Quality Assurance Inspection Research Articles

Development of Risk-Based Methodologies for Highway Pavement Construction Inspection

Construction inspection plays a critical role in Portland cement concrete pavement (PCCP) and hot mix asphalt (HMA) pavement projects. To ensure the quality of pavement projects, state departments of transportation (DOTs) in the U.S. typically conduct construction material tests and inspect workmanship processes using quality assurance (QA) programs. Given today’s reality of reduced QA inspection resources such as funding, staff ability, and availability, several state DOTs have used a risk-based inspection (RBI) approach to optimize their QA processes. A thorough review of existing literature revealed limited studies examining RBI methodologies in highway pavement construction projects. The aim of this study is to investigate the use of RBI for pavement construction projects. It employed a triangulation research methodology, including an extensive literature review, a survey questionnaire of 50 state DOTs, focus groups, and a vetting workshop. A list of 16 core items in field inspection for both PCCP and HMA pavement projects was developed and verified. A generic risk rating of these critical inspection activities was determined. Additionally, inspection frequency, documentation effort, and inspector experience associated with these critical inspection activities identified through focus groups and the vetting workshop served as a reference point when conducting RBI for PCCP and HMA pavement projects. This study contributes to the body of knowledge and the highway construction industry by identifying and prioritizing 16 core inspection items for PCCP and HMA pavement construction. Construction project managers and inspectors may benefit from this study by analyzing the risks of core inspection items and implementing appropriate risk mitigation plans.

Visualization of Micro Damage in SOFC Using Terahertz Waves

As SOFC commercialization progresses and mass production is realized, quality control during production will become extremely important. Currently, quality control is based on visual inspection and testing of single cells and stacks under operating conditions. This method, although reliable, is time-consuming, costly, and unsustainable.Therefore, the authors have been developing evaluation methods with the aim of developing a system that enables rapid, safe, nondestructive, automatic, and accurate quality assurance assessment. One of them is developing evaluation methods for internal microdefects using THz waves. Previously, the authors have been conducting nondestructive evaluation during SOFC operation using the acoustic emission (AE) method [1-5]; the AE method detects the sound (elastic waves) generated when cells, stacks, etc. are deformed or mechanically damaged, and is suitable for in-situ observation during operation. In this situation, we have also succeeded in classifying deformation and various damages of cells and stacks by machine learning of the obtained signals [6,7,8]. However, there are two main disadvantages of using SOFC as a quality assurance inspection method: First, it is passive. In other words, it cannot detect deformation or damage that has already occurred. The second is that it is dependent on the measurement environment, since AE signals are not physical quantities and therefore change depending on the measurement environment. In other words, the waveform shape, amplitude, and frequency components of the signals may change significantly by attaching a sensor to the waveguide. Therefore, signals that have been successfully classified may need to be readjusted or re-verified if the measurement conditions change.On the other hand, signals obtained from THz waves are often highly reproducible physical quantities. In addition, it is rapid and nondestructive because of the contactless and pulsed wave. However, THz waves have a long wavelength, which results in low resolution in multilayer thin-film structures. If it becomes possible to detect small defects in the layers and visualize the internal structure by utilizing machine learning, it will surely be a very effective evaluation method for SOFCs.In this paper, we report on the clustering and recent results of machine learning using fluctuations of THz reflected waves.AcknowledgementsThis research was conducted as part of the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) (JPNP20003). In addition, it was supported by Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (22K18865) and (22H01353).[1] K. Sato et al et al., Journal of Testing and Evaluation 34, JTE12707 (2006).DOI: 10.1520/JTE12707[2] K. Sato et al., Journal of Power Sources 195, 5481-5486 (2010).DOI : 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2010.03.077[3] K. Sato et al.,ECS Trans., 7 (1) 455 (2007).DOI: 10.1149/1.2729123[4] K. Kumada et al.,ECS Trans., 91 (1), 825 (2019).DOI: 10.1149/09101.0825ecst[5] T. Tsuchikura et al.,ECS Trans., 91 (1), 579 (2019).DOI: 10.1149/09101.0579ecst[6] D Inaba et al., Transactions of the Japanese Society for Artificial Intelligence 27 (3), 121-132 (2012).DOI: 10.1527/tjsai.27.121[7] D. Inaba et al., Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics), 7301 LNAI(PART 2), 49–60(2012).DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-30220-6_5[8] K. Fukui et al.,ECS Trans., 57(1), 571–580 (2013).DOI: 10.1149/05701.0571ecst

Automated Pavement Construction Inspection Using Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS)—Hot Mixed Asphalt (HMA) Temperature Segregation

Temperature segregation in Hot Mixed Asphalt (HMA) pavement construction leads to performance problems, such as reduced fatigue life. During construction, Quality Assurance (QA) inspection procedures are required to evaluate the pavement condition and detect the segregated areas. In traditional HMA highway construction inspection processes, temperature differences are investigated manually, by sampling the HMA behind the paver. In these processes, inspectors are required to work adjacent to traffic and alongside moving or backing equipment. These processes do not provide a complete temperature profile of the mat, endanger the inspectors’ safety, and require on-site experienced inspectors. An Uncrewed Aerial System (UAS) enables HMA pavement construction inspection to be conducted within a remote, non-destructive, safe, and efficient framework. The objective of this research is to design an automated UAS imaging workflow for HMA pavement construction inspection, mainly locating temperature segregation. The primary contribution of this paper is to provide Departments of Transportations (DOTs) and contractors with workflows for creating enhanced remote inspection procedures and detailed thermal profiles of the placed HMA mat. The application of the proposed workflow is illustrated using an HMA construction project in Michigan.

A data‐driven ensemble ranking system of production quality across manufacturers—A case study for risk assessment in the solar industry

AbstractIn many production industries, quality assurance and risk analysis are important aspects of the procurement of products. Such analysis often takes the form of during and after production inspections performed by quality assurance companies. These inspections give insight into the quality level of each individual production batch; however, it is also often important to understand a manufacturer's overall production quality and how its quality compares to other manufacturers. Therefore, in this paper, we propose a data‐driven method to rank the production quality across manufacturers. The method is based on data from quality assurance inspections and consists of three steps. In the first step, a failure mode and effects analysis is applied for each individual manufacturer. This results in a risk assessment for identified failure modes. In the second step, the risk assessments are combined to create an overall failure index for each manufacturer. Step 2 can be designed in various ways. To ensure our final ranking is robust to the selected method, in step 3 we combine all methods into a unified rank of each manufacturer. We validate our proposed ensemble ranking method using a case study from the solar industry, where we compare our final ranking with the experts’ knowledge of manufacturer quality. It is shown that our data‐driven method identifies the high‐risk manufacturers in accordance with experts’ knowledge.

Approach to Determination of Risk-Based Inspection Workload for Highway Construction Projects

State departments of transportation (DOTs) are increasingly charged with developing and managing more highway construction projects while facing a substantial challenge in performing construction inspection activities with reduced resources of funding and inspection staff. Several state DOTs have applied workload reduction approaches including risk-based inspection methods to offset the shortage of inspection resources. The purpose of this study was to develop a framework to determine an appropriate inspection workload associated with construction inspection risk levels. The framework included three stages: (1) determination of project needs of inspection workforce, (2) utilizing risk-based prioritization of inspection activities, and (3) allocation of the workforce based on risk levels of inspection activities. The proposed framework was developed based on data collected from a comprehensive literature review and survey questionnaires of 50 state DOTs. The findings from this study indicated that almost all 38 responding state DOTs have a shortage of inspection staff. Four main strategies that state DOTs used to overcome the shortage of inspection workforce include outsourcing quality assurance (QA) inspections to consultants, using contractors’ test results for acceptance, reducing the number of inspections and testing frequency, and prioritizing QA inspections. The framework was tested and calibrated with a case study project in Kansas. The result shows that the proposed framework can be implemented by state DOTs to increase the value of inspection with a limited workforce. The framework also allows project managers to better understand and allocate the available inspection resources to alleviate the risk of quality shortfall.

Tightening Procedures for Proper Installation of Anchor Rods in Ancillary Structures

In the last 2 decades, many ancillary structures have collapsed, with several instances traceable to loose anchor nuts. According to a quality assurance inspection conducted by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) in 2012, approximately 30% of the anchor nuts on the inspected ancillary structures across the state of Virginia were found to be loose. The exact cause of the loose anchor nuts is not known; however, one theory is that specified tightening procedures were not properly followed or were not adequate. Currently, a turn-of-the-nut method is used for the tightening of anchor nuts on double-nut moment connections at the base of ancillary structures. This research reviewed current tightening procedures for anchor nuts on ancillary structures. The relationship between three critical tightening parameters—applied torque, nut rotation, and pretension in the rod—was examined. One hundred galvanized steel anchor rods of five different diameters and three different grades were tested. The experimental tests serve as a benchmark to validate the current tightening procedures, as well as to recommend changes.

Using Evidential Reasoning Technology to Enhance the Audit Quality Assurance Inspection Process

ABSTRACTThis paper considers the use of an emerging technology based on formal evidential reasoning to help audit quality assurers conduct higher-quality inspections of audit engagements. Although the ideas should be relevant to the inspection process in general, we focus on PCAOB stated objectives and procedures and, as an illustration, the inspection of Satyam Computer Services Limited. To enhance audit quality assurance (AQA), we propose and illustrate a portion of a prototype technology that uses formal evidential reasoning to help assess audit quality. The use of a formal evidential reasoning model and a structured process should provide better documented and more precise, consistent, and rigorous AQA assessments of risk, of the sufficiency and competency of audit evidence collected, and of various auditor judgments. The potential of this technology is illustrated by evaluating the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board's (PCAOB) inspection of Satyam Computer Services Limited, in particular the assessment of the risk of financial statement misstatement due to either unintentional or intentional misstatements. The illustration suggests that the proposed technology is likely to facilitate an enhanced inspection of audit quality. By implication, we assert that use of such technology will result in other enhancements to AQA.

Design and Evaluation of a Sensitive, Low Cost and Portable Millimeter Wave Survey Meter

We developed a small, hand-held, portable, low cost, millimeter wave (mmW) meter to detect and display the levels of emissions from L3 ProVision security scanners used in hundreds of airports for detection of contraband and weapons. The meter is intended to measure radiation emissions from this particular scanner and enable the user to enable periodic quality assurance measurements and to see if undesirably high levels were to occur. The non-engineering staff of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) can use this meter to demonstrate safety of these scanners to passengers using this simple handheld instrument certified by the US Food Drug administration. This meter can assess human exposure levels during periodic quality assurance inspections, in a region where a person is being scanned, and demonstrate the lack of possible interference with body worn medical devices. It has receiving, signal processing, output display, and user control subsystems, and displays graphical and numerical information. The meter detects low level, pulses of mmW electromagnetic radiation (20 - 30 GHz with levels of 0.02 V/m to 0.15 V/m). It displays a single burst of five or more 10 μsec pulses. It detects levels as low as several thousand times below the maximum permissible levels prescribed by international human exposure safety standards. This compact system replaces the bulky and costly collection of large and costly instruments needed to perform the same measurements.

Building Data-Driven Pathways From Routinely Collected Hospital Data: A Case Study on Prostate Cancer.

BackgroundRoutinely collected data in hospitals is complex, typically heterogeneous, and scattered across multiple Hospital Information Systems (HIS). This big data, created as a byproduct of health care activities, has the potential to provide a better understanding of diseases, unearth hidden patterns, and improve services and cost. The extent and uses of such data rely on its quality, which is not consistently checked, nor fully understood. Nevertheless, using routine data for the construction of data-driven clinical pathways, describing processes and trends, is a key topic receiving increasing attention in the literature. Traditional algorithms do not cope well with unstructured processes or data, and do not produce clinically meaningful visualizations. Supporting systems that provide additional information, context, and quality assurance inspection are needed.ObjectiveThe objective of the study is to explore how routine hospital data can be used to develop data-driven pathways that describe the journeys that patients take through care, and their potential uses in biomedical research; it proposes a framework for the construction, quality assessment, and visualization of patient pathways for clinical studies and decision support using a case study on prostate cancer.MethodsData pertaining to prostate cancer patients were extracted from a large UK hospital from eight different HIS, validated, and complemented with information from the local cancer registry. Data-driven pathways were built for each of the 1904 patients and an expert knowledge base, containing rules on the prostate cancer biomarker, was used to assess the completeness and utility of the pathways for a specific clinical study. Software components were built to provide meaningful visualizations for the constructed pathways.ResultsThe proposed framework and pathway formalism enable the summarization, visualization, and querying of complex patient-centric clinical information, as well as the computation of quality indicators and dimensions. A novel graphical representation of the pathways allows the synthesis of such information.ConclusionsClinical pathways built from routinely collected hospital data can unearth information about patients and diseases that may otherwise be unavailable or overlooked in hospitals. Data-driven clinical pathways allow for heterogeneous data (ie, semistructured and unstructured data) to be collated over a unified data model and for data quality dimensions to be assessed. This work has enabled further research on prostate cancer and its biomarkers, and on the development and application of methods to mine, compare, analyze, and visualize pathways constructed from routine data. This is an important development for the reuse of big data in hospitals.

Dynamic estimation and reliability control of quality assurance for bored piles

A systematic method was proposed to estimate the occurrence probability of defective piles (OPDP) from a site according to quality assurance inspection. The OPDP was firstly suggested as the criterion to weight the performance of a pile foundation. Its prior distribution and updating distribution were deduced to follow Beta distributions. To calibrate the OPDP, a dynamic estimation model was established according to the relationships between prior mean and variance and updating mean and variance. Finally, a reliability-control method dealing with uncertainties arising from quality assurance inspection was formalized to judge whether all the bored piles from a site can be accepted. It is exemplified that the OPDP can be substantially improved when more definite prior information and sampling formation become available. For the example studied herein, the Bayesian estimator of updating variance for OPDP is reduced from 0.0037 to 0.0014 for the first inspection, from 0.0014 to 0.0009 for the second inspection, and with less uncertainty by incorporating experience information.

Standards of Professional Practice for Design Management

AbstractThis article is the result of continued research at the University of Alabama’s Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering relating to management issues in engineering failures. The research shows that many failures occur due to well-known technical issues overlooked by management during the design process. Such failures are often termed errors and omissions. This research further indicates that systematic design quality control and quality assurance, careful communication, and post-design inspection are management techniques that could prevent a large number of engineering failures. In an effort to decrease the incidence of management issues, the authors propose to structure a prototypical standard of professional practice for design management. In developing that structure, the authors (1) explored the nature of standards and the similarities that exist in definitions by various professional organizations and (2) reviewed the standard of care and considered why it may not be...

A survey on auditing, quality assurance systems and legal frameworks in five selected slaughterhouses in Bulawayo, south-western Zimbabwe

The purpose of this study was to explore the audits, quality assurance (QA) programmes and legal frameworks used in selected abattoirs in Zimbabwe and slaughterhouse workers' perceptions on their effectiveness. Data on slaughterhouse workers was gathered through a self-completed questionnaire and additional information was obtained from slaughterhouse and government records. External auditing was conducted mainly by the Department of Veterinary Public Health with little contribution from third parties. Internal auditing was restricted to export abattoirs. The checklist used on auditing lacked objective assessment criteria and respondents cited several faults in the current audit system. Most respondents (> 50.0%) knew the purposes and benefits of audit and QA inspections. All export abattoirs had QA programmes such as hazard analysis critical control point and ISO 9001 (a standard used to certify businesses' quality management systems) but their implementation varied from minimal to nil. The main regulatory defect observed was lack of requirements for a QA programme. Audit and quality assurance communications to the selected abattoirs revealed a variety of non-compliances with most respondents revealing that corrective actions to audit (84.3%) and quality assurance (92.3%) shortfalls were not done. A high percentage of respondents indicated that training on quality (76.8%) and regulations (69.8%) was critical. Thus, it is imperative that these abattoirs develop a food safety management system comprising of QA programmes, a microbial assessment scheme, regulatory compliance, standard operating procedures, internal and external auditing and training of workers.

앙상블 학습을 이용한 DRAM 모듈 출하 품질보증 검사 불량 예측

The DRAM module is an important part of servers, workstations and personal computer. Its malfunction causes a lot of damage on customer system. Therefore, customers demand the highest quality products. The company applies DRAM module Outgoing Quality Assurance Inspection(OQA) to secures the highest quality. It is the key process to decides shipment of products through sample inspection method with customer oriented tests. High fraction of defectives entering to OQA causes inevitable high quality cost. This article proposes the application of ensemble learning to classify the lot status to minimize the ratio of wrong decision in OQA, observing a potential in reducing the wrong decision.

Establishing the quality management baseline in the use of computed tomography machines in Kenya

The objective of this study was to assess the level of compliance to quality assurance and image quality standards in computed tomography facilities in Kenyan hospitals. A quality assurance inspection and physical image quality assessment in eighteen representative computed tomography facilities were completed. A quantitative method was developed and used to score the results obtained from the physical image quality measurements using the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) water phantom. Inspection was done in order to establish the level of compliance with internationally recognized standards such as those stipulated in the European Guidelines Quality Criteria for Computed Tomography and the International Basic Safety Standards for Protection against Ionizing Radiation. The overall findings placed the national quality management performance at 50±3%, while image quality and quality assurance performance were 61±3% and 37±3%, respectively. The quality assurance assessment benchmarked the country's level of quality management system compliance in diagnostic radiology. During accreditation appraisal, the scrutiny of scores from each stage in the medical imaging chain per facility will encourage continual implementation of the quality improvement process.PACS number: 87.57.C, 87.57.cf, 87.57.cj, 87.57.cm, 87.57.cp, 87.57.Q, 87.55.N

Quality Assurance Tests of ${\rm Nb}_{3}{\rm Sn}$ Wires for the Series-Connected Hybrid Magnets

About 450 km of high JC Nb3Sn wires have been procured for the construction of two series-connected hybrid magnets by the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (NHMFL). In addition to the quality assurance tests by the wire manufacturer, a receiving quality assurance inspection with a predetermined sampling frequency is carried out at the NHMFL. These tests include wire diameter, twist pitch, Cu/non-Cu ratio, IC, residual resistance ratio, hysteresis loss, and IC strain dependence. In this paper, the test procedures are described and the test results are presented. Based on these test results, all the wires have been accepted.

Identifying leadership roles for quality in early childhood education programmes

This article aims to identify leadership roles for quality in early childhood programmes in the local settings of a sample of Hong Kong preschools. Two schools were selected for the study, both of which were rated as excellent in the quality assurance inspections of a local education authority. Effective leadership was explored from the multiple perspectives of various school stakeholders, including school governors, principals, teachers, members of support staff and parents. The qualitative interviews were used for data collection. The interview data indicated that the teachers, members of support staff and parents quite often viewed themselves as followers and were dependent on a single leader, the head. As perceived by the school stakeholders, the principals tended to take up three major roles: role model, school manager and mentor for curriculum and pedagogy. Characteristics of the associated patterns of the three leadership roles were similar to those of moral, managerial and instructional leadership documented in the Western literature. The implications of the study for promoting moral leadership and developing teacher leadership are discussed.

P23.05 Out break of Proteus mirabilis in neonatal unit – lessons learnt

kitchen. Toxin producing Bacillus cereus was isolated from faeces of 3/12 (25%) patients and 19/25 (76%) of food handlers, and 35/61 (57%) of food samples from the kitchen. Discussion: This is the first report of a nosocomial outbreak of foodborne B. cereus infection from this region. The importance of appropriate epidemiological and microbiological investigation and public relations management is emphasized, in addition to the need for continuing training of food handlers and rigorous enforcement of food hygiene regulations. Conclusion: This outbreak was the result of many breaches of basic hygiene regulations in a hospital kitchen, despite a recent external quality assurance inspection.

Development of new transportation/storage cask system for use by DOE Russian Research Reactor Fuel Return Program

The United States, the Russian Federation, and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have been working together on a program called the Russian Research Reactor Fuel Return (RRRFR) Program. The purpose of this program is to return Soviet or Russian supplied high-enriched uranium (HEU) fuel currently stored at Russian-designed research reactors throughout the world to Russia. To accommodate transport of the HEU spent nuclear fuel (SNF), a new large-capacity transport/storage cask system was specially designed for handling and operations under the unique conditions for these research reactor facilities. This new cask system is named the SKODA VPVR/M cask. The design, licensing, testing, and delivery of this new cask system are the results of a significant international cooperative effort by several countries and involved numerous private and governmental organizations. This paper contains the following sections: (1) Introduction/Background; (2) VPVR/M Cask Description; (3) Ancillary Equipment, (4) Cask Licensing; (5) Cask Demonstration and Operations; (6) IAEA Procurement, Quality Assurance Inspections, Fabrication, and Delivery; and, (7) Summary and Conclusions.

From External Inspection to Self-Evaluation: A Study of Quality Assurance in Hong Kong Kindergartens

Research Findings: Hong Kong launched the new mechanism of the Quality Assurance Inspection (QAI) in 2000 to enforce accountability and school improvement in the sector of early childhood education. The QAI comprises 3 stages: school self-evaluation, external inspection, and release of the QAI report to the public. To understand the roles of self-evaluation and external inspection and their interactions, we analyzed all 80 QAI reports released by the government from 2004 to 2007 and interviewed the principals and teachers of 3 kindergartens that had been ranked excellent, good, and satisfactory on Learning and Teaching performance in the QAI. The results indicated that (a) school performance on self-evaluation was significantly and positively correlated with Learning and Teaching performance but negatively correlated with the number of problems found in the QAI, (b) all kindergartens reported 4 types of challenges brought about by the external inspection (i.e., uncertainty, personnel, workload, and psychological burdens), and (c) the QAI was a facilitative and productive process for school self-evaluation and quality improvement. Practice or Policy: These findings suggest that an effective quality assurance mechanism should maintain a balance between external and internal evaluations and should work toward school empowerment and improvement.

Leadership for School Improvement: Exploring Factors and Practices in the Process of Curriculum Change

Research Findings: This article describes research into leadership practice for school improvement in Hong Kong preschools at a time when there was a move toward increased accountability. Two schools were selected for study, both of which were rated as excellent in the quality assurance inspections of the Education Bureau. Leadership practice for school improvement and related factors were investigated from the perspectives of various school stakeholders. Practice or Policy: The findings indicate that the 2 case study schools adopted different approaches to the process of change. One school principal delegated more to her subordinates and sought a radical change in the curriculum. In contrast, the other school principal imposed more restrictions on the exercise of authority in decision making and delegation and tended to follow the logic of a quick-fix approach. Overall, though the 2 schools adopted different approaches to curriculum change, the exercise of leadership in both schools was still highly centralized. The characteristics of leadership practice as perceived by various school stakeholders were different from the concepts of distributed leadership documented in the Western literature.