Question

A contractor has a contract for the construction of a parking garage that contains significant quantities of cast-in-place concrete. The contract specifications require that concrete cylinders be made and tested to verify the strength of the concrete mix. Three samples were taken when placing the concrete for the second floor deck slab and sent to an independent testing laboratory. Two of the samples met the contract specifications regarding strength, and one did not. Consequently, the contractor’s project engineer decided to provide the project.

a. Identify the ethical and professional issues faced by the project engineer based on the professional ethical principles discussed in the lecture.

Answer 1

The ethical and professional issues faced by the project engineer are compromised quality standards, potential risks to public safety, conflicts of interest, and integrity concerns.

How to identify the ethical and professional issues?

The project engineer faces ethical dilemmas when two out of three concrete samples for a parking garage fail to meet strength specifications.

The key issues the project engineer might face include;

Potential violations of quality standards and compromising public safety by proceeding with substandard materials.

Professional integrity is at stake as the engineer must navigate conflicts of interest and maintain honesty in project dealings.

Thus, upholding professional competence is crucial in addressing the non compliant concrete sample appropriately.