MassDOT Research and Materials Section (RMS): Field Control

Field Control works closely with the companies that produce, manufacture, and fabricate material for MassDOT construction projects. This unit ensures materials placed in the field meet or exceed specifications, and the people who place the materials are doing so correctly. Field Control also reviews and approves cement concrete mix designs used across the State.

Responsibilities

• Material's Verification program
• Independent Assurance program
• Precast/Prestressed Concrete program
• Approve cement concrete mix designs
• Review standard specifications, special provisions, and other construction and materials related documents

Materials Verification

This program evaluates material sources for conformance to MassDOT standard specifications. The materials covered under the verification program include:

• Cement concrete and constituent materials (hydraulic cement, supplementary cementitious materials, aggregate, chemical admixtures)
• Brick and block
• Steel beam highway guardrail, and steel reinforcement

Independent Assurance

This program provides an unbiased and independent evaluation of MassDOT acceptance and contractor quality control sampling, testing, and inspection activities for:

• Cement concrete
• Hot mix asphalt
• Soils

This gives MassDOT confidence in the results generated during construction.

Precast/Prestressed Concrete

This program ensures that all fabricated items are in conformance with MassDOT standard specifications. Field Control ensures conformance by overseeing sampling, testing, and inspection activities, as well as reviewing results for precast/prestressed concreate materials used on MassDOT construction contracts. Concrete materials include:

• Precast concrete highway units
• Precast concrete bridge elements
• Prestressed concrete beams
• Prefabricated bridge units