Method Statement PAGE 1 OF 12

For REV A2
Excavation and Fill
Work

TABLE OF CONTENTSPURPOSE

1. SCOPE

2. REFERENCES

3. DEFINITIONS

4. RESPONSIBILITY

5. TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT

6. PROCEDURE

7. INSPECTION AND TEST

8. SAFETY ACTION PLAN

9. APPENDIX1 – WORK PROCEDURE

Method Statement PAGE 2 OF 12
For REV A2
Excavation and Fill
Work

1. PURPOSE
This method statement is to describe and explain the methodology involved in excavation and backfill
works in general, detailing out of the steps to be taken to meet the requirement of excavation and
backfill activities at MIP06 ONSHORE OIL FACILITIES PROJECT, Saudi Arabia. The CONTRACTOR
reserve his right to adapt the method used in accordance with the site needs and arrangement.

2. SCOPE
This covers all excavation and backfill activities. This describes the requirements of quality, HSE,
material and methodology.

The scope of work is stated hereunder

- Site Preparation
- Excavation
- Fill and Compaction
- Inspection and Test
- Safety Action Plan

3. REFERENCES
All design, engineering, material and construction shall conform to the latest requirements of local &
national standards, regulations and the following reference documents. Latest edition at the time of
contract award shall be applicable.

Any conflicts between the following references shall brought to the attention of the COMPANY for final
decision.

3.1 COMPANY Standards

SAES-A-111 Borrow Pit Requirements
SAES-A-113 Geotechnical Engineering Requirements
SAES-A-114 Excavation and Backfill
PIP CVS02100 Site Preparation, Excavation and Backfill Specification
SATIP-A-114-01 Earthwork site preparation, Excavation & Backfill

3.2 Industry Codes and Standards

ASTM D 421 Practice for Dry preparation of Soil Samples for Particle-size
Analysis and Determination of Soil Constant
ASTM D 422 Test Method for Particle-size Analysis of Soils
ASTM D 1556 Test Method for Density of Soil in Place by the Sand Cone Method
ASTM D 1557 Test Method for Moisture-Density Relations of Soil and Soil
Aggregate Mixtures using 10 lb. (4.54 kg) Rammer and 18 in
(457mm) Drop-Method 'C'
ASTM D 1883 Test Method for CBR (California Bearing Ratio) of Laboratory
Compacted Soils
ASTM D 2167 Test Method for Density and Unit Weight of Soil In place by
Rubber Balloon Method
Method Statement PAGE 3 OF 12
For REV A2
Excavation and Fill
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ASTM D 2216 Laboratory Determination for Moisture Content of Soil

ASTM D 2487 Classification of Soils for Engineering Purposes
ASTM D 2922 Test Method for Density of Soil in place by Nuclear Method
ASTM D 2937 Test Method for Density of Soil in Place by the Drive Cylinder
Method
ASTM D 4318 Test Method for Liquid Limit, Plastic Limit and Plasticity Index of
Soils
ASTM D 4253 Test Method for Maximum Index Density of Soils Using a
Vibratory Table
ASTM D 4254 Test Method for Minimum Index of Soils and Calculation of
Relative Density
ASTM D 4429 Bearing ratio of soils in place (C.B.R TEST)

4. DEFINITIONS
COMPANY

CONTRACTOR

COMPANY REPRESENTATIVE: COMPANY’s authorized representative with overall authority and

responsibility for the project

5. RESPONSIBILITY

5.1 PROJECT MANAGER

- Ensure compliance by all personnel involved to this procedure.
- Arrange for all required resources (manpower, equipment & materials)
- Ensure that any and all contractual obligations are satisfactorily complied with and
delivered on time.

5.2 CONSTRUCTION MANAGER

- Reporting to the Project Manager
- Actual implementation of this procedure.
- Ensure that works are performed on a timely manner and in compliance with the
approved procedures, specifications, drawings and all relevant industry codes and
standards.
- Coordinate with Project Manager for the determination of problems that may arise during
construction.

5.3 QUALITY ASSURANCE MANAGER

- Ensure that the integrity of the CONTRACTOR Quality Management System is
established, implemented and maintained, when changes are made to the system for the
Project
- Ensure QA/QC activities e.g. review, approval verification, validation, monitoring,
measurement, recording, auditing, reporting, corrective actions and improvements
actions on the work are implemented as specified in the Project Quality Plan
Method Statement PAGE 4 OF 12
For REV A2
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- Manages the activities carried out on site by Site Quality Control, planning and
performing audits on the site organization and the Sub-Contractors

5.4 QUALITY CONTROL MANAGER

- Ensure compliance by all site personnel to this procedure, Project Quality Plan, Saudi
Aramco Typical Inspection Plan (SATIP) and relevant Client’s Specifications, Drawings
and Industry Codes.

5.5 QUALITY CONTROL INSPECTOR

- Verify/check/monitor compliance to this procedure, Client’s Specifications, IFC Drawings
and Industry Codes by implementation of Saudi Aramco Inspection Checklist (SAIC) and
accordingly prepare/submit RFI’s.

5.6 ENGINEER
- Charge of the construction shall be responsible for completing documentation and
implementation of this procedure.

5.7 SAFETY SUPERVISOR

Responsible for safety execution of work and be focusing mainly on the following job safety
compliance
- Ensure all working activities comply with the established safety rules, regulations and
procedure as safe working practices.
- To provide instruction on task and responsibility for safe and correct working practices
and tool box talk.
- Housekeeping should be observed on regular basis to maintain clean and tidy working
environmental.
- Any near miss, accident should be reported to Safety Engineer, Safety Manager, or
Construction manager, immediately and submit report recommending actions to be taken
to prevent recurrence

5.8 CIVIL SUPERVISOR

Supervisor/Foreman shall be responsible directly on his assigned task to leas his
people/workers.
- Conduct safety briefing prior to commence daily activities and give information and
guidance to newly hired workers.
- Report accident, unsafe conditions and defects in equipment to immediate superiors.

6. TOOLS and EQUIPMENT

Certified Tools and Equipment being mobilized at site in good running conditions. It shall be double
checked by concerned personnel prior to actual use. Equipment operators and drivers shall have valid
Saudi Arabia license. The equipment and tools are listed as follows:

S/N ITEM S/N ITEM

1 Excavator 5 Water Truck
2 Dump Truck 6 Vibro Roller
3 Loader 7 Hand shovel
4 Grader
Method Statement PAGE 5 OF 12
For REV A2
Excavation and Fill
Work

7. PROCEDURE

7.1 WORK PERMIT

All works especially in restricted areas shall have Work Permits. Work shall be performed
according to the instructions and precautions specified in the Work Permit and before
commencement of the work, the supervisor shall give a toolbox talk on the subject of the work
to be performed

7.2 PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE)

All staffs and workers shall be provided with basic PPE and must be worn on the premises at
all time. Special PPE shall be provided as required on hazardous areas

7.3 SURVEY
Verify the detail of the area to be located according to the latest construction drawing. Conduct
a survey and mark the location and the limits of the area to be covered. The boundary of the
area will be properly marked with visible survey markers to define limits.
All reference points, property markers, bench marks, monuments, etc., shall be carefully
maintained during excavation, backfilling, compaction and earthwork. Unless otherwise
specified, damage to a reference point during performance of the work will be reported to
COMPANY and will be repaired or replaced to the satisfaction of COMPANY
REPRESENTATIVE at no cost to COMPANY.

7.4 SITE PREPARATION

7.4.1 Clean the area removing any kind of garbage, etc.

7.4.2 Work Permit shall be secured prior to excavation & backfill work

7.4.3 Survey layout has to be marked according to approved drawings. All points shall
be marked with wooden pegs or steel rod to identify the extent area of excavation

7.4.4 Barricade around the area to avoid unauthorized entry of personnel

7.4.5 Place applicable warning signs and, if required, detour access

7.5 EXCAVATION

7.5.1 Excavation Method shall be decided under certain conditions descrbied as

follows:
Hand Excavation
Hand excavation shall be performed with pickax, shovel, hand jack-hammer (in
case of Hard soil and rocky area) for the area where the existing utility lines go
through beneath the area

Vacuum Excavation
Vacuum Excavation (Suction Excavation) shall be performed to the area where
high precision digging is required.

Structural Excavation
Method Statement PAGE 6 OF 12
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Structural Excavation shall include excavations for footings, grade beams, pits,
basements, retaining walls, man holes, catch basins, pipeline thrust anchors, etc.

Rock Excavation
Excavation that cannot be accomplished using rippers and/or excavators/
backhoes and which requires blasting or pneumatic rock breakers to facilitate
excavation.

7.5.2 Before excavation activities begin, the COMPANY proponent organization is to

confirm and mark (e.g., by flags or chalks) the location of any known or suspected
underground utilities and/or installaton that are in the area of the proposed
excavation.

7.5.3 Excavation Plan, including a Pre-excavation checklist, as per the Saudi Aramco
Construction Safety Manual and Safety Management Guide 06-002-2008 shall be
submitted prior to beginning excavation by COMPANY Work Permit Issuer. Refer
to GI 2.100 for COMPANY’s work permit requirements, it is responsibility of the
COMPANY Work Permit Issuer to ensure that underground utilities/installation
have been located and marked (e.g., by flags or chalk) before excavation activities
begin.

7.5.4 When there is any suspected utilities and/or installation in the area of the
excavation, CONTRACTOR shall execute trial excavation prior to excavation
activities as follows:
Figure 1. In case of Hand Excavation:

Excavation A
Area

<Top View>

1.0m
1.0m

0.5m 0.25m 0.5m 0.25m

<Section. A>
Figure 2. In case of Vacuum Excavation:
Method Statement PAGE 7 OF 12
For REV A2
Excavation and Fill
Work

Excavation A
Area

<Top View>

Variable
1.5m based on
diameter of
Equipment
hose

<Section. A>

7.5.5 In case that underground utilities were found during the excavation work,
CONTRACTOR shall immediately inform to COMPANY or COMPANY
REPRESENTATIVE to confirm these utilities are still in use or not.
Case 1. Still functional
The area shall be isolated. And Hand excavation and/or Vacuum excavation shall
be executed until the proper authorities decide if excavator/backhoe is allowed to
work in the area.
Case 2. Not in use
CONTRACTOR keep excavating by machine (excavator/backhoe) and the line
shall be cut and removed upon COMPANY’s approval

7.5.6 During excavation, operator should be aware of safe distance of 2.0m from the
edge of the trenchs

7.5.7 It is advisible to check often the elevation to avoid overcut

7.5.8 Bottom of excavated area shall be smooth and free from loose earth

7.5.9 The side of excavated area shall be sloped back to the natural angle of repose of
the soil to avoid cave-in. If side is not able to be sloped due to restricted space, it
shall be shored adequately to resist earth movement, protect workers and existing
property, if any.

7.5.10 Excavated soil shall not be placed very near the area. It shall set back at least
1.0m from the edge of the area based on site conditions or be placed on
designated stockpile.

7.5.11 Unsatisfactory excavated soil for filling material shall be disposed of at the
Method Statement PAGE 8 OF 12
For REV A2
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Work

designated location approved by COMPANY

7.5.12 When soft or compressible soil is encountered at footing grade. Such soil shall be
removed and replaced with compacted Selected Fill as specified in Section 7.6.1,
CLSM or Lean concrete (minimum 1,000 psi 28-days compressive strength)

7.5.13 Over-excavation at footings shall be backfilled with compacted Select Fill as

specified in Section 7.6.1, CLSM or Lean concrete (minimum 1,000 psi 28-days
compressive strength)

7.5.14 Excavated material suitable for filling and backfilling shall be directly filled and
backfilled or stockpiled in an area where is approved by Company

7.5.15 The method of excavation shall not weaken surrounding areas nor damage
structures or parts thereof that are completed or under construction. Existing
structures and utilities adjacent to the excavations shall be protected.

7.6 FILL and COMPACTION

7.6.1 Material Requirement

Clean Sand
Soil Meeting the following gradation containing less than 3% weight of organic
material or clay:
Sieve Size Percent Passing
1/4 in (6.25mm) 100
No. 10 (2.00mm) 90 - 100
No. 200 (0.075mm) 10 or less

General Fill Material

General Fill Material shall consist of gravel, sand and/or marl. The maximum size
of the fill material shall be one-half the lift thickness or 75mm (3 inches), whichever
is less

Fill material shall be free of frozen lumps, organic matter, trash, chunks of highly
plastic clay (classified as CH as determined by ASTM D2487) or other
unsatisfactory material.

Select Fill Material

Select Fill or ‘Structural Fill’ shall be composed of only inorganic material and shall
have 100% passing the 5c.m (2 in) sieve and from 0 to 20% passing the No. 200
sieve

The portion of the material passing the No. 40 sieve shall have a maximum liquid
limit of 35 and a maximum plasticity index of 12 per ASTM D4318. Liquid limit and
plastic limit tests are not required for select fill material with less than 15% passing
the No. 200 sieve.

MARL
A wide variety of calcareous soil materials found in Saudi Arabia which may vary
from clay to gravel sizes and often include cobble and boulder sized pieces.
Method Statement PAGE 9 OF 12
For REV A2
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Compaction Water
Water used for compaction of fill material shall be reasonably free of salts, oil,
acid, alkalis, organic matter, or other deleterious substances.

Use of water with Total Dissolved Solids of 10,000 ppm or more is not allowed.
But, there is exception for the following cases:
- There is no source of acceptable water available within 20km.
- The estimated volume of available acceptable water within 20km could not
sustain the requirement of the project.
- The fill or backfill will be below the surrounding area natural water table as
determined by a geotechnical investigation or monitoring wells.

7.6.2 Select Fill Material shall be specified:

- Within 0.6m of the bottom elevation of foundations, spread footings, slabs-on-
grade and pavements when fill is required to achieve final grade.
- For backfill which will be in contact with concrete or steel structures.
- All other areas not designated above or otherwise specified in as Select Fill
Material in the design drawings may be filled or backfilled using General Fill
Material

7.6.3 Before receiving Fill Material, the area shall be cleaned of all trash and debris.
Care shall be taken to remove bolder, vegetation and other deleterious materials.

7.6.4 Fill material shall be placed in uniform lifts not exceeding the following criteria,
provided that the specified compaction is achieved for the full depth.
- Select Fill Material shall be placed in lifts of 200mm maximum in loose depth.
- General Fill Material shall be placed in lifts of 300mm maximum in loose depth.
- Other lift thickness may be approved by COMPANY based on a field test section
using the intended compaction equipment and verification that compaction was
achieved for the full depth.

7.6.5 Fill and backfill adjacent to structures such as retaining walls, pits, and basements
shall not be compacted with heavy equipment, but shall be compacted with hand-
operated equipment to a distance of 1.2m or greater beyond the sides of the
structures.

7.6.6 Compaction by water jetting or flooding is not permitted for most fill material.
However, flooding with positive drainage may be used if the fill material is
cohesionless freely draining sand.

7.6.7 Fill and backfill layers shall be uniformly compacted in accordance with the section
6.3.6 in COMPANY Standard SAES-A-114.

7.6.8 Compaction surfaces of fill and backfill shall be finish graded to the cross sections,
lines, grades, and elevations as indicated on the drawings.

8. INSPECTION AND TEST

Gradation, density, and moisture content control tests shall be performed at the following minimum
Method Statement PAGE 10 OF 12
For REV A2
Excavation and Fill
Work

frequencies: one standard sieve analysis (ASTM C136, ASTM D422 or ASTM D1140) and one
Modified Proctor Test per ASTM D1557 with corresponding Proctor curve performed for each type of
fill material or where there is a change in the type or the source of material. For cohesion less free
draining soils, ASTM D4253 Maximum Index Density and Unit Weight of Soils Using a Vibratory Table
and ASTM D4254 Minimum Index Density and Unit Weight of Soil and Calculation of Relative Density
shall also be performed.

In-place density and moisture content of soils shall be determined by the sand-cone method per ASTM
D1556, nuclear method per ASTM D2922, the rubber balloon method per ASTM D2167, or the drive-
cylinder method per ASTM D2937. Acceptance testing of in-place density and moisture content (field
density testing) on compacted fill will be performed at the following rates:
- Under all foundations, process area - one test every 100 m² of each lift.
- Under area paving, lined slopes or drainage channel - one test every 200 m² of each lift.
- Backfill of trenches - one test for every 50 linear ft (15 m) of each lift.
- General fill - one test every 500 m² of each lift.

As a minimum, at least one in-place density test must be performed on every lift of fill and further
placement shall not be allowed until the required density has been achieved.

The number of tests shall be increased if a visual inspection determines that the moisture content is
not uniform or if the compacting effort is variable and not considered sufficient to attain the specified
density. The Project Inspection Representative may approve a decrease in the number of tests once
a compaction procedure has proven to meet compaction requirements.

9. SAFETY ACTION PLAN

Safety measure during the execution of work shall be strictly implemented and observed.
CONTRACTOR’s safety team shall by then without excuses to implement the safety rules, regulation
and ensure that all personnel involved in the execution of work with full understating of it.
The following requirement are to be checked regularly but not limited to:

- All personnel should wear proper PPE.

- Area must be provided with barricade.
- Install necessary signage and other precautionary measures.
- Provide safe access to excavation i.e. ladder or any platform.
- Flagman must assign with all moving construction equipment.
- Equipment should provide 3rd party certificate prior to operate.
- Ensure permit has provided

10. [APPENDIX 1] –Work Procedure

Step 1. Excavation & Fill
Method Statement PAGE 11 OF 12
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Step 2. Field Density Test