‘Early contractor engagement is key to building trust across the whole supply chain’

How does early contractor engagement build trust across the supply chain?

Early collaboration with tier 1 and joint venture contractors delivers better outcomes and productivity benefits, specifically in terms of best practice in buildability with sustainability, increased safety, streamlined logistics and productivity.

Productivity is a major challenge and plays a big part in delivering projects, on time, on budget and to specification. Improvements are possible, including reducing dig time, accelerating project programme, as well as simplifying and streamlining project planning.

Good logistics are a crucial, and often underrated, part. So much time and money can be wasted waiting for materials to be removed from site during excavation which is completely avoidable if greater consideration is given to logistics at an early stage. We need to ensure early engagement with the whole supply chain, including the logistics team, as well as ensure subcontracts and commercial agreements allow for effective logistics management.

Safety is vital, whether by improving lifting practices around basement works, reducing people-plant interfaces and on-site collaboration with multiple contractors.

Finally, we are often focused on the sustainability of the final scheme, and we don’t take into consideration the impact of temporary works. The impacts may be environmental or cost-based through material choices and re-use, build methodology, modular component adoption, innovations with less plant or steel use for example.

At what project stages does collaboration most impact efficiency and safety?

Any stage is a good stage. At best, we know that appointing and combining the main parties earlier on at concept stage means the project will be delivered faster and more efficiently. At worst, we know that trying to bring in new innovations that change methodology once construction in temporary works has started, or with a trial and error revision approach, is the most difficult, most costly and adds the most overruns.

What strategies can address the increasing complexity of basement projects?

Working early on with all key stakeholders – the principal basement contractor, geotechnical, propping and other temporary works, piling, permanent works and construction managers –allows us to look at the whole project and the site and address potential challenges before they escalate. By examining buildability and scheme sequencing from the outset, we can all leverage continuous improvement and innovation and develop more accurate, sustainable and tighter programmes for basement projects.

How did collaboration with geotechnical and temporary works teams solve challenges on projects like Thames Tideway and Camden Goods Yard?

At Camden Goods Yard, we value-engineered an inherited design from 20 props on two levels to six on a single level. Early collaboration enabled us to design a scheme that significantly benefited the client in terms of cost and programme reduction, which would have been a huge issue later on.  By reducing the number of propped levels required, our scheme eliminated the need for raking props, avoiding costly and program-disruptive follow-on construction tasks.

At the Greenwich pumping station for the Thames Tideway project, we designed and supplied the temporary works support for the excavation and construction of the connection culverts to the main inlet shaft.  We were involved at a very early stage in the project, working closely with Costain Vinci Bachy joint venture and Tideway teams, to ensure that we understood all of the many design challenges that the construction teams were facing and any implications that the logistics and programme would have on sequencing or overall design. Through discovery sessions with the project team, we collaborated to uncover all the key challenges as they arose throughout this highly complex project.

Could the lead designer role help reduce inefficiencies in projects with tight timelines?

Conquip head of temporary works Rob Law has said: “The one thing that we often wish we could see properly instated is the lead designer role. Project build programmes are becoming more condensed, people want their projects delivered faster for less money.” So, our view is that the lead designer role is so important for ensuring efficiency, value for money and productivity in the pre-construction phase.

How can a bottom-up approach, on projects like Elephant & Castle, drive innovation and solve design challenges?

Due to the scale of the project, the basement construction methodology was technically complex, so it was exciting when we were asked to work on the design for the temporary propping at an early stage. Morrisroe was responsible for the excavation and construction phases of the basement along with the construction of the above-ground RC structures, working for Multiplex. The project posed significant challenges due to high loads and tight tolerances that required complex solutions next to major underground transport infrastructure. A bespoke propping scheme with four levels of propping was used, with the lowest level extending down to -13.25m.