PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Risky Business I f you’ve ridden a motorcycle through a fast-moving Tennessee stream, you’ll know to stay loose and be ready because you never quite know for sure what’s just below the surface. Slippery rocks take you sometimes in unexpected directions, and you better be prepared to deal with getting knocked off line a bit. I think that this ride is useful as this month’s metaphor for risks and uncertainties relative to subsurface conditions in our industry. nd At the DFI 42 Annual Conference on Deep Foundations last fall and, again, at IFCEE 2018 this spring, DFI hosted a panel discussion on “risks related to subsurface conditions,” leading to a kickoff of a broad industry working group on the topic. That group is just getting organized and will include representatives from DFI as well as other related industry and pro- fessional organizations (see page 118). It’s an important topic, and one that affects everyone who works in our industry. When we’re discussing risks in this context, we’re not specifically referring to risks of a physical failure of a structure, which are fortunately quite rare. Rather, we are describing the much more common day-to-day risks relating to uncertainty at the start of a project that can lead to project delays, cost overruns and changes to the scope of work, and potentially disastrous conse- quences to our businesses. Besides the economic consequences, there can be damages to commercial or professional reputations and business relationships as well as drawn out litigation long after the project is completed with additional costs and lost productivity. Whether you’re an owner, general contractor, specialty sub- contractor, or design professional working for owners or contractors, everyone involved in a construction project has Dan Brown, Ph.D., P.E., D.GE. President [email protected] … everyone involved in a construction project has an interest in mitigating risks to the extent possible and completing a project that is successful for all participants. an interest in mitigating risks to the extent possible and completing a project that is successful for all participants. It can be a bit spooky when we think about the risks that are inherent in the work that we do. However, risks also pre- sent opportunity, and those best able to manage our risks most effectively will undoubtedly be the most successful in the long term. Geotechnical engi- neers have an opportunity to enhance their practice by helping other parties identify and manage risks. Owners have an opportunity to reduce contingency costs and complete projects on schedule and with less risks of budget overruns by dealing with risks more effectively. And contractors have an opportunity to get paid fairly for the work that they do. Our goal with the task force is to bring greater awareness of the risks inherent in subsurface work so that project-specific risks can be identified and allocated to the party best able to manage the risks, rather than shoving risks off onto the party least able to resist. Nobody wins when any part of the project teams suffers a disaster caused by unknowns. Education is a big part of the effort. I’m excited that DFI is leading this effort, and I am very hopeful that it will benefit DFI members in the years to come. Stay loose! Dan Brown riding his motorcycle through a fast-moving stream DEEP FOUNDATIONS • MAY/JUNE 2018 • 7
