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Jerome J. Lazar, RA, CCS, CSI, NCARB
Senior Member
Username: lazarcitec

Post Number: 1827
Registered: 05-2003
Posted on Wednesday, November 08, 2017 - 10:01 am:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

The Structural PE on a project has listed within his Related Sections a spec section for "Shoring and Underpinning" but is not providing the spec section. Honestly I thought this was provided by the Structural PE or in submittals by the GC, but I see it is considered a Div 31 spec section. Who prepares this spec section? To be fair, the Structural PE has included "Shoring and reshoring" in their CIP Concrete section, but not in Formwork.
Ellis C. Whitby, PE, CSI, AIA, LEED
Senior Member
Username: ecwhitby

Post Number: 346
Registered: 03-2003
Posted on Wednesday, November 08, 2017 - 10:13 am:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

I am used to underpinning being provided by structural. I guess in some circumstances a Civil Engineer could provide.
Jeffrey Wilson CSI CCS SCIP
Senior Member
Username: wilsonconsulting

Post Number: 238
Registered: 03-2006


Posted on Wednesday, November 08, 2017 - 11:01 am:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

In my experience, it is the structural engineer who details underpinning requirements, but it is addressed by Dwg notes & details -- I have never seen a spec.
Jeffrey Wilson CCS CSI SCIP
Wilson Consulting Inc
Ardmore PA
Jerome J. Lazar, RA, CCS, CSI, NCARB
Senior Member
Username: lazarcitec

Post Number: 1828
Registered: 05-2003
Posted on Wednesday, November 08, 2017 - 11:23 am:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

This Struct PE firm writes very good specs, the firm is one of the larger ones in SFL, but they lack familiarity with the Masterformat hierarchy, even though for this job they are following MF 2016, with a little help from me, in this case they refer to a related spec section for Shoring and Underpinning in Div 2.

Its odd in SFL, some Structural PE firms prepare the bare minimum of spec sections while others prepare too many spec sections. Usually the ones who prepare too many copy the specs from a previous job with minimal updates. Is this approach the same in other parts of the country?

It is very frustrating, and for the most part none of these Structural PEs belong to CSI. The last time I suggested a firm join CSI, all I received was laughter and the question, why? Well at least they did not ask who CSI was?
Jerome J. Lazar, RA, CCS, CSI, NCARB
Senior Member
Username: lazarcitec

Post Number: 1829
Registered: 05-2003
Posted on Wednesday, November 08, 2017 - 11:28 am:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

Jeffrey, I agree with you, I reviewed several larger past projects, looked at the Structural specs on those projects and there were no Sections on Shoring and Underpinning. Unfortunately most Civil Engineers in SFL do not issue book specs or those specs are issued as a separate package (permit) that I am not privy to.
Steven Bruneel, AIA, CSI-CDT, LEED-AP, EDAC
Senior Member
Username: redseca2

Post Number: 618
Registered: 12-2006


Posted on Wednesday, November 08, 2017 - 12:29 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

I was curious and so far have found one 31 41 00 - Shoring and Underpinning for a 2009 large hospital project issued by the SEOR.
Mark Gilligan SE,
Senior Member
Username: mark_gilligan

Post Number: 832
Registered: 10-2007
Posted on Wednesday, November 08, 2017 - 04:00 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

The shoring in the concrete section is a different animal from the shoring of an adjacent building or of an excavation.

In my experience the structural engineer for the building's scope does not include shoring of adjacent buildings. The contractor is given responsiblity for the shoring design.

I would expect that the shoring specification would be created by the geotechnical engineer with input from the structural engineer for the building.
Dave Metzger
Senior Member
Username: davemetzger

Post Number: 708
Registered: 07-2001
Posted on Thursday, November 09, 2017 - 10:05 am:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

We have masters for both underpinning and for excavation support. We send these sections to both the geotechnical and structural engineers for their comment and review.

The fact that the specific means and methods for excavation support is (generally) a contractor responsibility does not mean that it is not specified, or that it is necessarily a temporary item. In effect, in these sections we specify "support the excavation so that it doesn't collapse, and how you do this is up to you."

But when we have had projects in DC near Metro (DC's subway system) stations or tunnels, the architect or owner has engaged a specialist foundation consultant to design the support systems, and to prepare drawings and specifications that were reviewed by Metro and became part of the contract documents; the contractor was not responsible for designing them.
Ronald J. Ray, RA, CCS, CCCA, CSI, AIA
Senior Member
Username: rjray

Post Number: 166
Registered: 04-2004
Posted on Thursday, November 09, 2017 - 11:00 am:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

MasterSpec has recently updated Section 315000 - Excavation Support and Protection

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