Agenda Packets - 1993/10/25 - Laserfiche WebLink

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GME CONSULTANTS, INC. IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING PROPOSAL As the client of a consulting geotechnical engineer, you should know that site subsurface conditions cause more construction problems than any other factor. ASFE/The Association of Engineering Firms Practicing in the Geosciences offers the following suggestions and observations to help you manage your risks. Have Realistic Expectations If you have not dealt with geotechnical issues before, recognize that site exploration identifies actual subsurface conditions only at those points where samples are taken, at the time they are taken. The data derived are extrapolated by consulting geotechnical engineers who then apply their judgment to render an opinion about overall subsurface conditions, how they will react to construction activity, and appropriate design of foundations, slopes, impoundments, and other construction elements. Even under optimal circumstances, actual subsurface conditions may differ from those inferred to exist, because no geotechnical engineer, no matter how qualified, and no subsurface exploration program, no matter how comprehensive, can reveal what is hidden by earth, rock, and time. Develop The Subsurface Exploration Plan With Care The nature of a subsurface exploration program — the types, quantities, and locations of procedures used — plays a large role in determining the effectiveness of a geotechnical engineering report and the design based upon it. The more comprehensive a subsurface exploration plan, the more information it provides to the geo- technical engineer, helping the engineer reduce the risk of unanticipated conditions and the attendant risk of costly delays and disputes. Even the cost of subsurface construction may be lowered. Geolechnical design begins with development of the subsurface exploration plan, a task that should be accom- plished jointly by you and/or your professional representatives and the geotechnical engineer. Mutual develop- ment helps assure that all parties involved recognize one another's concerns and the available technical options. Clients who develop a subsurface exploration plan without the involvement of their geotechnical engineers may be required to assume responsibility — and liability— for the plan's adequacy. Read General Conditions Carefully Most consulting geotechnical engineers include their standard general contract conditions in their proposals, and it is common forone of these conditions to limit the engineer's liability. Known as risk allocation or limitation of liability, thisapproach helps prevent problems to begin with, and establishes a fair and reasonable framework for handling them should they arise. Various otherelements of the general conditions explain thegeotechnical engineer's responsibilities, in orderto help prevent confusion and misunderstandings. and assist all parties in recognizing who is responsible for different tasks. In all cases, read the geotechnical engineer's general conditions carefully. Speak with thegeotechnical engineer about any questions you may have. Have The Geotechnical Engineer Work With Other Design Professionals Costly problems can occurwh n other design professionals develop their plans based on misinterpretations of a geotechnical engineering report. To help avoid misinterpretations, retain your geotechnical engineer to work with other project design professionals who are affected by the geotechnical report. Ask the geotechnical engineer to explain report implications to those design professionals affected by them, and to review other design professionals' plans and specifications to consider the manner in which they have incorporated geotech- nical issues. Although other design professionals may be familiar with geotechnical concerns, none knows as much about them as a competent geotechnical engineer. Realize That Environmental Issues Have Not Been Addressed If you have requested a geotechnical engineering proposal, it will not include services needed to evaluate the likelihood of the site being contaminated by hazardous materials or other pollutants. Given the liabilities involved, it is prudent practice always to have a site reviewed from an environmental viewpoint. A geotechnical engineer cannot be responsible for failing to detect contaminants when the services needed to perform that function are not being provided OME CONSULTANTS, INC.