Risk Management in Practice: Accelerated Bridge Construction

RUNNING HEADER: Risk management in practice
Risk management in practice
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Institution
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RUNNING HEADER: Risk management in practice
Accelerated bridge construction (ABC)
Introduction
The accelerated bridge construction is the shift of paradigm in the planning of the project
and approach of procurement where the requirement to reduce the mobility impacts, which
emerges due to onsite construction activities, is implemented (Asfahl & Rieske, 2010).The ABC
is aiming in elevating the onsite activities to high priority which will result in increased health
and human safety in the construction projects. The ABC implements innovative planning and
construction methods which have improved site constructability, work zone safety and whole
project delivery time. Also, the ABC has led to the reduction of traffic impacts, the onsite
construction time and climate-related time delays.
The achievement process of construction goals by the ABC have sometimes shown some
contradictions. For example, the 15th March incident which left six people dead and destruction
of vehicles question entirely the ABC safety goals (Chartier, 2014). ). The bridge collapsing may
be as a result of many factors but it was the ABC's role to check and prevent all factors that
would have led to the accident. For instances, the bridge may have collapsed due to lack of skills
of the deployed engineers which made them follow the instruction that is developed by the ABC
organization (Culmo,2011). Also, the bridge may have collapsed due to the use of low-quality
construction material.
Despite the cause of the accident the supreme blame rest with ABC organization as they
must check and curb any factor that facilitates the emergence of such an accident.
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RUNNING HEADER: Risk management in practice
Inherent benefits associated with Accelerated bridge construction
The ABC has primarily initiated a lot of benefits to the people. Some occurrences in the
bridges construction process have negatively affected the ABC. Some of the inherent benefits
that are associated with the ABC included.
Safety. This is the supreme goal and benefit that ABC is determined in achieving. The
construction of bridges is a process that is accompanied by a lot of risks if poorly handled
(Fernández-Muñiz, Montes-Peón, & Vázquez-Ordás 2012).). For example, the collapsing of the
bridge blamed the mechanical problems in the construction operations. The ABC should
completely innovate on its construction operation so as to avoid such a contradiction in future.
Quality. This is also one of the significant benefits of the accelerated bridge construction
organization. Provision of quality bridges assures safety to the people. Generally, high-quality
properties are expected to be safe in usage.
Durability. This tests the duration the bridge will serve the people without any destruction
noticed. The accelerated bridge construction is aimed at providing durable bridges hence
assuring safety to the people. The March incident thoroughly questioned this benefits as the
bridge was not used for a long duration (Grote, 2012). The ABC should look at the March and
other incidents in a positive and educative manner so as it can to formulated strategies that may
curb such dangerous incident from happening.
Social costs. This can be described as the expense to the entire society. The bridge construction
process by ABC can be said to be of fair cost. Being a cheaper process have made it possible for
the government to connect many parts of the country with the bridges.
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