PREFABRICATED VERTICAL DRAINS

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COST INFORMATION
Commentary
The costs of Prefabricated Vertical Drains (PVDs) on a highway project are typically captured in
a contract bid item, which is measured by the Lineal Foot (LF). Included in this bid item are
associated incidental costs such as:

Additional excavation and embankment

o To provide a reasonably level working surface
o That which may be necessary for constructing and removing temporary access
routes for construction equipment
Instrumentation for monitoring settlement
Augering through stiff upper layers of soil which lie above the soft compressible layer(s)
(except when an additional pay item is included in the contract see below)

Other costs associated with the installation of PVDs which may be measured and paid for
separately include:

Mobilization
Drainage layer this may be granular material or a series of horizontal strip drains
Surcharge embankment and removal
Augering through stiff upper layers of soil which lie above the soft compressible layer(s)

Definitions

Preload embankment material placed within the area of PVD installation that is part of
the final roadway cross-section.
Surcharge additional embankment place above the design profile grade line that is used
to accelerate settlement and/or minimize secondary consolidation

November 2012
R02 GEOTECHNICAL SOLUTIONS FOR SOIL IMPROVEMENT,
RAPID EMBANKMENT CONSTRUCTION,
AND STABILIZATION OF PAVEMENT WORKING PLATFORM

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PREFABRICATED VERTICAL DRAINS

AND FILL PRELOADING
COST INFORMATION
Cost Information Summary
An average production rate for the installation of PVDs ranges from 10,000 to 15,000 LF per
day. The following table lists items which are associated with the cost of PVDs and approximate
cost ranges. Cost ranges are based on data from 2005 through 2010. Readers should carefully
examine the project characteristics and constraints and determine to what degree if any these
factors may influence the actual cost associated with the installation of PVDs.
Pay Item
Description

Quantity
Range

Mobilization

Surcharge
Removal
(waste)

LUMP
SUM

High
Unit
Price

$10,000

$20,000

Factors Which May Potentially Impact Costs

Depths greater than 70 feet may require a crane in lieu
of a modified hydraulic excavator, this may increase
mobilization costs
Mobilization cost increases for distances greater than
500 miles
Phased projects may require multiple mobilizations

Greater
Than
10,000

LF

$0.50

$1.50

Projects which require a crane may reduce the average

production rate, thus increasing the average unit cost
A minimum overhead clearance of 10 feet greater than
the installation depth is required; areas with less than
10 feet overhead clearance will cause costs to multiply
Installation of PVDs is generally not feasible for
quantities less than 10,000 LF; quantities greater than
100,000 LF generally have lower unit costs
Stiffer soils will reduce the production rate, resulting
in an increased unit price
Obstructions will decrease the average production
rate, resulting in higher unit costs

5,000 to
25,000

TON

$7.50

$25.00

Primarily sensitive to the cost of granular materials

(including freight)

LF

0.50

$1.50

Material type specified is the primary cost variable

LF

$5.00

$15.00

Soil stiffness and obstructions may impact the cost

CU
YD

$3.00

$10.00

Haul distance and haul unit type for the embankment

are the primary cost variables

$10.00

Haul distance and haul unit type to waste surcharge

material should be considered
There is no additional project cost attributable to
PVDs when the surcharge can be utilized within a
project embankment project sequencing may impact
whether this is feasible

Prefabricated
Vertical
Drains

Granular
Drainage
Layer
Horizontal
Strip Drain
Augered
Holes
Surcharge
Embankment

Unit

Low
Unit
Price

5,000 to
25,000
1,000 to
10,000
10,000 to
50,000

5,000 to
50,000

CU
YD

$3.00

November 15, 2011

R02 GEOTECHNICAL SOLUTIONS FOR SOIL IMPROVEMENT,
RAPID EMBANKMENT CONSTRUCTION,
AND STABILIZATION OF PAVEMENT WORKING PLATFORM

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PREFABRICATED VERTICAL DRAINS

AND FILL PRELOADING
COST INFORMATION
Historical Cost Information
A sample of actual project costs is shown in the table below.

Quantity

Unit

Low
Unit
Price

31,600

FT

$0.50

n/a

n/a

4/1/2010

Ohio DOT

Special
Wick Drain
(WT:NR)()
WT:NR)

83,100

FT

$0.49

$1.05

$0.64

11/22/2006

Ohio DOT

Special
Wick Drain
(WT:NR)()
WT:NR)

452,735

FT

$1.05

$2.30

$1.51

13

2/8/2006

Ohio DOT

Misc. Wick
Drain

191,700

LF

$0.42

$1.25

$0.56

2/5/2010

Missouri
DOT

Wick Drains

145,000

FOOT

$0.52

$1.00

$0.67

Surcharge
Excavation

9/22/2005

Oregon DOT

5,000

CUYD

$2.00

$25.00

$13.42

Wick Drains

80,893

FOOT

$0.62

$0.93

$0.70

Granular
Drainage
Blanket
(Surcharge)

3/24/2005

Oregon DOT

7,042

TON

$9.25

$16.90

$10.97

Vertical
Drainage
Wicks

146,971

LF

$0.50

$0.80

$0.66
5

6/28/2006

Florida DOT

Pay Item
Description
Special
Wick Drain
(WT:NR)()
WT:NR)

Embankment
Surcharge

8,471

CY

$12.00

November 15, 2011

R02 GEOTECHNICAL SOLUTIONS FOR SOIL IMPROVEMENT,
RAPID EMBANKMENT CONSTRUCTION,
AND STABILIZATION OF PAVEMENT WORKING PLATFORM

High
Unit
Price

Average
Unit
Price

No.
of
Bids

Bid Date

Source/Agen
cy

$35.00

$23.60

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PREFABRICATED VERTICAL DRAINS

AND FILL PRELOADING
COST INFORMATION
Conceptual Cost Estimating Tool
Click the following link to open a cost estimating spreadsheet for producing a preliminary project
scoping estimate.
www.geotechtools.org/documents/pvdfp_costtool_r1.xlsx
This conceptual cost estimating tool is intended to be used to develop a preliminary project scoping
cost estimate. This preliminary estimate can be based on the typical construction cost item values as
contained in the Cost Information product or from user specified cost values when such are known.
Users should read and understand the information in Cost Information product prior to using the cost
estimating tool.

November 15, 2011

R02 GEOTECHNICAL SOLUTIONS FOR SOIL IMPROVEMENT,
RAPID EMBANKMENT CONSTRUCTION,
AND STABILIZATION OF PAVEMENT WORKING PLATFORM

Page 4 of 4