Training & Certification Program

Administered by

The Oklahoma Department of Transportation

in cooperation with

The Oklahoma Highway Construction Materials Technician Certification Board

The mission of the Oklahoma Highway Construction Materials Technician Training & Certification Program is to ensure that every technician, sampling or testing Oklahoma highway construction materials for the purpose of quality control/quality assurance, has demonstrated the skills, knowledge, and abilities to perform at a level of competence commensurate with the highest standards of the industry.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Please read this brochure carefully before applying for certification.

This program was designed to train and certify technicians to properly sample and test common highway construction materials. It is important for employers and industry personnel to understand that these certifications are on a very basic level and do not imply that a technician is qualified to do anything more than sample and/or test materials. That is to say, they are certified to provide hard data to industry experts who interpret the data and make decisions based on their own levels of expertise. While the Board has certified many technicians who have a great deal of knowledge and experience in their fields, the certifications awarded do not endorse any extended application of that knowledge beyond the technician's qualification to follow those AASHTO and OHDL procedures specifically demonstrated during the certification process.

TRAINING vs. CERTIFICATION

The program provides two basic services - training and certification. Training modules include hands-on instruction and are designed to prepare the student for certification. Certification modules are designed solely to provide the applicant with an opportunity to demonstrate proficiency in the required procedures. For certification modules, the applicant is expected to be proficient in the procedures and need no instruction or demonstration. It is highly recommended that applicants attend the appropriate training module before attempting certification. The program director will review all applications and may recommend an effective training and certification plan for each applicant.

Fees

Fees for training and certification modules are set by the Oklahoma Highway Construction Materials Technician Certification Board with the approval of the Oklahoma Legislature. Please review the Module Duration & Fee Table.

SYNOPSES OF TRAINING MODULES

Successful completion requires a passing score of 70% or greater on an open-book written examination.

Aggregates - Aggregate types, sources in Oklahoma, production, processing, handling, and properties are discussed. Hands-on training in AASHTO sampling and testing procedures.

Important Note: This course is a prerequisite for the Soils, Concrete, and Asphalt training modules.

Asphalt Materials - Discussion of production and testing as well as methods for combining aggregates to meet specifications. All pertinent QC/QA AASHTO and ODOT test procedures are covered. Students must successfully complete the Aggregates module before enrolling.

Asphalt Mix Design - For Asphalt Mix Design, training and certification are combined in a single module. Level I is for RHCMTs certified in Asphalt who will be running tests during the mix design process. Level II is for those who are responsible for designing the mix and submitting the design to ODOT. ODOT will only accept mix designs from Level II certified technicians. Level I tests are listed in the table at the bottom of this page. Level II technicians will be certified to perform all of the functions of Level I technicians plus develop or modify the design. Level I certification and one year of experience in asphalt production or construction subsequent to asphalt certification is prerequisite to Level II certification. Training will be provided and required for Level II. Level II certification will be granted to those who fulfill the required prerequisites, complete the training, and pass a written examination.

Asphalt certification is required for enrollment in Level I and Level I certification is required for enrollment in Level II.

Concrete Materials - Topics include production, transportation, placing, curing, and testing of Portland Cement Concrete for both paving and structural projects. Discusses mix design, admixtures, fineness, batch proportions, and trial mix adjustments. Thoroughly covers AASHTO procedures for sampling and testing. Students must successfully complete the Aggregates module before enrolling.

Construction Inspection Modules- Training for construction inspectors in the various phases of a project. Students will learn proper inspection techniques and practices. The training is specific to the ODOT Standard Specifications and Construction Manual. Modules include a written examination. These modules are for training only. The Board does not currently offer a certification for construction inspection.

Soil Mechanics - Introduces common soils tests used in earthwork construction quality control programs. Compaction quality control procedures and soil modification methods are discussed in detail. Test procedures include Atterberg Limits, compaction, relative density, and in-place methods. Students must complete the Aggregates module before enrolling.

Materials Sampler - Prepares the student for Materials Sampling & Testing certification. Covers all tests listed in Concrete Materials plus Random Sampling, AASHTO tests T 2, T 168, and T 310 as well as OHD tests L 5 and L 14 Alternate Methods A & B.

Profilograph Operator Training

A three day class instructing students in the proper assembly, operation, and maintenance of California type profilographs. Mainly focused on the Ames Computerized Profilograph. Covers specifications, ODOT special provisions, and interpretation of test results. Also includes an introduction to other types of smoothness testing equipment.

Statistics for QC/QA Evaluation Specialists

This course is designed to give quality control personnel the tools to understand basic statistical principles and how statistics are used to reliably estimate compliance with specifications and to compute percent defectives and pay factors. Field personnel will benefit from discussion and problem solving explaining the need for and the mechanisms of random sampling. Topics include Random Sampling vs. Judgement Based Sampling, An Introduction to Basic Statistics, Estimating Compliance with Specifications, Measuring and Assessing Variability, Process Control, Computation of Percent Defective, and Calculation of Pay Factors.

CERTIFICATION MODULE PROCEDURES

Before enrolling, applicants should be proficient in the tests and procedures to be evaluated for certification.
Aggregates Certification must be completed before Asphalt, Concrete, or Soils certifications are awarded.

Applicants will be required to demonstrate performance of the listed procedures without the aid of references (excluding those charts and forms provided by the Training Center as common reference materials) or evaluator assistance. On the open-book written examination, applicants must score a minimum of 70% on each procedure and an overall minimum score of 80% .