Statistical Analysis of Specification Compliance

Abstract

There has been little use of statistical analysis for evaluating the degree to which highway construction materials comply with nonstatistical specification requirements. The increased use of statistics offers potential benefits in the areas of project management and improved project quality. Using the standard deviation of a series of individual materials test results, an estimate of the percentage of material within specification limits can be made. Region 10 of the Federal Highway Administration has demonstrated the use of this analysis for evaluating specification compliance and for pinpointing points of change in materials characteristics for further investigation by identifying significant changes in standard deviation and quality level.