FINAL

Minutes of Meeting

With Potential Aggregate & Riprap Suppliers

New Kentucky Lock Project

9:00 AM 27 July 2001

The meeting started with all attendees introducing themselves. (See attendees list below)

Everyone was informed that minutes of the meeting would be produced and after attendees had a chance to review a draft, they would be posted on the Kentucky Lock web site. The reason for the web site posting is to make all information discussed in the meeting available to any suppliers not in attendance. This is required to maintain the integrity of the government procurement process.

The purpose of the meeting was stated as an opportunity to provide potential aggregate suppliers a status on the Nashville District's materials testing program for Kentucky Lock, provide a ballpark estimate of quantities of materials anticipated to be used on the project, and to inform suppliers of requirements in existing solicitation specifications and anticipated requirements for future solicitations. It was stressed that any quantities discussed were preliminary and subject to change because they were based on preliminary and evolving designs. The Nashville District also wanted to hear from the quarries about possible production problems, cost consequences, or other concerns with providing aggregates and riprap for the project.

The goal of the Corps materials testing program was stated as "To ensure an adequate supply of materials are available that will provide the highest quality project at an acceptable cost."

At this point Tommy Haskins, Corps Geologist, thanked quarry representatives present for their cooperation to date in providing material samples used in the Kentucky Lock testing program. In return, they are being sent the test information pertinent to their quarry as soon as it is received. He asked if the quarries had reviewed the specs for the two projects that were out. Rogers and Martin had not, Vulcan had. The specs are available on the web at the Nashville District contract site, electronic bids, and solicitations. Suppliers would then need to register as suppliers/subcontractors to download or receive a CD of the specs, and to get emails concerning amendments. The specifications for these projects are the vanguard of the rest of the work, with the primary feature being the main lock chamber. Tommy went on to explain the Corps process and guidance for conducting the materials testing program. He explained the production of the Materials Design Memorandum and the Independent Technical Review (ITR) process. The ITR team will consist of non-design Corps employees, TVA, and consultants. He also described the Corps procedure of Construction personnel taking responsibility for the specifications from Engineering once a construction contract is awarded.

A spreadsheet summarizing anticipated concrete aggregate quantities was provided to attendees. (See attached tables with aggregate quantities for concrete and table with stone quantities other than concrete.) A summary of riprap quantities was not available for the meeting. (Post meeting Note: The current estimate of riprap quantities for all KY Lock contracts is approximately 95,000 tons.) There is approximately 600,000 cubic yards of concrete anticipated for the total Kentucky Lock project. This will require in the neighborhood of 760,000 tons of coarse aggregate and approximately 300,000 tons of fine aggregate. Attendees were not interested in hearing the approximate amounts for the individual mixes.

The Corps has embarked on two suites of materials testing at Waterways Experiment Station (WES). The first suite is essentially complete and results are being summarized. The second suite, started to confirm some earlier results and to investigate some remediation measures, is ongoing. The first suite has limited some zones of potential approved sources of the quarries, which will be better detailed by the second suite. The results of the second suite of sampling will affect the riprap and aggregate from the quarries. Vulcan benches 3,4,8, and 9, Martin bench B (C was closed when went back to sample, it is now reopened), and Rogers benches B and C are currently being tested.

Tommy noted the Corps would be available to meet with the quarries individually so they could discuss quarry specifics that they may not want to discuss in front of their competition. Vulcan representatives requested to meet immediately after the ongoing meeting, and Rogers Group and Martin Marietta indicated they would like a future meeting after they had additional time to review the specifications.

There are currently two construction contract solicitations on the street. One of these, the Upstream Cofferdam contract, will have an amendment reflecting changes to the aggregate specifications. The amendment will reflect less stringent aggregate requirements since all applications in this contract are temporary. The Bridge Substructure contract aggregate specifications are essentially State of Kentucky specs with additional limits on chert content (coarse-10%, fine-35%), alkali-carbonate reactivity, and specific gravity (coarse -2.6, fine-2.55). For the float-in walls, the specs will be more stringent; because the life span desired for the project is 100 years. It is very important to minimize chances for reactions from a alkali-silica or alkali-carbonate standpoint.

It was noted that the lock structure contract shall be the most stringent specifications for the project.

Vulcan asked about the RCC mix and was informed it no longer being considered for use in the main lock chamber, but is anticipated to be used in the lower guidewall. There is approximately 36,000 CY of RCC using 50,000 tons aggregate in the lower guidewall.

Quality control tests, tests for a new fourth quarry, and other optional tests have been built into the existing versions of the specifications as bid items. If a quarry gets into a new area, these optional tests can be called for. Also, the contractor will likely have to pay for testing in a new area of the quarry. Vulcan representatives stated the contractor usually expects the quarry to pay for these tests. Quality control testing in the Substructure contract is currently scheduled to be performed every 15,000 tons. With the addition of the Boat Basin to the project, the total quantity of riprap will be approximately 27,000 tons which would require 2 quality control tests.

It is impossible to test everything in the quarry. Parts of the quarry are not available for testing, if the operations change, it might be necessary to build new tests into the construction specs. Some areas can only be reached by coring, which might be done for potential ledges.

2 Attached:

Concrete & Grout Summary Table

Stone Other Than Concrete Summary Table

Click the charts below to view the full-sized image. 

Concrete & Grout Summary Table

Stone Other Than Concrete Summary Table