PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

During the dredged material containment facility (DMCF) project development, a concept was forwarded by GBA that would allow the owner to combine two strategically important, long-term projects into one contract for the mutual benefit of both projects. The first project was the preparatory dredging at Masonville DMCF, which required dredging of unsuitable foundation material and stripping of unsuitable material to gain access to the on-site borrow area prior to the construction of the dike. The second project was the deepening and widening of three important harbor channels located approximately three miles from the DMCF site.

As part of the owner’s long-term strategic planning, the Seagirt West Access Channel was to be widened and dredged to –45 ft MLLW, the Seagirt-Dundalk Connecting Channel was to be deepened to –50 ft MLLW, and the Dundalk West Access Channel was to have a turning basin added and deepened to –50 ft MLLW.

This work represented approximately three mcy of both maintenance and new work dredging. Approximately 500,000 cy of the required new work dredging consisted of sand and gravel. This material was placed into the unsuitable excavation area as foundation improvement for the Masonville DMCF. Using this material for construction rather than placing it in a confined disposal facility represented a combined cost savings of $10 million. The 500,000 cy of material from the Seagirt-Dundalk dredging projects used for dike foundation improvement did not need to be supplied from an offsite source. Likewise, this material could be placed directly into the dike footprint with split-hull scows rather than hydraulically unloaded into the upland HMI DMCF.

GBA led a team of consultants through the conceptual, reconnaissance, and feasibility studies; permitting; design; and contract document preparation. Additionally, GBA provided the construction management and inspection services during the construction for the owner. GBA construction management and inspection included hydrographic and topographic surveys (monthly invoice, progress, Before-Dredge, After-Dredge, As-Built), dredging inspection, placement/disposal management, material inspection, represented the owner at weekly contractor progress meetings, daily and weekly reporting, critical path scheduling, conflict resolution, contract change orders, contract modifications, and claim defense.

GBA’s inspection allowed the owner to be furnished with a complete project, within the time of year restrictions at 90.4% of the contract award amount, while also providing the information, engineering, and analysis to allow the owner to settle a differing site condition for less that 20% of the contractors original claim.

CLIENT:

Maryland Port Administration 
401 E. Pratt St., Suite 1900
World Trade Center
Baltimore, MD 21202