Standard of Care and Industry Accepted Practices 1

[anzineer]

Around our office, I've heard these phrases used occasionally. 'Standard of care' is used when determining the appropriate work scope for evaluating a site and providing recommendations. 'Industry accepted practices' is used when making recommendations, assessing construction conditions, and providing peer review/forensic evaluation. Both can be used in most any scenario though, I suppose.

Who determines the definition of such things for geotechnical engineering? Are they local/regional/state/national? Are they in writing? I've dealt with difficult conditions in karst geology and have resorted to doing alot of online reading to see how others tackle similar problems. However, most papers require expensive subscriptions, so it's difficult to learn what's been done in similar scenarios.

As a side question, what the best way to get access to papers/journals, proceedings, ect that deal with geotechnical engineering in karst? I'm sure I'll have to subscribe to something and I was thinking that ASCE's library might be the best, but do you still have to pay for every paper/journal? Is there anything that gives you access to everything once you subscribe?

Thanks for reading.

 

[motorbiketocrank]

Industry accepted practice has national and local characteristics. For example a foundation bearing capacity design needs to use national industry standards (ex. terzaghi or other similar equations) but must also account for regional conditions such as the karst geology you mention. I don't know of any exact written regulations for this......I'd say ASFE would probably come the closest to discussing various ethical and legal standards/responsibilities/liabilities, etc. You can search for them on the web (can join the website for free but have to pay for most of the publications).

Regarding karst, although you can find some online publications from state agencies and various other sources, you will basically will need to pay for some good publications to get the best information. I'd say ASCE is one of the best overall sources of karst information. One of my favorites related to foundation design was "Building on Sinkholes" by George Sowers. It was a short book but well written and full of good information. Unfortunately it's out of print but you could probably search around and find a copy for sale (part of it shows up on google books but not the full thing).

 

[Ron]

The "standard of care" for geotechnical engineering is more localized than for some subdisciplines of engineering. For instance, those practicing in coastal plains areas would approach projects a bit differently than those practicing in glacial till, or piedmont, or other geology.

The standard of care is generally "that level of ORDINARY skill and care used by other competent engineers practicing under the same or similar conditions in the same locale".

The word "ordinary" is important. The standard of care does not require perfection.

Accepted industry practice is primarily used to describe something a contractor would do. Don't get the two confused and don't ascribe to an "industry" practice as an engineer. This is not an "industry"....it is a profession and you want to be judged by other professionals of the same stature.

 

[Ron]

anzineer...I have attached a booklet on contract review that defines standard of care. Note that in the example in the booklet, the specific subdiscipline is stated (in the case of the example, it is structural engineering...but geotechnical, civil, mechanical, etc. could be substituted). This is important because you, again, want to be judged against other geotechnical engineers, not against structural or civil or others.

 

[anzineer]

thanks for the replies.