Eliminating Early Obstacles at VIDA
“Too many site logistics plans get ignored by the trades because they don’t change with evolving
conditions,” says General Superintendent Dale
Young. Dale’s plan involved anticipating subs’ needs and mitigating obstacles that would affect productivity.
Dale’s logistics plan included detailed sequencing of every trade “in the hole,” and how they would move from point to point. But the most important part of this plan is the way it evolved. Dale constantly worked to publish new versions of the plan weeks in advance, allowing subs to plan accordingly and adjust to ever-changing conditions.
Other efficiencies included planning the ramps that would provide access to the excavation. The ramps on the plan were exactly to scale and included a schedule for when they would be moved to allow for additional excavation.
To ensure that the ramps would accommodate every type of vehicle and load, Pinkard interviewed every driver to ascertain the exact size, weight, and a load of every vehicle that would
enter the site. Ramp-angle calculations were performed, and ramps were ready on time. Pinkard even had to-the-minute arrival schedules, and how long they would be in the “hole.” When the cranes were delivered, Pinkard had already calculated and implemented the necessary ramp modifications to accommodate the additional load.
Extra Early Due Diligence Keeps the Schedule On Track
Dale Young: “Soils reports from July don’t benefit a project that breaks ground in January.” Vida’s location came with risks to soil and groundwater, so two months prior to groundbreaking, we “potholed” to learn true groundwater conditions.
This days-long process provided a more accurate picture of groundwater tables and allowed Pinkard to apply for the groundwater permit months early. As a result, Pinkard was able to get dewatering and filtering systems in place as soon as we broke ground, potentially saving many days on the schedule.
