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Transportation Curriculum Coordination Council |
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The timeline for a project obviously varies by the type and size of project.
The Designers have lived with the project for years and the Contractor became very familiar with it during the bidding process.
The Inspector is being brought into the project at "the last minute", so it is imperative that you come up to speed on project specifics as quickly as possible.
The various documents you need to become familiar with are Plans, Structure Plans, and Specifications as discussed below
The project plans and specifications are the instruments by which the Contractor will construct the project. The plans and specifications may be divided into two categories:
Standard drawings and standard specifications and supplemental specifications;
Project specific drawings, specifications, and Technical Special Provisions.
Project specific specifications are usually known as Technical Special Provisions. Technical Special Provisions over-ride the Standard Specifications. Also, the plans may alter some of the standard drawings.
The specific plans and specifications for the project were developed through a design process typically lasting between one to two years. During this time, the designers developed a set of drawings by which the project will be built. Specifically for pile driving, the plans will show the locations, capacities, sizes, type of piles and batter angle. Not all of the plans will pertain to the pile driving operation, however, some of the plans that first do not appear to be specifically needed for the pile driving operation can, nonetheless, be useful.
Below are outlines of some plans that may typically be reviewed in the process of getting ready for pile driving.
Plan Revisions- Always check for revised sheets.
Key Sheet- Identifies what is in the plans and provides project specific data required for your forms and records, such as Financial Identification Number, location, etc.
Construction Estimate Sheet- This sheet will contain the quantities estimated for the project and the pay items.
Plan and Profile- These sheets are good for showing the project layout and show some utilities.
These are just some of the plans you might review, and depending upon your project, there can be others.
Remember- Knowledge is power
Also part of the Plans Set for the project are the Structure Plans. These are sheets that contain the majority of the "technical" information that you, the Inspector, need.
It's from these sheets you will get the cutoff elevations, scour elevations, pile data, etc. that you need to perform your role. Review these and become familiar with the information. The purpose for doing this is to get ourselves familiar with project specifics, so that when the Contractor is ready to drive piles and we start looking for locations and trying to verify pile sizes and lengths, we will already know where to look to find this information. Remember, the Contractor will have already studied the project plans and specifications for months before you and knows how he intends to perform the job -- and you may be fresh to the job -- and must not hinder the Contractor's schedule.
You need to have these with you at all times when on the project. Some Structure Plan sheets you should review include:
General Notes- You want to review these, as some may be associated with the Pile Data Table. There may also be changes to the Specifications.
Standard Plans- These are the Structure Standard Index Drawings; such as the Index Drawing 600 series that covers prestressed concrete piling.
General Plan & Elevation- Provides the layout and elevation for bridge structures and associated foundations. Generally, the number of bents and piers are shown on here.
Bridge Hydraulic Sheet- The scour elevations are shown on this sheet and these elevations should match those shown in the Pile Data Table.
Report of Core Borings- This provides the subsurface conditions encountered during the geotechnical investigation. This can be useful information as there are some soft or hard layers that will effect driving.
Foundation Layout- The specific location of the piles is shown on this sheet along with the Pile Data Table. The batter for battered piles is also shown on this sheet. The Contractor's template should conform to the layout.
Bent/Pier Plans- The specifics of each bent and pier are shown here and include important elevation data, such as top of pile elevation.
As a Pile Driving Inspector you will be dealing with specifications and need to review and become intimately familiar with these specifications.
It is also important for you to understand the Governing Order of specifications, as certain specifications, such as Technical Special Provisions, over-ride the Standard Specifications.
Secondly, as you may recall from an earlier section, many of the projects you will be involved in have been in the works for years. They may have been designed with the 1999 specifications, but here it is now 2001 and the current specification is the 2000 version. However, the 1999 specification is what this project is based upon. So, always make sure which version of the Standard Specifications is applicable to your project.
Illustrated below is the governing order of specifications.
Notice that the higher up the order, the smaller the illustrative piece. This reflects reality. Special provisions are very focused while the Standard Specifications are very broad in nature.
Standard Specifications- The directions, provisions and requirements contained herein, together with all stipulations contained in the plans or in the contract documents, setting out or relating to the method and manner of performing the work, or to the quantities and qualities of materials and labor to be furnished under the contract.
Supplemental Specifications- Approved additions and revisions to the Standard Specifications.
Developmental Standards- A specification developed around a new process, procedure, or material and designated as a developmental specification.
Roadway, Structures & Traffic Operations Standards- Some sheets in the Plans are "standard" sheets that are not designed specifically for this individual project. An example of this type of sheet is the Pile Sheet Index Drawing 600.
Plans (including revisions)- The approved plans, including reproductions thereof, showing the location, character, dimensions and details of the work to be done.
Technical Special Provisions- Specifications prepared, signed and sealed by an Engineer registered in the State of Florida (usually the Engineer/Designer of Record) other than the State Specifications Engineer, or his designee, which are made part of the Contract as an attachment to the Specifications Package.
Special Provisions- Specific clauses adding to or revising the Standard Specification, setting forth conditions varying from or additional to the Standard Specifications, for a specific project. Special Provisions supersede all other Specifications.
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