Kapaa Tunnel Project

Kauai, Hawaii

Owner: Highway Construction Co., Inc.

Client Name: Highway Construction, Inc.

Engagement Scope

The Sutor Group was engaged by Highway Construction to assist them in the evaluation of cost impacts to this micro-tunneling project resulting from difficulties encountered with an Iseki Earth-Pressure-Balance micro-tunneling machine.

Project description

The project involved micro-tunneling (36" to 48") on the island of Kaui in Hawaii.

Entitlement issues

Highway's reliance on representations by Iseki regarding tunneling production and jacking pit design. Highway relied on Iseki representations in submitting their bid for a value engineering proposal on this project. Water infiltration in the jacking pit as the result of defective design of "soft windows," TB alignment problems, incompetent Iseki provided operators.

Type of impacts

Project delay, out of sequence work, acceleration (overtime, disruption), dewatering costs, equipment standby costs, extended contract performance costs for field and home office overhead.