2008

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

KUNDAN SINGH CONSTRUCTION

KENSETSU KAIHATSU CONSULTANTS

4/1/2008

2008 KENSETSU KAIHATSU

CONSULTANTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

CONFIDENTIALITY AND COPYRIGHT

This document is for the sole use of the addressee (Kundan Singh Construction Ltd.) and Kensetsu
Kaihatsu Consultants. The document contains proprietary and confidential information that shall not be
reproduced in any manner or disclosed to or discussed with any other parties without the express
written permission of Kensetsu Kaihatsu Consultants. Information in this document is to be considered
the intellectual property of Kensetsu Kaihatsu Consultants. in accordance with Kenyan copyright law.
This report was prepared by Kensetsu Kaihatsu Consultants. for the account of Kundan Singh
Construction Ltd. The material in it reflects Kensetsu Kaihatsu Consultants.s best judgement, in the
light of the information available to it, at the time of preparation. Any use which a third party makes of
this report, or any reliance on or decisions to be made based on it, are the responsibility of such third
parties. Kensetsu Kaihatsu Consultants. accepts no responsibility for damages, if any, suffered by any
third party as a result of decisions made or actions based on this report.
2008 Kensetsu Kaihatsu Consultants

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
ES1 Introduction
In 2004, the Government of Tanzania (GoT)
through its agency TANROADS signed a contract
with BCEOM France in association with MKonsult Tanzania for consulting services for
Detailed Design for upgrading of MbeyaChunya-Makongolosi Road. With the intention
to upgrade the road to tarmac grade through
MoW and TANROADS, the GoT retained
BCEOM/M-Konsult Ltd. To carry out both
detailed design work including environmental
and social impact assessment and preparation
of Tender Dossier.

The Project road is about 115km long and lies

between 0802500 0805336S and 3300048
3400712E. The altitude for the Project road
ranges from 1200 to 2450 metres above sea
level (m.a.s.l). The project road traverses the
highest point of trunk roads in Tanzania,
standing at 2457 m.a.m.s.l at Kawetele and
about 18km away from Mbeya Municipality.
The Works contract for the upgrading of Section
I of the Project Road was signed in August 2007
between TANROADS and Kundan Singh
Construction Ltd. Kenya (KSC). The Section runs
from Mbeya town at km 0+000 to km 36+000
and rises from 1688 masl at Mbeya to 2456
masl at km 17+625 and then drops to 2008 masl
at km 26+000. The alignment of the road
undulates along a meandering horizontal path
with some sharp hair pin bends and several
sections lying on the edge of ridges or at times
dangerously on slopes where severe
hydrological hazards are bound to cause faults.

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Fig. 1 Location Map

Fig. 2a Some problematic sections of the Project

Road

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Fig. 2b Some problematic sections of the Project

Road

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Significant deficiencies in the Design leading to

seriously impacted on the engineering
feasibility leading to a decision by the
Contractor to seek consultant an independent
third opinion.

Site visit by independent consultant

One of the sections within the landslide zone

identified during the visit
ES2 Geotechnical Consultant Team
The Contractor KSC having encountered major
technical difficulties in terms of implementing
the required sound engineering standards
based on the original design, decided to engage
the services of a highly qualified Geotechnical
Engineering Consultant with comprehensive
knowledge and specialization of the
geotechnical and hydrogeological conditions of
Africa, particularly the EA Region (including
Sudan, Burundi) and on problematic soils.
Kensetsu Kaihatsu Consultants (KKC) is a Kenyan
firm of Consultants led by a worldwide
recognized Geotechnical Engineer, Dr. JN
Mukabi who is reputed to have offered many
innovative solutions for major problematic
areas and designs. He is a recognized and highly
honored engineer/scientist with international
awards and accolades having contributed
immensely to top geotechnical, soil mechanics
and civil engineering societies and forums. It
was upon the site visit that the Consultant
advised the Contractor that Kensetsu Kaihatsu

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Consultants undertake a Comprehensive
Geotechnical Engineering Analysis and Review
of
the
Original
Design
to
offer
recommendations and possible designs/method
of construction to benefit the Client by realizing
a cost-effective Value Engineeering (VE)
structure that would be durable, while being
sensitive to the environment, as well as offering
possible mitigation mesures for geohazards that
are more than likely to happen.

hydrology/hydrogeological assessment/design
and environment/ppp (locals involvement).

Kensetsu Kaihatsu Consultants therefore made

and makes an undertaking to partake this
assignment under the guidelines of geoprofessionals within the provisions of the
International Society of Soil Mechanics and
geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE), and SubClause 2.6 of the Fourth Edition of The FIDIC
Conditions of Contract presented in the Table
below in ES4 and ES9.

The specific objectives of the Study are:

ES3 Analysis and Review Objective

The Project Area has the following factors that
contribute immensely to geohazards:

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high rainfall
prone to landslides
seismic activity

Mbeya and a better part of Tanzania which lies

in the Rift receives significant seismic activity as
indicated in the above figure
Some of the factors that must be seriously
considered in design for the area include slope
failure/slope stability, slope protection, cut
versus
fill,
material
stability,

The overall objective of the Study is to establish

the actual existing geotechnical problems
including slope stability, the hydrogeological
conditions and engineering impediments that
could culminate in failure of the road and longterm cost in-effectiveness rendering the
Contract non-viable.

(1) To undertake a Comprehensive

geotechnical soil and materials study of
the Mbeya~Lwanjilo Trunk Road.
(2) To comprehensively review the original
design in relation to the soils, materials
and geotechnical engineering aspects.
(3) To determine the ground stability vide
comparative analysis of cut and fill
areas along the Project Road.
(4) To propose a cost-effective value
engineering based approach that will
realize a sound and durable road
pavement structure.
ES4 Brief Analysis of Relevant Contractual
Clauses
An analytical digest of the relevant contractual
clauses is given under Sub-section 1.1.3 of the
Main report (Comprehensive Geotechnical
engineering Analysis and Review of the Original
Design). KKC reviewed the Contract and has
noted
the
various
Clauses/Sub-Clauses
pertaining to the process of construction and
necessity to analyze and review the design. The
implications in liability, costs and risks of both
the Client and/or the Contractor have been
analyzed and determined. The pragmatic
approach to resolving the current situation will
be both contractual and value engineering
based. KKC noted Sub-Clause 8.1 of the FIDIC
Conditions of Contract and noted that:

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Contents
Clause
8.1
Contractors
General
Responsibilities
The Contractor shall, with due care and
diligence, design(to the extent provided for
by the Contract), execute and complete
the Works and remedy any defects therein
in accordance with the provisions of the
Contract. The Contractor shall provide all
superintendence, labour, materials, Plant,
Contractors Equipment and all other
things, whether of a temporary or
permanent nature, required in and for such
design, execution, completion and
remedying of any defects, so far as the
necessity for providing the same is
specified in or is reasonably to be inferred
from the Contract.
The Contractor shall give prompt notice to
the Engineer, with a copy to the Employer,
of any error, omission, fault or other defect
in the design of or Specification for the
Works which he discovers when reviewing
the Contract or executing the Works.

Brief Analytical Remarks

This Clause clearly indicates that it is the Contractor
who is liable to the proper execution of and
completion of the Works as provided for in the
Contract.
On the other hand in accordance with Sub-Clause
8.3 part a) i) on page No.11 of the conditions of
Particular Application for this Contract, the Contractor
is responsible for ensuring that sound Engineering
practice is observed at all times and for all aspects of
the project.
Essentially therefore paragraph 1of this Sub-clause
provides that the Contractor takes full responsibility of
ensuring the proper and practical implementation of
this project.
The foregoing fact is emphasized by paragraph 2 of
the same sub-clause, which requires that the
Contractor should have the ability to detect any error,
omission, fault or other defect in the design or
specification for the works, upon which the Contractor
has the obligation to notify the Engineer and
Employer promptly.
The main pragmatic interpretation and implication
here is that:
1) The Contractor has the full responsibility of
reviewing the design and all other associated,
corresponding and/or otherwise relevant
documents, in the post-bidding stage (Contract

ES5 Contractors Concern and need for

Independent Professional Consultation
The Contractor on various occasions raised the
issues of the problems encountered and
deficiencies in both the Documentation and
design. In minutes of various Site Meetings and
that held on Thursday, 13th March 2008, in
particular, this is noted. It was due to the
Contractors concern and the decision to
engage an independent expert was reached.
The copy of minutes attached as Appendix to
the Main report refers.

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ES6 Strategic Direction

The decision to have a comprehensive analysis
and review has led to the compilation of the
Main Report, of which this is the Executive
Summary. A presentation is also to be made on
the scheduled date. The innovative solutions
and recommendations will lead to a costeffective and highly viable and beneficial
project if all parties concerned appreciate the
problems and deficiencies encountered while
agreeing mutually to accept and expedite the
implementation
of
the
recommended
approach.
ES7 Current Design of Mbeya and Method of
Construction (Analysis)

rolling hilly land, slopes and environment, the

original (current) design fails to properly
address the most appropriate, suitable and
optimum engineering solutions for a sound
design of the Project Road.
Furthermore, there is no evidence that a
detailed and comprehensive study was
undertaken, as is depicted in Figure 6.1 in
Chapter 6 of the pavement Design Manual-1999
(ref. to Sub-section 4.4.4 of the Main Design
Review Report).
The overview of the review presented in
Chapter 4 of the Main Design Analysis and
Review Report. While the recently developed
State-of-the-Art methods of investigation,
study, survey, analysis and design are
extensively discussed in Chapters 5, 6, 7 and 9
of the Main Review Report.
On the other hand, the Consultant who
undertook the design states, on page 4-10 of
the Detailed design Final report and page 10 of
the Bidding Documents Volume 3 under the
sub-topic Improved Subgrade Layers and
Areas of Low Strength (Expansive/Dispersible)
Soils, that:(1) It was established that the first 45
kilometres of the Project road contain
low strength in-situ subgrade soils
(2) The remaining portion of the road has
relatively good subgrade soils, which do
not require improvement. This section
also is mainly located on cut areas.
(3) The first 45 kilometres of the Project
Road Contains Soils, which exhibit high
plasticity
and
low
strength
characteristics. This soils are termed as
problem soils since they have high
shrinkage and swelling properties which
usually affects the overall performance
of the pavement structure.

The Original design stipulates the extensive use

of fills and gabions in construction of the road
for Section 1 (km1~km36). Considering the
topography of the existing Project Road, the

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10metres of fill! should show that this is highly
unstable and a time consuming construction
method as demonstrated in figures below.

Furthermore, the possibility of dangerous slope

failures seems to have been completely omitted
in the engineering analysis of the detailed
design. The time needed to compact some of
the high fill areas was not properly computed.
ES8 Analysis of the Effect of Moisture, Slope
failure /Landslides and Seismicity
Geohazards Monitoring

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Rainfall: Mbeya region has high rainfall that can

reach a maximum of 2700mm.

The use of gabions as slope protection in fill

areas without considering the hydrology,
seepage that must occur and instability of the
fill material is considered an engineering
oversight. The eventual collapse of the gabions
and slope from the slip that will eventually form
in the fill will prove catastrophic. Designing over

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Creep

Effect of rainfall on Landslides: Perhaps the

most common trigger of a landslide, water
reduces the friction between the bedrock and
the overlying sediment, and gravity sends the
debris sliding downhill. In sand and clay soils, a
small amount of water may increase stability.
You've likely seen this when building a sand
castle or working with clay. However, too much
water causes the sediment to flow, which is
why many landslides occur after rainstorms.

A Rotational Slide or Slump

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Gravity is the primary factor in a landslide. Soil on a flat surface does not
move. On a slope, gravity alone also may not trigger a landslide. But when
another disrupting factor -- like rain -- comes into play, gravity will pull
sediment downhill.

Gravity has a very major role to play in

ground/slope stability. Flat surfaces are usually
stable while slopes have gravity force acting on
the mass. Where there is much rainfall the
tendency for the mass to creep or worse slump
is high after rain effect.

Example of slope failure (landslide) on a similar

environment to the Project Road

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Effect of Moisture as analyzed from

Project road

Permeability and Seepage

Slope failure and Gabions: The slopes at the fill

areas protected by gabions are technically at a
potential risk because of the dam effect that
the gabions will cause if there is seepage into
the fill. This has the effect of higher stress levels
and seepage forces and will lead to the
possibility of different stress-strain properties
resulting in some zones being highly stressed
than imagined.

Possible Slip failure along the Project road

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CASE STUDY: Slope failure on the Goha Tsion

road in Addis Ababa.

Dam effect of gabions on the Project road

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Normal fault

Click the play button to start the earthquake.

When P and S waves reach the earth's surface,
they form L waves. The most intense L waves
radiate out from the epicenter.

It can be noted from the above computations

that the Factor of Safety ( ) is extremely low
implying that the gabions cannot provide the
resistance required.

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Proof Rolling Results

Seismicity: Mbeya Region lies within a highly

seismic zone of the East African Rift system. The
are is considered a goe-hazard prone area and
combined with it being flood prone too and that
the rainfall is very high, this could eventually
lead to liquefaction.

Seismicity within and around Mbeya

ES9 Construction Problems and Contractors

Liability / Clients Liability
The Contractors/Clients liability in relation to
the original (current) design problems are

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summarized in the Clause below and the
following table.
Clause 20.4 Employers risk
The employers risk are
g) Loss or damage to the extent that it is
due to the design of works, other than
any part of the design provided by the
contractor or for which the contractor is
responsible, and
h) Any operation of the forces of nature
against
which
an
experienced
contractor could not reasonably have
been expected to take precautions.
Relevant Clauses Based On Excepts
From The Fourth Edition 1987 of The
FIDIC Conditions Of Contractor-Part I
General Conditions

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Clause/Sub-Clause: Contents
Clause 8.1 Contractors General
Responsibilities
The Contractor shall, with due care and
diligence, design(to the extent provided for
by the Contract), execute and complete
the Works and remedy any defects therein
in accordance with the provisions of the
Contract. The Contractor shall provide all
superintendence, labour, materials, Plant,
Contractors Equipment and all other
things, whether of a temporary or
permanent nature, required in and for such
design, execution, completion and
remedying of any defects, so far as the
necessity for providing the same is
specified in or is reasonably to be inferred
from the Contract.
The Contractor shall give prompt notice to
the Engineer, with a copy to the Employer,
of any error, omission, fault or other defect
in the design of or Specification for the
Works which he discovers when reviewing
the Contract or executing the Works.

Clause/Sub-Clause: Contents
8.2 Site operations and methods of
construction
The contractor shall take full responsibility
for the adequacy, stability and safety of all
site operations and methods of
construction .provided that the contractor
shall not be responsible (except as stated
here under or as may be otherwise
agreed) for the design or specification of
permanent works, or for the design or
specification of any temporary works not
prepared by the contractor. Where the
contract expressly provides that part of the
permanent works shall be designed by the
contractor, ha shall be fully responsible for
that part of such works, notwithstanding
any approval by the engineer.

Brief Analytical Remarks

This Clause clearly indicates that it is the Contractor
who is liable to the proper execution of and
completion of the Works as provided for in the
Contract.
On the other hand in accordance with Sub-Clause
8.3 part a) i) on page No.11 of the conditions of
Particular Application for this Contract, the Contractor
is responsible for ensuring that sound Engineering
practice is observed at all times and for all aspects of
the project.
Essentially therefore paragraph 1of this Sub-clause
provides that the Contractor takes full responsibility of
ensuring the proper and practical implementation of
this project.
The foregoing fact is emphasized by paragraph 2 of
the same sub-clause, which requires that the
Contractor should have the ability to detect any error,
omission, fault or other defect in the design or
specification for the works, upon which the Contractor
has the obligation to notify the Engineer and
Employer promptly.
The main pragmatic interpretation and implication
here is that:
1) The Contractor has the full responsibility of
reviewing the design and all other associated,
corresponding and/or otherwise relevant
documents, in the post-bidding stage (Contract

Brief Analytical Remarks

This sub-clause basically qualifies the first paragraph
of sub-clause 8.1 above and the corresponding brief
analytical Remarks
It is therefore interpreted that it is imperative for the
Contractor to take the initiative, which is
commensurate with his responsibilities, liabilities and
obligations, to review any documents related to the
execution successful completion of the Works where
adequacy, stability and safety factors are upheld in
the design and the construction Works, failure to
which the Contractor is obligated to notify the
Engineer and the Employer (client).

ES10 Typical Design for Mbeya Environment,

Design Development, Implementation
A design based on the Comprehensive Method
of Design is recommended. An example is given
under Chapter 9 of the main Report.

E11 Cost Benefit Analysis

11.1 Benefits from Structural Durability
As was demonstrated in chapters 6, 7, as well as
in sections 9.9 of chapter 9 and chapter 10, the
Employer is certainly bound to benefit
immensely if the road is constructed to
withstand the prevailing external forces and
environmental factors to a reasonably
sustainable standard, the structural durability
factor will then contribute greatly to the
sustenance of the socio economic activities
with the regions through which the road
traverses due to the longevity of its design life.
11.2 Enhanced Road Safety
The current geometric design with section 1 of
the Project Road posses enormous dangers due
to the acute blind curves, ridges, and frequent
meandering. The re-design would have to
consider cost-effective realignments that
ensure the enhancement of road safety.
11.3 Extended Performance of the Contractor
Contractual Clauses pertaining to these issues
and the repercussions that are likely to prevail
as a result of the failure of the pavement
structure and/or slopes have been analytically
discussed under Sub-section 1.1.3 of this
Report.
11.4 Direct Cost Savings
Direct cost savings will mainly be realized
through commercial activities and social
institutions such as schools, hospitals,
community centres etc, in terms of the drastic
reduction in travel time, trade etc.

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11.5 Indirect Cost Savings

Indirect cost savings would mainly be as a result
of external trade and tourism activities within
the vicinity of the Project Road.

E12 Conclusions

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Detailed investigations, survey, in-situ and

laboratory testing were undertaken during this
Study. Subsequently, the results were
comprehensively
analysed by
adopting
powerful state-of-the-art analytical tools that
have been developed and tailored for most
tropical soils that exist within this region. Based
on the findings of this Study, the following
conclusions are made:

(1) It is imperative that the pavement

structural design is reconsidered in
order to alleviate the potential Clients
Liability problems.
(2) It would be advisable that the redesign
is based on the Comprehensive Method
of design for purposes of achieving a
cost-effective Value Engineering based
Structure
that
fosters
sound
engineering practice.
(3) Based on the analysis of the relevant
contractual clauses during this Study, it
is highly advisable that the employer
takes expeditious action in resolving the
current design problem, contrary to
which the Project is likely to suffer
enormous losses and socio-economic
benefits or otherwise disastrous failure
of the pavement structure.

(1) The original (current) design was not

based on detailed and comprehensive
studies. This culminated in some serious
flaws within the Fundamental design
Concept.
(2) Contrary to the normal engineering
practice, the original (current) design
specifies the construction of high fills
and purging in problematic soil areas
instead of cutting into the hilly sides.
This indeed is not only an expensive
method of construction but also
renders the pavement structure
susceptible to slope failure. The
adoption of this design would be costly
and disastrous.
(3) From the evaluation made during this
Study (Comprehensive Geotechnical
and Engineering Analysis and Review of
the Original (Current) Design for
Mbeya-Lwanjilo-Chunya-Makogolosi
Road Upgrading), it is apparent that
comprehensive Environmental and
Impact Assessment (EIA) was not made.
E13 Recommendations
The following recommendations are made on
the basis of the results obtained in this Study.

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