Construction Specification Framework for Utility Installations

2008 ◽  
Vol 2060 (1) ◽  
pp. 162-172
Author(s):  
Cesar Quiroga ◽  
David Ford ◽  
Timothy Taylor ◽  
Stanley Kranc ◽  
Edgar Kraus

Utility accommodation policies nationwide contain requirements for the accommodation, location, installation, relocation, and maintenance of utility facilities on the state right-of-way. The policies normally cover basic requirements, making it necessary to use additional specifications and special provisions to handle situations not covered by the policies. Frequently, because of the lack of standard utility installation construction specifications at transportation agencies, many different versions of special specifications and special provisions exist. Closely related to the need to standardize construction specifications for utility installations is the need to standardize methodologies and procedures for determining the cost of utility relocation. This lack of standardization translates into difficulties such as how to verify the validity of the cost data submitted for reimbursement and how to prepare adequately for audits and other internal and external inquiries. This paper summarizes the work completed to develop a prototype framework of construction specification requirements for utility installations, with a focus on water, sanitary sewer, and communication specifications. The specification framework includes five groups of specifications: earth work, pipes and boxes, appurtenances, other, and general (including specifications such as mobilization and traffic control, which highway construction contracts typically include but are also relevant to the utility relocation process). The framework uses tables that summarize the main characteristics of proposed new and modified standard specifications and includes a listing of pay items, subsidiary items, and corresponding measurement units. The framework also includes specification requirements.

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 43-55
Author(s):  
Ika Yulianti ◽  
Endah Masrunik ◽  
Anam Miftakhul Huda ◽  
Diana Elvianita

This study aims to find a comparison of the calculation of the cost of goods manufactured in the CV. Mitra Setia Blitar uses the company's method and uses the Job Order Costing (JOC) method. The method used in this study is quantitative. The types of data used are quantitative and qualitative. Quantitative data is in the form of map production cost data while qualitative data is in the form of information about map production process. The result of calculating the cost of production of the map between the two methods results in a difference of Rp. 306. Calculation using the company method is more expensive than using the Job Order Costing method. Calculation of cost of goods manufactured using the company method is Rp. 2,205,000, - or Rp. 2,205, - each unit. While using the Job Order Costing (JOC) method is Rp. 1,899,000, - or Rp 1,899, - each unit. So that the right method used in calculating the cost of production is the Job Order Costing (JOC) method


2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 80-96
Author(s):  
Raid Saleem Abd Ali ◽  
Nooran kanaan Yassin

This research aims to diagnose and identify the causes of claims and disputes between the contractor and the employer, also review the methods used to resolve disputes in construction contracts. In order to achieve the goal of the research, scientific methodology is followed to collect information and data on the subject of claims and disputes in construction projects in Iraq through personal interviews and questionnaire form. The most important results in this research are: the price schedule contract as a kind of competitive contracts is the most important and guarantee for the completion of minimum level of claims and disputes with relative importance of (84.1), compared with the (cost plus a percentage of the cost contract) as a kind of negotiating contracts is the most relative importance of (79.6), and the turnkey contract as a kind of special contracts is the most relative importance of (74.2). The  contractor and  his agents are one of the most influence sources in occurring claims and disputes in construction contracts with relative importance of (77.4) followed by the contract documents with relative importance of (74.2) and then the employer with relative importance of (73.2). In addition to the long period of litigation and the multiplicity of veto grades are most negative when contractual disputes have resolved by it, and with relative importance of (86), followed by the large number of issues and lack of efficiency and specialty of Judges with relative importance (78.4). Finally, the direct negotiation method (relative importance of 77) is one of the most friendly settlement ways favored by conflicted parties, while the resolution of disputes and claims board (relative importance of 10) occupied the last rank in the friendly settlement ways.


Author(s):  
Larry G. Crowley ◽  
Jared L. Madewell

Public agencies generally let construction contracts to the lowest responsible, responsive bidder. In following this practice, agencies recognize there are higher risks of cost growth in awarding to either unusually low bids or to certain “claim-conscious” bidders. Despite this awareness, there are few documented studies supporting or quantifying the presence of these perceived competitive procurement risks. This research undertakes that specific task. First, bids and bidders on a sample of Alabama highway projects are grouped into risk categories by information available at the project bid opening—well in advance of any potential contract award— and without considering actual project performance data. Second, the cost growth experiences of these projects are statistically analyzed based upon these risk groupings. The results indicate that cost growth on Alabama highway projects is significantly more likely when projects are awarded to unusually low bids or to certain bidder types. A similar study performed earlier on Texas highway projects provides nearly identical results. This type of analysis and the derived information can be used by public agencies to amend the procurement process and objectively disqualify unusually low bids or questionable bidders without abandoning competitive procurement principles.


2010 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 103-131 ◽  
Author(s):  
Regina T. Riphahn ◽  
Martina Eschelbach ◽  
Guido Heineck ◽  
Steffen Müller

AbstractWe compare German institutions of tertiary education (universities and polytechnics) with respect to the cost of and the returns to their educational degrees. Based on cost data from two different sources we find that on average the expenditures of universities are lower than those of polytechnics when we consider expenditures per potential enrollee and per student enrolled during the regular education period. We apply data from the German Socio-economic Panel (2001-2007) to estimate the private returns to tertiary education and find higher returns to university than polytechnic training. These results are robust to a variety of alternative procedures.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Ahmad Gholami ◽  
Jassem Azizpoor ◽  
Elham Aflaki ◽  
Mehdi Rezaee ◽  
Khosro Keshavarz

Introduction. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic progressive inflammatory disease that causes joint destruction. The condition imposes a significant economic burden on patients and societies. The present study is aimed at evaluating the cost-effectiveness of Infliximab, Adalimumab, and Etanercept in treating rheumatoid arthritis in Iran. Methods. This is a cost-effectiveness study of economic evaluation in which the Markov model was used. The study was carried out on 154 patients with rheumatoid arthritis in Fars province taking Infliximab, Adalimumab, and Etanercept. The patients were selected through sampling. In this study, the cost data were collected from a community perspective, and the outcomes were the mean reductions in DAS-28 and QALY. The cost data collection form and the EQ-5D questionnaire were also used to collect the required data. The results were presented in the form of an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio, and the sensitivity analysis was used to measure the robustness of the study results. The TreeAge Pro and Excel softwares were used to analyze the collected data. Results. The results showed that the mean costs and the QALY rates in the Infliximab, Adalimumab, and Etanercept arms were $ 79,518.33 and 12.34, $ 91,695.59 and 13.25, and $ 87,440.92 and 11.79, respectively. The one-way sensitivity analysis confirmed the robustness of the results. In addition, the results of the probabilistic sensitivity analysis (PSA) indicated that on the cost-effectiveness acceptability curve, Infliximab was in the acceptance area and below the threshold in 77% of simulations. The scatter plot was in the mentioned area in 81% and 91% of simulations compared with Adalimumab and Etanercept, respectively, implying lower costs and higher effectiveness than the other two alternatives. Therefore, the strategy was more cost-effective. Conclusion. According to the results of this study, Infliximab was more cost-effective than the other two medications. Therefore, it is recommended that physicians use this medication as the priority in treating rheumatoid arthritis. It is also suggested that health policymakers consider the present study results in preparing treatment guidelines for RA.


Author(s):  
Md Atiquzzaman ◽  
Huaguo Zhou

Wrong-way driving (WWD) crashes are a critical safety issue on freeways. Although these crashes are rare and random in nature, they often result in severe injuries and/or fatalities. Typically, exit ramp terminals are the initial point of entry for wrong-way (WW) drivers on freeways. Therefore, it is important for transportation agencies to identify the exit ramp terminals with higher possibility of WW entries and apply safety countermeasures to reduce the chances of their occurrence. However, the random nature of WWD crashes and the difficulty in identifying the actual entry points makes it hard for transportation agencies to assess the risk of WWD at a particular exit ramp terminal and apply countermeasures accordingly. This study developed mathematical models for predicting the risk of WW entries at the exit ramp terminals of full diamond interchanges. The geometric design features, usage of traffic control devices, area type where the interchanges are located, and annual average daily traffic (AADT) at the exit ramp terminals with or without history of WWD were used as potential predictors of WW entry. Transportation agencies can use these models to assess the risk of WW entries at the exit ramp terminals within their jurisdictions and consider possible countermeasures. They also can be applied during the design phase to determine the combination of geometric design features and traffic control devices that ensures the least possibility of WW entry.


2021 ◽  
Vol 133 ◽  
pp. 15-26
Author(s):  
Paweł Drózd ◽  
Adam Rosiński

The paper presents the issues of railway traffic control devices testing and focuses on European Train Control System (ETCS) devices widely implemented in railways. The functions of the ETCS system, principles of operation are described. The basic telegrams transmitted in the track-to-train relation are listed. The process of designing and verifying the implemented data and what parameters are checked at the stage of field tests using the locomotive is briefly described. The functional model of the SRK devices, including ETCS elements, was presented, and the close relationship between the base layer of the railway traffic control devices and the ETCS was shown. Equipment testing reduces the availability of the rail network, engages staff, and generates costs. A test generation method is presented to minimize the impact. Two indicators are proposed for reducing the set of checks, the cost of checking and the information effectiveness. The cost of checking due to the problematic estimate is generalized, divided into three groups taking into account the difficulty and resource consumption of bringing the devices to the initial state and their operation according to the test. Therefore, the obtained set of checks is suboptimal and ensures complete coverage of the functions with tests, which is essential when testing devices. The tests are carried out using available setting commands and the implementation of tasks - entry and exit routes at the station. The proposed method is universal and can be applied to any railway traffic control device, regardless of the manufacturing technology. It is a non-invasive method in the structure of the tested devices and does not require additional hardware resources.


Author(s):  
H. Gene Hawkins ◽  
Kay Fitzpatrick ◽  
Marcus A. Brewer

The 2009 United States Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) includes guidance for the use of various types of traffic control at unsignalized intersections. Despite changes and advances in traffic engineering in recent decades, the MUTCD content related to selection of traffic control in Part 2B has seen only minor changes since 1971. The types of unsignalized traffic control addressed in the current research included no control, yield control, two-way stop control, and all-way stop control. The research team developed recommendations using information available from reviews of existing literature, policies, guidelines, and findings from an economic analysis along with the engineering judgment of the research team and panel. The researchers then developed recommended language for the next edition of the MUTCD for unsignalized intersections. This includes consideration of high-speed (rural) and low-speed (urban) conditions along with the number of legs at the intersection. Because the number of expected crashes at an intersection is a function of the number of legs, the decision on appropriate traffic control should also be sensitive to the number of legs present. The proposed language includes introductory general considerations, discusses alternatives to changing right-of-way control, and steps through the various forms of unsignalized control from least restrictive to most restrictive, beginning with no control and concluding with all-way stop control.


2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (10) ◽  
pp. 2859-2891
Author(s):  
Douglas Alleman ◽  
Eul-Bum Lee

PurposeThe publication presents an analysis of the cost and schedule performance of incentive/disincentive projects and case studies toward developing a systematic disincentive valuation process, with Construction Analysis for Pavement Rehabilitation Strategies (CA4PRS) software integration that aids agencies in minimizing the likelihood of court challenges of disincentives.Design/methodology/approachFrom a California transportation database, the authors performed cost and schedule analyses of 43 incentive/disincentive (I/D) projects and case studies on four of those I/D projects. Interviewees included subject matter experts from transportation organizations to ensure applicability and maximum value-adding, and the process was implemented on ten California transportation projects and monitored for performance.FindingsThe presented process mitigates the contractor's ability to claim disincentives as penalties in a court of law through the following: (1) all calculations are performed using project-specific bases, backed by estimations of actual incurred costs; (2) the CA4PRS software allows for estimation transparency and (3) the clarity of cost inclusions reduces any chances of “double-dipping” between disincentives and liquidated damages.Practical implicationsTransportation agencies have historically faced legal challenges to their enforcements of disincentives. As agencies continue to apply disincentives on more megaprojects, contractors will likely attempt to pursue legal challenges more frequently. The presented process mitigates the likelihood of these challenges going to court and increases the accuracy and efficiency of disincentives.Originality/valueWhile there have been publications that discuss the legal challenges of imposing disincentives, they mainly provide guidelines and lack applicable processes. Existing literature that does present incentive/disincentive valuation process focuses on incentive valuations and neglects the disincentives' legal challenges. The following publication fills this gap by presenting an applicable disincentive valuation process for transportation projects which incorporates the guidelines for legal mitigation.


Author(s):  
Boniphace Kutela ◽  
Hualiang Teng

This study presents an analysis of transitional states of drivers yielding right-of-way to pedestrians at signalized midblock crosswalks. The study utilizes data from twenty signalized midblock crosswalks located in Las Vegas, Nevada, equipped with traffic control signals (TCSs), pedestrians hybrid beacons (PHBs), circular flashing beacons (CFBs), circular rapid flashing beacons (CRFBs), and rectangular rapid flashing beacons (RRFBs). It applies both descriptive analysis and multistate models to explore the variations in transition durations and factors associated with the states’ transition of drivers yielding right-of-way, namely non-yield, multiple-threats, and full yield. The study found that RRFBs are the signal types that have a high frequency of multiple-threats state. The duration to reach full yield varies between 0 s and 318 s; the duration of non-yield to multiple-threats varies between 1 s and 105 s; whereas multiple-threats to full yield duration varies between 1 s and 38 s. The multistate model results show that only the signal type factor has a clear pattern. For this factor, the RRFBs showed low hazard ratios for all three transitions, when compared with CFBs and CRFBs. In various ways, the states’ transition durations were also associated with the number of cross stages, number of lanes, vehicle density, incoming vehicle speeds, annual average daily traffic, and number of pedestrians crossing, as well as their crossing positions. The developed model can be used by engineers and planners to evaluate factors affecting the effectiveness of the crosswalk treatments.


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