33.

08 Widening of cuts (extra

over Items 33.01,
33.02 and 33.04):
(a) In hard material . . . . . . . . . . . . . cubic metre (m3)
(b) In boulder material
Class A or Class B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . cubic metre (m3)
(c) In all other materials . . . . . . . . . cubic metre (m3)
The unit of measurement shall be the cubic metre of
material excavated during the widening of cuts where they
are more than 2.5 m deep, measured vertically from the top
of the cut to the shoulder breakpoint and where the side
slope is widened by 4 m or less.
Measurement of the material shall be in the original position
in the cut, and the quantity shall be computed by the method
of average end areas from levelled cross-sections at
intervals not exceeding 20 m measured along the centre line
of the road before and after removal of the material.
The tendered rates for widening the cuts shall be paid extra
over the rates tendered for Items 33.01, 33.02 and 33.04
and shall include full compensation for the additional costs
involved (over and above those for excavating new cuttings)
for excavating material by widening the cuts where they
exceed 2.5 m in depth and are widened by less than 4 m.
The questions that arise:
What if the depth is 2.5 after widening, but less than 2.5 before widening?

From a practical point of view, the Contractor has costs from the position from where he starts excavating. If
the natural side slope is very steep, he will have to start from high up, whereas the depth of the cut may be less
than 2.5 when he starts. It looks as if the measurement should be taken from the top of the widened cut, to the
shoulder breakpoint.

What area is measured? If the cut at the bottom is narrower than 4m, and at the top wider than 4m, is the entire area
measured, or only the portion where the horizontal width is less than 4m?
One argument is as follows:

Excavation at the top is wider than 4m, and the contractor will therefore not have the additional cost of narrow
excavation. He can use a rig on tracks, instead of handheld drills. The EO is therefore only payable underneath
the horizontal plane where the width of widening is less than 4m.

The counter argument is that that is not what the specification says. The spec does not talk of dividing the cut into
horizontal slices.
I accept the first argument. It does not clash with the specification, it measures where the side slope is widened by 4m or
less. If the portion at the top is measured, on that specific plane the side slope will not be widened by 4m or less .
If the side slope of the new cut is steeper than the side slope of the existing cut, the cut may be less than 4m at the top,
and more than 4 m at the bottom.

The argument can then be that the Contractor should be paid for the portion at the top, because he has the
inconvenience of narrow working areas. He has to make use of hand-held drills. As soon as the width
increases to more than 4m, the Contractor can bring in a rig, and have lower excavation cost. EO payment
should stop at the level where the width becomes more than 4m. The EO is therefore only payable above the
horizontal plane where the width is 4 m or less.

Again, the counter argument is that the specification does not talk about dividing the cut in horizontal slices.
I accept the first argument. It does not clash with the specification, it measures where the side slope is widened by 4m or
less. If the portion at the top is measured, on that specific plane the side slope will not be widened by 4m or less .