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%/ft I I i i i i i i ■ i College of Engineering The Ohio State University Columbus DISCLAIMER This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United States Government. Neither the United States Government nor any agency Thereof, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof. DISCLAIMER Portions of this document may be illegible in electronic image products. Images are produced from the best available original document. C00-4121-3 FINAL REPORT VOLUME IJL DELAYS IN NUCLEAR POWER PLANT CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT NO. E(ll-1)-4121 DECEMBER 14, 1977 -NOTICE This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by the United States Government Neither the United States nor the United States Department of Energy, nor any of their employees, nor any of their contractors, subcontractors, or their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product or prnrru disclosed, or represents that its use would not mfringf privately owned rights NOTICE This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by the United States Government. Neither the United States nor the United States Energy Research and Development Administration, nor any of their employ• ees, nor any of their contractors, subcontractors, or their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product or process disclosed or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. asimamoNOf ^^m^mmm C00-4121-3 DELAYS IN NUCLEAR POWER PLANT CONSTRUCTION VOLUME II G. E. MASON AND R. E. LAREW THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY COLUMBUS, OHIO 43210 J. D. BORCHERDING THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS @ AUSTIN AUSTIN, TEXAS 78712 S. R. OKES, JR. KELLOGG CORPORATION LITTLETON, COLORADO 80120 P. F. RAD CLEMSON UNIVERSITY CLEMSON, SOUTH CAROLINA 29631 DECEMBER 14, 1977 PREPARED FOR THE U. S. ENERGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION UNDER CONTRACT NO. E(ll-1)-4121 ABSTRACT This report identifies barriers to shortening nuclear power plant construction schedules and recommends research efforts which should minimize or eliminate the identified barriers. The identified barriers include: 1) Design and Construction Interfacing Problems; 2) Problems Relating to the Selection and Use of Permanent Materials and Construction Methods; 3) Construction Coordination and Communica• tion Problems; and 4) Problems Associated with Manpower Availability and Productivity. 0 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The principal investigator would like to express his appreciation to the following parties who contributed their efforts to the research project the results of which are presented herein. 1. Members of the ASCE Construction Research Council Advisory Committee a. Dr. Daniel W. Halpin, Georgia Institute of Technology b. Mr. John W. Leonard, Morrison-Kntidsen Company, Inc. c. Dr. Jack H. Willenbrock, Pennsylvania State University 2. Project Subcontractors a. Dr. John D. Borcherding, The University of Texas @ Austin b. Mr. Sid R. Okes, Kellogg Corporation c. Dr. Parviz F. Rad, Clemson University 3. Project Consultant a. Dr. Russel C. Jones, The University of Massachusetts - Amherst TABLE OF CONTENTS VOLUME I Introduction Sec. 1 Barriers to Shortening Construction Schedules Sec. 2 Research Needs - Design-Construct Interfacing Sec. 3 Research Needs - Construction Materials & Methods Sec. 4 Research Needs - Construction, Coordination & Communication Sec. 5 Research Needs - Manpower & Productivity Sec. 6 Research Needs - Other Areas Sec. 7 Summary & Conclusions Sec. 8 VOLUME II Introduction Sec. 1 Nuclear Power Plant Construction - An Overview Sec. 2 Barriers to Shortening Construction Schedules - Texas Sec. 3 Barriers to Shortening Construction Schedules - Kellogg Sec. 4 Barriers to Shortening Construction Schedules - Clemson Sec. 5 Listing of Participants •. .. Sec. 6 General Reference Bibliography Sec. 7 VOLUME TI SECTION 1 INTRODUCTION by Dr. Russel C. Jones Dean, School of Engineering University of Massachusetts - Amherst r SECTION 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Impetus Time delays in the consturction of large projects, and related cost escalations, have become a major concern of the construction industry and its clients. This problem has become particularly bad in the con• struction of large technically complex projects such as the construction of a nuclear power plant. In such projects, construction time delays and cost escalations not only have major impact on the initial cost of the facility but are additionally very costly in terms of lost production capability. The Construction Research Council of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), consisting of persons with background and expertise in the construction process and an interest in the improvement of that pro• cess through research and development, developed an interest in studying construction delays on nuclear power projects during meetings in 1975 and early 1976. A pre-proposal indicating an interest in undertaking a sub• stantial research effort in this area was prepared and circulated to po• tentially interested agencies. During 1976 the Energy Research and De• velopment Administration (ERDA) indicated an interest in having the Con• struction Research Council initiate such research with ERDA funding. Interest by ERDA in construction delays on nuclear power projects stems from concerns in both the electric power industry and the major part of the construction industry involved in construction nuclear power projects. Since industry sources were not organized to define and spon• sor research on construction delays in this area, ERDA agreed to play that role. The Light Water Reactor Program, Nuclear Research and Appli• cations Branch, of ERDA provided funds for this research on construction delays on nuclear power projects, beginning in late 1976. 1.2 Purpose The primary research objective of this study is the identification of the major types of delays occurring on nuclear power plant construc• tion projects, their direct causes, and contributing factors. This study has been organized to document delays occurring on actual nuclear power plant projects and to classify delay sources into categories containing similar causes. In order to give a measure of the importance of types of delays identified, frequency of occurrence and severity of delay are es• timated. The output of this research effort is to be the identification of areas for future research needed to eliminate the delay causes or mini• mize the delay impact. Researchable areas are identified and defined so that necessary research can be undertaken by appropriate individuals and 1.1 agencies. The results of such research could be disseminated most effectively through demonstration projects involving industry in direct cooperation. Thus, the overall long term objective of this research project is to substantially reduce the cost associated with nuclear power plant construction by identifying and making recommendations on how to re• duce the time delays associated with their construction. 1.3 Methodology The Construction Research Council of ASCE is not in itself a re• search contracting agency but instead works through the established re• search organizations of its members. This study on construction delays on nuclear power projects has been centered at the Ohio State University, in the Department of Civil Engineering. An advisory committee of Con• struction Research Council members not directly involved in the project has been established to provide overall guidance and monitoring. It was anticipated in structuring the research team to carry out this project that there would be significant differences in construction delays in the several geographic regions where nuclear power plant con• struction has been undertaken. In order to most effectively conduct this research in several geographic regions of the country, regional subcon• tractors to Ohio State University were sought and engaged. Proposals from several potential subcontractors were received and evaluated by the Construction Research Council Advisory Group and final selections were made on the basis of background and expertise in this type of construc• tion research, geographic locations, and ability to complement the other researchers on the team such that a broad area of construction expertise was represented. The first part of this research effort has emphasized the identifica• tion of delays being experienced in the construction of nuclear power plants currently underway. A list of nuclear projects in all phases of construction was developed. Each project was assigned to one of the sub• contractors, depending upon geographical location. The participating subcontractors were then assigned a representative subset