Form ProjStat
(Rev. 5/2013)
(RTI)
Research Project Statement 17-59
FY 2017 Annual Program
Title:
Maximize Savings and Minimize Air Pollution with On-Site Manufacturing of Embankment Soils
(Deliverable Based)
The Problem:
During a construction project, TxDOT often moves and reuses large volumes of soil on the
project. Sometimes, large quantities of project soil are not reused because historical spills and
releases from third party operators have contaminated it. Typically, the contaminated soil is first
segregated and then trucked offsite to an authorized landfill or a recycling facility. This process
is costly in many ways. TxDOT could benefit if there were economical on-site methods to remanufacture the contaminated soil for reuse on the project. While there are regulatory guidelines
concerning the re-manufacturing and reuse of contaminated soil, the applicable regulations are
often vague and difficult to navigate and to interpret. Transporting contaminated soil from the
construction site to a landfill and then trucking clean soils back to the project site is costly,
generates air pollution, and puts additional heavy trucks on the roadways, which contributes to
congestion and additional road wear and tear. Good embankment soils are the scarcest in the
large metro districts, such as Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio. Costs to
ship in select soils are at a premium in these areas of Texas. In addition, these metro areas are
either in non-attainment or at-risk of being in non-attainment for EPA air pollution regulations.
TxDOT would benefit economically and environmentally from the development of onsite methods
to re-manufacture the contaminated soil for reuse on the project, and accomplished all within the
currently defined regulatory framework.
NOTE: At the same time these materials are re-manufactured to meet environmental standards,
they can also be modified, as necessary, to meet the required engineering standards. This
concept will be extremely valuable on projects in downtown metro areas where impacted soils
are likely to be encountered.
Technical
Objectives:
Archival research will be conducted on a minimum of three previous TxDOT project examples in
which large volumes of embankment were relocated based on environmental considerations.
Using these projects, data will be gathered to quantify the cost savings and pollution reduced by
using on-site re-manufacturing to produce new embankment material meeting TxDOT
engineering standards and TxDOT’s material specification guidelines for evaluating and using
nonhazardous recyclable materials (DMS 11000, Evaluating and Using Nonhazardous
Recyclable Materials Guidelines). Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ)
representatives will provide guidance for utilizing DMS 11000 from a regulatory standpoint.
Finally, cost data will be analyzed to forecast future savings based on past historical project data.
Desired
Deliverables:
1. Value of Research (VoR) that includes both qualitative and economic benefits.
2. Case studies on the previous TxDOT projects estimating the cost savings and air pollution
reduction. Test results from similar soil re-manufacturing will be included to demonstrate that
environmental and engineering standards can be met.
3. How-to guidance, including a list of specific factors influencing the feasibility of on-site
material production, a decision tree to select the highest value use for on-site materials, and
basic how-to information for how to prepare for on-site re-manufacturing.
4. A specification for on-site re-manufactured embankment material.
5. Proposed regulatory guidance to be presented to TCEQ for utilizing and promoting DMS
11000 standards for material re-manufacturing and re-use.
Proposal
Requirements:
1. Utilize the deliverable based templates (see the appendices provided or in the University
Handbook).
2. Proposals will be considered non-responsive and will not be accepted for technical
evaluation if they are not received by the deadline or do not meet the requirements stated in
RTI’s University Handbook.
3. Proposals should be submitted in PDF format, 1 PDF file per proposal. File name should
Project Statement 17-59
Form ProjStat
(Rev. 5/2013)
(RTI)
include project name and university abbreviation.
Pre-Proposal
Meeting
Information:
Wednesday, March 23, 2016
10:00 – 10:30AM
Austin Riverside Campus
118 E. Riverside Dr.
RTI Conference Room, 1st Floor
Webex Information:
1. Go to
https://txdot.webex.com/mw0401lsp13/mywebex/default.do?siteurl=txdot&rnd=0.9091095085622
569
2. Meeting Number: 735 915 144
3. If requested, enter your name and email address.
4. If a password is required, enter the meeting password: FY17
5. Click "Join".
Teleconference Information:
Provide your phone number when you join the meeting to receive a call back. Alternatively, you
can call:
Call-in toll-free number: 1-866-637-1408 (US)
Conference Code: 951 211 7290
Notifying RTI of
Intent to
Propose:
Notify your University Liaison of your intent to submit a proposal. Your Liaison will provide
information regarding the RFP.
Proposal
Deadline:
Proposals are due to RTI by 4:00 P.M. Central Daylight Time, April 14, 2016. Email
submissions should be sent to rtimain@txdot.gov.
Project Statement 17-59