Highway construction: Construction readiness parameters
Assessing construction readiness is essential in order to prevent premature start to the highway project. Here are the parameters that can be used to assess the readiness of highway projects before starting construction. The readiness parameters for highway construction can be categorized into five categories: approval, general requirement, drawing requirement, on-site, and material.
Criteria related to Project Start-up
Approval
Approval in construction projects refers to obtaining permission from the relevant authorities to ensure the development follows the standards laid down in the building regulations, and certain stages of the construction are inspected by officers from the local authority.
General Requirement
Letter of award from the client received. A letter of award is sent by the client to the contractor as written confirmation that the contractor has been successful and will be awarded the project. Without a letter of award, various problems might occur because there is no written and signed contract stated that the owner had awarded the project to the contractor.
Land acquisition is completed. Land acquisition is the process of acquiring the required or compulsory land for the project. It is one of the critical elements in the land development process. The process of land acquisition provides a legal procedure for the public sector in acquiring any land for development projects that benefits the country.
Sufficient funding. Inadequate funding might cause workers and suppliers refuse to work and supply material to the site affecting construction work resulting in loss of productivity. Also, the lack of funds may affect the project’s cash flow and lead to delay in site possession, which consequently causes delays in the project as a whole.
Project insurance is obtained. Construction insurance is a practice of exchanging a contingent claim for a fixed payment to protect the interests of parties involved in a construction project. Lack of insurance may make workers refused to work because if accidents happened, they might not have enough money to pay for medical expenses.
Official commencement date and construction duration are verified. The commencement date is the date when the time begins to run, based upon the project schedule. Conversely, construction duration is defined as the time frame given by the owner for the contractor to complete the project under normal work conditions. It is a necessary step for project managers to verify the commencement date and construction duration to plan construction works accordingly. Poor project planning can result to project delay.
Nearest authority is verified. Construction site theft can cause various problems to the project. Therefore, working with local authorities is necessary to prevent crime at the construction site.
Meeting with consultants and clients had been held. The client is the owner of the project, and consultants are professionals such as architects, structural engineers, and others, appointed by the client to perform expert tasks on a project. During this meeting, stakeholders can discuss and answers outstanding questions about the project.
Construction work plan is verified. A work plan is a sequence of steps that must be taken or activities that must be performed well for a project to succeed. Furthermore, a work plan shows all the tasks involved in a project, who is responsible for each task, and when the tasks will be completed. It can help the contractor to stay organized while working on projects and helps them to complete the project in time and within the budget.
Client and consultant approved the construction work plan. Client and consultant should know the work plan that has been developed by the contractor so that there is no dispute between stakeholders. Lack of understanding of the project work plan might cause conflict between stakeholders. If disputes are not adequately managed, they may cause project delays, undetermined team spirit, increase project costs and above all, damage continuing business relationships.
Drawing Requirement
Drawings approved by consultant. It is essential that the consultant can review and approve the construction drawing before the project manager can start the project. The consultant’s approval can ensure conformity to construction drawings, specifications, and standards.
Drawings approved by authorities. Approval of drawings by authorities is a process undertaken by authorities to ensure new construction safe for humans and as per planning regulations. The approval process checks whether the building is safe and structurally sound and whether the building materials proposed are safe for human habitation. Starting construction with a drawing that had yet been approved by an authority can risk the project schedule.
Complete drawings are all supplied. Complete drawings are vital to ensure the project can be completed within a time frame. Errors and omission can cause the drawings to be incomplete, leading to project delay.
Discrepancies between tender drawings and construction drawings have been verified. Tender drawings are drawing given to the contractors at the tender time. Construction drawings are given by the consultant for construction purposes. Sometimes, there are discrepancies between these drawings. These discrepancies result in rework, changes in quantities, and delays and defects in construction.
Criteria related to Project Execution
On-site
Site office. Office facilities are necessary at the construction site to provide accommodation for project managers, provide space for meetings, and to provide storage for site documentation. Besides, the site office is vital to make sure that all project’s documentation is kept safe.
Site condition as per the contract. Project managers should ensure that the site condition is the same as stated in the contract, and there is no differing site condition. Differing site conditions will cause time delay to the project due to work stoppage at the site until relevant decisions are made by stakeholders.
Utility cables have been verified and relocated if necessary. Utility relocation is the adjustment, replacement, or relocation of utility facilities as required by a highway construction project. Damage to underground utilities due to construction work can result in weeks of delays.
Traffic diversion and traffic control system have been verified. Traffic diversion system relates to making sure the traffic around the construction site will not be interrupted by the project, and if necessary, traffic diversion is made to minimize interruption. On the other hand, the traffic control system relates to a system of managing traffic in and around construction sites. Accidents involving construction vehicles can lead to equipment shortage due to the accident eventually result to time overrun. Also, an accident involving construction workers can lead to a labor shortage, ultimately resulting in a construction delay.
Safety signboards have been placed. Safety signboards are crucial in any work environment. The primary importance of displaying safety signboards is to prevent accidents and ensure workers are well aware of the possible dangers and hazards ahead in certain situations and environments. Without signboards, many workers would lack the necessary direction in times of crisis, and employers might find themselves in significant legal difficulties if any accidents were to arise as a result.
Closed-circuit televisions (CCTV) have been installed and parking spaces for construction machinery have been verified. CCTV is a system that sends television signals to a limited number of screens and is often used in shops and public places to prevent crime. Conversely, verified parking space for construction machinery relates to designing parking space for construction machinery. Theft and vandalism on construction sites in the commercial construction industry is a problem that can affect productivity and drain profits.
Temporary utilities on site have been verified. Before work can begin on a construction site, several services such as electricity, water, lighting, internet connection, and others must be temporarily set up. Construction sites without electricity can disrupt office works leading to delay in a construction project.
Adequate workforce. Construction workforce means the workers who are engaged in the construction industry. The shortage of workers causes interruptions to the project schedule.
Materials and Equipment
Nearest material suppliers and quarry have been verified. Material supplier means any entity that supplies materials, services, or equipment to be used in conjunction with the performance of work on a construction contract. On the other hand, a quarry is a place where rocks, gravel or sand, dimension stone, slate construction aggregate, and others are excavated from the ground. The geographical location of material suppliers and quarry can affect the delivery lead-time, transport, and logistics costs.
Equipment availability. Highway construction requires a variety of specialized equipment. Lack of equipment affects labor productivity since labor relies on equipment to aid the construction process.
