Differing Site Conditions: Clarifying Misunderstandings to Reduce Costly Litigation
Publication: Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction
Volume 14, Issue 2
Abstract
The differing site conditions (DSC) clause, commonly known as changed conditions, is one of the most frequently litigated clauses in construction contracts. It is well established that the purpose of a DSC clause is to shift the risk of unknown physical conditions to the owner and reduce the construction cost. Parties to DSC disputes not understanding what must be substantiated in a case can lead to a plethora of costly and time-consuming proceedings. Additionally, the misinterpretation of the roles of soil reports, disclaimers, and site visit requirements ultimately produce the same result. The study will provide a guideline of the essentials required to win a DSC claim and a clarification of the misconceptions associated with the role of the contract documents, as well as an analysis of the judicial history of DSC cases. The findings will promote a more thorough understanding of the matters involved in DSC claim litigation. As a result, they will lead to improved contract administration and reduce prolonged and costly litigation for construction projects.
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Data Availability Statement
All data, models, and code generated or used during the study appear in the published article.
References
List of Cases
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction
Volume 14 • Issue 2 • May 2022
Copyright
© 2022 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Apr 6, 2021
Accepted: Nov 17, 2021
Published online: Jan 10, 2022
Published in print: May 1, 2022
Discussion open until: Jun 10, 2022
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