Geotechnical Baseline Reports for Foundation Projects

Over the past 30 years, the Geotechnical Baseline Report (GBR) has evolved as a contractual tool to manage subsurface risk for tunneling and other underground excavation projects. At this time, GBRs are beginning to be considered for major foundation construction contracts, for similar purposes of better management and allocation of risks. To successfully apply GBRs to non-underground projects, it is important to make effective use of the lessons learned from their application in underground construction practice, and to recognize the significant respects in which evolving practice for non-underground contract applications may differ. This paper includes a brief background discussion on the development of GBRs; outlines the transfer of underground-GBR principles to non-underground projects; highlights key differences; notes conditions that may be conducive to the use of a GBR; provides suggested guidelines for the application of GBRs to non-underground projects; and illustrates the application of these principles to the development of a GBR for a design-build elevated guideway rail project.