Construction of Stabilization Works
Listing in the contract those quarries known to be capable of producing stone
of acceptable quality, and requiring that the contractor produce certification
from the quarry that the stone does meet specifications; and
Using personnel experienced in stone work for contract inspection.
10.2.5 SPECIFICATIONS FOR COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS
Section 6.5 discussed the use of manufacturers' recommendations in the design phase
of a project. The specification phase often poses a dilemma - should the designer specify a
particular trade name product and include the manufacturer's specifications for installation,
or should the designer allow the use of any one of a group of similar products, all of which
have similar installation specifications? The decision depends upon two factors:
Whether the work is to be advertised for bids, with the contractor furnishing
the materials, or whether materials are instead to be purchased by one's own
organization or the project sponsor. The significance of this factor is that if
the contractor is to furnish the materials, then the specifications must not be
subject to misinterpretation which might result in the use of unsuitable
materials.
Organizational policy regarding the use of trade names in specifications as
opposed to "generic" specifications. If policy allows, careful use of trade
names eliminates ambiguity without requiring lengthy generic specifications.
However, the potential exists for overlooking other suitable, and perhaps less
costly, products. This difficulty can be addressed by using the phrase "or
equal" to trade names. However, differences of opinion among engineering
personnel, contract administration personnel, and the contractor as to the
definition of "equal," and the procedure for judging equality, sometimes
results in significant misunderstandings.
In summary, the specification writer's goal is to ensure that essential aspects of the
materials and the installation are satisfied, without unduly restricting choice of materials and
equipment. Such restriction may result in protests by unsuccessful bidders and/or
unnecessarily high project costs. The policy of the responsible organization will determine
the most feasible specification structure to accomplish this.
10.2.6 DOCUMENTATION OF AS-BUILT CONDITION
Documentation of the as-built condition of a bank stabilization project is essential not
only for quality control of the construction, but also for future inspection and maintenance
of the work. The most thorough way to satisfy this need is to make a comprehensive survey
of the entire project area immediately after construction, noting all features of the work on
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