[Hemingway's Ghost]

According to this report, A Review of the Central Artery/Tunnel Project's Use of Anchor Bolts on the C05B1 Tunnel Finishes Contract, Walsh Construction out of Chicago, IL, was the subcontractor who did all the ceiling work. This report was produced in DECEMBER, 1998. I suggest you read the report only if you have a strong stomach.

[FReepaholic]

...I suggest you read the report only if you have a strong stomach....

I read it. Amazing.

That poor woman's family is going to own Boston.

[MineralMan]

I read that entire report. Just as I suspected, specs were not followed for these anchor bolts in several ways. The failure rate was way too high.

Then, they allowed the shortened bolts, or drilled out rebar. Amazing.

Now, they're going to get to remove all of those panels, I'm betting. What a disaster!

[groanup]

Whew, heads will roll now.

[Aquinasfan]

A Review of the Central Artery/Tunnel Project's Use of Anchor Bolts on the C05B1 Tunnel Finishes Contract

This is mind-boggling. The structural integrity of the tunnel itself may be compromised:

a letter to MassHighway, B/PB states: “[W]e feel that this practice will not have a detrimental affect on the integrity of the tunnel roof due to the probable loss of the insignificant amount of reinforcing steel." Project documents reviewed by this Office did not contain any evidence of an engineering evaluation performed by B/PB to justify its conclusion to MassHighway that the structural integrity would not be seriously compromised. The structural strength of the tunnel roof may have decreased. If the contractor drilled through or cut a number of adjacent rebars, it could affect the local structural integrity of the concrete. The subcontractors completed approximately 7,000 core drills. Potential public safety issues could exist as a result of the drilling. Despite B/PB’s assurances that no safety issues existed, MassHighway should have obtained and independently reviewed B/PB’s written analysis. This Office has taken the position in the past that the SDC should be consulted whenever a significant change is going to be made in a design or in the construction contract specifications. In this case, the tunnel designers or the SDC for the tunnel finish contract should have been asked to review the decision to cut through the rebar. The SDC, as the Project designer of record, should have an opportunity to comment on all major design changes. The SDC also provides an important check against both the contractor and B/PB. The Project unnecessarily exposes the Commonwealth to financial risk by not involving the designer. The resident engineer for this contract compared the design of the ceiling to a “Swiss watch” because of its complexity. According to the resident engineer, the ceiling design was intricate and extremely difficult to construct, underscoring the need to involve the SDC in any design or specification changes.