Why the United States needs Why the United States needs NACLA Recognition of NACLA Recognition of Accreditation BodiesAccreditation Bodies

Federal Highway Administration’s

Perspective

Mike Rafalowski

Materials Engineer

Office of Pavement Technology

Federal Highway Administration

Background

WHY Test?WHY Test?

BackgroundBackground

42 Billion Dollar annual program50 percent of the construction funds go to

the purchase of materials

BackgroundBackground

Nearly 300 tests in soils, aggregate, asphalt, and concrete

Major user of Hot Mix AsphaltMinor user of Portland Cement ConcreteMultiple other manufactured materials

(Steel, electrical, paint, sewers, and etc)

Major specifiers of InfrastructureMajor specifiers of Infrastructure

Federal Highway AdministrationArmy Corp of EngineersBureau of ReclamationFederal Aviation AdministrationState Department of TransportationCities and local governmentBuilding owners

Types of Laboratory QualificationTypes of Laboratory Qualification

ISO 17025AASHTO R-18Owner requirementsNONE

Our Need for Comparable Our Need for Comparable Accreditation ProgramAccreditation Program

Regulatory option for approving comparable Accreditation Bodies

Inquiries by Accreditation BodiesInterest by laboratories in reducing number

of duplicative audits

Our Need for Comparable Our Need for Comparable Accreditation ProgramAccreditation Program

Why NACLA?NACLA’s mission is to coordinate and

evaluate accreditation programs in the US Several accreditation programs covering

construction materials in the USMost parties interested in construction

materials are members of NACLA

Criteria for Comparable Criteria for Comparable Accreditation Program Accreditation Program

NACLA - Technical Requirements Committee

Subcommittee on Construction Representatives of : FHWA, FAA, COE, USBR,

NIST, AASHTO, AAP, A2LA, NVLAP, IAS, ACIL

First meeting May 13, 2001 Technical Requirements for Construction

Testing, NISTIR 7012, published June 2003