After finishing the course, the student is able to:
- Set up a process control system for road construction processes;
- Apply appropriate sensors and innovations to measure process variability in road construction;
- Collect, analyse, visualize and evaluate process data; and
- Apply and integrate appropriate Statistical Process Control techniques to improve process control
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Road construction processes are often described as being traditional where work methods are based on implicit knowledge and craftmanship, leading to extensive variability in the final constructed road. Process control is defined as those activities involved in ensuring a process is predictable, stable, and consistently operating at the target level of performance with only normal variation. The goal therefore is to ensure that the process variability inherent in the road construction processes as a result of the customcraft-based work practices, is reduced to within acceptable limits. This requires that the construction process is explicit, meaning that key process parameters such as temperature homogeneity and compaction are measured, visualised and improved upon in a scientific manner.
This course focuses on how new sensor technologies and innovations can be integrated into road construction processes in order to reduce process variability and improve overall quality. Using the case of asphalt construction, students are taught the fundamentals of process control with the main goal of reducing process variability.
The main topics covered in this course are:
- Fundamentals of process control
- Asphalt mix design to construction and maintenance – the need for science-based approaches
- Measuring variability in construction processes – a sensor-based approach
- Integrating sensors and innovative technologies to improve process control
- Visualization and Simulation tools for construction processes
- Using sensor data to apply Statistical Process Control techniques in Quality Control
- Integrating real-time systems into method-based operational strategies
This course will be examined by means of one mid-term oral exam, one individual written assignment and one group assignment
Is knowledge of programming skills necessary for this course? Please specify the skills / knowledge of which programme(s) is / are needed.
Basic coding skills in Python, Matlab or similar is recommended. Note that this is not a mandatory requirement.
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