Radio Frequency Identification Tracking Technology Applied to Testing of Transportation Construction Materials

This study tested the applicability of radio frequency identification (RFID) technology to tracking the progress of construction materials being tested by the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) Office of Materials and Research (OMR). OMR receives and tests thousands of construction samples each year and currently tracks them with a paper-based system. The work in this investigation focused on RFID tracking technology, specifically read-only, passive, ultra-high-frequency tags. Because of their balance between low-cost and tracking capabilities, both handheld and fixed (portal) readers were used for tracking and identification of the applied tags. This study demonstrated that RFID tags were durable enough to be used under the harsh testing conditions in the laboratory, specifically extremes of moisture, pH, temperature, and pressure. In addition, the study demonstrated that the technology can be used for sample tracking in the laboratory and for location of misplaced samples. Finally, when integrated with an information technology database, such as GDOT's Materials Information Management System, the use of RFID technology will facilitate productivity within the testing scheme by time stamping a sample's progress through the laboratory and identifying delays and bottlenecks in the system.