Pre-Construction Report of Pedestrian Foot Bridge - Case Study Example

PRE-CONSTRUCTION REPORT OF PEDESTRIAN FOOT BRIDGE (Name) (Instructor/Tutor) (Course/Subject) (Institution/ University) (City, State) (Date) Introduction A footpath bridge is a very essential structure in human movement. Pedestrian or Footpath Bridge is a bridge that is designed for use of pedestrians (Romualdez, 2012). The report is on the construction of footpath bridge project over highway No. 9 near Avalon drive at Thornton, at New South Wales State in Australia. The project will be partially funded by National Building Program (NWS, 2009). The construction of the footpath bridge is as a result of increased cases of road carnage in the busy highway. This is as a result of the conflict between pedestrians and vehicles while using the busy highway. The construction of the footpath bridge will provide sustainable crossing and safety to pedestrians and make it easier for access of social amenities that are situated along the highway. The bridge will have guard rails which will prevent pedestrians from falling while passing over the busy highway. The footpath bridge will also include barriers that will prevent people from throwing projectile, or jumping into the busy highway. The bridge will not only enable pedestrians cross the highway safely, but it will also assist in avoiding traffic slowing down. The estate is land locked because of the highway and therefore people have problems in moving in and out of the estate. In addition, the footpath bridge will be designed to meet the recommended standards. The standards will protect the bridge from vibrations and also make it accessible by disabled together with other people who are mobility impaired. The location of the footpath bridge will be strategic to enhance better usage and convenient as possible. The location will be strategic because if it will be located far from pedestrian routes, the distance will attempt pedestrians to create unnecessary crossing points that will expose them to road accidents. Procurement Methods Various contractors with Class B5 at Bridgeworks will be invited in the tendering process. Those with higher qualifications will be chosen to undertake the exercise. In this process, panel contractors’ list from RTA’s Engineering Technology will be used to select the bridge designers. Contractors with Class SC and Class CC of RTA will carry out the work of steel fabrication and concrete components respectively. In addition, the work of traffic control will be handled with contractors with Class G of RTA (NWS, 2009). The procurement process will involve three methods. For the three processes involved the best will be chosen. The processes include traditional procurement method, design and building procurement method, and construction management. In the traditional method, the contractor will work to a defined scope and specified price. The contractor has full responsibility on the design and the project team. In design and build procurement, the client will appoint a contractor who will be responsible in the designing and the construction of the project. Finally in the construction management procurement process, the provider will be needed to appoint a manager who will manage the whole contract and receive management fees as his remuneration. In this method, sub-contractors’ contracts are placed directly between the sub-contractor and the client. Therefore the client has a high involvement in the whole construction process. Project Tender Value The bridge will be very complex and it will require extensive engineering skills, analysis and time-dependent modelling. Therefore, the tasks involved will not be done with a mere plan and poor skills. For the engineers to optimize the structures’ designs, software applications will be used to analyse its features. To facilitate the easier use of the footpath bridge, its design meets recommended standards. The standards are met because experienced designers of software and complex bridges are involved in the construction plan and design. In addition, the footpath bridge will be built in compliance with the international standards. The software applications to be created will be designed in a manner that it will be easier to use, lead to highest productivity to the users by saving man-hours, and provide advanced features that will make analysis possible and safety and comprehensive bridge design (Interactive Design Systems, 2005). The design will have an estimated cost of 0.08 million dollars. After the development of the footpath bridge design, the contractor will be appointed. The appointment process of the contractor will be through negotiation and the comparing of various qualifications of all the applicants. The applicant (contractor) with highest qualifications will be considered. After the contractor’s appointment, the contractor will take responsibilities of the design and take control of the project team for the construction. The tendering process to obtain a well qualified and experienced contractor will have an estimated cost of 0.12 million dollars. Before the construction process kicks off, it will be necessary to carry out survey on the construction site. The survey will be of the determination of the quality of soil. The soil quality matters how and the kind of structure to be built. Soil quality also determines the magnitude of vibrations that are likely to occur. The surveying cost is estimated to be 0.14 million dollars. Besides soil analysis, we will undertake traffic impact assessment. The assessment will help the contractors in temporary management of traffic while constructing the footpath bridge. The assessment will cover traffic survey, traffic analysis, data collection, site reconnaissance, and construction planning (Mannings (Asia) Consultants Ltd, 2008). These surveys will involve a number of ten surveyors and it will cost 0.35 million dollars. The construction of the footbridge will involve a lot of costs. The costs include costs in transporting appropriate building materials and personnel to the construction site, labour costs. Building materials will be transported from the store to the construction site. The exercise will be daily from the first to the last day when construction process will be completed. The cost for transporting construction materials will be 0.2 million dollars. Engineers and other personnel who will be working in the site will also be dropped on the construction site and picked from the site every day. The costs of dropping and picking engineers and other workers will be 0.15 million dollars. In addition, the construction process will involve unskilled individuals who will be used in providing services which does not need a lot of skills. Some of the services include carrying supplying construction materials in the construction site, collecting unused materials after work, and other services that they will be needed to offer. They will be payed on daily basis and the estimated costs to their pay will be 0.5 million dollars. Examples of material used in the construction of the bridge include heavy, professional-grade equipments like pavers, holding down bolts, steel truss, safety screens, concrete, paints, and other reinforcements. Other materials used that will be incorporated in the construction include underground electric line, underground optical fibre, advertising sign and supporting frame. The total cost of these materials is estimated to be 81 million dollars. Since the footpaths will be crossed for the cyclists and pedestrians, they will be provided with free transportation services through a shuttle bus. The bus will enable the reach or the two sides of the highway. The shuttle service will cost 0.12 million dollars Table 1: The Footpath Bridge Project Cash Flow Projection Details Amount in millions (Australian dollars) Money Out Cost of project’s design Cost of tendering process Survey costs Soil survey Construction site survey Reinforcement costs Fuel costs Machines and tractors spares Cost of bolts Formwork costs Material costs Concrete Costs of steel truss Safety screens Cover sheet Transport costs (materials and personnel) Daily payments of casual workers (total) Transportation costs for the cyclists and pedestrians Total money out Money In National building program Funds form the government Funds from development bank Total money in Excess amount 0.08 0.12 0.14 0.35 2.5 5.45 1.7 0.7 4.3 22.49 51.6 5.35 0.5 0.6 0.72 0.12 90.47 70.2 23.7 2.4 98.3 7.83 The excess amount will act as the contractor’s remuneration. Methodology statement Steps on the Constructing the Footbridge The first stage to construct a footbridge will be by building sub surface bridge supports and it will involve three steps. First, deep trenches will be dug. Secondly, there will be installation of sub surface footings and thirdly, sub surface abutment wall and footings will be built or constructed. Deep trenches will be dug using an excavator. The deep trenches are needed for a strong foundation. The second stage will then be the inserting of the casings. The casings will be driven to the ground by using vibrator hammers. The vibrator hammer will be placed on the casing by the use of a crane. The use of the casings is to work as ground- stabilizing force. A shaft will be dug after the casings have been installed. A shaft cage will be inserted and then into the shaft, concrete will be poured. The shafts will act as the columns’ foundations of that supports the bridge. After pushing the casings underground, before the engineers insert the shaft cage, they will make the shaft hollow. Through this process they will make cylindrical concrete column that will be subsurface and will provide support in the ground (Washington State Department of Transportation, 2012). Stage three involves the construction of surface abutment walls, columns, and footing. The purpose of the abutment wall is to provide support to the deck of the bridge. Then this will be followed by another stage, the setting of girder. A crane will be used to lift the girder and place it into the supports. In stage five, vertical posts will then be braced. Finally, vertical posts will be joined with side loads using bolts. While fixing the footpath bridge to the abutments, it is crucial that it is fixed securely. Because of the changes in temperature, the constructor should give allowance for the contracts and expansions of steel. While fixing the constructing materials, ideally nuts, plated bolts, and washers (Washington State Department ofT ransportation, 2012). The project will involve activity scheduling using a schedule planning software to plan activities in a chronological manner. There will be the use of critical path method to create a computer program that will plan schedules, determine the project scope, define activities, and arrange them in sequences and estimate project activities. The following table summarises the duration for project activities, which are shown in the critical path diagram (Mind Tools Ltd, 2012). A Project Time Line and Critical Path Using Computer Software It is necessary to have a critical path in construction process of a footpath bridge. This assists the management of the structure’s construction a collect date of completion and enables it to adjust to float activities. In order to have a clear prediction of the project duration, the critical path diagram must be frequently updated with the project progresses information. The importance of having this assists in tracking those activities which are critical, it specify the time of completion of various tasks and the completion time of the whole project, and it offers a representation of activities involved in the project (TutorialsPoint, 2012). Table 2: Activity Duration Activity Description Duration (Days) Stage 1 Sub surface abutment wall and footings construction 12 Step 1 Digging trenches 3 Step 2 Installation of footings 5 Step 3 Building sub surface bridge supports 4 Stage 2 Inserting of the casings 2 Stage 3 Construction of surface abutment walls, columns, and footing 8 Stage 4 Setting of girders 5 Stage 5 Bracing of vertical posts 3 Stage 6 Joining of vertical posts with vertical posts 2 Critical Part Diagram Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 6 Stage 5 Stages 4 Impacts on Traffic In a situation where there is no footpath bridge, many people spend most of their hours in traffic jams or while trying to cross busy roads. This means that the economy is loosing a lot of resource in terms of man hours every day, which is a negative implication to economic growth. Similarly vehicle operators also loose a lot of their time because of traffic jam and therefore, this also indicate that they also loose their hours of working. In addition, busy roads that do not have footpath bridges experience numerous road carnage cases. This is as a result of people taking shortcuts or crossing roads on areas where zebra crossing lines are (Mahmud, 2012). The working sequence is essentially determined by the loads’ limitations on the structure. The construction of a Footpath bridge affects both the pedestrians and other road users like the vehicle operators. Therefore, while constructing the bridge, safety of these road users must be given priority. In addition, this consideration will limit the disruptions that they are likely to cause. The criteria will really determine how long the project will take and the method that will be used to handle the road traffic and pedestrians while constructing the bridge (Das, Frangopol, & Nowak, 1999). Traffic Diversion and Pedestrian Control Because of the high traffic volume and the dangers involved while constructing the bridge, there will be need to carry out traffic diversion and control the movement of people along or near the construction site. In controlling the vehicle operators, we will reduce the number of lanes along the highway. This will be done by putting road blocks on one side of the road (construction side, 2012), and put red dust or use red flags that will direct the vehicle operator to divert their vehicle to other lanes. Since the footpath bridge will be constructed in potions or phases, traffic lanes will be reduced along the phase on construction. Other vehicle operators will be advised to use alternative road and streets to avoid traffic jam in the highway. The reduction of traffic lines will allow enough working space and this will lead to easier and earlier completion of the works designed according to the time scheduled (Winnpeg, 2012). To the cyclists and pedestrians, to prevent them from using shortcuts or dangerously crossing the highway, bridge footpaths will be closed and they will be provided with transportation services using shuttle bus to enable them reach the two sides of the highway (Mannings (Asia) Consultants Ltd, 2008). In addition, to take care of the disability pedestrians, adequate provisions will be made. Because pedestrians who have visual problems are unable use surface delineation and printed signs, alternate crossings, blocked routes, and signal information will be communicated to them through audible information devices. To the pedestrians with low vision, accessible signals, channelizing devices detectable to them will be provided. The provisions will prevent pedestrians from conflicting with equipments, vehicles at the work site, and other operations (FHWA’s MUTCD, 2003). Conclusion A footpath bridge is a very essential project both to the society and the whole economy. This is because it contributes in saving man-hours that is wasted in traffic jam. The saving of time contributes significantly to economic growth and development. Besides this, footpath also contributes in the reduction of road carnage and therefore saving people’s lives. In addition, well designed foot bridges add aesthetic value in the constructed region. References Das, P. C., Frangopol, D. M., & Nowak, A. S. (1999). Current and Future Trends in Bridge Design Construction and Maintenance. London: Thomas Telford. FHWA’s MUTCD. (2003). California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. Retrieved October 24, 2012, from http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/traffops/signtech/mutcdsupp/pdf/camutcd/CAMUTCD-Part6.pdf Interactive Design Systems. (2005). Interactive Design Systems. Retrieved October 24, 2012, from http://www.ids-soft.com/?gclid=CNSsvbnalrMCFbMbtAodsSwALA Mahmud, K. (2012). Possible Causes & Solutions of Traffic Jam and Their Impact on the Economy of Dhaka City. Retrieved October 24, 2012, from http://www.dx.doi.org/10.5539/jms.v2n2p112 Mannings (Asia) ConsultantsLtd. (2008). Traffic. Retrieved October 24, 2012, from http://www.manningsasia.com/traffic.html Mind Tools Ltd. (2012). Critical Path Analysis and PERT Charts. Retrieved October 24, 2012, from http://www.mindtools.com/critpath.html NWS. (2009). Archived Tender Detail View - RTA.09.2535.0782. Retrieved October 25, 2012, from https://tenders.nsw.gov.au/rms/?event=public.rft.showArchived&RFTUUID=806B88E4-FF9B-6EF7-C8EB78F8267072FB Romualdez, V. (2012). lWhat Is a Footbridge? Retrieved October 23, 2012, from http://www.ehow.com/facts_7696089_footbridge.htm TutorialsPoint. (2012). Critical Path Method. Retrieved October 24, 2012, from http://www.tutorialspoint.com/management_concepts/critical_path_method.htm Washington State Department of Transportation. (2012). Bridge Construction. Retrieved October 23,2012,from http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/PierceCountyHOV/I5_HOV_S48th_Pacific/bridge.htm Winnpeg. (2012). Osborne Street Bridge Rehabilitation Project. Retrieved October 24, 2012, from http://www.winnipeg.ca/publicworks/majorprojects/osbornebridge/ Read More