Propane Sphere Infrastructure:A client’s new 50,000 barrel propane sphere required the construction of a large about of supporting infrastructure. The required improvements included a new pipe rack, miscellaneous tee posts, and the associated foundations. The 12 foot wide two level pipe rack was approximately 240 feet long with multiple bends. It carried process piping up to 24 inches in diameter, utility piping and cable tray. The pipe rack was designed for a future 3rd level to be added to the top. The 20 foot tall rack was supported on 24 inch diameter drilled piers. In addition to the pipe rack, approximately (13) tee posts, some of which approached 30 feet in height and weighed over 2,000 pounds, were designed to carry more process piping. The tee posts were supported on 30 inch diameter drilled piers.Earthquake Assessment & Emergency Repairs:The July 4th, 2019 Ridgecrest California earthquake severely damaged a nearby mineral processing facility. The facility, which was only a few miles from the epicenter of the 7.1 magnitude earthquake, experienced extensive damage. The first stage of the project involved a detailed assessment of all site structures and infrastructure following the Applied Technology Council (ATC-20) Post Earthquake Safety Evaluation Procedure. Hundreds of items were identified in need of structural repair. Some of the necessary repairs included broken gusset plates and beam to column connections in a 14 floor steel framed tower, emergency bracing of a timber frame building’s columns, and stabilization of a 18 foot tall concrete retaining wall supporting an unloading station for acid railroad tankers.

Microbial Scrubber ReplacementAn industrial client required the replacement of (2) 40 foot tall microbial scrubbers. The new scrubbers weighed 40,000 pounds each and were 13 feet in diameter. The scrubbers had to be cantilevered off the 8th floor of a braced frame steel tower. The scrubber support platform measured 60 feet long x 19 feet wide x 66 feet tall and had (7) levels of access platforms. The first step in the project was to create a 3D BIM model of the existing steel tower and the support platform. Subsequently, an analysis model of the entire system was developed. The model indicated there were multiple failures in the existing steel frame, connections and foundation anchorage. To address the steel failures, the columns and vertical bracing elements were reinforced by welding steel plates to the existing members. The existing connections were strengthened by adding additional welds, gussets, and bolts. Finally, to address the uplift problem, an extension of the base plates allowed room to post install anchor bolts into the grade beam and footings.