What to Do When You Receive a DH Order

 
     
 


  

APPROXIMATE COSTS OF WORKS


Worked Example 1 - Slope

Worked Example 2 - Retaining Walls

Time of Project

Discussion

  
 

It is difficult to quote exactly how much slope repair works will cost as it depends on many factors, such as the nature and complexity of the slope problem, required level of involvement of the consultant, unexpected conditions arising from the works etc. Only an indication by means of worked examples is given here. Two worked examples are given below, with one concerning remedial works for a slope and the other for retaining walls.


  

Worked Example 1 - Slope

This example concerns a man-made slope with a plan area of about 682 m? It is 24 m high at the western end and about 37 m at the eastern end with a slope angle of approximately 55, as shown in Figure 1. There is a 9 m long retaining wall of about 5 m high at the toe of the eastern corner.

Ground investigation including 3 nos. vertical boreholes (12.94 m to 15.35 m long), 1 no. inclined borehole (5.38 m long) and 4 chunam strips, plus laboratory testing is specified. The slope remedial works include installation of 197 nos. soil nails (38 are 8 m to 12 m long & 25 mm in diameter and 159 are 7 m to 15 m long & 32 mm in diameter), 4 nos. 60 mm diameter horizontal raking drains, step channels, steel staircase (at 500 mm clear width), 300 mm U channel and sprayed concrete.

It is estimated that this project incurs a total cost of $4,508,000 based on 1996 prices. A breakdown is given below :

Items

Cost % of Cost
a. Ground investigation $450,000 10.0
b. Laboratory testings $50,000 1.1
c. Topographic survey  $50,000 1.1
d. Construction  $3,200,000 71.0

e. Consultant fees: Geotechnical consultancy

    Authorized Person fees

    Supervision fees

 

$350,000

$120,000

$288,000

$758,000  16.8

Total

$4,508,000 100.0

For this example, it is assumed there are 96 units in the lot with each unit contributing a sum of about $47,000 to the work.

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Worked Example 2 - Retaining Walls

This example concerns retaining walls of 8 m high and 33 m long, as shown in Figure 2. The walls consist of a 2 m high masonry wall at the top and two buttress walls with heights of 2.8 m and 3.6 m respectively at the bottom. The buttress walls are constructed with plain concrete with a thickness of about 200 mm and a wall area of 211 m?
  
Ground investigation including 1 no. vertical borehole (19 m long) & 2 nos. trial pits (which exclude the previous ground investigation works carried out at the site) and laboratory testing is specified. The remedial works include installation of 73 nos. soil nails (29 are 6 m long & 40 mm in diameter and 44 are 7 m long & 40 mm in diameter) through the two buttress walls and a 200 mm thick reinforced concrete slab at the wall face. A total of 3 nos. 60 mm diameter horizontal drains, 52 nos. 75 mm diameter weepholes and 300 mm U channels are also prescribed.
  
It is estimated that this project incurs a total cost of $1,996,000 based on 1996 prices. A breakdown is given below :

  

Items

Cost

% of Cost

a. Ground investigation

$100,000

5.0

b. Laboratory testings

$40,000

2.0

c. Topographic survey 

$40,000

2.0

d. Construction 

$1,300,000

65.1

e. Consultant fees: Geotechnical consultancy

    Authorized Person fees

    Supervision fees

 

$200,000

$100,000

$216,000 

$516,000 

25.9

 Total

$1,996,000

100.0

For this example, it is assumed the cost is split between two lot owners. There are a total of 116 units in one lot with each unit contributing a sum of about $17,000 to the work.

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Time of Project

The time taken to discharge the Order for the two examples above is 19 and 18 months respectively. The approximate time spent on the various phase of the project is shown below for reference :

Item

Time Taken (months)

Appointment of consultant

1

Desk study

1

Award of ground investigation contract

1

Completion of ground investigation

2

Geotechnical study and design of remedial works

2

Decision making on design options

1

Approval of the proposal by the BA

2

Issue of consent to commence works by the BA

1

Tendering

1

Carrying out remedial works

    4 (Worked Example 1)

    3 (Worked Example 2)

Discharge of Order by the BA

1

Contingencies

2

Total

19 (Worked Example 1)

18 (Worked Example 2)

Notes :

(1) For works in certain areas (such as Mid-levels Scheduled Area), an extra time of 3 months may be  

      needed for processing of plans by the BA. 

(2) The estimates above have not taken into account of the delay due to plan rejection by the BA, which may 

      cause delay to the project by 3 months or more. 

 

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Discussion

The figures provided above give an indication for cost comparisons for works of similar scale and nature. It can be seen that the costs of repair of a slope and retaining walls of the scale and involving the works as specified are $4.5 million and $2.0 million respectively based on 1996 price. The contribution from an unit owner in each case is about $47,000 and $17,000 respectively, assuming that there are 96 and 116 units in each lot. A major portion of the expenditure was spent on construction in the range of 65% to 71% of the total cost, and depending on the scale of the project and the involvement of the consultant, 17% to 26% of the total bill was spent on consultancy fees.

In comparing the spending pattern of the two work examples, it can be noted that a slightly higher commitment to consultancy fees could result in saving in the construction cost for the project. It is estimated that for the above two examples the time taken to discharge the Order is 19 and 18 months respectively and the construction takes 3 to 4 months to complete. This estimation has not taken into account of the delay due to plan rejection by the BA and the submission of plans in scheduled areas. 

 
   
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