How do you measure the success of transportation materials or construction project accordingly? Percent within limits (PWL) specifications combine both the mean and the standard deviation into a single quality measure. TRB hosted a webinar on Monday, March 3, 2025 from 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM Eastern that shared how to develop and monitor limits and pay adjustments for a PWL specification. Presenters discussed how to develop proper incentives and disincentives within a PWL specification; how to balance risks and pay factors in PWL specifications; and how to monitor and conduct retrospective analysis, maintaining specification limits and evaluating risks on an ongoing basis.
This webinar was the second in a two-part series. The first webinar, Quality Assurance of Transportation Materials and Construction—Part I, was held February 11, 2025.
This webinar was sponsored by TRB’s Standing Technical Committee on Quality Assurance Management.
The slides are available. Please contact trbwebinar@nas.edu for a link to the recording. There may be a $90 fee.
 
Webinar agenda and presenters

• Developing and updating specification limits – Dennis Dvorak, retired Federal Highway Administration Resource Center
• Balancing risks and pay factors in PWL specifications – Dimitrios Goulias, University of Maryland
• Monitoring quality assurance specifications – Mike Copeland, Idaho Transportation Department
• Question and answer session moderated by Mark Felag, Mark Felag, P.E. LLC

The first 60 minutes of the webinar were for presentations and the final 30 minutes were reserved for audience questions.
 
Learning Objectives
At the end of this webinar, participants can:

• Develop and update limits for a PWL specification
• Balance risks and pay factors in a PWL specification
• Monitor and perform retrospective analysis to maintain specification limits

 
Professional Development Hours
This webinar was delivered as a scheduled – e-learning live event and is categorized within RCEP as Technical, Health and Safety.
Professional Development Hours (PDHs) earned on completion of this program were reported to the Registered Continuing Education Program (RCEP). Certificates of Completion are issued to all participants via the RCEP.net online system. Complaints about registered providers may be addressed to RCEP, 1015 15th Street, NW, 8th Fl., Washington, DC, 20005.