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I <br />A GBOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING <br />REPORT IS SUBIECT TO <br />MISINTERPRETATION <br />Costly problems can occur when other design profes ­ <br />sionals develop their plans based on misinterpretations <br />of a geotechnical engineering report. Tb help avoid <br />these problems, the geotechnical engineer ^ould be <br />retain^ to work with other appropriate design profes ­ <br />sionals to explain relevant geotechnical findings and to <br />review the adequacy of their plans and specifications <br />relative to geotechnical issues <br />BORING LOGS SHOULD NOT BE <br />SEPARATED FROM THE <br />ENGINEERING REPORT <br />Final boring logs are developed by geotechnical engi­ <br />neers based upon their interpretation of field logs <br />(assembled by site personnel) and laboratory evaluation <br />of field samples Only final boring logs customarily are <br />induded in geotechnical engineering reports. Tfuse lo^ <br />should not under any circumstances be redrawn for indusion in <br />architectural or other design drawings, because drafters <br />may commit errors or omissions in the transfer process <br />Although photographic reproduction eliminates this <br />problem. It does nothing to minimize the possibility of <br />contractors misinterpreting the logs during bid prepara ­ <br />tion When this occurs delays disputes and unantici­ <br />pated costs are the all-too-frequent result <br />Tb minimize the likelihood of boring log misinterpreta­ <br />tion. give contractors ready access to the complete geotechnical <br />engineering report prepared or authorized for their use <br />Those who do not provide such access may proceed un­ <br />der the mistaken impression that simply disclaiming re­ <br />sponsibility for the accuracy of subsurface information <br />always insulates them from attendant liabilltv Providing <br />the best available information to contractors helps pre ­ <br />vent costly construction problems and the adversarial <br />attitudes which aggravate them to disproportionate <br />scale <br />READ RESPONSIBILITY <br />CLAUSES CLOSELY <br />Because geotechnical engineering is based extensively <br />on judgment and opinion, it is far less exact than oth« <br />design disciplines This situation has resulted in wholly <br />unwarranted daims being lodged against geotechnical <br />consultants To help prevent this problem, geotechnical <br />engineers have developed model dauses for use in writ­ <br />ten transmittals These are not exculpatory dauses <br />designed to foist geotechnical engineers’ liabilities onto <br />someone else. Rather, they are definitive dauses which <br />identify where geotechnical engineers’ responsibilities <br />begin and end Their use helps all parties Involved rec­ <br />ognize their individual responsibilities and take appro ­ <br />priate action Some of the^ definitive dauses are likely <br />to appear in your geotechnical engineering report, and <br />you are encouraged to read them dosely. \bur geo ­ <br />technical engineer will be pleased to give full and frank <br />answers to your questions <br />OTHER STEPS YOU CAN TAKE TO <br />REDUCE RISK <br />Vbur consulting geotechhka '*neer .vill be pleased to <br />discuss other techniques wf • be employed to mit­ <br />igate risk In addition. ASTL ».».s iieveloped a variety of <br />materials which may be b^.ieficial. Contact ASFE for a <br />complimentary copy of itS publications directory <br />Published by <br />INI ASSOCIA1ION <br />OFHieiNiaiNGRIMI <br />FtAcnctHe M INI etoioeicis <br />8811 Colesville Road/Suite C 106/Silver Spring. Maryland 20910/(301) 565-2733 <br />I