UNCERTAINTY AND RELIABILITY - Introduction to Soft Soil Geotechnique: Content, Context and Application - page 124

1. Gathering information;
2. Identifying risks;
3. Classifying risks;
4. Remediating risks;
5. Evaluating the remaining risks;
6. Filing all relevant risk information in a risk register.
The first step is about gathering all relevant project information. Sources are for
instance geological maps, existing borings, and CPT results. The second step is
about identifying risks (and opportunities). What risks can be expected, in the
current and next project stages? During the third step all identified risks are
classified. This can be done qualitatively, semi-quantitatively or quantitatively,
depending on the required accuracy, in relation to the associated costs, in the
particular project phase. Also the impact of the risk, in case of risk occurrence,
needs to be judged, preferably in terms of costs, time, quality, safety and, to an
increasing extent, even the reputation of the project to its stakeholders.
In the fourth risk management step the most suitable risk-remediating measures
are selected and implemented. These risk-response strategies include taking the
risk, addressing the risk, transferring the risk or eliminating (or exploiting) the risk.
The fifth step involves the evaluation of the resulting risk profile, preferably with
all relevant parties involved. In this stage, it should be verified whether the
remaining risk profile, as a result of the risk control measures, is acceptable to the
responsible and affected project participants. Finally, in the sixth GeoQ step all
gathered and analysed risk management information is properly stored in a risk
register. It should be ready for transfer and serve as a basis in the risk management
process of the remaining project phases. This risk register should be part of the
bidding documents in the contracting phase. The contractor can base the bid price
on the risk register and use it as a basis for his own risk management during
construction. In addition, the risk register may serve as a basis for the risk
allocation or sharing in the contracting phase.
It is interesting and promising to realise that this and similar structured risk
management approaches are proliferating into the global construction community.
An example is The Joint Code of Practice for Risk Management of Tunnel Works
in the UK, which is the result of an initiative of the Association of British Insurers
(ABI), in order to reduce the probabilities of losses and the size of the claims. To
further professionalize our dealing with uncertainty and reliability, it is our
challenge to embrace the concepts of risk management, and to make it common use
in day-to-day construction activities.
In 2010, a Risk Scan on five of the top 20 largest Dutch infrastructure projects
has been elaborated (Bles), the subject of which is the GeoQ approach (previously
mentioned), while focusing on four stages: (1) Geo Quick Scan - qualitative
process test, (2) Geo Check - qualitative content and product test, (3) Geo Risk
Analysis - quantitative content analysis, and (4) Implementation - Geo Risk
Management as a routine work process. The risk manager (if present in the
project), project leaders of the project and the contract manager have been
interviewed with questions like: Is the GeoQ approach recognisable in the project?
Have all six steps been fully elaborated in each project phase? Is everything done