Slide 1

Caltrans Bridge Construction Forum2007

Structure Specifications

Andre K. CatellierRNR Construction, Inc.

Jeff AbercrombieCalifornia Department of Transportation

Slide 2

Structure Specifications Survey

• Selected Specifications appear yearly in the Industry Survey by OSC for the Bridge Forum

• Decision to tackle as a Macro–Topic• Evolution is occurring, significantly more risk,

more stakeholders, and more demands on Industry and Caltrans

• Specifications are the most complex document in the relationship: Why?

Slide 3

Specification Areas

• Laws, Regulations, Federal Policies• Non Engineering Stakeholders

• Quality Control• Technical Parameters• Administration, Payment • Risk and Punishment

Slide 4

Specification Cost Curve

By Andre K. Catellier

Slide 5

Specification Outcome

• Excessive complexity in language and intent:– Policing and Bureaucratic Environment – Disjunction from Traditional Design Rationale– Project Controlled by Specialists NOT Resident

Engineer or Structure Representative– Long, very long review and conflicts ensue– UNSTOPPABLE INTERPRETATION CREEP– UNSTOPPABLE COST CREEP – UNSTOPPABLE LOSS OF FIELD CONTROL

Slide 6

Specification Cost Outcome

• What is the cost of Caltrans Precast QC / QA?

Project 1 :

2006 -Two side by side box girder bridges over State Highway 112’ wide x 270’ long (H-Piles)

$ 110 / SF

Project 2 :

2006 - Precast voided slab with 4” CIP deck 68’ wide x 190’ long (10’ above OG) (with precast piles)

$ 257 / SF

Slide 7

The language of Specifications

• Translation of Permits and Restrictions from Stakeholders…– Permit : “ The construction of falsework, cofferdams or other

obstructions, if required, shall be in accordance with plans submitted to and approved by the Commander. All work shall be conducted that the free navigation of the waterway is not unreasonably interfered with and the present navigable depths are not impaired.”

– Specs : “Temporary minimum vertical clearance for the bridge shall be maintained no lower than 1.00 meter below the lowest hittable part of the primary navigational channel span within the temporary clearance area.”

Slide 8

Examples: Couplers

• Current designs are calling for shafts going deeper and deeper and deeper….– Results in extremely long cage lengths; couplers– Excessive No Splice and Plastic Hinge Zones– Extremely difficult constructibility issues.– Coupler QA / QC provisions ?

Slide 9

Examples: Bridge Removal

• Original intent:– Structural Review, Control of Structure

• Present Interpretation:– Traffic, resources, point of no return identification,

equipment productivity, person in charge, on site meetings, back-up equipment, etc.

• Significant CREEP in bridge removal plan requirement…

• While traffic windows continue to shrink

Slide 10

Example: Welding

• Suppliers contend “it is the most bureaucratic, duplicative specification in industry.”

• Unrelated to the design demands of particular project welds.– A blanket approach:

• Project by project qualification is unnecessarily costly and time consuming.

• Specification has life of its own with severity constantly on the rise

Slide 11

What are the Issues?

• Excessive, Complicated and Convoluted Specifications– Are leading to fewer bids.– Are causing cost escalation. – Are subject to evolving interpretations. – Are driving suppliers away from Caltrans work. – Are creating a moving cost and technical target.– Exacerbates efforts to achieve uniform enforcement.

Slide 12

Solutions

?