A Guide to Quality Assurance Programs for Contractors

Abstract

Trenchless projects can be challenging to implement, since they often use technologies at the forefront of current practice, which are less familiar to clients and contractors than more conventional pipe construction techniques. However, the outcome may be put at additional unnecessary risk if the project plan does not provide for thorough and appropriate quality assurance. A good QA program greatly reduces the probability of failure, and makes it easy to recover if the unforeseen does happen. It ensures that the finished product fully realises the designer’s intentions, but is sometimes regarded as no more than a box-ticking exercise. This paper considers how to design an effective QA program for trenchless projects, and the roles of designers, clients and contractors in its implementation