Guidelines for the Use of Pavement Warranties on Highway Construction Projects

The guide identifies programmatic and project-level decision criteria that DOTs should consider when implementing and sustaining a program. The guide presents strategies to mitigate project-specific risks and also includes model warranty specification provisions. The guide also includes a decision tool to help identify program-level issues and project-specific risks.



This Guide is designed to help guide state departments of transportation (DOTs) in establishing pavement warranty programs.

CONTENTS
1 Summary
3 Chapter 1 Background
3 Problem Statement
3 Objectives and Research Approach
3 Phase I
4 Phase II
5 Chapter 2 Research Findings
5 General Literature (Comparison of National and International Experience)
6 Joint DOT/Industry Pavement Warranty Workshop
6 Warranty Types
8 Transitioning from Materials and Workmanship to Performance Warranties
9 Contractor Control: What Performance and Related Distresses Can Generally
Be Regarded as in the Contractor’s Control?
9 Benefits of Warranties—What Is the Motivation?
9 Process Offered for Owners to Define and Manage Performance
12 Considerations in the Development of the Selection Guidelines
12 Implementation Strategies
13 DOT Pavement Warranty Experience
13 California DOT (Caltrans)
14 Colorado DOT (CDOT)
15 Florida DOT (FDOT)
16 Illinois DOT (IDOT)
16 Indiana DOT (INDOT)
17 Iowa DOT
17 Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC)
17 Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LaDOTD)
18 Michigan DOT (MDOT)
19 Minnesota DOT (MnDOT)
19 Mississippi DOT
20 Ohio DOT (ODOT)
21 Texas DOT (TxDOT)
21 Wisconsin DOT (WisDOT)
22 Type 3 Long-Term Performance Warranties
23 Factors in Project Selection and Implementation
23 Project Selection
24 Implementation
24 Selecting Performance Indicators
25 Setting Functional or Distress Thresholds
29 Setting the Warranty Perio
31 Risk Allocation and Contracting Considerations
32 Quality Control, Inspection, Testing, and Acceptance During Construction
32 Alternative Contracting
33 Exclusions
34 Monitoring and Remedial Action
34 Dispute Resolution Procedures
34 Chapter Summary
36 Chapter 3 Development of a Pavement Warranty Decision
Tool, Best Practice Guidelines, and Model Technical
Provisions for HMA and PCC Pavements
36 Warranty Decision Tool
37 Vetting Process
37 Results on Test Applications of the Tool
38 Comments Regarding Structure and Content of the Tool
40 Vetting Summary
40 Development of Warranty Implementation Guidelines and Model Technical
Provisions for HMA and PCC Pavements
40 Rationale for Warranties
40 Program Considerations
41 Project Considerations
41 Developing Warranty Provisions
45 Chapter 4 Conclusions and Recommendations
47 References
49 Bibliography
51 Glossary
53 Abbreviations and Symbols
54 Appendices