Owner-Engineer-Contractor Relationships In Tunneling - An Engineer‘s Viewpoint

INTRODUCTION The need for discussion of Owner-Engineer-Contractor relationships in tunneling arises from the increase in costly and time-consuming litigation. The paper examines the objectives, motivations and responsibilities of each party, discusses some common causes of claims in underground work, and makes some suggestions for improvements. The viewpoint and bias are those of an engineer. If a subtitle were required for the session, "Sharing the Risk" would be appropriate. Sharing the risk is an important aspect of Owner-Engineer-Contractor relationships because when a risk is shared, all parties have an incentive to minimize it. The System It would be shortsighted not to recognize that the system is wider than the Owner, the Engineer and the Contractor. There are many outside influences which affect the day-to-day behavior of each party: Financing agencies Insurance agencies Bonding agencies OSHA and other safety legislation The Federal Power Commission The Public Utilities Commission The General Accounting Office