Specialized Engineering

Owner:

Maryland State Highway Administration

Client:

(410) 788-0100

St. John Properties

Scope Of Work

     Specialized Engineering performed a geotechnical subsurface investigation, pavement evaluation and field quality control material testing for the MD 295 and West Nursery Road Improvements project in 2010. Specialized Engineering primed the effort as it relates to the geotechnical services directing and managing the turnkey effort in order to perform an investigation for the Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) construction and improvements.

     The initial project involvement included the subsurface exploration and geotechnical investigation for the realignment and widening of West Nursery Road for a distance of 1,370 feet, and the realignment and widening of MD 295 for a distance of 650 feet. The addition of one northbound and one southbound lane for West Nursery Road and the addition of three new turn-lanes were also part of the project.

     The roadway sections referenced above were proposed to have minor cuts to fills and mill and overlay was proposed for a majority of the existing pavement sections. A forensic roadway condition survey was also performed in accordance with AASHTO as part of the evaluation. This evaluation consisted of a two-phase thorough field review in combination with destructive materials testing and evaluation and the development of detailed recommendations and design plans.  The field work consisted of utility clearance, traffic control and the drilling of test borings and asphalt cores along the roadway.

     Specialized Engineering performed soil test borings and asphalt coring. Prior to the performance of the soil test borings and traffic control was also managed by Specialized Engineering with a subcontractor detailing and executing the traffic control plan in accordance with the requirements of SHA.

     Following the retrieval of the soil samples and pavement cores from our investigations, various laboratory tests were performed as required for the preparation of the geotechnical engineering report. These tests included soil classification, natural moisture, moisture density relationship determination, and CBR. All testing was performed in our AASHTO accredited laboratory.

     The majority of the proposed work area consisted of existing asphalt pavement approximately 20 years old. Specialized Engineering developed a detailed pavement survey plan with specific recommendations regarding sample locations, depths, field survey services, and a detailed traffic control plan. Due to geotechnical experience on the adjacent privately developed parcels, Specialized Engineering's engineers anticipated some specific potential issues regarding the presence of man-placed fill. A special protocol was developed in order to effectively identify and qualify the problem soil.

     Due to the poor support characteristics of the existing man-placed fill, Specialized Engineering made several recommendations regarding the removal, replacement and stabilization of the soft and yielding materials. These recommendations were detailed in the report and incorporated into the pavement design for the project.

     As part of the geotechnical evaluation, recommendations were prepared for roadway embankment construction, utility excavation and backfill, and roadway pavement design.

     During the construction phase of the project, Specialized Engineering provided field and laboratory quality control material testing services in accordance with the project and SHA specifications.  These testing services included full pavement section materials related to soil fill, subgrade, sub-base stone and bituminous asphalt as well as the miscellaneous site concrete associated with the project.  The field testing was performed by MRTCP trained and certified personnel and the laboratory testing was performed by MRTCP/ACI/WACEL personnel in our AASHTO accredited facility.