Competence

Situation: Establishing a Quality Control and Assurance system for construction materials and
procedures to be used in 1915 Canakkale Suspension Bridge and Motorway.

Objective: The 1915 Canakkale Suspension bridge required a combined quality effort that required
compliance with both contractual requirements, international standards and Turkish standards and
specifications outlined by the General Directorate of Motorways (the owner of the project).
This required a final QA/QC system that is combination of inputs from multiple sources and needed to
be comprehensive and must reflect a consensus between all stakeholders and interested parties.

Action: As the leading materials engineer for the suspended bridge project consultant Tekfen-T
Engineering J.V. I was tasked to review and evaluate all quality documentation such as ITPs, Technical
Specifications and Method Statements as well as project specific quality documentation according to the
technical requirements outlined in the main contract as well as current standards and government
specifications.

I liaised between the contractor and the General Directorate of Motorways until all parties including us
are satisfied with the resulting documents. Unsatisfactory documents were sent back to the issuer to be
revised according to my comments, documents that are satisfactory will be put into use throughout the
project and revised accordingly when situation demanded.

Results: The system I have established ensured that all quality documentations reflect a consensus
between all interested parties and up to date with the latest specifications and best engineering
practices. The system of reviewing and commenting I established made sure that all Quality Documents
are agreed on by all interested parties and any revisions also required a unilateral agreement.

Aftermath: Once the system is established, all quality documentation increased the confidence of all
stakeholders and interested parties. All quality departments including the contractors, sub-contractors,
consultant, and the General Directorate of Highways were able to use universal documents without
needing to refer to multiple sources that might not be the most current or not accepted by every party
involved with the project.
Situation: Establishing a material suppler and service provider quality approval system for the 1915
Canakkale Suspension Bridge and Motorway Project

Objective: Due to the immensely large scale of the project, materials and services for construction
required a pre-approval procedure before being actively used. I have established the system which I also
used in my previous project, Istanbul-Izmir Motorway Project for materials supplier and service provider
evaluations and approvals.
This is required due to the contractual obligations outlined by the Turkish General Directorate of
Motorways as the owner. The Directorate allowed my company, the consultant, to decide on whether to
escalate the approvals in case of critical items such as bridge expansion joints or hydraulic buffers.

Action: The system required each new material supplier or service provider to be officially submitted by
an MSS (Materials Submittal Sheet). I reviewed all submittals based on various criteria such as
production capacity, Quality certifications (e.g. ISO 9001, ASTM, TS, AASHTO…), previous references and
projects and, when applicable, previous test results or performance sheets.

If the submitted proofs are not satisfactory, I informed the contractors about what is missing in the
application and asked them to be completed in a reasonable timeframe. If they were not able to supply
documents, they were asked to find another supplier.

Critical bridge components are also reviewed and sent to the General Directorate of Highways for
comments and final approval.

The MSS were archived to create a paper trail for all approvals and correspondence which can be
accessed in case of any queries or conflicts.
Results: Throughout my employment in the project, I have processed a total of 484 materials and
service providers that are found satisfactory to the requirements of the project. All approvals are
recorded and archived in the company servers as backups in case future queries arise.
Aftermath: This procedure is now being actively used in the project that is ongoing and the General
Directorate of Highways will use this process for any future projects of this scope and nature.
Improvement
Situation: Improving the performance of the asphalt mix by using recycled rubber from used car tires.
Asphalt production is highly material intense and costly, low quality asphalt pavements deteriorate
faster with exceptionally high repair and maintenance costs. One of the new methods to improve long
term quality of the asphalt pavement is the addition of recycled rubber particles which improves the
flexibility and long-term durability of the asphalt.

The rubber additives require careful planning and quality control for optimal performance especially in
new projects. I was appointed by the board of the NOMAYG joint venture to lead the project to improve
the quality of the selected sections of the motorway using recycled rubber additives.

Objective: The main objectives for these projects were in three steps:

1-) Preliminary mix design and performance analysis: The early trials required to ensure the proposed
mixture of aggregates, bitumen, mineral filler and recycled rubber are working together effectively and
quality is sufficient. The quality objectives were designated by the Turkish General Directorate of
Highways and my objective was to establish a trial mix that satisfies all the requirements while having
tolerances for production.

2-) Production: Quality objectives for production differed from preliminary design as the scope increased
and precision of laboratory environment changed to mass production. Trial mixes and full-scale trials
were scheduled to ensure the production is within the tolerances designated.

3-) Postproduction monitoring: The monitoring of the finished pavement to ensure long-term
performance is also included in the plans.

Action: I have utilised the central laboratory of NOMAYG and asphalt production plants to conduct trials
and quality control tests to ensure the optimum performance is achieved. Once the laboratory tests are
completed, the samples were sent to a third part accredited laboratory to be verified against quality and
performance criteria (e.g., rutting resistance, moisture damage resistance)
For this case study, Asphalt Mix Designs have used for Stone Mastic Asphalt (SMA) and Modified
Bituminous Normal Wear layers within the scope of Istanbul - Izmir Highway project, different stone
quarries, different bitumen sources, 5 separate asphalt plants and bitumen modification mills on a 408
km route between Istanbul and Izmir. As a general approach, we have compared the test performances
between "Rubber Modified Mix Asphalts and SMA/Normal Wear Asphalt" with the same mix design
mainly for Indirect Tensile Strength and Wheel Track Rutting.

Results: In mixtures prepared using Tecroad additive, there is a significant improvement in Wheel Track
Rutting test results compared to hot bituminous mixtures modified with a polymer.

Positive results were seen in the indirect tensile strength test results of the mixtures prepared by using
Tecroad additive compared to the bituminous hot mixes modified with a polymer.

As findings, It offers a good alternative to asphalt polymer additives. Its most important advantage is
that it has good low temperature and high-temperature performance. The mixture design must be
doped. Due to its long-term heat retention, it provides an advantage especially in low working season
and windy seasons. There is a need for long-term performance evaluation.

I have prepared a report that includes all findings and test results and presented to the stakeholders, the
controlling consultant and The General Directorate of Highways Quality department.

Aftermath: The quality processes and application were submitted to the General Directorate of
Highways which included in their Research and Development databases to be used in further projects in
Turkey.
This project is one of the leading quality efforts for switching to longer performing pavements as well as
reducing environmental impact and reducing costs.
Situation: Improvement of Soil Compaction Quality Tests using Light-weight Deflectometer Test Method.

Objective: Standardised quality control of soil compaction involves two main methods which are sand
cone and nuclear density gauges. These methods are either time consuming (Sand Cone requires
opening a hole in the compacted soil layer) or hazardous to health (the nuclear device). Additionally,
both methods only give relative compaction but not bearing strength.

The objective is to replace, partially or completely, the test method with much faster, non-destructive
and non-hazardous method called Lightweight Deflectometer. This would both increase the speed and
precision of the soil compaction tests which would also improve the data obtained through testing.

LWD is also non-destructive and non-hazardous method that will improve how quality activities are
conducted as well as reducing costs due to wait times for traditional methods (LWD gives results
instantly and on-site without any laboratory testing or wait)

A report aimed to be prepared for the Istanbul - Izmir Highway project to show the usability of the light-
weighted deflectometer (LWD) device that can be used instead of the static plate loading test and gives
faster results. I have prepared this report in collaboration with both contractors, consultant and General
Directorate of Highways quality representatives.

Dynamic Plate Loading Test is a test method developed to quickly determine the bearing capacity of
soils in the field. The dynamic plate loading test method and the device were developed in Germany in
the 1980s and is now used for the determination of the bearing capacity of soils all over the world. Since
it is possible to correlate Evd (Dynamic Deformation Modulus) obtained with Dynamic Plate Loading Test
and Ev2 (Static Deformation Module) values ??obtained with the traditional Static Plate Loading Test, it
is possible to use excessive time, preparation, and less personnel. Dynamic plate loading test can be
performed faster and economically instead of static plate loading test. In addition, the Evd value
obtained as a result of the Dynamic Plate Loading Test is the conversion to CBR and Compaction Degree
(% DPr) values, which are frequently used in highway construction quality control studies. As stated in
the report, it can be done with various steps.
Action: To implement the use of the LWD in our project, I have been tasked to choose a section of the
motorway and liaise between the contractors and other interested parties to ensure all parties are
involved in the process.

The General Directorate of Highways required all trials are conducted with either their direct witnessing
or their consultant to be present.

First phase of the project was to obtain research and application reports from other projects and
countries that has used the system. Once the research is completed and compiled as a report, I selected
multiple trial locations (focusing on Balıkesir-Kirkagac, 93 km section of the motorway construction
which had major soil works) to verify the LWD results with traditional methods until high enough
confidence level is reached between all methods.

Results: Dynamic Plate Loading Test device can measure the carrying capacity of the manufactures in the
field in a shorter time and with more data than traditional methods (Sand Cone Test, Static Plate Loading
Test, Nuclear Density Gauge) without the need for extra equipment and materials by a single user. In
Dynamic Plate Loading Test, counterweight (truck, work machine etc.) and complicated equipment
installation required for Static Plate Loading Test are not required.

Since Dynamic Plate Loading Test is easily repeatable, it is more advantageous than traditional methods
for collecting large numbers of data in large areas in the field or for verifying the values ??of doubt by
retesting.

With the Dynamic Plate Loading Test Device, it is possible to obtain data in areas whose soil
characteristics (bearing capacity, CBR) are not predetermined, without any preliminary work. In this
way, the grounds can be studied before the construction work begins on the site.

Verification of the results obtained on fillings or floors for which Quality Control studies have been
performed can be done quickly and repeatably with this device. It can provide a basis for more detailed
investigations by providing rapid and rapid control of suspected segments.
Regular control of the conformity of the productions that have passed since their completion is easily
and quickly provided.

Within the scope of these results, a report was prepared and presented to the project management and
the general directorate of highways. Thus, the use of this device by all subcontractors and strict
compliance with the inspection and test plans has come one step closer.

Aftermath: The number of quality control tests to be carried out in the construction of the 408 km
highway route is very high. When the project program is considered, making some tests faster so that all
tests can be completed according to the relevant inspection and test plan will help to close the gaps in
the quality control and quality assurance system. In a case similar requirements arise in different
projects in the future, such improvements will ensure construction quality.

The General Directorate used the report and data obtained during these trials to forward the research
on alternative methods to be used in other government projects.