Civil Engineering: Supervision and Management

269 Pages·1996·10.02 MB·English

by  A. C. Twort BSc

Civil Engineering:
Supervision and
Management
Third Edition
A C Twort
BSe, FlCE, FlWES
and
JG ordon Rees
BSc(Eng), MICE, FCIArb
A member of the Hodder Headline Group
LONDON • SYDNEY • AUCKLAND
Third edition published in Great Britain 1995 by Arnold,
a division of Hodder Headline PLC, 338 Euston Road, London
NW13BH
First published 1966
Second edition 1972. Reprinted 1975, 1978, 1980, 1984
© 1995 AC Twort and J Gordon Rees
Softcover reprint ofthe hardcover 1s t edition 1995
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced
or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronically or
mechanically, including photocopying, recording or any
information storage or retrieval system, without either prior
permission in writing from the publisher or a licence permitting
restricted copying. In the United Kingdom such licences are issued
by the Copyright Licensing Agency: 90 Tottenham Court Road,
London W1P 9HE.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloguing in Publications Data
Available on request
ISBN-13: 978-1-4612-8451-2 e-ISBN-13: 978-1-4613-1153-9
DOl: 10.1 007/978-1-4613-1153-9
Typeset in Times by Anneset, Weston-super-Mare, Avon
Contents
Preface
1 Methods of commissioning works 1
1.1 Introduction 1
1.2 Importance of feasibility studies 2
1.3 Overall approaches to design and construction 3
1.4 Options for design 4
1.5 Options for construction 6
1.6 Design and construct and other options 10
1.7 Payment for construction 13
1.8 Nature of risks and their effect on prices 18
1.9 Summary of possible arrangements 19
1.10 Initial cost estimate for a project 20
1.11 Estimating the cost of a project at design stage 22
1.12 Project cost control 24
References 25
2 Contractual arrangements 26
2.1 Standard conditions of contract 26
2.2 Conditions for civil engineering work 26
2.3 Conditions for civil engineering or building work 32
2.4 Conditions mainly for plant and equipment supply 33
2.5 A recent report on the UK construction industry: the Latham
Report 35
2.6 Roles of the key participants in a construction contract 37
2.7 Contract documents 39
2.8 Writing specifications 40
2.9 Coordinating contracts for construction 42
2.10 Specification of general requirements 44
2.11 Specification for workmanship and materials 46
References 49
3 Tendering 50
3.1 Methods used for obtaining tenders 50
3.2 Tendering requirements and EU rules 51
3.3 Procedures under selective tendering 53
3.4 Issuing documents 54
3.5 Considering tenders 56
3.6 Checking prices and comparing tenders 58
3.7 Choosing a tender 59
iv Contents
3.8 Offer by a tenderer to complete early 60
3.9 Procedure for accepting a tender 61
3.10 Bond and insurance 64
Publications giving guidance on tendering 65
4 The contractor's site organization 66
4.1 Key site personnel for contractor 66
4.2 The agent 67
4.3 Sub-agents and section engineers 68
4.4 The plant manager or site coordinator 69
4.5 The general foreman 69
4.6 The office manager and his staff 70
4.7 Skilled tradesmen and labourers 70
4.8 Accounting methods 71
4.9 Providing constructional plant and equipment 72
4.10 The contractor's use of subcontractors 73
4.11 Safety requirements 75
4.12 New safety regulations 77
References 79
5 The engineer and his staff 81
5.1 The engineer's responsibilities for construction 81
5.2 Limitations on the powers of the engineer 82
5.3 The engineer's design responsibilities 83
5.4 The position held by the resident engineer 85
5.5 Powers and duties of the resident engineer 85
5.6 Some problems of responSibility 87
5.7 Some important points to watch 88
5.8 The resident engineer's responsibilities for safety 88
5.9 Relationship between resident engineer and agent 90
5.10 Handling troubles 91
5.11 More difficult cases of trouble 93
5.12 The resident engineer's staff 95
5.13 Quality assurance 96
5.14 Gifts and hospitality 97
References 98
6 Starting the construction work 99
6.1 Pre-commencement meeting and start-up arrangements 99
6.2 The contractor's initial work 100
6.3 The resident engineer's work 101
6.4 Early matters to discuss with the contractor 103
Contents v
6.5 Some early tasks for the resident engineer 104
6.6 Meeting the employer 105
6.7 Setting up the clerical work 106
7 Site surveys, investigations and layout 107
7.1 Site surveys 107
7.2 Setting out buildings 108
7.3 Setting out larger sites 109
7.4 Setting out floor levels 111
7.5 Site investigations 111
7.6 Trial pits 113
7.7 Test borings 113
7.8 Other means of ground investigation 116
7.9 Judging the safe bearing value of a foundation 116
7.10 Testing apparatus for a site soils laboratory 117
7.11 Site layout considerations 119
7.12 Temporary works 121
7.13 Work in public roads 121
7.14 Site drainage 122
References 124
8 The resident engineer's office records 125
8.1 Importance of records 125
8.2 Types of records 125
8.3 Correspondence filing system 126
8.4 CVIs from contractor and instructions to contractor 128
8.5 Register of drawings 129
8.6 Daily and other progress records 129
8.7 Quantity records 133
8.8 The contractor's interim payment applications 134
8.9 Authorization of dayworks 136
8.10 Filing system for dayworks sheets 137
8.11 Check of materials on site 139
8.12 Price increase records 139
8.13 Supply contract records 140
8.14 Registers of test results 141
8.15 Photographs 144
8.16 Record drawings 145
8.17 Other records 146
9 Programme and progress charts 148
9.1 Responsibilities for programming the construction 148
9.2 Alternative ways of handling delivery problems 149
9.3 Role of the resident engineer 150
9.4 Programme considerations 150
vi Contents
9.5 Time schedules 151
9.6 Bar charts 151
9.7 Progress charts 154
9.8 Network dia,grams and critical path planning 158
9.9 Part played by the agent in achieving progress 160
9.10 Estimating the probable final cost of works 161
10 Measurement and bills of quantities 163
10.1 Principles of pricing and payment 163
10.2 Methods of measurement for bills of quantities 164
10.3 The ICE standard method of measurement (CESMM) 165
10.4 Classification and number of items 166
10.5 Accuracy of quantities: provisional quantities 168
10.6 Billing of quantities for building work 168
10.7 Some problems of billing 169
10.8 Use of nominated subcontractors 173
10.9 Prime cost items 174
10.10 Preliminaries bill and method-related items 175
10.11 Adjustment item to the total price 180
10.12 Preamble to bill of quantities 180
10.13 List of principal quantities 181
11 Interim monthly payments 182
11.1 Handling interim payments 182
11.2 Agreeing quantities for payment 183
11.3 Payment for extra work, dayworks, and claims 184
11.4 Payment of lump sums, method-related items,
and any adjustment items 185
11.5 Payment for materials on site 186
11.6 Payment for materials manufactured off site 187
11.7 Payment for manufactured items shipped overseas 187
11.8 Price adjustment 188
11.9 Retention and other matters 189
12 Variations and claims 190
12.1 Who deals with variations and claims? 190
12.2 Payment for increased quantities 191
12.3 Ordered variations 192
12.4 Rates for ordered variations 193
12.5 Variations proposed by the contractor 195
12.6 Claims from the contractor 195
12.7 Sheets submitted 'for record purposes only' 197
12.8 Clause 12 claims for unforeseen conditions 197
12.9 Payment for unforeseen conditions 199
12.10 Delay claims 201
Contents vii
12.11 Estimating delay costs 202
12.12 Quotations from a contractor for undertaking variations 203
12.13 Time limits and interest payable on late payments 204
12.14 Arbitration 205
12.15 Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) 206
12.16 Minimizing claims and disputes 207
13 Earthworks and pipelines 209
13.1 Excavating and earth-placing machinery 209
13.2 Controlling excavation 211
13.3 Haulage of excavated material 212
13.4 Placing and compacting fill 213
13.5 Watching fill quantity 214
13.6 Site roads 215
13.7 Trenching for pipelines 216
13.8 Thrust blocks and testing pipelines 217
13.9 Handling and jointing large pipes and fittings 218
14 Site concreting and reinforcement 220
14.1 Development of concrete practice 220
14.2 Standards for concrete quality 221
14.3 Practical compliance with concrete standards 223
14.4 Grading of aggregates and their suitable mixing 225
14.5 Workability of concrete and admixtures 227
14.6 Practical points in producing good concrete 228
14.7 Some causes of unsatisfactory concrete 230
14.8 Site checks on concrete quality 231
14.9 Conveyance and placing of concrete 233
14.10 Construction and other joints 234
14.11 Concrete finish problems 235
14.12 Handling and fixing steel reinforcement 236
References 238
Index 239
Preface
This book covers methods adopted for undertaking the design and construction
of civil engineering projects. The options for separate design and construction are
compared with design and build projects, construction management, and man
agement contracting. The salient differences are shown between the various con
ditions of contract used. The roles of the engineer, employer's project manager or
his representative under different forms of contract are compared. Requirements
for the production of contract documents, specifications, tendering procedures
and choice of contractor are set out.
The engineer's powers and the duties of his resident engineer on the site of con
struction are considered in detail. Records, filing systems, programme and
progress charts used by the resident engineer are illustrated, and advice is given
on the handling of safety problems and difficult situations on site.
Problems of measurement and billing of quantities according to the civil engi
neering standard method are described. Correct procedures for setting rates for
varied work, payment for method-related items, and handling claims for unfore
seen conditions under ICE Clause 12 are given. Difficulties with delay claims and
situations where the contractor submits quotations before undertaking varied
work are discussed.
The approach is essentially practical throughout and covers many actual prob
lems met on site, including measures that are advisable in relation to site surveys
and investigations, construction of earthworks and pipelines, and the production
and placing of concrete.
The authors acknowledge with thanks the assistance received from the con
sulting engineers Binnie & Partners, whose long experience of handling major
civil engineering projects in the UK and abroad has been of great benefit to the
authors. The views given in this book are, however, our own.
ACTwort
J Gordon Rees April 1995
-------1
Methods of
commissioning works
1.1 Introduction
Civil engineering structures rank among the great material works of man. Every
such work is unique in the sense that it represents a specially designed effort to
develop and use some portion of the earth's natural resources at some particular
location. In this effort it is needful, first to conceive the aim of the intended works;
second to design them in practical detail; third to construct them; and fourth to
put them into working operation. This fourfold process may commonly last from
two to ten years; it may use the labours of hundreds of people, the knowledge of
dozens of specialists gained over many years, and incorporate the natural and
manufactured products of scores of different trades. Until such time as the works
are completed there must be a continuous resolve to pursue their construction to
finality; and resources must be provided in the form of money, manpower, ma
chines and materials to support this resolve throughout the periods of design and
construction.
Owing to their unique nature, civil engineering works must be commissioned
in advance of need; they are not purchasable ready made. As a result there must
be a promoter who has defined his need for the works, has resolved to undertake
them and agrees to pay for them, and who will own and operate them when
complete. The promoter has to find the money to finance the scheme, either from
his own resources or by borrowing money from others. This is the capital invest
ment in the works. Only when the works are in operation can the promoter
receive tangible proof that the capital works he has commIssioned have pro
duced the object he wants. Until then he must have faith in what his various
expert advisers say can be done and what they estimate will be the cost of the
project.
The main obligations of the promoter can thus be summarized:
• to define the nature and magnitude of the functions of the project;
• to satisfy himself that the intended project will serve his needs;
2 Civil engineering: supervision and management
• to obtain any statutory or other powers necessary for construction and opera-
tion of the project including environmental approvals;
• to find the money to pay for the design and construction work;
• to take over the project when complete and operate it.
A promoter wishing to procure works has necessarily to make a number of deci
sions as to the methods he will adopt to see the project through from inception to
completion. Among these decisions will be whether he can carry out the work
with his existing resources, or to what extent he needs to call on outside expertise
or assistance. He may also have to comply with the rules set by his own company
or authority, and take into account a wide range of statutory and other legal re
quirements that his company or authority must comply with before the project
can commence.
The promoter will also need to be quite certain that the intended project will
fulfil his needs by the time, some years forward, when it is completed. To do this
he may need market studies to ensure that he has correctly appraised the end re
sult that the project should achieve. In addition he will need feasibility studies
and analyses to satisfy himself that the intended project is engineeringly practi
cable, and financially acceptable.
1.2 Importance of feasibility studies
Feasibility studies must provide a promoter with assurances that:
• the intended project will meet his needs in the most satisfactory and economic
manner;
• the project is technically feasible and will give the results intended;
• any powers needed to construct the project can be obtained; and
• the estimated cost of the project is acceptable.
The feasibility studies may need to be extensive, and it can be an advantage to a
promoter if he employs an independent consulting engineer to check the techni
cal feasibility and cost of the project. The consulting engineer should be able to
bring to a project extensive design and construction experience in the type of
work the promoter needs, and also provide a wide range of specialists, who are
often needed to ensure a project's success. A promoter's staff may lack such ex
perience, as many organizations require new works only infrequently, whereas a
consultant is continuously engaged on new construction and should have an up
to-date knowledge of developing techniques. In addition, the consultant may be
able from his experience to offer solutions that may not have occurred to the pro
moter, and can advise on the problems and difficulties that can arise during con
struction and need to be avoided as much as possible.
In the initial stages, the studies usually concentrate on various options for the
location, design and layout of the project. Accompanying this work there will be
data-gathering and analysis, followed by the development and costing of alter-