Missouri Department of Transportation SEG 2010

Bridge Division

Structural Engineering Guidance No. 10-05

Date: July 15, 2010

Distribution: All Engineering Resources

SUBJECT: PRIORITIZING REQUESTS FOR FINAL SOUNDINGS OF STRUCTURES

Contact: Mike Harms/Gregory Sanders

Effective Date: Immediately for New Sounding Requests

EPG Submittal Status: To Be Submitted

Background and Purpose:

Geotechnical Section has requested that when providing sounding requests, a priority date be given on the form request and e-mail request. This will allow them to better prioritize their work and make adjustments to their schedule when necessary. This was brought to the attention of the Bridge Division (BD) at a meeting with the Geotechnical Section (GS) on May 4.

This guidance provides simplified criteria for when to coordinate and how to report a priority date which represents a due date indicating when the final sounding report is due to BD.

The 10-month schedule used in the guidance is based on our promised maximum 12-month bridge plan delivery schedule for a routine bridge structure to Districts. 10 months represents the time remaining on a job until plans are due after the Bridge Memorandum has been sent to district and the Request for Final Soundings of Structures is initiated.

(Standard Form Request for Final Soundings of Structures is located in the Engineering Policy Guide 320.4.5 or 751.1.2.18.)

Guidance:

Use the following:

A. Normal Scheduling (Plans Due > 10 Months Out)

1. Normal Bridges Foundations *

Request for Final Soundings of Structures shall include the proposed letting date and a due date on the form indicating when the sounding report is due to BD.

The timelines shown have been provided to BD to use by GS.

Normal Bridge Foundation Requests

Set due date to 2 months beyond the date the sounding request is sent.

Normal Retaining Walls and Seismic Structures Foundation Requests

Set due date to 3 months beyond the date the sounding request is sent.

Sign Trusses, HMTL, CCTV and Miscellaneous Foundations Requests

Set due date to 3 months beyond the date sounding request is sent.

2. Complex, Unusual, or Long Bridges Foundations *

Contact GS when structure or foundation layout is first known and coordinate a due date for the soundings report to BD. It typically takes longer than the timeframes given above for GS to complete the soundings for this case. Request for Final Soundings of Structures shall include the proposed letting date and a due date on the form indicating when the sounding report is due to BD.

* Use Plans Completion Date (PCD) if letting date is unknown and use 8 months back from

the PCD date as a guide in determining a due date to be put on the form indicating when

the sounding report is due to BD. The due date is when BD expects to receive the

sounding report from the Geotechnical Section.

B. Accelerated Scheduling (Plans Due < 10 Months Out) - All Bridges and Structures Foundations

If the guidance in A1 above does not fit the project schedule, contact GS when the structure or foundation layout is reasonably known and coordinate the due date for sounding report to BD. In addition, let GS know the timeline of the project including the letting date and when you anticipate sending the request to them so they can be prepared and plan accordingly. For these cases, email works well so GS has a record of what to anticipate. Request for Final Soundings of Structures shall include the proposed letting date and a date on the form indicating when the sounding report is due to BD.

C. Relaxed Scheduling (Plans Due > 18 Months Out)

If the job is more than 18 months out, give two dates on the form: Preferred Sounding Report Due and Absolute Sounding Report Due. The preferred sounding report due date should reflect normal scheduling practice unless job is complex, unusual or long bridges foundations in which case follow A2 above and coordinate with GS. If there is not a proposed letting date for the project, use the PCD instead and use 8 months back from the PCD date as the Absolute Sounding Report Due date for Normal Bridges, or more for Complex Bridges and as coordinated with GS.

If the above guidance does not fit your project description or schedule, work with the Structural Project Manager and Structural Resource Manager to give a due date(s) based on project need. Consultants should work with the Structural Liaison Engineer to determine the appropriate due date. Please report any scheduling difficulties or improvements using this guidance to the appropriate managers or liaisons, and directly to the Development Section for guidance development.

Revisions Required by Implementing Guidance:

EPG 751.1.2.18 Add guidance

Revise form M-40a and M-40b to match between EPG articles

EPG 101 and 320.4 Revise form M-40a and M-40b to match between EPG articles

Guidance Posting July 19, 2010:

The comment has been made by GS that the timeframes shown above do not account for 1.) Preliminary designers prematurely dating the sounding requests rather than using the actual “sent” date and 2.) Hard-mail delivery time and that the due be set to the date that the sounding request is received by GS. Hard-mail delivery times can vary but in any event, an electronic request should be sent at the same time in accordance with EPG 751.1.2.18. Both GS and BD will monitor and determine if updating guidance or timeframes is necessary. For now, use the guidance as stated and date the forms with the date the form is actually sent followed immediately by an e-mail containing sounding request and files.

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