Managing Construction Site Constraints - Research Paper Example

Managing Construction Site Constraints Introduction Study of construction site constraints is extremely important to conduct before actually staringconstruction works because these constraints can lead to unexpected delays in the overall construction work. Different construction sites need the application of different types of constraints management arrangements. For example, a cramped site needs arrangements for traffic patterns, large space for delivery vehicles, and queuing area for waiting trucks (Mincks and Johnston 154). Similarly, for an off-site yard, lifts, trucks, and heavy loading equipments become the main tools of construction (Mincks and Johnston 155). The role of geotechnical engineers is very important in choosing the best site for construction. Geotechnical engineering is a field of study within the parameters of civil engineering and is related directly with the study of behavior of earth materials and finding solutions for behaviors of rocks and soil present at any particular part of land. Sometimes, the irregular behavior of rocks and soil gives rise to land contamination issues where some hazardous chemical substances, heavy metals, and hydrocarbons crop up at concentrations above the background levels. Geotechnical engineers need to address these issues in order to make constructions sites safe for life. In this paper, we will discuss the role of geotechnical engineering in making a contaminated site ready for construction. There will also be a discussion on the need of health and safety management for employees related to the field of engineering and construction. Geotechnical Engineering Geotechnical engineering is a field of study concerned with the behavior of rocks and soil present at any particular area. The features of geotechnical engineering are not just restricted to construction of buildings; rather it serves many other areas that include petroleum, military, and mining (Benny). Some of the main areas of study covered by geotechnical engineering include soil mechanics, rock mechanics, and design of foundations. Geotechnical engineering plays a key role in site development and, in particular, in designing foundations of a building. According to Rowe, geotechnical engineers study the behavior of soil and rocks in order to determine their physical and chemical properties that are necessary to be investigated at the earliest stages of building design (31). Based on investigations, engineers move towards the process of designing soil stabilization system in order to overcome the soil contamination problems. Working of Geotechnical Engineers The first thing geotechnical engineers do in building design process is starting the design process by taking soil samples from the land where construction is to be started. The purpose is to determine the environmental impact on the soil of the site. Some other aspects of the site that geotechnical engineers study include chemical properties of soil, soil stability, and the presence of air pockets in the soil. The results of these tests determine the viability of the decision to start construction at the site or not. The tests reveal the soil behavior at the site, as well as help the engineers in finding suitable solutions to the identified problems. The engineers use the results to design foundations for the building planned for construction. Here, an important point is that the complexity of the design of foundations depends on the condition of the soil. According to Day, if condition of the soil is normal, the design of the foundation will also be simple, whereas it will be complex in case the soil at the construction site shows atypical pattern or behavior (71). Geotechnical engineers not only provide feasibility report for the designing of foundations but also play an important role in the designing of earth support structures. The earth support structures play a valuable role in the construction of dams, roads, and tunnels. Some of the main tasks of geotechnical engineering include designing of storage systems for hazardous materials, designing of foundations for building structures, and reducing soil erosion (Goel 1). As compared to other engineers related to the field of construction engineering, geotechnical engineers require competent relevant experiences to make sound judgments and are comparatively less reliant on code based design (Goel 1).wildly Site Contamination Having discussed geotechnical engineering and the working of geotechnical engineers in some detail, let us now discuss what site contamination is and how engineers analyze the severity of the soil’s behavior and decontaminate the affected site. As Sullivan states, “contamination is the making of some clean environment impure by contact or mixture with some substance that is impure or unclean” (1). Site contamination is hazardous because it gives rise to a number of human health and environment related risks that may include explosiveness, toxicity, health problems, corrosiveness, combustibility, and carcinogenicity. In the present world, site contamination has become one of the major construction related issues as it affects the quality of water, environment, soil, and most of all the human health. Evans states, “groundwater moves slowly and continuously through the open spaces in soil and rock”. This water becomes contaminated with pollutants produced by factories and wastewater. Industrial and consumer waste can bring toxic and hazardous chemicals to the ground if not stored properly (Laine). Runion found that the clean water becomes wastewater when it is mixed with synthetic or natural microbiological compounds. If we specifically talk about soil contamination, we can say that it gives rise to threat for the human health because of which geotechnical engineers give extreme importance to clear the soil before actually starting the construction works there. Soil contamination also affects climate, bio-magnification, foundations of buildings, and biodiversity (Pillai). Therefore, it is very important to decontaminate the site before starting construction. Having discussed the importance of the issue of soil contamination, let us discuss how geotechnical engineers assess the contaminated site and take precautionary measures. Assessment of Contaminated Site Geotechnical engineers perform the assessment of the contaminated site usually using a five-staged approach. Those five stages include preliminary site assessment, detailed site assessment, developing remedial action plan, performing remediation of the site, and validating the remediation process. During the first stage of assessment, engineers conduct the inspection of the site in collaboration with the site management staff that also includes the owner of the land. The engineers review the history of site in order to know whether the site has remained contaminated in the past or not. The inspection team collects some samples of soil of the suspected site and performs various tests in order to know the severity level of contamination. The team then prepares an initial report, which includes details about the presence of pollutants in the soil of the site and suggests whether construction process should be started or not. The engineers and the inspection team perform a comprehensive and detailed assessment of the collected samples of the soil in order to know the extent of presence of hazardous chemicals and substances in the soil. The results of the assessed samples show whether the site actually needs a remediation process or not. If the results are positive and hazardous chemicals are found in the soil, the team moves towards the next stage of the process which is development of a suitable remedial action plan. At this stage, the team plans for carrying out the remediation process by analyzing all technicalities of the proposed remedial action plan. The engineers specifically consider the human health safety and environmental impact issues associated with contamination in developing the remedial action plan. In the fourth stage of the process, the experts actually implement the proposed remediation process in order to decontaminate the site and make it safe for human life. Moreover, the engineers and remediation experts continuously observe the remediation process in order to know whether the remediation process is proving effective or it needs some modifications. If at some stage of the process, the implemented remediation process seems to be ineffective, the experts make appropriate changes to the plan and if necessary, they call off the whole plan and implement a new plan in accordance with the observed requirements. Treatment of Contamination Having discussed the way the remediation process is carried out by the team of geotechnical engineers and remediation experts, let us now get an insight into the methods that can be used to decontaminate a polluted site and make it safe for construction. Remediation is the process of investigating the level of contamination present on a site and decontaminating the site through applying the most appropriate remediation methods (Dupont and Hyman). Some of the main remediation methods widely used by engineers include engineered remediation method, indirect thermal absorption method, chemical decontamination, and direct thermal method. Engineered remediation method is one of the most commonly used remediation methods. This method enhances microbial or geochemical breakdown of contaminants facilitating the overall process of decontamination (Suthersan). Some of the main benefits of implementing this method include dust filtering, sound barricading, and application of various suppression devices. Another common decontamination method is chemical decontamination in which radioactive particulates that are entrapped on surfaces are removed. Chemical decontamination appears to be the best option if decontamination of piping systems is required at the site. Indirect Thermal Desorption method is another method commonly used to remove pollutants from the affected site. If we explore the working of Indirect Thermal Desorption method, we come to know that this method works in three stages. In the first stage, the engineers sort the excavated material and grade them according to their potential. In the second stage, the contaminants are boiled to reduce their toxicity. After boiling, the contaminated soil becomes clear of pollutants and toxic substances and gets ready for construction. The stage of the process is Base Catalyzed Decolorination in which contaminate concentrate is converted into clean water, salt, and oil. Impact of Remediation Works Environmental Impact Land decontamination always has a positive impact on environment. Removal of toxic substances from the land not only results in purification of water present under the land but also reduces the presence of harmful gases in the atmosphere. Dust filtering and reduced noise pollution are the two most significant benefits of the land decontamination process. Economic Impact Land decontamination also puts a positive impact on the economy of a country. When toxic substances and hazardous chemicals are removed form the contaminated land, not only the local public is benefited but also the chances of foreign investment in the country rise. Some of the main economic effects of remediation include increased foreign investment, increased income and sales tax revenues, and increased price of the nearby residential property. Importance of Health and Safety for Construction Employees Having discussed geotechnical engineering, land contamination, and the role of geotechnical engineering in making the land safe for construction, let us now discuss the importance of workers’ health and safety which is another important issue related to the field of engineering and construction. Construction related occupations are usually dangerous because of the risks they contain for workers. As Cullen states, “most jobs have expected, known hazards” (7). For example, many workers and even engineers lose their lives or face severe injuries by falling from heights during construction. Similarly, sometimes electricians suffer deadly electric shocks when they forget to apply security measures during electric installations in new buildings. Such incidents make construction related occupations dangerous. In construction firms, some of the main responsibilities of employees regarding health and safety management include: Making managers aware of ithe ssues that may affect health and safety of workers; Abiding by all guidelines of OSHA in order to ensure their personal ssafety whuile carrying out risky activities; Carrying out a systematic and cautious health and safety risk assessment at the workplace; Reporting any such act that may affect the health and safety of employees; and Ensuring that the company’s safety measures meet the standards of OSHA guidelines It is the resposbility of the management of any construction company to assess all potential risks to the health and safety of employees and make their jobs safe and less dangerous. It is important to know that poor health and safety management at any company leads to accidents at the workplace, illness of employees, and other significant costs for the company. Proper health and safety management practices are integral for the success for any construction company because when the workplace environment of the company will be safe, workers will work with full concentration rather than worrying about health and safety aspects. Being crushed under heavy equipment, falling from heights, and crashing into explosions are some of main incidents that construction workers face frequently (Celeste). If we talk about the United States of America, congress has enacted the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) which is meant to reduce workplace injuries and safety risks in construction related occupations. “OSHA mandates that the employer has a duty to provide a workplace without known hazards that could cause serious physical injury or death” (Greene 1). Although safety and health management systems provided by OSHA have the potential to address many workplace safety issues, but they cannot guarantee complete protection for employees working for construction companies. Conclusion Summing it up, geotechnical engineering is a major field of study related to construction and civil engineering. It deals with the study of the behavior of land that is extremely important for designing the foundations of a building. Geotechnical engineers play a vital role in determining the physical and chemical properties of rocks and soil in the area where construction works are to be started. They also deal with decontaminating polluted land and making it safe for construction and human life. Along with the issues of land contamination, the problem of health and safety of construction employees also raises a major concern for the construction industry. Although OSHA guidelines are proving beneficial for meeting the health and safety needs of construction workers, but a lot more still needs to be done to make construction related occupations completely safe for workers. Works Cited Benny, Michael. “Geotechnical Engineering.” Articlesbase.com, 03 Oct. 2011. Web. 21 Apr. 2013. Celeste, Rigel. “Top 10 Most Dangerous Jobs.” Jobs.aol.com, 01 Mar. 2011. Web. 21 Apr. 2013. Cullen, Lisa. A job to die for: Why so many Americans are killed, injured or made ill at work and what to do about it. California: Common Courage Press, 2002. Day, Robert. Geotechnical Engineer’s Portable Handbook. U.S.A: The McGraw-Hill Companies, 2000. Dupont, Ryan, and Marve Hyman. Groundwater and Soil Remediation: Process Design and Cost Estimating of Proven Technologies. U.S.A: ASCE Press, 2001. Evans, Steve. “Landfill and Groundwater Contamination.” Ezinearticles.com, 05 Dec. 2008. Web. 21 Apr. 2013. Goel, Tarun. “Fundamentals of Geotechnical Engineering.” Brighthubengineering.com, 23 Nov. 2011. Web. 21 Apr. 2013. Greene, Felicia. “What is the Importance of OSHA in the Workplace?.” Livestrong.com, 02 Sep. 2010. Web. 21 Apr. 2013. Laine, David. “The Effects of Land Pollution on the Environment.” Ehow.com, n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2013. Mincks, William, and Hal Johnston. Construction Jobsite Management. 3rd. ed. Delmar: Cengage Learning, 2011. Pillai, Prabhakar. “Causes and Effects of Land Pollution.” Buzzle.com, 16 Jan. 2012. Web. 21 Apr. 2013. Rowe, Roy. Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering Handbook. Massachusetts: Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2001. Runion, Richard. “Wastewater - Contamination Sources.” Ezinearticles.com, 16 Dec. 2008. Web. 21 Apr. 2013. Sullivan, Connor. “What Contamination is and How it Harms Us.” Ezinearticles.com, 30 Mar. 2010. Web. 21 Apr. 2013. Suthersan, Suthan. Remediation Engineering: Design Concepts, Volume 1996. Florida: CRC Press, 1997. Read More