Certification

Qualifies inspectors to perform complete inspection and acceptance on Embankment and Base Course projects, excluding base courses constructed of Hot Mix or PCC. Topics and tests include:

• Specifications
• Department Policies and Procedures
• Construction Layout
• Traffic Control
• Sampling Procedures
  • Pulverization
  • Optimum Moisture and Maximum Density
  • Percent Cement
  • Percent Density
  • Gradation
  • Measuring Thickness, Width, Grade, and Cross Slope
• Clearing and Grubbing
• Environmental Concerns and Erosion Control
• Visual Inspection of Soil Cement and Aggregate Base Course
• Department Policies and Procedures
• Equipment Inspection
• Troubleshooting
• Determination of Percent Pay
• Documentation

Asphalt Concrete Plant

This certification qualifies inspectors to design mixes and perform QC/QA operations at an Asphalt Concrete Plant. Applicants must complete the Aggregate Tester and the Asphalt Concrete Plant Technician Authorizations as pre-requisites to becoming a Certified Asphalt Plant Inspector. This certification is currently based on SuperPave Mix Design. Topics and tests include:

• Specifications
• Department Policies and Procedures
• Construction Layout
• Sampling Procedures
  • Mix Design
  • Testing Procedures
  • Determination of Optimum AC
  • Determination of Percent Anti-Strip
  • Gradation
  • Determination of Percent AC
  • Water Susceptibility (Lottman)
• Plant Inspection
• Aggregate Handling
• Stockpile Building and Handling
• Bin Percentages
• 0.45 Power Curve
• Theoretical Yield
• Determination of Batch Weights
• Determination of VMA
• Troubleshooting
• Determination of Percent Pay
• Documentation

Asphalt Concrete Paving

Qualifies inspectors to perform complete inspection and acceptance on Asphalt Concrete Paving projects. Topics and tests include:

• Specifications
• Department Policies and Procedures
• Traffic Control
• Sampling Procedures
• Testing Procedures
  • Mat Thickness
  • Joint Smoothness
  • Rideability
• Visual Inspection of Material at Delivery and In-place
• Yield - Theorectical and Actual
• Equipment Inspection
• Troubleshooting
• Determination of Percent Pay
• Documentation

PCC Paving

Qualifies inspectors to perform complete inspection and acceptance on PCC paving projects. Topics tested include:

• Specifications
• Department Policies and Procedures
• Traffic Control
• Sampling Procedures
• Testing Procedures
  • Slump
  • Yield
  • Air
  • Temperature of Concrete
  • Tine Finish
• Inspecting Reinforcing Bars and Load Transfer Devices at Delivery and In-place
• Checking Elevations and Cross Slopes
• Joint Placement and Inspection
• Concrete Placement
• Rate of Pour
• Equipment Inspection
• Concrete Truck Mixed Inspection
• Concrete Finishing
• Curing Compound
• Basic Concrete Plant Inspection
• Troubleshooting
• Lot Layout
• Basics of Mix Design (Absolute Volume Method)
• Basics of Concrete Materials Properties
• Determination of Percent Pay
• Documentation

PCC Technician

Qualifies technicians to design mixes and perform QC operations at a Portland Cement Concrete Plant. Applicants must be Authorized Aggregate Testers as a pre-requisite to becoming a Certified PCC Plant Technician. Topics and tests include:

• Specifications
• Department Policies and Procedures
• Sampling Procedures
• Mix Design - Absolute Volume Method
• Testing Procedures
  • Slump
  • Yield
  • Air
  • Compressive Strength Cylinders
  • Gradation
  • Moisture Content of Aggregate
  • Unit Weight
• Aggregate Handling
• Stockpile Building and Handling
• Plant Inspection
• Determination of Batch Weights
• Adding Water at Job Site
• Troubleshooting
• Determination of Percent Pay
• Documentation

Qualifies inspectors to perform complete inspection and acceptance on structural projects using concrete as the prime building material. Topics tested include:

• Specifications
• Department Policies and Procedures
• Traffic Control
• Box Culvert Construction
• Pile Driving
• Subsurface Soil Strata with Reference to Pile Driving
• Erosion Control
• Lot Establishment
• Sampling Procedures
• Testing Procedures
  • Slump
  • Air
  • Compressive Strength Cylinders
  • Temperature of Concrete
  • Tine Finish
• Inspecting Reinforcing at Delivery and In-place
• Inspecting Concrete Piles at Delivery and In-place
• Checking Elevations and Camber
• Equipment Inspection
• Concrete Truck Mixer Inspection
• Pumping Concrete
• Tremie Use
• Vertical Curves
• Rate of Pour
• Concrete Finishing
• Curing Compound
• Basic Concrete Plant Inspection
• Troubleshooting
• Basics of Mix Design (Absolute Volume Method)
• Basics of Concrete Materials Properties
• Determination of Percent Pay
• Documentation

This certification is specifically designed for LADOTD District Laboratory Technicians. Applicants must be an Authorized Aggregate Tester as a pre-requisite to becoming a Certified District Lab Operation Technician. This certification is aimed at laboratory technicians who function as lead workers or unit supervisors. Certified Lab Technicians will demonstrate the ability to perform all laboratory tests. Topics and tests include:

• Interpreting Test Results
• Interpreting Test Reports
• Identifying Errors
• Troubleshooting
• Communication
• Documentation

This authorization qualifies a technician to operate an inertial profiler on LADOTD projects by performing the profiler set-up, pre-operation tests, and acquisition of data in accordance with LADOTD Specifications. Topics tested include:

• Characteristics and purposes of profiles and profilers
• Methods used in profile measurement
• Possible errors associated with profiler measurement
• Regulations and procedures for data measurement and delivery
• DOTD Specifications of quality assurance and quality control with regard to profiling

Qualifies technicians to perform QC testing for PCC materials. Is considered the equivalent to ACI – Level 1. Topics and tests include:

• Sampling Plastic Concrete
• Testing Procedures
  • Slump
  • Air
  • Compressive Strength Cylinders
  • Temperature of Concrete
• Adding Water at Job Site
• Documentation

Louisiana’s DOTD realized there was a need for additional authorized personnel to test construction aggregate materials on state projects. The importance of quality control cannot be overstated since aggregates are widely used in the base courses and subgrades that support roads and bridges.

This authorization is the first step toward obtaining an Asphalt Plant Inspector, PCC Plant Technician, or District Lab Certification. A knowledgeable Authorized Aggregate Tester will have the ability to perform basic field and laboratory procedures for aggregates, accurately documenting and reporting the results. The Authorized Aggregate Tester will be allowed to perform the following tests for record on LADOTD projects under the supervision of the certified inspector.

• DOTD Sampling Procedure S101 – Aggregates and Aggregate Mixtures
• DOTD TR 106 – Determining Total Moisture and Free Moisture in Aggregate
• DOTD TR 108 – Splitting and Quartering Samples
• DOTD TR 112 – Amount of Material Finer than No. 200 Sieve in Aggregate
• DOTD TR 113 – Sieve Analysis of Fine and Coarse Aggregate
• AASHTO T19 – Bulk Density (“Unit Weight”) and Voids in Aggregate

This authorization is the second step toward obtaining an Asphalt Plant Inspector Certification. Dividing the certification process into obtainable tiers allows employees to contribute by performing tests for record. Employees may remain authorized testers or continue toward full certification.

The Authorized Asphalt Concrete Plant Technician requires the successful completion of two instructor led lab classes, a specialty area examination, performance evaluation, and six months experience.

An Authorized Asphalt Concrete Plant Technician can perform the following tests for record under the supervision of a LADOTD Certified Asphalt Concrete Plant Inspector.

• DOTD TR304 Specific Gravity and Density of Compressed Asphalt Mixtures
• DOTD TR309 Mechanical Analysis of Extracted Aggregate
• DOTD TR319 Determination of the Moisture Content of Asphalt Concrete
• DOTD TR323 Determining Asphalt Content of Asphalt Mixtures by Ignition Method
• DOTD TR327 Theoretical Maximum Specific Gravity of Asphalt Concrete Mixtures
• AASHTO T312 Preparing and Determining the Density of Hot-Mix Asphalt Specimens by Means of the Superpave Gyratory Compactor
• DOTD TR120 Sand Equivalent of Soils and Fine Aggregate
• DOTD TR121 Fine Aggregate Angularity
• DOTD TR306 Coarse Aggregate Angularity, % Crushed
• AASHTO T84 Specific Gravity and Absorption of Fine Aggregate
• AASHTO T85 Specific Gravity and Absorption of Coarse Aggregate
• ASTM D4791 Flat and Elongated Particles
• AASHTO T324 Test for Hamburg Wheel-Track Testing of Compacted Hot Mix Asphalt