Civils underestimate soil stabilisation risk

An increasing number of major roads contracts are running the risk of delays, financial penalties and litigation because main contractors, inexperienced in soil stabilisation works, are doing the work themselves to help drive down costs, rather than relying on specialist subcontractors.

The concerns from the soil stabilisation sector come after sources revealed to CJ that a Fitzpatrick project ran into trouble when the firm dispensed with specialist contractors that had tendered for the soil stabilisation contract on its £39m A10 Wades-mill contract in Hertfordshire. The company then carried out the work itself.

The contract was handed over three months late after Fitzpatrick was ordered by the Highways Agency (HA) to resurface 35% of the carriageway after cracks appeared in the 7km road in April last year.

Now CJ understands that two other unnamed cases are believed to be in the process of litigation for similar soil stabilisation failures.

One soil expert, who wished to remain anonymous, told CJ: "I think we can expect to see more and more cases appear as time goes on.

"At the moment, many main contractors think they can do the work themselves, or because they are so keen on packaging works together they will lump together earthworks and soil stabilisation because they think there is some cross-over. The processes are very different and you need to be an expert in both to do both.

"The problem also doesn’t help with the fact that the HA doesn’t regulate whether or not contractors are adhering to its guidance on soil stabilisation. The agency does, in fact, have very good guidance, although it is in the process of being rewritten."

Fitzpatrick refused to comment on the claims.

In a statement, the HA said: "As the contract has now been completed, it is not appropriate for the HA to comment on the detailed arrangements that the contractor had in place for the discharge of its design and construction responsibilities under the contract for the works.

"Although compliance with the detailed specification requirements for each project is the responsibility of the contractor and its designer on a project-specific basis, the highways authority employs its own specialist employers agent, who audits the contractor’s self-certification procedures throughout the project."