Excavating Contractors Industry Terminology

Place 6 inches of aggregate base under the slab per the detail. Use washed aggregate around the underdrain to promote flow. We’re short 200 tons of 3/4-inch minus for the haul road.

Submit the as-built survey showing the final invert elevations. The owner will release retainage after accepting the as-builts. Update the BIM model with as-built pipe locations before paving.

Backfill the trench in 8-inch lifts to 95% of Modified Proctor. Use select backfill around the structure and native elsewhere. Don’t backfill until the inspector signs off on the bedding.

Bench the slope at 4-foot intervals to break up runoff. OSHA allows benching for Type A soils but not in Type C. We benched the cut to give the excavator a safe work platform.

Backfill the trench in 8-inch lifts to 95% of Modified Proctor. Use select backfill around the structure and native elsewhere. Don’t backfill until the inspector signs off on the bedding.

Bench the slope at 4-foot intervals to break up runoff. OSHA allows benching for Type A soils but not in Type C. We benched the cut to give the excavator a safe work platform.

File the 811 ticket at least 2 business days before mobilizing. The 811 marks expire next week; request a refresh. No digging until utilities are located and the 811 window has cleared.

Achieve 95% of Maximum Dry Density per ASTM D1557. Increase moisture; the lift is too dry to compact. The roller can’t seat in the trench; use a jumping jack for compaction.

Balance the cut and fill to minimize export. The model shows 10,000 cubic yards of cut and 8,000 of fill. Haul the excess cut to the designated stockpile for later use.

Install a wellpoint system to lower the water table 6 feet. Pump the sump to keep the excavation dry during footing work. Discharge dewatering effluent through a sediment bag per SWPPP.

We encountered rock at 3 feet, contrary to the borings—submitting a DSC notice. The unmarked duct bank qualifies as a differing site condition. Document the DSC with photos and a sketch for the change order.

Install silt fence and inlet protection before clearing. Maintain the stabilized construction entrance to minimize track-out. Update the ESC plan after the grading change.

Use a 30-ton excavator with a rock bucket for the mass cut. Swap to the quick coupler to run the compaction wheel. The excavator tail swing encroaches on the live lane—add barrier.

The nuclear gauge shows 92%—we need another pass. Run a sand cone test where the gauge is not allowed. Submit today’s FDT results with the daily report.

Blue-tops mark the finish grade for the subgrade. Fine-grade the pad to plus or minus 0.10 feet. Hold the finish grade low to account for topsoil depth.

Place a nonwoven geotextile separator under the base course. Use woven geotextile for reinforcement over the soft subgrade. Overlap the geotextile by 18 inches at seams per spec.

Load the latest surface model into the dozer’s machine control. The rover shows we’re 0.15 feet high on subgrade. Machine control reduced staking and improved our production.

Switch to the breaker to trench through the limestone. The breaker requires a higher-flow auxiliary circuit. Limit breaker time near the building and monitor vibration.

Hydrovac the utility crossings to verify depth before trenching. Use air-vac instead of water to avoid saturated spoils. The owner requires hydrovac for all potholes within 5 feet of gas lines.

Current balance shows 2,500 cubic yards of import. Export the wet, unsuitable material to the approved dump site. Account for shrink and swell when planning import/export.

Provide a COI listing the GC and owner as additional insureds. Verify XCU coverage is included for excavation activities. The COI must match contract limits before mobilization.

Complete a JHA for trenching over 5 feet before work starts. Review the JHA at the tailgate and update controls daily. The JHA lists ladder access and atmospheric testing as controls.

The Corps determined these wetlands are jurisdictional; a permit is required. Flag the wetland buffer before clearing limits are staked. Dewatering discharge cannot enter jurisdictional wetlands.

Signs of a kickout are visible at the toe—stop work and shore. The clay is softening; a kickout could undercut the trench box. Surcharge loads near the edge increase kickout risk.

Place a ladder within 25 feet of workers in trenches 4 feet or deeper. Extend the ladder 3 feet above the trench edge per OSHA. Move the ladder as pipe laying advances to maintain access.

The mass ex scope is 60,000 cubic yards with a scraper spread. Use a spotter and GPS to manage truck cycles in mass excavation. Stage stockpiles to reduce double handling during mass ex.

The lab Proctor shows an optimum moisture of 12% at 125 pcf MDD. Recondition the fill to within tolerance of the Proctor curve. Use Modified Proctor (ASTM D1557) for the pavement subgrade.

File the NOI and post the NPDES permit onsite. Weekly SWPPP inspections are required under the NPDES permit. Update the site map when BMPs change to maintain NPDES compliance.

The contract time starts 10 days after NTP. We cannot mobilize until the NTP is issued. Update the baseline schedule within 14 days of NTP.

Subpart P requires a competent person to inspect the trench daily. The protective system design must comply with Subpart P. Provide means of egress per Subpart P for trenches over 4 feet.

Over-excavate 2 feet and replace with compacted structural fill. The inspector directed an over-ex due to pumping subgrade. Track over-ex quantities for a potential change order.

Pothole all utility crossings along the proposed sewer alignment. Record actual depths from each pothole for the as-builts. Use hydrovac for potholing within 5 feet of electric.

Hard hats, high-visibility vests, and safety boots are minimum PPE. Add hearing protection when running the breaker. Confined space entry requires additional PPE and monitoring.

The QA/QC plan outlines submittals, inspections, and testing. QC verified compaction test results before paving. QA oversight ensures third-party testing is independent.

Perform a QTO from the model for cut/fill volumes. QTO shows 1,200 linear feet of 8-inch sewer. Reconcile the QTO with addendum revisions before bid day.

Submit an RFI asking whether Type B or C bedding is required. The RFI response confirms the invert elevation change. Reference RFI-012 on the change order backup.

Work within the city ROW requires a traffic control permit. Stage equipment outside the utility ROW to avoid fines. Verify ROW width before setting fence lines.

Submit the SOV by CSI division for billing. The owner approved the SOV—start pay app No. 1. Add a separate line in the SOV for dewatering.

Install hydraulic shoring where sloping is not feasible. The shoring design calls for walers and struts. Inspect the shoring daily and after rain events.

The competent person classified the trench as Type C. Sloping at 1.5H:1V is required for Type C soils. Reclassify the soil after the rain; cohesion may have changed.

Proof-roll the subgrade and undercut pumping areas. The subgrade must be within 0.10 feet of design. Protect the prepared subgrade from traffic and rain.

Set the trench box to the required depth before entry. Ensure the box extends above the trench by 18 inches. Use spreaders sized to maintain clearance for the pipe.

Cut the slope at 1H:1V; soil is Type B per the competent person. Increase the bench width to control sloughing on the slope. Sloping isn’t possible here—switch to shoring.

Undercut 18 inches and backfill with crushed stone. The proof-roll failed; mark areas for undercut. Track undercut quantities for potential change order pricing.

A near-miss utility strike occurred during fence post drilling. Report any utility strike immediately and secure the area. Potholing and 811 coordination reduce strike risk.

VE proposal: use flowable fill instead of compacted stone backfill. The VE session identified a haul road re-route to cut fuel cost. Submit a VECP per the contract for shared savings.

Set geophones to log PPV during rock breaking. Maintain PPV below 0.5 in/s near the historic building. Include pre-construction surveys as part of vibration monitoring.

Install the steel waler to tie the sheet piles together. The shoring design shows double walers at mid-depth. Torque the waler connections to the engineer’s specs.

Today is an approved weather day; no liquidated damages apply. The contract allows 6 historical weather days in January. Document rain totals to justify a weather day request.

Verify XCU coverage is not excluded from our GL policy. The owner requires XCU limits for all trenching work. Provide the XCU endorsement with the COI.