Instructions for the Use of the Iowa DOT QC Charting Software for HMA Version 3.3.X
The HMA QC Charting Program is a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet workbook that is supplied to the contractor by the Iowa DOT for the purposes of reporting and storing the project data generated during the production of HMA mixtures for projects let under Iowa DOT specifications. When used in conjunction with the HMA Plant Report Program, this software will produce quality control charts as required by the specifications. Version 3.3 of this software also accumulates the mixture data for analysis and for producing paving histories. The specifications require the contractor to use this software and provide copies of the completed files to the Engineers. These instructions are intended to provide the information the user needs to efficiently and accurately complete the required documentation. If the user is not familiar with the use of Microsoft Excel worksheets, the user should review the documentation and instructions for use of the Excel software product. The user also needs to know how to use a mouse to navigate and select items displayed on the screen. When the term “click” is used in these instructions it refers to pressing the left button on the mouse. When entering percentages, enter only the numbers without the “%” sign.
Contractor: Project Number: Contract ID No.: County: Mix Design No.: Course: Target Lab Voids (Pa): Initial Target % Passing #200: Initial Target % Passing #30: Initial Target % Passing #8: Initial Target % Passing #4: Initial Target Binder Content (Pb):
Quality Asphalt, Inc. NHS-6-3(41)--12-77 77-0006-41 Polk ABD5-1005 Surface 4.0 3.3 11.0 28.0 50.0 5.40
Info.:
Once the QCcharts program is loaded into Excel, the tabs at the bottom of the Excel screen are used to select the different spreadsheets included in the software. The first tab labeled “Info.” brings up a screen where the project and mix design information is entered. The entries on the Info screen are all taken from the Form 956 (the JMF). The left side of the Info screen is shown above. A brief description of each entry follows: Contractor: Enter the name of the prime contractor and sub if applicable.
Project Number: Enter the project number. The project number is a combination of letters and numbers shown on all the contract documents and is also shown at the top of form 956. Contract ID No.: Enter the contract ID number. The contract ID number is shown on the contract and is composed of the two digit county number and a dash followed by a four digit route identifier and a dash and then a three digit project identifier. County: Enter the county identified on the contract. The county is shown on form 956. Mix Design No.: This number is found in the upper right corner of form 956 which is often referred to as the JMF or mix design. It is designated “Mix No.:” on form 956. Course: Enter the course or “lift” the mixture is used for. For example: “surface” for a surface course or “intermediate/surface” if the mixture is used for both the intermediate and surface courses. Target Lab Voids (Pa): Enter the target voids for the mix. The target voids can be found in the bold column of mix data on the form 956 designated as “% Air Voids”. Initial Target % Passing…: There are eleven entries for the target gradation on the Info screen. Enter the percent passing for each sieve size as shown for the target gradation on form 956. Initial Target Binder Content (Pb): Also called the “intended asphalt content”. Near the bottom of form 956 is a line titled “Disposition” which will state the total asphalt content recommended to start the project. Enter the asphalt binder content shown.
Initial Target % Passing 1": Initial Target % Passing 3/4": Initial Target % Passing 1/2": Initial Target % Passing 3/8": Initial Target % Passing #16: Initial Target % Passing #50: Initial Target % Passing #100: Initial Film Thickness: Initial Corrected Gmb @ Ndes: Initial Maximum Sp. Gr. Gmm: Initial Filler/Bitumen Ratio: Initial % Effective Binder Pbe:
100.0 100.0 90.0 83.0 17.0 6.7 4.1 12.24 2.369 2.468 0.79 4.21
The right side of the Info screen is shown above. The first seven entries are a continuation of entering the target gradation as explained previously. The rest of the entries are taken from the bold column of mix data on form 956. The bold column contains the mix design data at the intended asphalt content.
Initial Film Thickness: Enter the film thickness at the intended asphalt content from the mix design. Initial Corrected Gmb @ Ndes: Enter the corrected Gmb @ Ndes at the intended asphalt content from the mix design. Initial Maximum Sp. Gr. Gmm: Enter the Max. Sp. Gr. (Gmm) at the intended asphalt content from the mix design. Initial Filler/Bitumen Ratio: Enter the Filler Bit. Ratio at the intended asphalt content from the mix design. Initial % Effective Binder Pbe: Enter the Pbe at the intended asphalt content from the mix design. Once all the entries have been completed on the Info screen, the file should be saved under a unique name. Do not overwrite the original blank file. Always keep a copy of the original blank file on hand in case of problems. This file can be recalled every day and the day’s data added to the file.
Data:
Clicking on the “Data” tab brings up the following screen where the daily data can be pasted from the Plant Report Program or manually entered. It is easy to copy and paste the data from the Plant Report Program, but some specific procedures must be followed.
% Asphalt Target Date Pb Pb 6/18/05 5.28 5.4 6/19/05 5.44 5.4 6/20/05 5.36 5.4 6/21/05 5.49 5.4 6/22/05 5.33 5.4 5.4 5.4 5.4 5.4 5.4 5.4 5.4 5.4 5.4 5.4 5.4 5.4 5.4 5.4 5.4 5.4 5.4 5.4 5.4 5.4 5.4 5.4 5.4
HMA Test Data Date Gmb Gmm 6/18/05 2.373 2.469 6/18/05 2.365 2.477 6/18/05 2.375 2.480 6/18/05 2.371 2.478 6/19/05 2.382 2.471 6/19/05 2.381 2.476 6/19/05 2.406 2.484 6/19/05 2.385 2.475 6/20/05 2.379 2.481 6/20/05 2.388 2.477 6/20/05 2.374 2.488 6/20/05 2.391 2.479 6/21/05 2.385 2.483 6/21/05 2.379 2.475 6/22/05 2.377 2.477
Gradation - Percent Passing Target Target Target Target Date #200 #30 #8 #4 #200 #30 #8 #4 6/18/05 4.2 13.0 29.0 47.0 3.3 11.0 28.0 50.0 6/19/05 4.4 13.0 29.0 47.0 3.3 11.0 28.0 50.0 6/20/05 4.1 12.0 30.0 46.0 3.3 11.0 28.0 50.0 6/21/05 4.9 14.0 32.0 51.0 3.3 11.0 28.0 50.0 6/22/05 4.3 13.0 28.0 45.0 3.3 11.0 28.0 50.0 3.3 11.0 28.0 50.0 3.3 11.0 28.0 50.0 3.3 11.0 28.0 50.0 3.3 11.0 28.0 50.0 3.3 11.0 28.0 50.0 3.3 11.0 28.0 50.0 3.3 11.0 28.0 50.0 3.3 11.0 28.0 50.0 3.3 11.0 28.0 50.0 3.3 11.0 28.0 50.0 3.3 11.0 28.0 50.0 3.3 11.0 28.0 50.0 3.3 11.0 28.0 50.0 3.3 11.0 28.0 50.0 3.3 11.0 28.0 50.0 3.3 11.0 28.0 50.0 3.3 11.0 28.0 50.0 3.3 11.0 28.0 50.0 3.3 11.0 28.0 50.0 3.3 11.0 28.0 50.0 3.3 11.0 28.0 50.0 3.3 11.0 28.0 50.0 3.3 11.0 28.0 50.0
Test No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
Date 6/18/05 6/18/05 6/18/05 6/18/05 6/18/05 6/18/05 6/18/05 6/19/05 6/19/05 6/19/05 6/19/05 6/19/05 6/19/05 6/19/05 6/20/05 6/20/05 6/20/05 6/20/05 6/20/05 6/20/05 6/20/05 6/21/05 6/21/05 6/21/05 6/21/05 6/21/05 6/21/05 6/21/05
Core Gmb 2.315 2.305 2.353 2.348 2.297 2.308 2.334 2.315 2.288 2.349 2.341 2.257 2.299 2.351 2.301 2.312 2.333 2.298 2.289 2.311 2.308 2.323 2.344 2.321 2.298 2.315 2.305 2.295
Instructions for how to copy the data from “Data” tab in the Plant Report Program can be found in the Instructions for that program. Both the Plant Report Program and the QCcharting program must be loaded into Excel before beginning the copy and paste procedure. Pasting the data into the charting program must be done using the “Paste Special” command from the Edit menu. % Asphalt: The first data copied is the total asphalt content. Once the date and Pb have been copied from the Plant Report Program the user switches to the QCcharts program and clicks on the first blank cell under “% Asphalt” and “Date” (column B) as shown by arrow 1. Next the user clicks on “Edit” at the top of the screen as indicated by arrow 2. 2
Then select “Paste Special” from the menu as indicated by arrow 3. 1
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Then select “Values” as indicated by arrow 4 and click “OK” as indicated by arrow 5.
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The date and asphalt content should then appear. If an error occurs, click on “Edit” again and select “Undo Paste Special” to return the screen to its original content. Do not leave blank lines between entries or attempt to line up all the data by date. The “% Asphalt” columns should be continuous data. The Plant Report Program only records the final total asphalt content for the day. If the contractor is taking intermediate tank stick or totalizer readings, they may be entered manually, but the reported asphalt content should be entered as the final entry for that date. Target Pb: The next column after the asphalt content is labeled “Target Pb”. The target asphalt binder content entered on the Info screen is transferred here. When a change is made to the target asphalt content simply overwrite the value shown in this column for the date the change took place. Do not change the target values shown on the Info Screen. The program will then change all the target values from that point on to the new value but leave the previous entries unchanged. This can be done every time a change is made to the target asphalt content. This is necessary because the chart of the asphalt content shows the deviation from target, not the actual asphalt content. HMA Test Data: The next three columns are for entering the Gmb and Gmm test results. The information is copied from the “Data” tab in the Plant Report Program. Up to four sets of test results may be copied and pasted at once. After the data is copied from the Plant Report Program, it is pasted into the QCcharts program using the paste special command the
same way as explained above for the asphalt content data, except the location to paste is selected as the first blank cell in the Date column under “HMA Test Data” (column F). The program uses this data to calculate and chart the percent air voids in the mix (lab voids). Do not leave blank lines between entries unless there has been a mandatory shutdown caused by the moving average of air voids going outside the tolerances. Leaving a blank line between entries will cause the program to restart the moving average displayed on the charts. This is the only time a blank line should be left in any of the data columns. None of the other columns should ever contain a blank line between entries. Gradation – Percent Passing: There are five columns for recording the gradation data. The date and the percent passing the #200, #30, #8 and #4 sieves are entered here. This data can be copied and pasted from the Data tab in the Plant Report Program as explained above. Again, do not leave blank lines in the gradation data or the moving average will not appear on the charts. Target…: The next four columns display the target values for the four sieve sizes being charted. These values are transferred from the Info screen. As explained above for the target Pb, the target values can be changed on the data screen if a new gradation target has been approved by the DME. Change the target values on the same line as the date that the change took place. All the targets from that point on will change to the new value but the previous targets will remain unchanged. Test No.: This column is just for reference and simply numbers the lines to indicate how many tests have been performed. This is the X axis on the charts. Core Gmb: The last two columns are for recording the field density data obtained from the core testing. The date and the individual core densities can be copied and pasted from the GmmQI tab in the Plant Report Program. The specifications do not require that this data be charted, however it is provided here for information that may be valuable to the Quality Control of the mix. The next eight tabs will access the charts. Binder: Displays the chart showing deviation from target for the asphalt binder content. VOIDS: Displays the chart showing individual lab voids values and computes and displays the moving average of the last four test results and the limits. (Example follows)
NHS-6-3(41)--12-77
Air Voids (Pa)
6.0 5.0
Lab Air Voids
Surface
Pa Moving avg. Pa Lower Limit Upper Limit
4.0 3.0 2.0 1.0 0.0
1 5 9 13 17 21 25 29 33 37 41 45 49
Test No.
GmbGmm: Displays the chart showing individual test values for lab density and maximum specific gravity. -#4: Displays the chart showing individual test values deviation from target for the percent passing the #4 sieve and computes and displays the moving average and the limits. -#8: Displays the chart showing individual test values deviation from target for the percent passing the #8 sieve and computes and displays the moving average and the limits. -#30: Displays the chart showing individual test values deviation from target for the percent passing the #30 sieve and computes and displays the moving average and the limits. -#200: Displays the chart showing individual test values deviation from target for the percent passing the #200 sieve and computes and displays the moving average and the limits. Cores: Displays the chart showing individual core density values.
Import:
The last tab labeled “Import” brings up the following screen where all the data for the day is pasted. Copy the data from the Export tab in the Plant Report Program using the Export Data macro as explained in the instructions for that program. This is one line of data that stretches over several screens. Paste it into the Import screen by clicking on the first blank line in the date column (column A) as indicated by arrow 6 and selecting “Edit”, “Paste Special”, “Values”, and “OK” to complete the paste function as shown before. Again, if an error is made, simply select “Edit” and “Undo Paste Special” to return the
screen to its previous condition. If a corrected report is issued after the data has already been pasted into the charting program, simply paste the new data over the old data to replace it. It is important that this data be provided daily as this is used to summarize the project materials testing.
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At the completion of the project, check to be sure that all the daily data generated on the project has been entered into the charting program before providing the files to the Engineer. If the files are incomplete, they may be returned for correction. It is now required that all the computer files be placed on a CD and one copy provided to the Project Engineer and another copy provided to the District Materials Engineer.