EQUIPPING THE PROJECT

THE PRE-BID STUDY AND CAREFUL PLANNING OF CONSTRUCTION METHODS TOGETHER WITH THE SELECTION OF THE MOST EFFICIENT EQUIPMENT CONFORMING TO THE PLANNING METHOD IS ESSENTIAL IN THE HEAVY CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY. THE COST-SAVING OPPORTUNITIES OF NEW OR HIGHER PRODUCTIVITY UNITS VERSUS OLDER MODELS IS ILLUSTRATED BY A CONSIDERATION OF THE BENEFITS THAT CAN BE OBTAINED BY USING NEWER, HIGHER HORSEPOWER, LARGER CAPACITY UNITS. THE REDUCTION IN ESTIMATED PROJECT COSTS APPEARS NOT ONLY IN UNIT COSTS BUT ALSO IN OVERALL CAPITAL COSTS. COMPUTER STUDIES USING VEHICLE SIMULATION PROGRAMS HAVE GREATLY SIMILIFIED THE SELECTION OF EQUIPMENT. THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A WELL-PLANNED COST AND BUDGET SYSTEM THAT PROVIDES CURRENT PRODUCTION AND COST INFORMATION IS ESSENTIAL FOR SUCCESSFUL AND PROFITABLE OPERATION. THE PROBLEMS PRESENTED BY HIGH EQUIPMENT INVENTORIES, THE OBSOLESCENCE OF OLDER MODELS, AND THEIR EFFECT ON BONDING CAPACITY ARE RESTRICTIVE TO OTHERWISE TECHNICALLY HIGHLY QUALIFIED CONTRACTORS. LIBERAL USE OF MOBILIZATION ADVANCES WOULD ENCOURAGE THE UTILIZATION OF NEWER, MORE PRODUCTIVE EQUIPMENT AND WOULD RESULT IN LOWER BIDS FOR PUBLIC WORK PROJECTS THAT WOULD BENEFIT THE CONTRACTOR AND THE TAXPAVER. THE PROJECT ESTIMATE, THE WORK PROGRAM, NEW EQUIPMENT COST RECORDS, BONDING CAPACITY AND THE PUBLIC INTEREST ARE DISCUSSED.

• Record URL:
  • http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/hrr/1973/454/454-001.pdf
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0309021871
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Publication of this paper sponsored by Committee on Highway Equipment. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
• Authors:
  • Lee, Olin A
• Conference:
  • 52nd Annual Meeting of the Highway Research Board
  • Location: Washington District of Columbia, United States
  • Date: 1973-1-22 to 1973-1-26
• Publication Date: 1973

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Tables;
• Pagination: pp 1-6
• Monograph Title: Construction
• Serial:
  • Highway Research Record
  • Issue Number: 454
  • Publisher: Highway Research Board

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bonding; Budgeting; Construction; Construction equipment; Costs; Economic benefits; Information processing; Programming (Planning); Service life; Simulation; Social values
• Uncontrolled Terms: Construction costs; Obsolescence
• Old TRIS Terms: Community values
• Subject Areas: Construction; Design; Economics; Finance; Highways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00215685
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309021871
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Jun 5 1974 12:00AM