Layman's Guide to Slope Maintenance  

 
     
 

  
APPENDIX:  
MODEL BRIEF FOR ENGINEER INSPECTIONS FOR MAINTENANCE


  
1. Objectives

The objectives of the Assignment are :   

(a) to assess the state of maintenance and condition of the slope/retaining wall*, 

(b) to establish whether a Stability Assessment of the slope/retaining wall* has  previously been carried out and, if so, to carry out a review of the previous Stability  Assessment, 

(c) to determine whether an immediate Stability Assessment is necessary, and 

(d) to recommend/ and arrange, supervise and certify the satisfactory completion of any  necessary works*.   

The review of previous Stability Assessment required in (b) above is not intended to certify or endorse any part or the whole of the previous Stability Assessment. It only aims to identify whether the previous Stability Assessment contains any obvious deficiencies in engineering approach or assumptions in the light of current local geotechnical engineering practice and safety standards, and to judge whether the stability of the slope/retaining wall would be affected by any visible changes identified during the site inspection.     

  

2. Scope 

The Engineer shall carry out the following tasks for slope/retaining wall* number________________ #, the location and extent of which are shown on the attached plan :   
  

Part 1 - Basic Items

(a) determine whether a Stability Assessment of the slope/retaining wall* has  previously been carried out by reviewing available documentary information and if so,  review the previous Stability Assessment reports to check whether the engineering  approach used, the assumptions and the conclusions made in these reports are  reasonable in the light of current practice and safety standards, and advise the  Employer accordingly, 

(b) identify all visible changes including landslides that have taken place at or in the  vicinity of the slope/retaining wall*, in particular changes since the previous Stability  Assessment if this has been carried out, which could have implications on its  stability, and to judge whether these might be significant, 

(c) re-assess the consequence-to-life category of the slope/retaining wall*, as set out in Table 5.2 of the Geotechnical Manual for Slope (1984) or the latest revision of the  Table promulgated by the Geotechnical Engineering Office, 

(d) check that the Routine Maintenance Inspections have been carried out and documented satisfactorily, 

(e) assess the adequacy of routine maintenance works, and supplement the list of  basic maintenance works items, as necessary, 

(f) re-assess the required frequency of Routine Maintenance Inspections, Engineer  Inspections for Maintenance, and regular checks of buried water-carrying services,

(g) look for and consider the implications of problems that are not explicitly included in  the basic maintenance list, and bring to the attention of the Employer any  immediate and obvious danger noted and, if necessary, recommend emergency repair works or detailed investigations, 

(h) identify the presence of buried water-carrying services on or in the vicinity of the slope/retaining wall* (including relevant areas outside the lot boundary), check for signs of leakage of the services and recommend immediate detailed leakage  check, regular checks, repair, re-routing of the services as necessary,  

(i) check that the regular checks of buried water-carrying services and/or Regular  Monitoring of Special Measures (if required) have been carried out and documented  satisfactorily, 

(j) provide a record of Engineer Inspection for Maintenance that includes advice on  whether an immediate Stability Assessment of the slope/retaining wall* is necessary, and recommendations on the necessary preventive maintenance works,  and 

(k) prepare/update* the Maintenance Manual to include, inter alia, all relevant  information extracted from the previous Stability Assessment, and the desk study and site inspection(s) under this Assignment.
  

Part 2 - Management of Maintenance Works*

(l) obtain or arrange to obtain all statutory approvals or official endorsements, as appropriate, required for the execution of the necessary maintenance works, and

(m) arrange, supervise and certify satisfactory completion of the maintenance works. 
    
  
  
3. Deliverables 

The Engineer shall submit_________________ # copies of the Record of Engineer Inspection for Maintenance /and__________________ # copies of the Maintenance Manual* to the Employer. 
  
  

4. Programme of Implementation   

The due date for the commencement of the Assignment shall be_____________________ #. 

The due date for the completion of Part 1 of the Assignment, including the submission of Record of Engineer Inspection for Maintenance and any relevant documents and reports, shall be________ #, working to a programme agreed with the Employer within__________ # weeks of the commencement of the Assignment.     

  

5. Standards and Specifications   

The Engineer shall adopt Geoguide 5 : Guide to Slope Maintenance (1998) and the Geotechnical Manual for Slopes (1984), and such technical and design standards and specifications as are applicable to and in current use by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region or, if non-existent, international Codes of Practice and Specifications.     

  

6. Information Provided by the Employer   

All the available information held by the Employer and relevant to the Assignment will be provided to the Engineer.   


Notes: 

(1) # denotes blank to be filled in as appropriate. 

(2) * denotes item to be deleted if not applicable. 

(3) The agreement should be priced on the basis of the tasks included in Part 1 of Section 2 only. The fee for the  tasks in Part 2 of Section 2, if found necessary, should be negotiated separately. 

(4) The programme for the tasks in Part 2 of Section 2 should be agreed after completion of Part 1 of the work.   

 

References : 

GCO (1984). Geotechnical Manual for Slopes. (Second edition). Geotechnical Control Office, Hong Kong, 295 p. 

GEO (1998). Guide to Slope Maintenance (Geoguide 5). (Second edition). Geotechnical Engineering Office, Hong Kong, 91 p.

 
   
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