Abstract:
Drilled shaft construction projects in challenging subsurface conditions can be effectively executed when the Owner and Contractor pre-emptively collaborate to address construction risks prior to construction. All parties can benefit from a well thought out, pre-approved strategy for addressing challenges from uncertainties in ground conditions and the costs associated with modifying the design and/or construction means and methods needed to address potential problems. Aside from the obvious benefit to schedule by having a plan ready for implementation on short notice, this strategy yields benefit by equitably sharing risk amongst the parties involved and thereby reducing the total costs required to address the risk. This approach ultimately benefits the owner most of all by delivering the project on time at the lowest possible cost and avoiding potential claims for delays and the costs associated with dispute resolution. Examples of ground risks include karstic limestone conditions, high variations in bearing strata elevation or characteristics, the presence of boulders or difficult groundwater conditions.
This presentation will discuss three recent bridge projects in which drilled shaft construction, and overall project schedule, was optimized using this pre-emptive collaboration strategy. All three of the bridge projects include very challenging subsurface conditions, two of which are in the Midwest United States. Additionally, various procurement methods were utilized, so the initiation of this pre-emptive collaboration strategy was manifested in different forms.