project construction management of large highways packages

Paper No.501+

‘‘PROJECT CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENTOF LARGE HIGHWAYS PACKAGES’’

By

R.N. SHARMA*

CONTENTS

Page

1. Introduction ... ... 244

2. Project Feature and Contract Management Frame ... ... 245

3. Work Program and Overall Performance ... ... 247

4. Review of DPR and Contract Documents ... ... 249

5. Quantity Review by Supervision Consultant ... ... 256

6. Contract Condition ... ... 258

7. Cost Variation ... ... 259

8. Setting of Important Plants and Approval ... ... 263

9. Meeting/Site Visits/Progress Monitoring/Quality Audit ... ... 264

10. Trial Stretch ... ... 265

11. Setting up of Site Laboratory ... ... 266

12. Cash Flow ... ... 266

13. Present Status of Project ... ... 266

14. Fulfilment of Objectives ... ... 267

15. Conclusions and Observation ... ... 267

SYNOPSIS

This article on Highway Construction Management has been written to bringforth the actual problems connected with Highways Project of large size with illustrationsfrom one of the packages of Golden Quadrilateral Delhi-Kolkata Section. Efforts havebeen made to indicate in this Paper, the necessity of in depth review of DPR, Correlatethe field conditions with provisions of DPR to minimize the possibility of complicationsof delay, claim, arbitration and other eventualities due to inconsistent/erroneousprovisions and effect cost economy without detriment to specifications.

+ Written Comments on this Paper are invited and will be received upto 31st December2004.

* Resident Engineer, Meinhardt Singapore (Pte) Ltd., Allahabad.

SHARMA ON244

1. INTRODUCTION

This article is related to Project Construction Management of LargeHighways Packages. Observations gained out of construction scenario goingon in Golden Quadrilateral (GQ) Delhi-Kolkata (D-K) Section of NH-2 withspecial reference to contract package III-A (km 115.000 to 158.000) have beentaken for all references. Construction Management is an art of blending progress,quality and cost of project to set target/standard/financial ceiling. Devoid ofany of the tri-lateral objectives is defeating construction philosophy. Progressinter-alia time is immediately transparent but quality has hidden aspect ofdurability which is not immediately exhibited from present indication. Cost hasalso incidence of claim/arbitration taking its toll afterwards. Skill of ConstructionManagement lies, therefore, in formulation of correct orientation of constructionphilosophy, enforcing testing & quality system and interpreting contract/specification clauses to meet the above objectives in short & long term.

Highway construction has distinctive role of managing varied engineeringdiscipline like, Hydrology, Mineralogy, Geotechnology, Concrete Technologyfor structures and pavement, Asphaltic concrete, foundation & BridgeEngineering, Mechanical faculty of planning big plants/equipments,Environmental management, Safety measures, Accounting, Computerisation ofdesign/drawing/reporting/billing/correspondence, Personnel and procurementmanagement and so many other things. Besides, spread of work on a longerlength, Highway construction management has a difficult job in organizingdifferent activities compared to other construction project located at oneplace.

Construction/Contract Management should, therefore, essentially startwith referring to and studying the, Detailed Project Report (DPR), ContractDrawings, Survey Data, Contract Documents, Quality Assurance Plan (QAP),Specifications and to analyse data/provisions/conditions for their totalcoherences. Simultaneously field reconnaissance has to be made to link up theconformity of DPR stipulations with site condition.

For fulfilling aforesaid responsibility, persons entrusted with the task arecalled upon to look into project/contract document very analytically/critically inorder to avoid/eliminate all possible factors likely to cause delay, publicinconveniences & unwanted cost/claim. With this end, descriptions made in thefollowing chapters have been presented to acquaint with the actual problemsencountered while dealing with Highway Construction management. The thrustof this article is, therefore, to bring forth with actual field problems instead oftheoretical matters with graphs/equations. In this exercise, there may be a fewerrors/inconsistencies. Learned readers will not mind.

PROJECT CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT OF LARGE HIGHWAYS PACKAGES 245

2. PROJECT FEATURE AND CONTRACT MANAGEMENT FRAME

2.1. The Construction Package III-A 43 km long of NH-2 (km 115 to158) has by the way of illustration the following basic trilateral objectives andother features as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3(a) & (b).

Fig. 1. Tri-Lateral Objectives

Pavement Quality Concrete

Dry Lean Concrete

Drainage layer

Subgrade

Dense Bituminous Macadam

Wet Mix Macadam

Granular sub-base

Rigid Pavement Flexible Pavement

2.5%4%

2.5% 3%3%4%

Soft ShoulderSoft Shoulder

Bituminous Carpet

New Carriageway Strengthening & widening

3000 m8750

Subgrade

87501000 1000

Fig. 2. Cross-section of divided four lane of package IIIA

Kanpur

115

129

.20

0

130

.80

0

138

.0

139

.6

143

146

156

.45

157

.05

Alld.

Rigid Pavement

Flexible Pavement

Legends:-127

Rigid

150

.0

150

.5

Fig. 3(a). Project features at DPR stage

Kanpur

115

129

.200

130

.8

138

.0

139

.6

143

.00

146

.00

150

.0

150

.5

156

.45

157

.05

CrusherPlant at 122

WMMPlant at 123

Batching & MixingPlant at 126.80

WMMPlant at 154

Small Batching &Mixing Plant at 138

Hot Mix Plant &Camp Office at 142

Alld.

Rigid Pavement

Flexible PavementAggregate source at Kabrai

Sand Source at Jamuna RiverLegends:-

Khaga 115.000Junction of IIC & IIIA

Kokhraaj 158.000Junction of IIIA &Allahabad by pass

Two Crusher

127

.00

RigidFlexible

Rigid

Rigid

AjuhaSaini

GulamipurKalyanpur

Malka

148

.140

129.

400

130.

400

138.

200

139.

585

144

158

147.

640

148.

140

Fig. 3(b). Project features at construction stage

SHARMA ON246

Employer

NHAI Chairman

CGM

PIUProject Director

Supervision Consultant (SC)

Supervision Consultant

Team Leader

Site OfficeResident Engineer

HighwayEngineer

BridgeEngineer

MaterialEngineer

SurveyEngineer

QuantitySurveyor

EnvironmentOfficer

Fig . 4. Contract management frame (CMF)

2.2. For project administration, contract management frame wasconceived for Third National Highway Project (TNHP) constituting the NHAIto be Employer & Chief General Manager heading WB Division & reporting toChairman as overall incharge for project implementation. He has to be assistedby Project Director heading project implementation unit (PIU) for each package.Supervision Consultant (SC) were made part of contract management frame.Senior Resident Engineer (Sr. SE)/Team Leader (TL) was assigned to performthe role of Engineer. TL was to be assisted by Resident Engineer (RE) of eachpackage for day to day contract administration. Assistant Resident Engineer,(ARE), Quantity Surveyor (QS), Survey Engineer (SE) and EnvironmentalOfficer (EO), office and field support staff were provided to assist RE at sitelevel and discharge the function of setting/layout, Supervision, QualityAssurance, Measurement/Billing, Environment/safety, approval of plant/machinery/material/mix design, approval of working/shop drawing, preparation/transmission of change order, correspondence with contractor and overall sitecontrol. Organogram of contract management frame is shown in Fig. 4.

2.3. Working Structure

● Contract of 8 packages for a total length of 477.5 km of NH-2 were putfor execution under the principles/guide lines stated above. Table 1indicates the structure of Client/Consultant/Contractor

● Selection of design and supervision consultant were made on the basis ofprequalifications & final bidding amongst international unit under jointventure with domestic consultant in guidance of World Bank as perinternational competitive bidding (ICB) norms.

●· Contractor were selected after Prequalifications and Financial bid withICB procedures under guidance of world Bank.


3. WORK PROGRAM AND OVERALL PERFORMANCE

In Golden Quadrilateral, Detailed project report was prepared byInternational Consultant in association with domestic consultant. Designconsultants were engaged separately for each package as indicated in Table 1.For consultancy package TNHP/SC/3, SNC Lavalin with domestic consultantEMA were employed. Project performance of one package III-A is considered,which has comparably lesser problems and smaller length, for analysis toconclude generally what was planned for, what has been achieved and wheredoes the project stands compared to its original DPR formulation. On executionof agreement, Supervision Consultant started work from 1st Feb.2001. ContractorIRCON also executed agreement on 10th Feb.2001. Contract drawings and allother documents were handed over. Work program 14.1 was prepared bycontractor. It was examined, discussed again and again and was approved. Gistof work program of 14.1 as per original schedule, again preponing its contractcompletion from Feb. 2004 to Dec.2003 14.2 and thereafter reschedulingEOT with change in mile stone (LCW by 31st Dec. 2003 & RCW by June 2004)14.2 R is produced in Table 2 alongwith achievement on quarterly basis.

● Actual achievement indicates wide gap with respect to target and leads toinferences of either lack of seriousness for implementation or theoreticalapproach being adopted in framing/approving of program ignoring orunder-estimating ground realities knowingly or inadvertently. This is notonly the case of one package III-A but almost all the packages have thesame condition rather even worse than III-A Table 3(a).

● Quarterly Target & achievement of six TNHP packages is produced inTable 3 (b). Target & Achievement of all the packages indicate wide gap.In beginning the achievement are too less while the target were fixed onthe time prorata basis. At present, the gap is too wide to be bridged.

● None of the packages is on time frame despite engagements of allinternational norms. This may lead to infer the possible causes as

(i) Contractor does not respond seriously with respect to program andtake casual view.

(ii) Time frame is fixed impractically.

(iii) Working site & decisions are not made available in advance.

(iv) Detailed project report not realistic requiring vital & substantialchanges.

(v) Bidding & approving criteria of tender is not result oriented.

(vi) Changes are made too casually.

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TABLE -1. DETAILS OF CLIENT , CONSULTANT , CONTRACTOR & C ONTRACT PACKAGE

Sl. Contract Name Length Employer Design Supervision ContractorNo. in km Consultant Consultant

1. Package II-A 61.6 NHAI Sevedrup BCEOM ITD-SDBCJV

2. Package II-C 77 NHAI -do- -do- Centrodorstroy, Russian

3. Package III-A 43 NHAI SNC lavalin & Meinhardt IRCON InternationalEngineers, SingaporeManagement (Pte) & QuestAssociates (EMA) International

4. Package III-C 72 NHAI do do CDS & Mukund

5. Package IV-B 45 NHAI Cowi - Span ICT LG

6. Package IV-D 40 NHAI do ICT Oriental

7. Package V-A 60 NHAI Ghereji - Dosctt SMEC Oriental

8. Package V-C 78.5 NHAI do SMEC PCL

477.5 km


4. REVIEW OF DPR AND CONTRACT DOCUMENTS

In accordance with required duty & function of Supervision Consultant,review & examination of DPR & Contract Document was taken-up. Otherwisealso review of Drawings, Quantity, Contract Condition and their conformnessto site condition is the path of prudence for meeting the objectives of:

(i) Bringing forth the real situation before launching of project onground.

(ii) To suggest improvements for better usefullness out of project withinsame cost/condition.

(iii) To recommend proposals for needed changes out of DPR provisions.

4.1. As per Supervision Consultancy contract, limited design review forbridges, pavement and other items was to be made by design review committee.In this process, design review was made and recommendations were consideredby NHAI. Few important points considered and decision taken is noted inTable-4.

TABLE -2. DETAILS OF WORK PROGRAM OF III-A

Target as per program % Achievement

Sl. Period 14.1 14.2 14.2 R1 CumulativeNo Cumulative Cumulative Cumulative %

1 Mar ‘01 0.20 0.00

2 June ‘01 0.90 0.00

3 Sept ‘01 1.40 0.00

4 Dec ‘01 8.60 0.27

5 Mar ‘02 26.60 1.04

6 June ‘02 36.10 2.24 2.24 2.97

7 Sept ‘02 40.80 3.67 3.70 3.83

8 Dec ‘02 59.10 22.14 11.35 11.23

9 Mar ‘03 77.80 47.91 19.16 19.37

10 June ‘03 85.10 73.17 29.57 28.67

11 Sept ‘03 87.30 87.02 36.28 30.82

12 Dec ‘03 96.60 100.00 60.38 41.05

13 Mar ‘04 100 - 78.69 59.06

14 June ‘04 - - 95.54

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50TABLE -3(a). DETAILS OF CONSTRUCTION TIME AND PROGRESS OF TNHP

Sl. Consultant Contract Name Length Completion Period % Period % ProgressNo. package km elapsed as achieved

number Start End on 31.3.04 as on 31.3.04

1. TNHP/SC/1 IIA 393 to 370 61.60 March’01 Aug.’04 87.80% 44.59%

IIC km 38 to 115 77.00 April’01 Oct.’04 83.30% 14.93%

2. TNHP/SC/2 IIIA km. 115 to 158 43.00 Feb.’01 Feb.’04 105.55% 59.06%

IIIC km 245 to 317 72.00 April.’01 Oct.’04 83.30% 25.34%

3. TNHP/SC/3 IVB km 65 to 110 45.00 March’01 March’04 100% 30.35%

IVD km 140 to 180 40.00 March’01 March’04 100% 52.12%

Total 338.60

TABLE -3 (b). QUARTERLY TARGET & A CHIEVEMENT OF TNHP

Sl. Period Quarterly Progress of Package

No. II A II C III A III C IV B

T A T A T A T A T A

1. June’02 31.68 7.90 6.53 1.40 2.24 2.96 – – 9.86 7.03

2. Sep.’02 33.12 11.30 10.11 1.89 3.70 3.88 1.87 1.79 9.86 7.86

3. Dec.’02 42.06 16.20 24.90 2.63 11.32 11.22 7.74 3.24 26.76 9.40

4. March’03 53.53 22.63 39.32 4.07 19.13 19.36 22.98 6.04 42.78 13.99

5. June’03 64.12 28.28 48.83 6.94 29.54 28.66 40.2 13.67 59.59 17.88

6. Sep.’03 69.06 32.12 60.97 9.04 36.25 30.82 49.67 16.94 59.59 20.20

7. Dec.’03 77.31 38.14 74.74 12.59 60.35 41.68 68.20 21.15 73.41 23.00

8. March.’04 91.22 44.59 84.03 14.93 78.66 59.06 75.81 25.34 88.34 30.35


● Design review committee recommendations importantly to technical issueof changing pile foundation to open box culvert for 138/2 & 144/1 [Sl13.1 & 14.1] Table-4 was totally in tune with site condition. It was in factnot sound & convincing to provide about 17 m depth pile foundationstructure on canal having non-silting/non-scouring section. The canal ininstance case remains dry. Similar is the case of other channel. Provisionfor initial and routine pile testing (vertical & lateral) was made in BOQfor Rs. 20.04 lakh for two structures of 13.5 m (3x4.5) and 12 m (2x6).This was as good as about 50 per cent of cost of main structure.

● Recommendation of raising road level from 122 to 125 [Sl 1.1] wasreasonable but it failed to consider the identical problems of adjoiningkm. Besides it had no back-up of any HFL/water level consideration. This

TABLE -4. RECOMMENDATION & D ECISIONS

Item Description & Recommendation Decision of NHAINo.

1.1 Raising road level to avoid submergencebetween km 122.00 to km 125.00 andavoiding raising road levels in built upareas

Accepted

2.1 Additional culvert of 2.0 m x 2.0 m atchainage 123+500 (124/1b)

Accepted2.2 Increased waterway for culverts 124/1

and 126/2

7.0 Lowering the proposed road level in builtup area to match with the proposed levelof service road. Replacing retaining wallwith upstand kerbs with channel.

Accepted and the revisedcross section to be as persketch No.1

11.1 Replacing Flexible Pavement with rigidPavement on LHS in buit up area(Symmetrical widening area)

Accepted and same typeto be provided for RHSbuilt up areas also

13.1 Designing and providing new three cell/span bridge for both carriageways onopen foundations in place of single spanbridge for LHS carriageway on pilefoundations

Accepted

14.1 Providing 2 cell box culvert for LHS sidecarriageway in place of single span on pilefoundation.

Accepted

SHARMA ON252

was, however, taken care of while redesigning entire profile as explainedin following para 4.2.

● Recommendation for changing DPR provision of flexible pavement withrigid pavement in market/town was accepted for left side carriageway.

● It did not deal with the problem of flexible pavement, culverts and generalroad profile. These were taken care of subsequently.

4.2. Subsequent Review and Changes by Client/SupervisionConsultant

4.2.1. Review of road level: The finished Road Level (FRL) for NewCarriageway (NCW) had been decided principally to match with the existingroad level which was practically either at ground level or only about 30 to40 cm above. This was not at all adequate for giving specified free board. Rathersubgrade layer was falling below ground level. This was tending to be unsoundpavement design of placing new lanes rigid pavement on subgrade/drainagelayer lying in wet/saturated zone. IRC:37-2001 provided minimum free boardof 60 cm from bottom of subgrade in stead of from top of Subgrade adoptedpreviously. This point was actively taken-up by supervision consultant duringthe site visit of Chief General manager (CGM) in the month of Nov.2001 whowas convinced for providing FRL to take care of free board. In this contextinstruction was issued by CGM to revise FRL to incorporate provision of IRC:37-2001 for free board. This led to refixation of FRL in supersession to RoadLevel approved in contract drawing. The burden for refixing the FRL wasentrusted to Supervision Consultant (SC). This exercise was taken up and FRLof entire road was modified/approved. This decision had far & wide effect inproject worthiness. At the same time it caused quantity push. Provision ofembankment soil in DPR/BOQ was totally unrealistic to only 72,244 m3 onassumption of av. 10 cm. filling on side land which remains lower to groundlevel due to taking out soil for repair/maintenance of road. This was not enoughto compensate even the clearing/grubbing quantity. Provision of embankmentquantity of DPR was thus imperative to be revised. Variation in quantity to5,22,000 cum has to be, therefore, considered against, provision of 72,244 m3.

4.2.2. Review of rigid pavement to flexible km 115 to 127: In view ofpreponing completion schedule to December 2003, contractor proposed forchange in Rigid Pavement to Flexible Pavement in Right Side km 115 to 127. Itwas accepted in principle and detailed proposal was asked from contractor.This was submitted by Contractor and was examined by SC and reviewed byclient. After analyzing all the points and its cost implications, flexible pavementcomposition on CBR of 5 per cent and traffic intensity of 150 msa was approved


by NHAI. There was anticipated saving of about 30 million on account ofchange from Rigid to Flexible consisting of GSB-300 mm, WMM-250 mm,DBM-170 mm, BC-50 mm, making total 770 mm.

4.2.3. Change in pavement composition of km. 127 to 158: Pavementcomposition for overlaying and widening portion in contract drawing was notin proper match & impractical in working. Layer thickness differed in overlayand widening portion. It also missed the important consideration of requirementof mechanical construction by single 8.5 metre paver. This was the grossshortcoming of pavement composition. Typical cross section comparing contractand modified provision is presented Figs. 5(a) & 5(b). It also provided varyingarrangement from km to km, which was not in working conveniences. ProfileCorrection Course (PCC) was discussed in DPR but neither its methology norquantity was provided. This was being pointed out by Contractor. Quantity ofPCC for changing present di-camber nature to uni-camber, bringing undulatinglongitudinal profile to proper grade was missing in drawing and estimate. Thiswas a major shortcoming of DPR. Modification in pavement details was,therefore, imperative. The exercise was made by Supervision Consultant. EntireProposal was threadbare studied & pavement composition was finalized afterlot of exercises with cost implications. It was finally approved by NHAI afterlot of discussion on its technical & financial justification. Few typicalcross sections of contract drawing and modified subsequently is placedFigs. 5(a) & 5(b).

Subgrade 500 mm

GSB 300 mm

WMM 300 mm

DBM 300 mm

BC 50

Central Widening Portion

SelectedSoil

Subgrade 500

GSB 300 WMM 250

DBM 170

BC 50 SelectedSoil

Subgrade 500 mm

GSB 460 mm

WMM 320 mm

DBM 300 mm

BC 40

Central Widening Portion

GSB 450

WMM 320

DBM 260

Overlaying Widening

SelectedSoil

Subgrade 500

GSB 200

WMM 250 DBM 130

BC 40 DBM 300WideningOverlaying

SelectedSoil

Fig. 5(a). Typical cross-section asmodified provision

Fig. 5(b). Typical cross-section ascontract provision

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4.2.4. Retaining wall and railing: Contract drawing number NHAI/NH2/Pkg-III/Cross Sec./4, NHAI/NH2/Pkg-III/Retaining/1 & retaining wall betweenmain carriageway & service road in Fig. 6.

250500

4% 4%

Retainingwall

Mild SteelRailing 1.2 m High

Cross-Section

Main Carriageway

Fig. 6. Cross-section of retaining wall (contract drawing)

● Further there is another drawing no. NHAI/NH2/Pkg-III/RD-1 for Railingdetails Fig. 7.

2000 200 2002000

Fig. 7. Railing details as contract drawing

300

Main Bars16 mm φ 100 mm

Main Bars14 mm φ 150 mm

10 mm φ Distr. Bars200 mm c/c

16 mm φ 100 mm c/c

150

300

Cover 50 mm

Vertical Bars16mm φ 300 mm c/c

Dist. Vertical Bars10 mm φ 300 mm c/c

10 mm φ Distr.Bars 250 mm c/c

Main Bars16 mm φ 100 mm c/c

6 mm dia bar

M-15 Concrete

300

150

150 φHume Pipe

Elevation Detail

50 x 6 Flat Steel

800

425

75


BOQ item no. 5.(46) incorporates rate/m for M.S. prefabricated meshfencing for 18000 m@ Rs.1127/= per meter for total value of Rs. 20.556million. Again item no 7.02 (a) to (d) provides concrete quantity to bepaid in cum valued for Rs. 65.112 million for length of 18000 meter.Logic of Retaining wall in 18000 metre and again provision of railingwith foundation shown over retaining wall is not understandable. Furtherthe operational problem was not at all taken into consideration whileincorporating items in contract. To avoid the above problems, solidseparation barrier was thought befitting to be provided in view of siteconditions and cost effectiveness as well.

4.2.5. Drains: Contract drawing indicated below Figs. 8 (a) & 8 (b)provided trapezoidal section of reinforced concrete for length of 18,000 m onlinear meter basis. Reinforcement details are not clear. 6mm rod was alsoindicated as main reinforcing bar. Contractor suggested for change in shape ofdrain from trapezoidal to rectangular in view of working facility, and also todecrease the land requirement which is too tight in market area.

RCC (M–15)

1500

150

8 φ @ 150 c/c12 φ @ 200 c/c

100 CrushedGranular Material

6 mm φ @ 300 c/c

100

800

50

25012 φ @ 100 c/c

600

6 mm φ @ 200 c/c

Fig. 8(a). Contract drawing Fig. 8(b). Proposed drawing

4.2.6. Design/drawing of junctions: DPR drawing for junctions and itsdetails was typical without site details. In this view junction drawing/designhas to be carried out afresh for each location separately as per land availability& site condition. This exercise is significant as there were 56 junctions of allvarying nature. Specific Drawing/Design was carried over and approvalaccorded.

4.2.7. Drawing/details of utility duct : There was general guidelines forutility duct with one typical section. Based on actual requirement of length,height, detailed working drawing for 42 locations separately was to be framed.Specific drawing for each location was approved. Besides, at four locationirrigation channel has to approved. Working drawings for 46 structures is toomuch substantial works.

800

12 mm T @ 200 c/c

8 mm T @ 200

12 mm T @ 100 c/c

1000

600

150

700

100

8 mm T 150

4-8 T on each

5050

8 mm T @ 300 c/c550 mm Hounch

8 mm T 150 c/c3 – 8 T

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4.2.8. Bridges & culvert: D.P.R. for Bridge & Culvert was lacking ingiving clear details and conclusive findings about reconstruction/repair/retentionamongst existing 62 number culverts. Quantity provided in BOQ was neitherclear nor realistic and repair suggested was all the more unpractical for smallbox culverts at 60 locations. Treatment of Fusion Bonded Epoxy Coated[F.B.E.C.] steel costing Rs. 51.08 lakh was also provided in BOQ for repair.Measures suggested for widening by dismantling wing wall and thenreconstructing narrow strip of abutment & slab and wing wall was neither agood technical solution nor practical step. Repair of cracks, leached spalled &honey combed concrete surface including exposed steel and other infirmitieswere suggested by injection of epoxy resin, guniting cement mortar withcompressor in small culvert of about 2 m x 2 m size without considering thecomplexity of carrying out such small works at various locations. Invert levelof existing culvert had undergone vast changes with respect to local levels.Under such site condition and practical problems, it was examined with costanalysis, working problem, durability aspects and was found much more worthto reconstruct the existing culverts than to repair & keep in weak condition.With exercise made on above line, it was found that the cost of fresh constructionof culverts on left and right side remain within budgetary ceiling after taking allplus & minus fluctuations related to Bridges & Culverts work.

Drawing for box culverts were not furnished separately for each culvert.Instead, a statement giving box thickness & reinforcement for different sizeswere supplemented. Construction work in field can not go with statement but itwill require drawing with every minor details duly approved & authenticated.In the event, drawing for each box culvert has to be framed, checked andapproved after working out details from statement with needed inter/extrapolations.

5. QUANTITY REVIEW BY SUPERVISION CONSULTANT

5.1. Obvious inconsistency in quantity provided in BOQ speciallyEmbankment, Subgrade, GSB/DL was observed. Just to illustrate subgradequantity, typical cross section (Fig. 9) will clearly vindicate the position.

Quantity of Subgrade Per meter = (12.61 + 13.61) x ½ x 0.5 = 6.80 cum

Quantity Per km = 1000 x 6.80 = 6,800 cum

On above consideration for 43 km length LCW and 12 km. newconstruction in RCW, quantity of subgrade will be 374,500 m3 (55 x 6,800).Requirement for widening in remaining 31 km in R/S and service road in


330 mm PQC150 mm DLC200 mm DL

500 mm Subgrade12.61 m

13.61 m

Earthen shoulder

Fig. 9. Typical cross section

18 km. length is over and above. The total quantity thus comes to 477,358 cum.As against this quantity, provision in BOQ stands for only 117,854 m3. Similaris the instance importantly in embankment, DL/GSB as indicated in Fig. 10.

72,244

5,22,000

1,17,854

4,77,358

204,615

3,04,086

Work items

Qty

in th

ousa

nd m3

Fig. 10. Quantity fluctuation

5.2. Cement Modified Soil

Provision was made in BOQ [item no 2] for construction of Subgradewith cement modified soil of 150 mm thickness with 98 per cent soil & 2 percent cement as clause 305.7.7 having CBR not less than 10 per cent in laboratory.Field CBR after laying was not quantified. Technical Specification 305.2.1.5laid down criteria for material to be used in Subgrade to satisfy the design CBRof 6 per cent. Design of flexible pavement is based on CBR value of 5 per cent

SHARMA ON258

only. When the required CBR value for pavement as per design was 5 per centagainst which as per contract condition soil having minimum value of 6 percent is to be used, necessity of cement modified soil for increased value of CBRis not established. In this view, the provision of cement modified soil was notfavoured which was financially also not beneficial with rate of Rs. 273/- percum against soil Subgrade of Rs.117/- per cum. This item of 50,486 cum was,therefore, not activated resulting into substantial saving.

5.3. Loosening/Re-compacting (L/R) Subgrade with 10 per centSand

BOQ item (2.05) is related with L/R with 10 per cent sand [quantity 44,833cum] with rate of Rs.74/- per cum. CBR of soil of existing layer to be loosenedand re-compacted was tested out and was observed to be more than6 per cent.As CBR of virgin soil to be loosened and re-compacted is found itself morethan required, necessity of operating this item was not considered worth andwas deleted. The rate of loosening/recompacting without sand was freshlyanalysed and decided at Rs.33.97 per cum which goes in appreciable saving.

5.4. DPR provided two number of subways for pedestrian crossing. Theoperational functioning of subway was dependent on pumping of accumulatedwater and electric supply for all the 24 hours. These two things are impracticalto be achieved at such small places. Maintenance of such subway was thoughttotally impractical. This was, therefore, deleted. The BOQ (item 8.10) provisionfor this item was Rs.77.90 lakh.

5.5. Similarly there was provision of signaling arrangement at intersection.In view of frequent & long power cut, this was thought un-operable and wasdeleted. BOQ item no 8.11 provided Rs. 27.06 lakh for this work.

6. CONTRACT CONDITION

6.1. Clearing and Grubbing

MOST Clause 201.1 for removing top soil was modified from maximum150mm to minimum 150 mm without making any changes in other clausesspecially in payment Clause 305.9.1. This issue remained point of confusionleading to claim/arbitration.

6.1.1. Technical specification clause 903.5.2.5 New Clause to temperaturemeasurement provides for temperature reading for three days at three spots atcommencement, in the middle and completion of placing concrete. The clause


is silent on how and what to deal with and to draw inferences from the result.Similarly New Clause 602.10.5.6 has also been introduced indicating that incase of temp exceeds 700 C, trial stretch has to be condemned. The above twoclause requires to be clubbed to stand in proper order.

6.2. Change in Contract Condition

6.2.1. Mile stone: Contract provides ‘Mile Stone’ completion in threesection which was changed to two section as given in Table-5.

TABLE 5

Contract ‘Mile Stone’ Modified ‘Mile Stone’

Sl. Section Date Sl. Section DateNo. Before After No.

EOT EOT

1. Sec.I km 15 months 15 months 1 Left Carriageway31.12.03115 to 129 9.05.02 30.09.02 km 115 to 158 31.12.03

2. Sec.II km 11 months 11 months 2 Right 30.06.04129 to 145 09.04.03 31.08.03 Carriageway

3. Sec.III km 10 months 10 months km 115. to 158145 to 158 09.04.04 30.06.04

6.2.2. Minimum amount for IPC: As per appendix to Bid, the minimumamount required was 10 million which was changed to 5 million till 30 per centprogress achieved.

7. COST VARIATION

Write-up above will lead that this contract package III-A had undergonea substantial changes. Consistent process was, however, maintained to monitorthe cost incidence on the project regualarly before any variation is finalized.Quantity recapitulation was made a normal process. At present the latest costprojection after taking into consideration of all plus and minus variations alreadyaccrued and likely to take place. Cost variation at present indication may be tothe order of (-) 4.12 per cent as presented in Table-6.

7.1. Work Supervision and Quality Assurance

7.2. Procedures

The important & crucial part of construction management is theexpediency and degree of supervision to sustain the progress and quality inorder to avoid/eliminate chances of rejection of work done on account of non-conformity. To meet this objective, the following procedures were adopted.

SHARMA ON260

(i) Work execution schedule for next day and submission of requestfor inspection (RFI).

(ii) Daily observation report on RFI.

(iii) Daily joint testing & approval of executed/finished work.

(iv) Daily joint measurement.

(v) Repeat/review system in case of any confusion/dispute.

(vi) Approval of source of all type of materials from water, soil, to allother inputs.

(vii) Approval of Mix design, MDD/OMC, Gradation and otherparameter for all input material.

(viii) Routine checking of material during use on daily basis.

(ix) Outside testing from reputed laboratory for proprietary materials.

(x) Approval of important plant and machinery to be used in work.

TABLE 6. COST ESTIMATE (ANTICIPATED )

Sl. Item BOQ Provision Anticipated cost RemarkNo. in million in million

1. Site clearance 11.888 9.552

2. Earth work 49.600 95.886

3. Shoulder, subbas, 332.243 364.133base

4. Bituminous road/ 1005.997 961.488concrete pavement

5. Bridge & Culvert 189.900 108.900

6. Road Junction 5.667 2.930

7. Drainage & 98.384 91.077protection work

8. Traffic sign, 56.970 46.473markings & otherroad appurtenances

9. Miscellaneous 152.968 79.231

10. Day work 12.623 0.490

Total after rebate 1798.55 million 1,724.53 millionof 2 per cent

Variation 4.12 per cent


7.3. Supervision and Approval of Work

Above are the broad working procedures framed for expedient qualitativeexecution of work without conflict/confusion amongst contractor/consultant/client. Serial (i) to (v) are related with daily field supervision works while (vi) to (x) are pre to field work to establish bench mark for materials to beincorporated in main work. For the supervision works 8 number Field Engineers,3 Lab Technicians, 2 Quality Control Engineers, 3 Surveyors, one number eachHighway, Bridge, Material & Survey Engineer alongwith one Quantity Surveyor,one environment officer total 22 Consultants are daily on work schedule toperform supervision. What do the working group of 22 persons perform maybe general curious query. It may be summarized like that each piece of workplanned/requested by contractor has composite functions of (i) Supervision forworkmanship (ii) Level checking & its computation (iii) quality checking(iv) Quantity Assessment and (v) Reporting. Number of request for inspectionof piece of works on quarterly basis is presented to project the quantum ofwork, Fig. 11.

11981508

1082

2144

1198 13761051

2332

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

Jan - mar '02 April-June 02 Aug-Sep'02 Oct-Dec'02 Jan-mar03 Apr-June'03 Jul-Sep-03 Oct-Dec'03

Fig. 11. Requests for supervision and approval

On aggregation total number of piece of work planned by Contractor andrequested for inspection /supervision is 12695 in two years. This is about average20 requests per day for supervision requiring each request the following fivetype of work to be performed to give it final disposal.

(i) Supervision of work & checking of workmanship.

(ii) Checking of levels and its computation.

(iii) Quality checking.

(iv) Quantity assessment.

(v) Reporting.

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This is just to illustrate the volume of work to be disposed in course ofsupervision of work.

7.4. Quality Assurance

Full description of QA/QC is neither desirable nor required in this paper.Gist of the work is only illustrated to indicate generally the nature and quantumof work.

7.4.1. Embankment and subgrade quality control: Each layer ofEmbankment & Subgrade was tested for its approval. Altogether 12745individual specimen test to constitute 2,324 sample test was performed forquantity of embankment of about 3,29,000 cum. This works out to be onespecimen density determination for about 26 cum of embankment soil.

Similarly 15441 specimen density determination test constituting 2,449sample test was performed for quantity of Subgrade of 2,83,000 cum. Thisgives one specimen density determination for about 18 cum of Subgrade. Beforetaking-up embankment/Subgrade work, approval of Borrow Area was givenafter performing number of test for judging its suitability on MDD/OMC,consideration. 100 Borrow area for embankment and 92 for Subgrade wasconducted, Fig. 12.

1274515441

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

Embankment Subgrade

10092

0

25

50

75

100

125

Embankment Subgrade

Field Compaction test MDD/OMC of Borrow areaFig. 12

7.4.2. Similar tests for other activities of work were performed. Onlygist of test done for important items is furnished to show the quantum inTable 7.


8. SETTING OF IMPORTANT PLANTS AND APPROVAL

All the important plants like Concrete Batching & Mixing, Asphalt,Crusher were imported one. Paving machines for Cement Concrete PQC, DLC,Asphalt and WMM were also imported one. Performance of all the plants &paver were seen and approved, Table 8.

TABLE -7

Sl. Work Particulars Sample SpecimenNo. result test

1. Drainage layer 393 2246

2. Granular sub base 187 1033

3. WMM 89 486

4. 28 days compressive strengthof structural concrete – 2247

5. 28 days compressive strength – 962for PQC

TABLE -8

Sl. Name of Machine Capacity Number RemarkNo.

1. Concrete Batching 120 m3/h 2 Italy& Mixing Plant

Concrete Batching 20 m3/h 1 India& Mixing Plant

2. Crusher 125TPH 3 Finland

3. Hot Mix Plant (HMP) 160TPH 1 Korea

4. Paver-2 Slipform 200 m3/h 1nr. - 8.5 m wide GermanyPaver (CCPT)

5. Paver- WMM Paver 50 m3/h 1nr. - 9 m wide Switzerland

6. Paver – Bit Paver 60 m3/h 1nr. - 9 m wide Switzerland

7. Paver- DLC Paver 80 m3/h 1nr. - 9 m wide Switzerland

8. Roller (Vibratory 80 m3/h 10 India Compactor)

9. Wet Mix Plant 100TPH 2 India

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9. MEETING/SITE VISITS/PROGRESS MONITORING/QUALITY AUDIT

For accomplishment of such task with meeting objectives of progress,Quality, Cost meetings, site visit, monitoring and quality audit is the mostessential ingredient. Table-9 will indicate the exercise made in this connection.

TABLE –9. ABSTRACT OF MEETING /SITE VISIT /MONITORING /AUDIT

Sl. Particular Number of MeetingNo.

MEETING

1. Hon’ble Minister Meeting 4 nrs

2. DRB Meeting 4 nr

3. Project Director Meeting 16 nr

4. Weekly Progress Meeting 6 nr

SITE VISIT

5. World Bank Site Visit 7 times

6. MOEF Visit 2 times

7. Minister’s technical Advisor site visit 3 times

8. NHAI site visit

M ONITORING

9. Daily progress report 596 nr

10. Weekly progress report 81 nr

11. Monthly progress report 33 nr

12. Quarterly progress 10 nr

13. Environment Report 10 nr

QUALITY AUDIT

14. Quality Audit and project surveillanceby Engineers India limited. 2 times

(i) 12 May to 16 May 03(ii) 24-25 August 2003

15. CRRI Audit Once on 12.3.2004


10. TRIAL STRETCH

Trial Stretch for all important activities like DLC, PQC, DBM, GSB, DLwas made away from permanent work. DLC, PQC trial stretch was made atplant site simulating the condition for main work. After watching the performanceof Plant, Paver, & workmanship, of trial stretch, (Photos 1 to 3) approval wasgiven for proceeding on permanent work.

Photo 1. View of DLC trial stretch

Photo 2. View of PQC trial stretch

Photo 3. View of DBM trial stretch

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11. SETTING UP OF SITE LABORATORY

For Routine tests site laboratory was established. One main laboratoryfor Soil, Aggregate, Bitumen was set-up at km 142. Another main laboratoryfor concrete work (PQC) was established at km 126.800. Two mini laboratorywas also set-up at WMM site km 123 and 154.

12. CASH FLOW

To keep the cash flow, mobilization advance was granted immediatelyafter agreement to the 10 per cent of contract value. Machinery advance wasgranted as and when machines were brought/installed at site. Till date fiverunning payment has been made and sixth (final) for balance amount upto ceilingof 10 per cent contract value is under consideration. Progress payment afteragreement (Feb’01) to October ’01 was not preferred to by contractor. IPCstarted from Nov’01 and since then monthly payment is being made. Total 29IPC has been paid upto March’04. Payment detail in Figs. 13 & 14.

1798.55

1217.45

0200400600800

10001200140016001800

Am

ount

in m

illio

n

Progress PaymentItem

Contract amount Payment Amount

359.71

344.72

340.36

330

335

340

345

350

355

360

Am

ount

in m

illio

n

Total Advace

ItemsCeiling amountPayment amountRecovery amount

Fig. 13. Cash flow upto March 2004 Fig. 14. Advance upto March 2004

13. PRESENT STATUS OF PROJECT

Extension of Time (EOT)

Contractor requested for EOT of 21 month 20 days i.e. upto Nov 2005against contract date of completion 09.02.04. EOT was granted for 4 months20 days i.e. upto 30.06.2004. Progress achieved upto March.2004 is only 65.00per cent. Target of June now appears difficult and may extend. Contractor hasalready applied for will of time upto 31.3.05. With present indication, work willrequire time upto 31.12.04.

● Anticipated Construction Cost and time: At present Revised amount isanticipated as 1,724.53 million against 1798.55 million.


● Trilateral project objective as anticipated at present in Fig. 15.

● Construction schedule and progress achieved is running much behind thetarget, completion time may prolong upto December 2004.

14. FULFILMENT OF OBJECTIVES

From the facts placed in chapter it is evident that none of the projectis free from time over run and Quantity/cost variation. Time & Cost over run‘for III A with respect to contract is shown in Fig. 16.

Time

46 months 24 day

1724.53 milli

on

CostQuality

Extra High QA,Q4

Time

46 months 24 day

1724.53 milli

on

CostQuality

Extra High QA,Q4

As Per Contract As Anticipated

Fig. 15. Tri-lateral objective

36

46.8

0

10

20

30

40

50

Tim

e in

mon

ths

Construction period

Original time Anticipated time

1798.55

1724.53

1650

1700

1750

1800

1850

Cos

t in

mill

ion

CostOriginal Cost Anticipated Cost

Fig. 16.

● The condition of all the 8 packages taken under TNHP will still be worsecompared to package III A which is small one and having lesser problem.Some of the package may take 60 to 70 per cent excess time with respectto contract period.

15. CONCLUSIONS AND OBSERVATION

(i) At the planning stage, idealistic assumptions are planted in programmingbut during implementation it fades away giving way to pragmatism.Providing construction site free of incumberances remains unfulfilled.This problem presents physical obstruction in work and induces psychicfeeling of lack of urgency. It gives long rope of excuses for the contractors.

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(ii) The genuine facts of probable time required for:

(a) Arranging private land by contractor for plant sites, godown, office/laboratory at different locations and formalizing amicable settlementwith land owners and lease of private land for embankment/subgradesoil

(b) Procurement of imported plant, their commissioning by foreignmechanic and getting foreign parts

(c) Getting quarry lease, explosive permit etc. remain unevaluated andare assumed mostly on theoretical minimum consideration whichresults subsequently in starting work belatedly.

(iii) Main contractor take leisurely view in completing pre construction workeven after taking Mobilisation advance and remain looking for sub-contractor to do whole or part of these works. The practice of disbursemententire amount of Mobilisation is not conducive. It requires phasinginstallment-wise after utilization.

(iv) Joint venturing/sub contracting induces double/triple agency system ofsharing profit leaving reduced fraction to actual field contractor. Thesituation impliedly induces non-responsive trend resulting in delay andconflict in quality adherence.

(v) Awarding contract without any rider of lower limit of bid price with respectto estimated cost is one of the important factors for delay, litigation andother malaises. Bidding price below the limit of schedule amount is, ingeneral, expression of emotive disposition of contracting unit for enteringinto agreement anyhow and settle the matter subsequently by fair or foulprinciple. To curb this tendency and for getting workable rate, presentsystem requires to be modified with rider of lower limit of rate for quoting/acceptance.

(vi) Procedure for quoting rates in bid requires simplification in term ofpercentage of BOQ rates of bid document. Alongwith operative itemsrelated to specific contract for main tender evaluation, list of other commonitems with BOQ rate should also form part of bid to apply same percentagein case of their activation as varied items. This will reduce a lot of labourloss on analysis, its examination at various stages and also will avoidchances of misuse of discretion in rate decision.

(vii) Quality of DPR in term of technical solution in conformity to site, Quantityestimation has not picked-up as required. Quantity approved in BOQ iscontractually validated and in case of any change requires properjustification thereafter. Such Justification requires a lot of paper hunting


and may not also present good account either for Design or SupervisionConsultant. The present system of preparation of DPR is giving moreattention on artistic presentation instead of quality technical contentbefitting to field reality. Quantity calculation specially of embankment,excavation, dismantling, Bridges/Culverts suffer & differ most glaringly.

(viii) Supervision Consultant duty and responsibility in all fairness extends toanalyse the provision of DPR very critically and correlate with fieldconditions and effect such changes procedurally for maximum benefitsout of the project. Illustrations of the contract package IIIA may strengthenthis argument.

(ix) Economy is the central theme of all investment and so to Highway Project.Cost economics of any project must have strong base after analyzing two/three alternative proposals. DPR must highlight and project the costeconomics of the recommended technical solution with respect to otheralternative in its support.

(x) Decision taking process requires to be made more expeditious. Presentlyit involves too many offices like secretarial procedures. This is totallynon-conducive for big projects involving such machinery deployment forfast track construction. Decision taking process requires proceduralsimplification.

(xi) Presence/visit of concerned persons from design consultant of DPR shouldbe made essential to clarify/explain the provision during construction.

REFERENCES

1. Contract agreement for supervisionConsultancy Package No. TNHP/SC/2

2. Detailed Project Report (DPR)of Package A (km. 115.000 to 158.000)

3. IRC:37–2001.