and get an

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RoadScienceby Tom Kuennen, Contributing Editor

H undreds of products new to ConExpo-Con/

Agg 2014 will be on display at that triennial

exposition this year, but some of them will

be distinguished by the advanced science and

engineering that has gone into perfecting them.

This month, Road Science takes a close look at noteworthy

road construction equipment technology at ConExpo-Con/

Agg. In our February issue next month, we’ll examine the

science and technology behind road construction materials to

be exhibited there.

Plan now to attend ConExpo-Con/Agg 2014 in Las Vegas

March 4 to 8. Visit conexpoconagg.com for more information.

Cat track, compaction controlRecent technological improvements that are engineered and

built into Caterpillar’s paving, compaction and cold-planing

products will be on display at ConExpo-Con/Agg 2014.

“Customers tell us they want technology with function —

technology that helps them improve their productivity and

their bottom lines,” says Jim McReynolds, president, Caterpillar

Paving Products. “Our ultimate goal is to provide customers

with solutions that reduce their owning and operating costs.”

The Mobil-Trac undercarriage, available on many new Cat

pavers, provides best-in-class traction, with the high travel

speeds and maneuverability, Caterpillar says. Work is com-

pleted quickly, and pavers can perform under varied and

demanding conditions.

With this undercarriage, an oscillating bogie design

provides multiple pivot points, so the undercarriage easily

overcomes bumps and dips. The tow point is isolated from

the deviations and ride quality is enhanced.

Friction-drive with automatic belt tensioning has always

been part of the system, Cat says. Belts do not slip, while

rubber-coated components prevent the build-up of asphalt

that is common to other belt drive systems, and leads to

Here’s a sneak peek at the technologies behind exceptional equipment for roadbuilding at ConExpo-Con/Agg 2014

Expo EngineeringThe Caterpillar Mobil-Trac undercarriage delivers traction on heavily tacked surfaces, and the large ground-contact area minimizes the base disturbance on soft materials.

Photo courtesy of Caterpillar, Inc.

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RoadScience

6 January 2014 Better Roads

premature belt failure. Guide lugs keep the belt centered for

maximum performance.

Mobil-Trac undercarriage delivers traction on heavily

tacked surfaces, and the large ground contact area minimizes

base disturbance on soft materials. The operator always has

full control for steering and the ability to push trucks.

Cat Compaction Control is featured on new Cat soil

compactors, tandem vibratory compactors and pneumatic

rollers and is one element of a suite of intelligent compaction

technologies.

For soil compactors, the basic system provides compaction

measurement using either Compaction Meter Value (CMV)

or Machine Drive Power (MDP) technology, with the ability

to boost the system with GPS mapping capability. For tandem

vibratory rollers and pneumatic compactors, the system pro-

vides pass-count information and GPS mapping, enabling the

operators to achieve more homogeneous and effective com-

paction by making sure the right number of passes is made.

Features beyond pass-count information are available,

including infrared sensors on the front and rear to continu-

ously measure asphalt temperatures. The accumulated data

may be stored for later analysis so processes can be examined,

adjusted and archived.

MDP, an exclusive technology, is available on new Cat

B-Series soil compactors, and is unique in that it measures

compaction with the vibe system on or off. MDP measures

rolling resistance as an indication of soil stiffness. It measures

closer to the depth that the machines are able to compact. It

also measures closer to lift thickness. The measurements are

less impacted by the dampening effect of cohesive soils, so it

can be used on padfoot machines.

Cat Compaction Control, whether using CMV or MDP mea-

surement, can also use a Global Navigation Satellite System –

such as GPS – to provide positioning information to map pass

count, coverage and compaction measurement details. This

data can be stored for review at a later time.

Visit Caterpillar Inc. at its indoor booth No. 10915 in the

North Hall and outdoor booth No. 1015 in the Gold Lot or at

cat.com.

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) offers intel-

ligent compaction (IC) advice. Along these lines, the FHWA

now offers IC phone and e-mail support as part of its national

effort to deploy IC throughout the US.

The IC Technical Support Service Center (TSSC) will answer

all IC-related questions, including those regarding specifications,

IC workshops/IC equipment demos, Veda data management

software, pilot project selection and IC-related technical docu-

ments.

Phone and email support is available Monday through Fri-

day from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CST. Call the IC Support Hotline at

512-659 1231 or email [email protected].

In addition to phone and email support, the IC TSSC also

provides local assistance, workshops, equipment demos, and

an online library of technical documents and other resources.

For more information, visit intelligentcompaction.com.

TanGO with BOMAGBOMAG Americas Inc. will introduce technologically ad-

vanced oscillation technology at ConExpo-Con/Agg at booth

No. 50675.

Oscillation compacts asphalt or soil with a horizontal ef-

fort, without introducing vertical vibrations into adjoining

structures or bridge decks.

BOMAG’s Tangential Oscillation, dubbed TanGO, will be

shown on its new BW161ADO-4 tandem roller. BOMAG

TanGO oscillation makes use of the physical laws of vibration

generation to its best effect, the maker says. The careful coor-

dination of exciter system to drum weight ratios is the basis

for BOMAG’s tangential oscillation. Target applications for

this compaction technology are on bridge structures and for

working in close proximity to buildings. Usage for intermedi-

ate and finish rolling are additional proven applications.

With tangential oscillation always applied horizontally, it

maintains continuous ground contact, and efficient compac-

tion results are often able to be seen immediately after a few

roller passes. The interaction of TanGO oscillation from the

rear drum and traditional vibration power from the front

BOMAG TanGO oscillation makes use of the physical laws of vibration genera-tion to its best effect.

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Bobcat® and the Bobcat logo are registered trademarks of Bobcat Company in the United States and various other countries. ©2014 Bobcat Company. All Rights Reserved. | 1204X-0

SEE WHO WINS GOING HEAD-TO-HEAD.Do you want to see how compact excavators perform in head-to-head competitions or watch side-by-side comparisons relating to performance, serviceability and durability? Before you buy your next excavator, watch our video comparisons of excavators. Not only do the videos show you which excavator is best, they explain the small details that increase your performance and reduce your downtime. You can watch all the videos at BobcatAdvantage.com/faceoff1 or scan the code and find out who comes out on top.

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ROAD AND MINERAL TECHNOLOGIES

Wirtgen Group, the technology leader in road construction and mineral processing with the market leading brands Wirtgen, Vögele, Hamm and Kleemann. Four brands – One technology leader. Experience it at CONEXPO 2014.

CONEXPO 2014 Las Vegas Convention Center · Central Hall · Booth No. 51021March 4-8, 2014 · Tuesday - Friday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.www.wirtgenamerica.com

FOUR OF A KIND:THE WIRTGEN GROUP

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drum provides practical advantages on difficult-to-compact

asphalt mixes. This directly leads to achieving desirable

smoothness and density results, BOMAG says.

BOMAG is planning future TanGO introductions into other

roller weight classes. For more information, visit go to No.

50675 in the Central Hall or BOMAG.com/us.

Case SCR Exhaust TechnologyCase Construction Equipment introduced an innovative,

low-maintenance, Tier 4 Interim emissions control system on

a new line of dozers in October. The first selective catalytic

reduction (SCR) technologies built into a dozer are part of the

new M Series line of five dozers, which includes models rang-

ing from 92 to 214 hp.

Case is the first heavy equipment manufacturer to build

proven selective catalytic reduction engine technology into

a dozer to meet Tier 4-interim standards. The engines on the

four larger models are built by Fiat Powertrain Technologies

and offer advantages in terms of maintenance (no regenera-

tion or diesel particulate filter to maintain) and fuel efficiency

(some models experience fuel savings up to 14 percent).

One of the greatest advantages of SCR in this application re-

lates to machine performance, Case says. SCR is suited for doz-

ers because it lets the engine run at peak performance under

variable loads without compromising the power or drawbar

pull that achieves the brute force required for earthmoving.

In addition to the SCR technology, key features found on

M Series dozers include best-in-class drawbar

pull, increased horsepower ratings, fuel savings

up to 14 percent, industry leading visibility,

new versatile controls and a pressurized cab for

optimal comfort, according to Case.

The smaller 750M, designed primarily for

the rental market, features a cooled exhaust gas

recirculation engine also produced by Fiat. This

emissions treatment requires diesel particulate

filter maintenance but no end-user involvement

in filling diesel exhaust fluid.

See the line at Case’s indoor exhibit at Booth

No. 11722 in the North Hall and adjacent Booth

No. 12012 or visit casece.com.

Volvo: Fuel Savings via ITSVolvo Construction Equipment manufactures and markets

equipment for the road construction industry, including

wheel loaders, excavators, articulated haulers, motor graders,

asphalt milling machines and pavers, soil and asphalt com-

pactors, backhoe loaders, skid steer loaders, compact wheel

loaders and compact excavators.

Coming to Volvo Construction Equipment will be Intelli-

gent Transport Systems (ITS), which may reduce fuel con-

sumption by up to 30 percent in certain applications while

increasing safety.

Hundreds of engineers at Volvo CE are making equipment as

fuel efficient as possible, the company says. One area of Volvo

technological development is wireless machine-to-machine

(M2M) and machine-to-infrastructure (M2I) communication.

Volvo CE has conducted tests to calculate the potential fuel

savings M2M communication could bring to articulated haul-

ers working in the quarry and aggregates segment.

The project monitored a hauler, loaded with rocks from

an excavator, traveling to the crushing site. The machine was

fitted with an internal measurement system to verify the fuel

consumption. The hauler was operated by different drivers, at

both constant and varied speeds, with different amounts of

idle time and both with and without stops along the way. Tests

showed that when the hauler traveled faster than necessary

to the crusher, and as a result had to wait before unloading,

fuel consumption was up to 30 percent higher compared to

when the hauler traveled at a constant speed and arrived at the

optimum moment.

The first selective catalytic reduction (SCR) technologies built into a dozer are part of Case Construc-tion Equipments’ M-Series line of dozers.

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RoadScience


Get the ultimate up-close look at the future of asphalt.CONEXPO-CON/AGG represents an immense unveiling of all the newest equipment, technology and product breakthroughs in asphalt. Bringing you the latest in everything from warm-mix asphalt to making roads smoother, it’s the one show that paves the way to working smarter.

Pre-register to get show updates at conexpoconagg.com

UNCOVER WHAT’S NEWUNCOVER WHAT’S NEWUNCOVER WHAT’S NEW

March 4-8, 2014 | Las Vegas conVention center | Las Vegas, Usa Co-located with ®2014

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Thus, by using M2M communication the operator would

know exactly when to arrive at the crusher and what speed

to travel at to get there. Through reducing machine speed and

idle time, fuel consumption and machine wear and tear are

minimized, and an effi cient fl ow of equipment is facilitated.

The next stage of the project will be to provide the opera-

tor with information – such as target speed and arrival time

– inside the cab. This live information will support and guide

operators to the most fuel effi cient operation and could

be presented in future concepts like heads-up displays and

other innovative approaches.

Volvo will exhibit its line of construction equipment at

booths No. 1300 in the Gold Lot (outdoor), and 10951 in

the North Hall, or visit volvoce.com.

Bergkamp Melds Patchers, SoftwareBergkamp Inc.’s new spray injection pothole patchers

incorporate exclusive engineering technology and will be

introduced at ConExpo-Con/Agg 2014 at Bergkamp’s booth

No. 8202 in the Platinum Lot.

Three new spray injection patchers

complement Bergkamp’s all-in-one FP5

fl ameless pothole patcher, and may be

used with the intelligent InPave pothole

patching management system to provide

users with a technologically advanced

patching program.

In Pave helps a user monitor and

manage pothole-patching performance.

Multiple data reporting sensors are stra-

tegically placed throughout the patcher

that log production, performance and

locations of pothole patcher and crew,

the maker says.

As potholes are repaired, InPave

automatically gathers and reports data

such as quantity of potholes repaired,

location, time and material used for

each repair, and material levels and tem-

peratures. Retrieved from any computer

with internet access, the data can then

be turned into easy-to-read reports that

assist managers and owners in evaluat-

ing current and historic production.

They can also use these data to verify patching performance

and material usage, troubleshoot potential pothole problems

and help reduce ineffi ciencies. No software needs to be

downloaded. Visit bergkampinc.com for more information.

Web Exclusive: Read about Hamm’s Tier 4 dirt roller that transforms into a concrete breaker at betterroads.com/hamm-dirt-roller.

Bergkamp’s InPave pothole patching management system provides users with a technologically advanced patching program.

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From industry-leading snow and ice education sessions to an exhibit floor packed with vendors waiting to show you the latest technologies, equipment and processes to help keep your community safe, the Snow Conference has it all! You’ll even have a chance to participate in a special discussion with leading associations where you can help determine where their dollars are being spent for winter maintenance research!

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Untitled-8 1 12/26/13 9:29 AM


W hen placing concrete, staying within the determined lines is absolutely critical to achieving accurate pavement smoothness and thickness in the proper location. But

the use of total robotic stations with 3-D modeling enables paving with added accuracy without physical stringlines.

This technology, known as stringless paving, is computer-model replacement of stringline guidance using electronic tracking process that controls horizontal and vertical move-ment of slipform pavers.

Conventional concrete-pavement construction uses a physi-cal guidance system with a string or wire – i.e. a stringline – on one or both sides of the paving train of equipment to ensure there is proper pavement thickness and alignment. This method uses both horizontal and vertical control for the

equipment to place the necessary pavement thickness in the required location, according to Iowa Department of Transpor-tation and the Iowa Highway Research Board in the National Concrete Pavement Technology Center at Iowa State Uni-versity’s Stringless Portland Cement Concrete Paving Final Report (Project TR-490).

The placement and verifi cation of the stringline is time in-tensive and can limit access to the area in front of the slipform paver because a space is needed on each side of the paving machine to set the survey control line near the paver.

Stringless control allows the guidance without the need for a physical stringline. The system, which controls the paver through radio signals, depends on robotic station technology. The paving sequence is completed in a controlled environ-ment. The paver is fed information, which enables operators

How the use of stringless paving technology on the Utah I-15 Corridor Expansion Project saved time and money.

Allison’s automatic transmission features fluid drive and a torque converter. Adherents argue these provide 100-percent power and double rim pull, making them ideal for vocational applications.

No Strings Attached

HighwayContractorBy Tina Grady Barbaccia

HighwayContractor_BR0114.indd 13 1/2/14 8:57 AM

HighwayContractor


to make small adjustments during the paving process.Use of stringless paving technology proved to be impor-

tant with Utah’s 1-15 Corridor Expansion Project, which re-constructed 24 miles of freeway from Lehi, Utah, to Spanish Fork, Utah. The project widened the freeway by two lanes in each direction; replaced the original asphalt with new 40-year concrete pavement; extended the Express Lane from Lehi Main Street to Spanish Fork and rebuilt or replaced 63 bridges and 10 freeway interchanges. The complex project was completed nearly two years ahead of the Utah Depart-ment of Transportation’s (UDOT) original schedule. It was fi nished in 35 months, making it the fastest billion-dollar public highway project ever built in the United States.

Massive job, more effi ciencyThe upfront challenge was the “sheer magnitude” of the project, says Kelly Steeves, concrete paving manager for Provo River Constructors (PRC), the joint-venture paving contractor for the project comprised of Ames, Floure, Ralph L. Wadsworth and Wadsworth Brothers. “The typical concrete paving job let is 150,000 to 200,000 square yards per con-struction season,” says Steeves, who is now paving account manager for Leica Geosystems North America, a manufac-turer of total robotic stations used in stringless paving. “We completed 2.8 million square yards of concrete paving in two years.”

The added effi ciency of us-ing stringless paving technol-ogy enabled the team to com-plete the job ahead of schedule and under budget, he says. “Typically, it takes roughly two days to set up for one paving pass on a project,” he explains. “We had more than 1,000 pave passes. When you do the math, you are automatically out of days to get the job com-pleted in time. The dynamics of this job was pretty much 24/7 for two years.”

But the PRC team man-aged to complete it ahead of schedule and under budget. The $1.5 billion project had a $1.725 billion price tag (in-cluding ROW) in the original

request for proposal. The project, which began Jan. 1, 2010, was completed on Dec. 31, 2012. The original completion date was slated for Dec. 31, 2014. The original length of portland cement concrete pavement was 14 miles, but 22 miles were actually completed.

In 2010, 380,993 total square yards were completed. In 2011, 1,380,061 square yards were completed, and in 2012, 1,038,946 square yards were completed. The last slipform paving day was Aug. 29, 2012.

The labor cost of placing and removing the stringlines and the diffi culty of working around the paving pins and string lines throughout a project is eliminated with stringless pav-ing, which helped speed up the I-15 Corridor Expansion project. “Placing and removing the stringlines is a continu-ous job that occupies a small crew throughout the project,” according to the Stringless Portland Cement Concrete Paving Final Report. The related costs include not only the labor cost, but also the cost of the equipment, such as tractors or trucks, that is needed to haul and distribute the stringlines, as well as the actual hardware that is needed for the stringlines.

“The overall challenges of working around the stakes and stringlines can be eliminated leaving fewer obstructions when moving equipment around and preparing the sub-base for paving,” according to the report. “An increase in effi ciency and productivity is also possible with more direct routes delivering concrete and materials to the site. The need

Provo River Constructors (PRC) reconstructed 24 miles of freeway with two lanes in each direction using stringless paving in the Utah 1-15 Corridor Expansion Project. The project was completed two years ahead of schedule.

HighwayContractor_BR0114.indd 14 1/2/14 1:21 PM

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ATSSA’S 44Th AnnuAl ConvenTion & TrAffiC expo

20142014201420142014201420142014201420142014201420142014201420142014201420142014201420142014201420142014201420142014201420142014201420142014201420142014henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center

San Antonio, TexasConvenTion: february 21–25, 2014

TrAffiC expo: february 23–25, 2014

ENGAGE. Join thousands of your colleagues at this dynamic, annual event that brings together every segment of the roadway safety industry:•Manufacturers •Suppliers •Federal, State and Local public agencies •Legislative advocacy professionals •Contractors

EXPLORE. •Breakthrough products presented by nearly

200 exhibitors during ATSSA’s legendary Traffic Expo

•Solutions to industry challenges •The future of the roadway safety industry

EXPAND.Compare notes with industry experts when you attend workshops and power talk sessions covering all aspects of the roadway safety industry including: •Guardrails •Work Zones •Emergency Response •Signage •Pavement Marking •Traffic Signals • Intelligent Transportation Systems •High Friction Surfacing •and More . . .

for more information, go to www.atssa.com or call 800-272-8772

Sunday, February 23Noon–5:30 p.m.

Monday, February 2411:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

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1. Create a survey control network. “All of this is based off of your existing roadway,” says Kelly Steeves, concrete paving manager for Provo River Constructors (PRC), the contractor on the Utah I-15 Corridor Expansion project and now paving account manager for Leica Geosystems. “You don’t want to cut too much or fill too much of an existing road.” Steeves suggests setting up controls “where you still have a smooth roadway, minimizing dirt excavation and moving the dirt around.” He also advises having benchmarks set up as you move through the project, with each standard tying into specific segments of a project “so there aren’t any dips or humps.”

With the I-15 CORE Project, the project team wanted to leave as much of the roadway as possible in the natural elevation. Some variations had to be done with the new bridges. “Those new benchmarks — i.e. controls points — had to be elevated going into a ver-tical curve and going uphill and back down,” Steeves points out. “All of those had to be smoothed out.”

2. Collect filled survey data of the surface. This requires a great deal of upfront work during the design phase. “Once the design of the roadway is established, this information is used to create the 3-D model,” Steeves explains. “With the existing bridge, we needed to go out and take true elevation shots. Maybe the bridge is off a tenth in elevation or we had to field-fit a section not per design. That is the kind of data manipulation we need to do. Per design, we are at one elevation but the reality is that we may be at another elevation.”

He gives the example of the segment of a slab on the bridge where this was a bump, with one bump being worse in one lane than the other. “Those are

the tie-ins that often need to be manipulated,” Steeves says. “Sometimes you fly right over, and you don’t realize you went over a bridge because they are so smooth. This is how it should be.”

Stringless paving helps achieve this type smooth-ness, Steeves notes, because “with this method, you can see it on a computer screen and can see where the roadway will be. You can really fine tune down to the ‘N’ on the computer and have so much more control over the smoothness without a bunch of wirelines. Tying into a wireline on bridges can be dif-ficult,” Steeves says. There are also major financial in-centives for creating smoother pavement from DOTs.

3. Design the roadway and create a 3-D model. It’s important to work closely with the design team to create a model of the project plan. “When paving stringless, the information being fed into the paver is being compared to the design,” Steeves says. DOTs put out paper plans so the contractor must convert 2-D plans into a 3-D D45 file. “It is advantageous to work directly with the designer on a 3-D model be-cause it makes it easier to note if something doesn’t line up on the roadway and correct it before out on the jobsite,” he says.

4. Transfer 3-D model and begin paving. Down-load the D45 files (similar to a PDF) via a USB stick — i.e. thumb drive—and download to the paver us-ing anon-contact X, Y, Z guidance system. “You just download the file needed for the pave pass,” Steeves says, “and you should be good to go.” On the paver, a computer, software, radios, slope sensors and prisms or GPS and masts are needed to use the 3-D model file and perform stringless paving.

What you need to know about implementing stringless paving

to build wider shoulders on certain projects can be eliminated without the extra width needed for the stringlines.”

Paving in organized chaosAside from the sheer magnitude of the project size, the job team for the I-15 Corridor Expansion faced several other challenges,

particularly traffi c management. The team had to work under conditions based on maintaining the existing traffi c patterns, keeping ramps all ramps open during peak hours and keeping the public traveling through the job while only about 9 feet away and with traffi c 2 feet away.

“It was paving in ‘organized chaos,’” Steeves says. To make

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it work, Steeves says, extensive paving plans that detailed all paving passes as well as daily meetings amongst the paving group to cover new issues that came up each day and coordinate with other work being completed. Some of this work in-cluded side slopes being fi nished; noise wall posts being drilled, set and concreted in place; noise wall panels; sharing the same haul road; barriers being built; curb and gutter work; and drillers for the sign foundation.

Coordinating the paving plans was easier because the planning occurred ahead of time in an offi ce instead of on the jobsite. “You get the design fi les brought over – D45 fi les, a fi le format similar to a PDF – manipulate them to smooth out transitions and then work out the vertical curves,” Steeves says. “When you string point to point, you end up with a straight line.”

However, being able to manipulate a fi le in AUTOCAD and add more points allows a bet-ter radius to be developed, he continues. D45 modeling shows the machine operator a steering

Implementation benefits of stringless pavingStringless paving eliminates the need for stringlines, which provides the following benefits, according to the National Concrete Pavement Technology Center at Iowa State University’s Stringless Portland Cement Concrete Paving (Project TR-490) research findings:• Avoid project delays caused by time-intensive staking of string-

lines.• Reduce contractors’ move in and move out times.• Have shorter construction periods that disrupt traffic.• Reduce labor costs of placing and removing stringlines.• Increase the amount of traffic access along the road, especially on

county roads where the shoulders are limited.• Reduce the need to set stringlines in hazardous areas.• Experience greater work access to the slipform paver and sur-

rounding area.• Eliminate the need for stringline sensors on paving machines.• Decrease the overall width of paving machines by eliminating

need for sensors, making it easier and faster to cross bridges and other tight spots.

For more findings from this report, visit intrans.iastate.edu.

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52


It’s time.topconpositioning.com/mmgps-paving

Smooth as glass.

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reference line – “virtual stringlines in the project coordinate system” – a reference point and a steering offset. Similar to a stringline, using a rectangular grid with stringless paving is suggested, but surveying is not necessary. The project can be modeled with as many or few details as needed for vertical, horizontal curves, transitions and super elevations. The model can represent existing stringline data, slab edges – i.e. “virtual slabs” – or any arbitrary offset (position and/or height).

The future of stringless pavingSteeves says eliminating the wire line on a jobsite creates safer working conditions for crews because they do not have to constantly step over it or manage the gates for the truck entrances, conventionally set up about every 600 to 800 feet. “Wireless technology allows trucks to come in ahead of the paver safety and back up a minimal distance,” Steeves says.

Minimizing backup increases paving effi ciency, Steeves says. Using stringless technology increases the effi ciency because the contractor can start paving as soon as the subgrade is veri-fi ed instead of waiting for the paving pins to be set and for their own crews to set the stringlines. Such was the case with the Utah 1-15 Corridor Expansion project.

Progressive contractors are more often than not asking counties and DOTs to create 3-D digital designs of their proj-ects to be entered into the paving machine control systems, Steeves says. “In the future, most design work will be done on these digital programs,” he says. “The way technology is advancing so rapidly, contractors are pushing DOTs to provide digital fi les.”

Stringless Paving: How it works• Prisms mounted on paving machine reflect signals

back to total stations, giving them X, Y, Z positions.• Information is transmitted via radio signal from total

stations to computer on the paving machine.• The paving machine computer processes the exact

position in relation to a computer model of the new pavement.

• Onboard computer adjusts evaluation of machine on each of the four corners of the pan to achieve the cor-rect pavement thickness, crossfall (cross-slope control monitored by sensor) and mainfall (forward and back slope control monitored by sensor).



InCourtby Brian Morrow, P.E., Esq.

CourtCourt Attorney Brian Morrow is a partner in Newmeyer & Dillion LLP and a licensed civil engineer specializing in construction law, incl. road and heavy [email protected]

I n the recent case of West Bay Builders, Inc. v. Dept. of the Interior (April 29, 2013), the government’s motion to dismiss West Bay Builders’ claim for almost $1 million was denied based on a contract ambiguity

regarding concrete construction joints. The subject of contract interpretation involves interpret-

ing human communications. Construction and contract law are two specialized fields with their own set of jargon and technical language that has developed during time. The language of these areas is common to architects, en-gineers, contractors, subcontractors, material suppliers and attorneys. This language, however, is foreign and often misunderstood by lay people and the courts: courts often with rules of contract interpretation, especially in technical areas like construction law.

Throughout the years, different court approaches have developed to contract interpretation. These include “strict” rules of interpretation that focus on determining a con-tract’s “plain meaning.” In contrast, “liberal” rules of in-terpretation focus on determining the “intention of the parties.”

Ambiguity in contracts occurs when contract language has more than one meaning. If an ambiguity is obvious, it is called “patent.” If there is a hidden ambiguity, it is called “latent.” Since construction contracts typically include numerous documents, including the contract, general and supplementary conditions, specifications, and drawings, the likelihood increases of an ambiguity in the contract. In attempting to interpret ambiguities in contracts, courts often sometimes consider the role of trade custom and us-age, including the parties’ course of performance.

In West Bay Builders, Inc. vs. Dept. of the Interior (2013), the contractor claimed an ambiguity in its contract regard-ing construction joints for a concrete siphon. West Bay

Builders was awarded a contract to construct the Red Bluff Pumping Plant and Fish Screen Landfill Excavation & Canal, Siphon and Access Bridge. The concrete siphon con-sisted of a large concrete structure with a slab-on-grade, walls and a ceiling. Section 3.04 of the specifications, “Joints and Edges,” set forth four joints to be used in con-crete construction, including construction joints, contrac-tion joints, control joints and expansion joints.

On Feb. 2, 2010, West Bay submitted RFI No. 1, re-questing permission to omit the construction joints at the intersection of the walls and top of the siphon because it planned to place the vertical walls and top of the walls monolithically. The government denied the request, stating the construction joints were necessary “at the design loca-tions due to the restrained cracking experienced in similar types of structures, particularly in the thick areas where walls/floors or wall/ceilings are cast together.”

A year later, West Bay asked the government to recon-sider its response. West Bay stated it had based its bid on pouring the siphon walls and soffit monolithically. After its request was denied, West Bay stated it had proceeded with a different form system for Phase I of the siphon, was not as productive as hoped for and incurred substantially more costs than anticipated. To mitigate its losses, West Bay re-quested the government reconsider RFI No. 1 because they said it would save both parties time and money. In April 2011, the government denied West Bay’s request.

West Bay wrote the contracting officer (CO), stating “industry standards” indicate the contractor should decide whether or not to include or eliminate construction. On July 14, 2011, West Bay submitted a proposed change seeking $920,163 from the government’s refusal to elimi-nate the construction joints. On Aug. 1, 2011, West Bay converted its proposal to a certified claim. On Oct. 28,

Ambiguous ContractCourt denies government’s motion to dismiss contractor’s $1 million claim

InCourt_BR0114.indd 20 12/31/13 8:52 AM


2011, the CO denied West Bay’s claim. West Bay appealed to the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals (the board).

In the board proceeding, the government brought a motion to dismiss West Bay’s claim, arguing the “plain meaning” of the specifications was clear and unambiguous regarding the type of joints, how they were shown in the drawings, and the CO’s right to approve (or disapprove) the relocation, addition or elimination of construction joints. The government disagreed that West Bay could de-cide on its own whether to eliminate construction joints because this would render meaningless the contract lan-guage requiring government approval for such changes.

In response, West Bay argued the contract was ambiguous regarding the placement of joints. West Bay stated “control joints” did not require government approval for relocation, addition or elimination. West Bay noted the drawings did not reference “control joints,” though they provided de-tails for other joints, including contraction and expansion joints. West Bay’s project manager noted the government al-lowed West Bay to omit construction joints in the slab-on-grade and elevated decks and argued the government was

inconsistent in interpreting the contract. In its decision, the board stated as West Bay recognized in

its RFI, the joints in question appear to have been required by the specifications. However, based upon the minimal record before the board, they could not determine whether the specifications could be interpreted differently from how they were interpreted by the government. Given the early stage of the proceedings, the board denied the gov-ernment’s motion.

The West Bay Builders decision underscores how ambigui-ties in contract language can arise, including from docu-ments incorporated into the contract and course of per-formance. If a contractor believes that contract language is ambiguous, they should request clarification prior to bid opening so it is clear what they are bidding on. Otherwise, a court or jury — who typically lack technical knowledge and understanding — may decide a critical issue of con-tract interpretation and the contractor’s fate. In West Bay Builders, the board ruled in the contractor’s favor regarding a potential ambiguity, thus keeping alive the contractor’s claim for almost $1 million. v

InCourt_BR0114.indd 21 12/31/13 8:53 AM

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A Republican-dominated Congress under President George W. Bush couldn’t do it. A Democrat-dominated Congress under President Barack Obama couldn’t do it. The current fragmented Congress couldn’t do anything.

America’s federal highway program is crumbling faster than our highways and bridg-es, and the odds against a solution oozing out of the primordial slime that is the current American Congress are oppressive at best.

The Highway Trust Fund (HTF) is on a fast track to insolvency, which is the inevitable result of freezing the federal fuel tax, its sole funding source, at a 20-year-old level, ig-noring two decades of infl ation, and substantial increases in the usage of highways and bridges by our ever-increasing population. The HTF is projected to zero-out at the end of the federal government’s 2014 fi scal year, barring a Congressional intervention.

Not many pundits are forecasting how the failure of the HTF will impact America’s roads and the hard hit industries that maintain them, probably because experience has shown government leaders fi nd a way to patch together temporary solutions to dire crises. Whether that happens again, here are three fearless forecasts for road funding changes in the next decade.

Tolling will take over. In November, we discussed a recent Reason Foundation study that proposed opening the entire Interstate Highway system to tolling as a way to create revenues for its reconstruction. Unless mid-term elections usher in a Congress willing to raise the fuel tax, this seems inevitable and the only rational solution to a mounting crisis in U.S. surface transportation.

One of the hallmarks of nationwide tolling will be a standardization of automatic toll-ing systems so that motorists can pay their taxes without stopping, no matter what state they’re in.

With the cost of replacing bridges ranging from the tens of millions of dollars for small ones to hundreds of millions of dollars for big ones, bridge tolling is going to be the rule, not the exception. It may be that the next generation of motorists will never cross a major river without paying a toll.

Universal tolling will bring in its own problems and challenges. For example, col-lecting $5 or $10 worth of tolls from a scoffl aw in a distant state could be a problem, especially if an emaciated federal bureaucracy is unable to intercede. Another example: If tolls are managed too aggressively, traffi c loads on secondary routes could create safety and maintenance problems.

Most sweeping changes bring unforeseen consequences. In Europe, one potential consequence of national tolling came up for discussion last fall when spokesmen for Germany’s national security forces made a case for monitoring tolling data as a way of tracking suspects and locating criminals. This discussion took place at the time when Germany was abuzz over revelations that America’s NSA was monitoring Chancellor Angela Merkel’s cell phone, among many others, and it had a chilling effect on the pro-posal.

It would have the same effect here. One of the few things that unite Americans of the left and right is a fear of government monitoring, though even that might not outweigh the terrifying specter of an increase in the fuel tax.

Editor Emeritus

Kirk Landers

[email protected]


Solutions for a Bankrupt Trust Fund

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We could tell you about the new innovative features on our paver like hydraulic swing out operator’s stations or how we eliminated all the stacks to give you a clear view across the whole machine. We could talk about how we cut the noise level of the machine in half. But the thing that really separates us from the others is how we backed it up with the industry leading EDGE™ extended warranty. This is a 3 year, 3000 hour unlimited warranty that isn’t prorated. Roadtec will reimburse you for your labor and covers everything but wear parts.

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