California Surveyors Forums

This is a story about having to lower a bridge by six inches because of an apparent survey error. It is a good example of a problem that could have been avoided with a little Quality Control. They should have/could have measured top and bottom of rail and heaven forbid, prepared a simple field sketch. How many people still prepare field notes? There is something to be said for applying fundamental skills and using fundamental tools.

Once cannot overemphasize the integration of a solid QA/QC program.


http://www.delawareonline.com/story/new ... /84553084/

http://www.wmdt.com/news/more-local-new ... K/39704660

http://www.constructionequipment.com/de ... -too-short

http://wtop.com/national/2016/05/500000 ... s-too-low/

Not so fast! These stories all have the engineer blaming the surveyor. I haven't heard the surveyor's side of this yet.

I'll bet it was staked out according to plan, but the surveyor was the easiest one to blame.

I entirely agree as to the other side of the story. If the surveyors compiled a sound set of field notes including measurements, sketches, and manner of measurement, there would not be any question. In such a case, any accusations or doubt would be eliminated within three minutes of the question arising.

As part of a standardized, QA/QC program, the survey crew should keep detailed logs, photographs, and sketches of everything they do. 9 out 10 times when the surveyor produces these notes and records the conversation ends. That is the point I was awkwardly trying to make.

Once must maintain defensive QA records.

Or...they might have taken shots with a descriptor of "top of rail" and "bottom of rail". End of story. Everybody seems a little quick to throw the surveyor under the bus.

Agreed! That is standard practice. I will see if I can learn more.

"Benton stressed that he is speculating on the cause as DelDOT has not made a definitive determination."

They are just blaming the mythical surveyors that don't work there anymore for their mistake.

It smells of Agency Political Hack Engineer deflecting blame.

On the one hand he says the Surveyors gave him ground instead of top of track, maybe, but then he says he is speculating. Lots of outs there in case the press looks into what really happened.

A friend elsewhere thinks the engineers forgot about sag due to roadway loading so it's really a design mistake, not surveying.

This seems to fit here.

http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/S ... 971599.php

Mr. Pallamary, I'm with you.
It all starts with instilling good habits.
My boys potty trained themselves at two. I expect the same from my chainmen.
No excuses.

This seems to fit here.

http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/S ... 971599.php

A followup to this story;

http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/B ... 974342.php

Can't have anything nice!