GBA Resource Collaboration Committee   One of the most valuable resources GBA offers are vast library of Case Histories that provide unprecedented real-world learning examples related to project and business management. Our members can learn where others went wrong, how they handled their problems, and to avoid the same problems in the future. With over 110 Case Histories, GBA’s Resource Collaboration Committee created the Case History Digest to help you find Case Histories much easier. With colorful titles including: • Cheap Contractor Paves Way for Problems • Clear Communication Saves Big Bucks • If You Don’t Have $13M Sitting Around You Need to Read This • Cutting Corners Leads to Big Change Orders • Did Your Engineer Really Say That? The docume...

GBA Emerging Leaders Class GBA has published over 100 case histories based on real-life events that have happened to geoprofessional firms. GBA Case Histories are unique because our members share real-life stories of problems that impacted their businesses. They also include the outcomes of corrective action, and lessons learned. This episode in the series explores Case History #105 where a GBA member-Firm was hired to perform a geotechnical engineering study of the project site and provide a written report describing its subsurface conditions. This same firm provided construction materials engineering and testing (CoMET) during site development and construction of a mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) wall. Failed communication between the field representative, member firm's project...

GBA Emerging Leaders Class GBA has published over 100 case histories based on real-life events that have happened to geoprofessional firms. GBA Case Histories are unique because our members share real-life stories of problems that impacted their businesses. They also include the outcomes of corrective action, and lessons learned. This episode in the series explores Case History #86 where the GBA member firm conducted a geotechnical engineering study and performed COMET services during earthwork for a builder on a single-family home in an area where expansive shales are interbedded with sandstone. The member firm advised for slope-stability analyses. Eight months after construction was complete, the foundation started to move, creating distress in the slab and some walls. Remediation ...

Resource Collaboration Committee                                                                                      A public-school district (the “District”) retained the Member Firm to perform geotechnical-engineering studies for several buildings at two schools. The Member Firm’s geotechnical reports both contained identical recommendations for “select” fill to be used in constructing the building pads for the schools. The District retained different design teams for the two schools and the Project Specifications for the two schools, not surprisingly, differed significantly, and neither were completely consistent with the recommendations that the Member Firm provided in their geotechnical-engineering report. A field represe...

GBA Emerging Leaders Class GBA has published over 100 case histories based on real-life events that have happened to geoprofessional firms. GBA Case Histories are unique because our members share real-life stories of problems that impacted their businesses. They also include the outcomes of corrective action, and lessons learned. This episode in the series explores Case History #64 where the GBA Member Firm's civil engineer client developed the geotechnical engineering scope of services for exploration on and around an existing landfill, without adequately conveying the project goals to the geotechnical engineer. The civil engineer then erred when transferring information from the member's report to a set of plans. Both the civil engineering firm and Member Firm settled the ensuing c...

GBA Emerging Leaders Class GBA has published over 100 case histories based on real-life events that have happened to geoprofessional firms. GBA Case Histories are unique because our members share real-life stories of problems that impacted their businesses. They also include the outcomes of corrective action, and lessons learned. This episode in the series explores Case History #103. After three destroyed gauges and numerous other violations, a Member-Firm was facing civil penalties of up to $10,000 per violation and revocation of their license to own and/or operate nuclear gauges. They paid a $150,000 settlement but more importantly developed a compliance program hailed as “a model for the industry”. Learn from their mistakes and from their commitment to change their culture thr...

Emerging Leaders Class 4 Case Histories have been written and read for more than 30 years. Now, they are available as podcasts so you can download, listen, and learn from anywhere. Follow along as our narrator shares the highlights, engages with subject matter experts, and delivers the lessons learned to your headset. Case History #108 “No Good Deed Goes Unpunished” is now available as a podcast.      Lessons Learned: • No Good Deed Goes Unpunished • Prevent Recommendations from Becoming Requirements • Do Not Unilaterally Deviate from the Scope of Services • It Pays to Be Your Brother’s Keeper • Documentation Can Be Your Best Defense • Consider Limitation of Liability During Your Go/No-Go Analysis Download Case History #108: HERE Listen to Case ...

Case History #101, the last of the archived real-life stories of member-firms’ projects that went wrong and how they overcame problems is now available. When a GBA-Member Firm realized it had committed a serious error while conducting construction-materials engineering and testing (CoMET) services for a new hospital building, it knew it was in trouble. The project – a 738,000-square-foot hospital – was the key element of a high-profile, $800-million project and the constructor-in-charge faced significant penalties if it failed to complete its work by the targeted date. The errors made by the CoMET firm were likely to cause a significant delay that would result in major penalty payments, plus a serious cost overrun, all of which the GBA-member CoMET firm feared it would have to pa...

Possibly the most important of all GBA loss-prevention/risk-confrontation resources is its unique series of Case Histories. In February 2018, GBA volunteers embarked on a seemingly impossible challenge to refresh the first 101 Case Histories. We are thrilled to report, the mission has been accomplished and now all are rebranded, updated, and refreshed. Most importantly they are all available to all our members. This effort was made possible under the leadership of Woodward L. “Woody” Vogt, P.E., D.GE, F.ASCE, F.ACI, F.ASTM, F.GBA (Paradigm Consultants) who established the schedule and led the review process. Woody was assisted on each update by Kurt R. Fraese, L.G., F.GBA (Fraese and Associates) and Dr. James L. “Jim” Withiam, Ph.D., P.E., D.GE, F.GBA (retired) with additional ...

A GBA-Member Firm provided suggested changes to a sewer pipe design in order to keep construction moving forward on a five-story senior-living facility. Four years later, swelling clays caused the sewer line to back-up and the lower-level slab began showing heaving related distress. That good deed with other project related complications resulted in a $25 million claim that required an extensive defense of contract limitations of liability, standards of care, and project documentation. Lessons Learned: • No Good Deed Goes Unpunished • Prevent Recommendations from Becoming Requirements • Do Not Unilaterally Deviate from the Scope of Services • It Pays to Be Your Brother’s Keeper • Documentation Can Be Your Best Defense • Consider Limitation of Liability During Your ...

GBA Publications Committee After terminating an employee for poor attendance and inadequate job performance, a member firm is faced with alleged violations of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ATDA).  This Case History emphasized Project Managers must be trained in basic human resources (HR) issues and the importance of documentation when dealing with employee performance management. Learn from others.  Don’t repeat the mistakes of the past!  GBA Case Histories are being used by our members for loss prevention discussions in support of professional development and mentoring. That is why GBA case histories are so valuable, and why GBA continues to produce new ones. GBA Case Histories are FREE to all Members. Download GBA’s Ca...

100th Case History published Milestone for essential lessons learned from members

The GBA-Member Firm was retained by Client 1 to conduct a Phase I ESA on a 1000-acre tract of undeveloped land prior to the property sale.  To save money, the client did not want the title information to be purchased from a third-party and instead told the Member Firm that they would provide title information for review. As it turned out, the client never provided the promised chain-of-title information that  would have contained important historical information about pipeline easements. Lessons Learned:  This case history teaches six important lessons: It’s risky to work for both the seller and buyer of real estate. Inappropriate verbal communications can increase risk of liability. When the client agrees to provide important project information, make sure you receiv...

An experienced project manager assigned an experienced field representative to be on site full time to observe construction of the building pad and MSE wall.  Confident in the field representative’s abilities, the project manager confined his involvement to occasional site visits and preparation of written progress reports.  Unfortunately, communication between the two was poor, field reports were not thoroughly reviewed, and significant issues that compromised the project including changes in design were missed. Lessons Learned in this Case History: Residential Construction Projects Involve More Risk Project Risk is Inversely Proportional to Project Size and Complexity Perform Initial and Ongoing Go/No-Go Analysis If It Isn’t in Writing, It Didn’t Happen Projec...

          Read the real-life saga of a landowner’s tenant who tries to swindle a member-firm for medical costs for his horse and for lost breeding opportunities.  The Client A real-estate development company The Project An 87-acre, single-family home subdivision Assignment of the GBA-Member Firm Perform a pre-acquisition, preliminary geotechnical-engineering study.  Background A real-estate development company – a long-time client – engaged the GBA-Member Firm to perform a preliminary geotechnical-engineering study of an 87-acre tract of land the developer was considering for a single-family residential development. The tract, still being used for cattle grazing, was enclosed with barbed-wire fencing and a single...