Highway Embankment Contract Specifications

Abstract

This four-year project was extremely successful and well executed, even though a number of changed conditions developed during the project. Of these changed conditions, only one resulted in a claim that is discussed herein. This claim involved responsibility for repairing a failed 7-m-high embankment that was widened as part of the contract. This paper discusses the slope movement mechanism, presents the relevant contract provisions and State of Ohio Construction and Material Specifications (C&MS), summarizes the various contract interpretations that developed, and the recommendation of the Dispute Resolution Board (DRB) to resolve this claim. Based on the case study, recommendations for clarifying project plans and specifications for future embankment construction are also presented.