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PAGE
22 CONTENTS
THE COVER
Urban Underground
HNTB's Sanja Zlatanic: A Happy Mole – story on page 10

CHANNELS
BUSINESS NEWS
13 2020 Insurance Marketplace: What to Expect
18 An Interview with Nikhil Choudhary and David Renard of
Zenith Engineers Inc.
21 A Look Back: Catching Up with Paul Greenhagen, 2019
Jerry Allen Courage in Leadership Award Winner
ENVIRONMENTAL + SUSTAINABILITY
22 Protecting Infrastructure Through Stream Restorations
TRANSPORTATION
25 A New Connection: Comcast Pedestrian Tunnel
26 Intelligent Compaction is the Key
WATER + STORMWATER
28 Machine Learning in Mineral Wells
33 5 Ways Utility Valuation Can Help Protect Municipalities
GEOSPATIAL
34 Choosing the Right Antenna for GPR Investigations
SOFTWARE + TECH
38 Wet-weather Infrastructure: Smart Analysis and TOTEX
Planning Equal Savings and Resilience
UNMANNED SYSTEMS
42 Ground Penetrating Radar: The Unlikely New Hero of
Autonomous Vehicles
LAND DEVELOPMENT
46 Construction Challenges of Rail in an Urban Environment
51 Innovative Stormwater System Provides Maximized
Footprint for Charter School Expansion
PROJECT DELIVERY
55 Strong Connections

PAGE
26 departments
8 Events
57 Benchmarks
56 Reader Index

Columns
5 From the Publisher: Underground
Jamie Claire Kiser

PAGE
49
march 2020 csengineermag.com 3
VOLUME 6 ISSUE 3
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publisher 800-466-6275
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ART director Civil + Structural Engineer (ISSN 23726717) is published monthly by Zweig Group, 1200
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Zweig Group. Articles not be reproduced in whole or in part without the written permission
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 from the publisher

Underground – the theme of this month’s C+S issue – has two definitions, according
Underground to Merriam-Webster. The first is more appropriate on its face for our publication:
“beneath the surface of the earth.” The second definition is “in concealment or
secrecy; not openly,” and carries related words including radical, experimental,
In every sense unconventional, and revolutionary. To merge these concepts is to better define the
intention behind this month’s edition and to apply new approaches to the same
design challenges that civil and structural engineers have always encountered.

In mulling over the word “underground” over the last few weeks during my
interactions with clients, colleagues, and the industry, I realize I’ve stumbled into
this word or concept several times recently.

The one specific example that has particularly resonated with me is something we
learned at the kick-off meeting for Zweig Group’s inaugural ElevateHer cohort
program. ElevateHer is a special task force comprised of individuals with a
commitment to promote diversity as a means to combat recruiting and retention
challenges in the AEC industry. This inaugural group will operate as a think tank,
developing strategies to help solve the greatest challenge facing the industry,
recruiting and retention of the work force.

One might go so far as to categorize the launch of this program itself as both
“experimental” and “unconventional,” but that’s not the “underground” example
I’m referring to. Instead, it’s an excerpt from an email I received from a bright
structural engineer who works as a project manager. To paraphrase: “I want the
cohort to know that their initiatives don’t have to be earth-shattering for the industry
to be earth-shattering for individuals. I’m constantly having clients look to the
subordinate male on site visits with me, and I think a lot of the reason is that I look
like a little kid when I can’t find a hardhat that fits my head. Why don’t they make
them in women’s sizes? It’s not just about authority, it’s a safety issue. A hat that fits
would make a huge impact for me and for women and all other small-headed people
in terms of non-verbal authority cues.”

It’s a simple request: a hat that fits. But it would empower a bright project manager
in a leadership role to navigate more confidently when she is on site, leading a team
and serving a client, which could change her entire career.

What else is right in front of us – hidden in plain sight – buried just slightly
underground enough to have slipped past the industry undetected with the power to
transform and improve our industry?

JAMIE CLAIRE KISER is managing principal and director of advisory services at Zweig Group. Contact her
at jkiser@zweiggroup.com.

march 2020 csengineermag.com 5

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march 2020 csengineermag.com 9

business news

Urban Underground
HNTB’s Sanja Zlatanic: a Happy Mole
By Richard Massey

There’s no doubt about it. Sanja Zlatanic, Senior Vice President and
Chair of the HNTB National Tunnel Practice, loves mega-projects.
Confronting epic problems and managing the associated risk is what
she does best. Existing constraints, the concerns of communities and
stakeholders, multi-billion-dollar price tags, and meticulous team
building are all part of the package when you’re boring tunnels under
cities or bodies of water. New York, Baltimore, Los Angeles, San Fran-
cisco, Seattle, and Istanbul – Zlatanic has made her name working on
the industry’s premier tunneling projects over the last three decades.
But if you want to get a true measure of her ability to handle whatever
is in front of her, you might as well go back to the early years, when
the University of Belgrade graduate was just starting out. She was in
Iraq on a government contract in 1990 when Saddam Hussein invaded
Kuwait. She and the team were not allowed to leave until their proj-
ect was done, so they went into overdrive, closing out a four-month
job in just 21 days. Zlatanic returned to Belgrade, but at that time the
former Yugoslavia was disintegrating into war. She and her husband
Jusuf fled, obtaining their visas in Budapest, Hungary before heading
to the United States. Once in New York City, Zlatanic hunkered down
in a small apartment for three months, consuming language tapes,
books, and TV shows to learn enough English to get through a job
interview. It worked. In 1992 she was hired by Parsons Brinkerhoff On the job site, Istanbul Strait Crossing, Asia portal. Photo: HNTB
and was there for nearly 20 years, mastering the tunneling trade, before
joining HNTB in 2011. With an office on the 58th floor of the Empire overlying buildings and facilities that need to remain fully operational
State Building, Zlatanic has a nice view of the Freedom Tower and the all the time, or adjacent rail or road operations that must be in full
Statue of Liberty, fitting reminders that she’s living her American and service at 5 a.m. every morning. Also, it can be a challenge finding
engineering dreams. For dreams to come true, however, they must be ways to explain the project to impacted businesses and communities
chased, which is what Zlatanic did when, as the borders of her home- at every step, incrementally, demonstrating that safety would never
land closed, she made her great escape. be compromised at any point during construction and that impacts
are measured, sensitive to everyday life of the communities, and of a
“There is no event on the job that can stress me any more than that,” temporary nature.
she said. “I was prepared later in life for anything.”
A notable example of a “grand” underground concept is the East Side
A Conversation with Sanja Zlatanic Access project that extends the Long Island Rail Road from its main
line in Queens into a new station under Grand Central Terminal on
Civil + Structural Engineer: Your resume speaks for itself. You have Manhattan's East Side. In the beginning, the project was envisioned
been associated with some of the biggest and most important tunneling as a ‘shallow’ option directly connecting to the lower level of Metro
projects in the United States for the last 30 years. What draws you to North Railroad. We realized early on that such a concept would have
these mega-projects? significant impacts on several high-rise buildings along Park Avenue,
some of those historical, and worked with the project owner to make
Sanja Zlatanic: Primarily, it’s the ability to work with architects and it an underground project while reducing impacts. We envisioned the
planners to create a practical project configuration that can be material- project in a form of two parallel ‘twin’ caverns housing four platforms
ized and constructed within the constraints of actual subsurface condi- each and a mezzanine in-between. Cross-passages and escalator-ways
tions, often in a dense urban environment. connecting these two large facilities were placed directly below the
streets minimizing effects to the overlying buildings. I recall long ses-
It is a real thrill to conceptualize large and complex underground sions our team held with the lead architect to plan these gigantic un-
undertakings while working with existing project constraints; either derground spaces. They needed to meet operational, safety, and main-

10 csengineermag.com march 2020


Celebrating the opening of the Istanbul Strait Tube Crossing with design build
contractors and P3 concessionaire. Photo: HNTB
tenance requirements, as well as midtown Manhattan’s environmental
constrains during construction. It was like “building a ship in a bottle.”
Most of the tunnel spoil removal was going through the Queens access
shaft a few miles away. The project, clearly the largest undertaking in
New York City in a long time, is expected to open in a few years so the
opening day is not that far away.
Another example of grand conceptual thinking is Santa Clara Valley
Transportation Authority’s BART Silicon Valley Extension, Phase II,
where we suggested a single bore concept to minimize construction
impact through downtown San Jose. This is the first time this approach
is being used in the United States. VTA as the owner and BART as
an operator had demonstrated great stamina and willpower to work
together to resolve technical challenges. They jointly conceived an
operational scheme that responds to the needs of both users and op-
erators. Working with savvy program managers on both sides is very
helpful; they saw the value of the project from the beginning and
worked tirelessly with the engineering team, side-by-side, to explore
all challenges and potential paths to solve them.
C+S: What’s your message to women who are thinking about entering
the engineering profession in general, and tunneling in particular?
SZ: Women play very important roles in the tunnel industry. I have no-
ticed throughout my career that teams that have the benefits of diverse
participation, especially when solving complex challenges and explor-
ing innovations, are generally more productive. A few decades ago,
there were a handful of us that had made this career choice; however,
today many more young female professionals are interested in tun-
nels and underground engineering. This has been very refreshing and
encouraging. They will find this industry supportive and rewarding. I
have never met a woman who expressed a regret about being in the tun-
neling industry, so I guess this makes it a “happy” career choice as well.
C+S: You’ve said New York turned out to be a great proving ground
for you as many large tunnel projects took place there early in your
career. Looking back at that time, what were the most important career
lessons you learned?
SELECT PROJECTS
AMTRAK – Baltimore and Potomac (B&P) Tunnel in Baltimore, Maryland
Preliminary engineering studies and environmental analyses of
the B&P Tunnel to improve rail service, reliability and address a
longstanding bottleneck along Amtrak's busy Northeast Corridor (NEC).
LA Metro – Crenshaw/LAX LRT Line, Los Angeles, CA
Design of underground segment of this $2B design build
program for HNTB as a lead designer of a DB team.
MTA – Long Island Rail Road, East Side Access/ Grand Central
Connection, New York, NY
Design manager who led the design development of the
Manhattan segment deep station alternative and was
responsible for the delivery of the final documents that resulted
in the selection of the deep station scheme for this $7.6 billion project.
MTA Bridges and Tunnels (TBTA), Brooklyn Battery Tunnel Wall
and Ceiling Rehabilitation, New York, NY
Project engineer during the project’s construction stage, this
project for MTA Bridges and Tunnels comprised tunnel ceiling
rehabilitation, liner repair for damage caused by water leakage
and roadway lighting improvements for the 9,717-foot-long
(3,000-meter-long) Brooklyn Battery Tunnel – the second
longest underwater crossing in the U.S. – connecting lower
Manhattan and Brooklyn.
Republic of Turkey Ministry of Transport, Istanbul Strait Road
Crossing (Eurasia) Tunnel, Istanbul, Turkey
Category 3 structures, systems and facilities for this $1.35B
Istanbul Strait Road Tube Crossing project of 14.5 km in length
that includes 5.4 km of road tunnels and 3.4km Bosphorus Strait
Crossing double-deck bored highway tunnel 13.2m in diameter,
and 2km Asian and European side tunnel approaches (roadways,
toll plazas, ventilation and system buildings and facilities).
San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, Central
Subway Project – Underground Stations, San Francisco, CA
Underground stations of San Francisco’s Central Subway project
as part of a tri-venture on this project that consists of 1.8 miles
of twin tunnels 20-feet in diameter and three underground
stations at a cost of $1.58 billion.
Washington State DOT – Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement
Panel and technical oversight lead for $2.4 Billion design build
project of 2.1 miles bored tunnel that replaces the Alaskan Way
Viaduct along the central Seattle waterfront.
The Zlatanic File
Sanja and husband Jusuf, a gastroenterologist in New York, have
two sons, Viktor and Matthew.
SZ: Tunneling and underground projects are among the riskiest en-
gineering practice areas; solid engineering judgement and practical
solutions that always have safety as a primary concern are paramount.
Throughout the years, I have learned that the only way to successfully
conquer great challenges is to rely on a team contribution, and having
the courage to pursue one’s own vision and convictions. Often it is not
easy, but while practicing perseverance, respect, and camaraderie that
are very typical for the tunnel industry, it is possible. Courage is a big
march 2020 csengineermag.com 11
component as well. One should speak his or her mind, especially when
having an idea that may move a project forward.
C+S: As you well know, tunnel projects are risky. How does the pres-
ence of such great risk inform the decisions you make when working
on a project?
SZ: Dealing with risks is challenging in every profession, and this is
especially true for the tunnel industry. Risks, if not well understood and
managed, may lead to major events that could impact lives, material
property, and even regional economies. Therefore, risk management is
one of the most important subject matters on tunnel projects that needs
to be addressed continuously, from the very onset of the project to its
closure. Risk register is a living document that not only defines differ-
ent areas and levels of risk, including technical, but recognizes parties
that are best equipped to handle various risk elements throughout the
life of the project. Those parties could be designers, owners, or con-
tractors. Recognizing early technical and other risks and having a plan
to address them is a must in our industry. The best way of dealing with
risks is their avoidance, whenever possible. In this realm, establish-
ing the right project configuration and understanding the subsurface
conditions and environmental factors for practical construction often is
a crucial step. Dealing with risks in construction that could have been
avoided in design is the wrong way to manage the issue.
C+S: The Alaska Way Viaduct Replacement was transformative for
Seattle. The project also used “Bertha,” an extremely large boring
machine. The tunnel opened to traffic last year. With the Seattle project
in mind, what is the future of tunnels here in the United States and
abroad, and how will they shape the urban landscape?
SZ: Rapid urbanization and growing migrations from rural to urban
areas have been worldwide issues for a few decades. It is expected that
in less than three decades about two-thirds of the world population
will live in cities. The cities would need to double in size to accommo-
date such growth. This issue is much more pronounced in the United
States since the nation’s urban population growth already outpaced the
overall growth over a decade ago. In 2015, about 83 percent of the
total population in the United States lived in urban areas. It is being
projected that in 2050 this number will be over 87 percent. Therefore,
there is a real urgency to make our own cities ready for such urban
population increases. The issues of livability, quality of life, and ef-
fectiveness of transportation networks are of special concern. Cities
are finding their own unique ways in addressing those issues. Seattle
is a notable example. The city adopted utilization of a large double
deck tunnel beneath downtown Seattle to improve mobility. With the
decision to demolish the old viaduct, they brought the shoreline closer
to their people and communities. Bertha, at the time the largest bored
tunnel machine in the world, completed her journey on a high note and
with exceptional performance. Generally, recent advancements of tun-
neling technologies permit better utilization of underground space and
allow surfaces to be considered for more noble uses that bring signifi-
cant improvements to quality of life in overcrowded urban dwellings.
C+S: Tell us about your work with the Associated Research Centers for
Urban Underground Space (ACUUS).
12 csengineermag.com march 2020
SZ: ACUUS was established in 1996 and was subsequently incorpo-
rated. The organization has an important non-governmental function;
it establishes a unique world “coalition” of experts that designs, plans,
analyzes, and decides upon the sustainable use of urban underground
space. It was designed to connect public and private sectors with
academia’s latest research and related findings in terms of the use of
underground space. Also, it created a platform for exchange and co-
operation. As Secretary General, and a member of the ACUUS Board,
I am active within this framework and able to learn and transfer my
experiences, especially in the realm of integrated planning and design;
sustainable approach to the environment; as well as safety and techni-
cal innovations. Embracing disruptive technologies to help resolve the
issues of urbanization and overcrowding, and finding ways to better
plan and utilize urban underground space for a purpose of freeing
surface resources (already very limited), is another realm ACUUS is
ready to tackle.
C+S: You grew up in the former Yugoslavia and fled the war there in
1991. These days, you have an office in the Empire State Building. That
is a remarkable journey for a variety of reasons, and is symbolic of the
American Dream. What role did engineering and tunneling play in this
incredible life/career arc?
SZ: Yes, you are right – my engineering dream had pretty much over-
lapped with my American dream. I tend to associate my growth as a
professional and as an American primarily to the hard work, persistence,
tremendous will power to continue working on self-improvement, trust
in the professionals I am working with, and above all, with my fam-
ily that has always supported me through this journey. Starting with a
well-known tunneling company, learning tools of the trade and how,
when and where to use them, as well as being able to work alongside
the biggest names in the U.S. tunneling industry, played a big part in
my career.
C+S: What was the most challenging project you have ever worked on
and why?
SZ: Every project has its own challenges. Possibly the most challeng-
ing one was, sadly, one that was cancelled – Access to Region’s Core,
the tunnel project that is being revived in the form of the Gateway
project. This project had all the great technical challenges one would
look for in a tunneling project, as well as challenges of working with
multiple agencies and stakeholders. All of it is to be revived in the
new project the industry has been waiting for. Applying lessons learned
and previous experiences, and working with tunnel industry veterans
addressing similar challenges will be refreshing. I hope it gets to that
point soon.
C+S: Building great teams. What’s the secret?
SZ: Trust, trust, trust. Also, technical competence, strong will to learn,
and having open and cordial relationships with team members while
understanding their issues and aspirations.
As chair of HNTB’s National Tunnel Practice, I am leading an exem-
plary group of national tunnel experts that practice technical excel-
lence, demonstrate a high level of professional integrity, and serve as
thought leaders and mentors for younger generations of tunnel profes-
sionals. I am very proud of them all.
C+S: Are you recognized in Belgrade, and do you return there for
personal and/or professional reasons?
SZ: I recently started reviving old partnerships and making new con-
nections through activities with ACUUS. That part of Europe has some
of the world’s brightest and bravest minds and I certainly hope it will
soon be more open to worldly exchanges.
RICHARD MASSEY is a freelance writer based in Northwest Arkansas. He can be
reached at wordpower.richard@gmail.com.

2020 Insurance Department of Labor and other governmental organizations

• Money spent paying uncovered losses or funding deductibles

Marketplace: • Your time and your employees’ time spent dealing with losses
• Productivity costs due to time lost by injured workers and the cost of train-

What to Expect
ing new workers
• The cost of insurance (less than 50 percent of the Cost of Risk, in many cases)

By Jeff Cavignac, James P. Schabarum, Jase Hamilton, and
Patrick Casinelli
Insurance is a unique product— the classic intangible. You have to
have it for various reasons, and the right insurance can provide your
business with critical protection while opening up opportunities that
wouldn’t exist otherwise.
Most people view insurance as a necessary evil. After all, you might
pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for a product you hope you don’t
need. If you use it, it will cost more when it renews, and if you use it
a lot the additional cost can seriously affect a company’s profitability.
Insurance is also complex. Most construction firm owners don’t want
to be experts, but they need to understand insurance well enough to be
able to effectively manage it for their company. Our own clients rely
on us to evaluate their exposures to loss, develop risk management
strategies to lower the frequency and severity of their claims, and to ne-
gotiate appropriate coverage placed with the right insurance company
at the lowest realistic cost.
It is also important to put insurance in perspective. As we know it,
our economy could not survive without it. The financial guarantee it
provides (along with surety) is the safety net that allows money to be
lent, contracts to be awarded, and assets and liabilities to be protected.
Insurance can be expensive. For some businesses, it can be their high-
est expense after compensation. This number could double or more if
you factor in the other costs of risk, such as:
Our job as an insurance broker is to help our clients manage these
costs. Insurance premiums are based on a number of factors, including
the type of business, loss experience, and safety practices. Any busi-
ness will have a number of different exposures and require a number
of different policies to provide the appropriate protection. In addition
to these factors, the amount a company pays for insurance is also im-
pacted by the insurance marketplace.
Insurance is a supply-driven business. While demand stays relatively
consistent (it will ebb and flow with the general economy), surplus
can go up and down. Loosely defined, surplus is how much liquid
capital the industry has in their coffers and includes money that is set
aside to pay future claims as well as any additional capital held by the
insurance company.
Specific ratios determine how much premium can safely be written
given a certain amount of surplus. If the ratio of premium to surplus
gets too high, the insurance company’s credit rating (as quantified by
the A. M. Best Company and other rating agencies) could ultimately
impair the insurance company’s ability to operate. If surplus goes
down, insurance companies must write less insurance, which causes
rates to go up. Similarly, if surplus goes up, rates tend to go down. The
industry’s surplus has grown significantly since 2011 (See Table 1)
and this has resulted in flat and, in some cases, decreasing rates over
that same period. 2018 resulted in the first decrease in surplus (albeit
modest) in some time and this concerns many in the industry.
Insurance Cycle Table
$ in Billions
Description 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

Net Written Premium $418.40 $423.80 $438.0 $456.90 $477.7 $487.6 $505.8 $523.5 $552.6 $594.07
• Your time spent analyzing risk Combined Ratio 101 102.4 108.1 103.2 96.1 97.0 97.8 100.7 103.7 99.2

• Money spent on Risk Control, including salaries for Human Resources, Investment Income $47.1 $47.6 $49.1 $48.0 $47.4 $46.2 47.2 46.3 49.0 55.3

Safety and Claims Management Operating Income $45.0 $38.2 $15.4 $33.3 $64.3 $55.6 57.3 42.6 20.3 56.6

Policyholder Surplus $511.50 $556.90 $553.70 $586.8 $653.3 $674.7 $673.7 700.9 752.5 742.16
• The cost of educating employees on safe practices Return on Avg. Net Worth 5.0% 5.6% 3.0% 5.1% 10.3% 8.4% 8.4% 6.2% 5.0% 8.0%

• The cost of complying with all the various laws imposed by OSHA, the Source: Insurance Information Institute (iii.org)

march 2020 csengineermag.com 13

The other factor you have to look at is Return on Average Net Worth.
The insurance industry needs to attract capital, and it competes with
every other business to do so. If you look at Table 1, you will note
that, over the last five years, returns have ranged from 5 to 8.4 percent
and averaged 7.2 percent. These types of returns don’t excite investors
and the industry would ideally like to see their return at 10 percent or
higher. While the industry has been trying to increase rates for the past
several years, the robust surplus numbers have kept the market com-
petitive enough to basically keep rates in line. That is slowly changing.
Rates are starting to trend up.
So, if you are budgeting your insurance costs in 2020, what can you expect?
Property Insurance - Property underwriters have experienced several
poor years in a row due to a number of factors, with the main one
being catastrophe-type claims. Because of this, the insurance compa-
nies are carefully underwriting existing and new business. In general,
preferred risks can expect rate increases of 5-10 percent in 2020. Any
property that is even close to a brush area, however, can see dramatic
rate increases. The 2018 California wildfires hammered property in-
surers (over 30,000 homes destroyed) and this is affecting pricing for
both personal and commercial lines. It is also driving rates up in the
Builders Risk segment, especially for frame construction.
General Liability Insurance - General Liability results have deterio-
rated as well, and underwriters are looking carefully at the risks they
insure. They are also seeking rate increases. While some businesses
will see flat renewal pricing, most will see rate increases of 5 percent
or more.
Auto Insurance - Auto rates continue to increase. It is not uncom-
mon to see prices go up 10-20 percent or more, and this is not the first
year this has happened. This is driven by both an increase in frequency
and severity of claims. Frequency is attributable to distracted driving.
The number of rear-end accidents has doubled in the last five years.
Severity is being adversely impacted by the cost to fix a modern ve-
hicle (cameras and sensors are expensive) and the increased cost of
rated and it is not uncommon to see increases of 5 percent to 15 percent
or more. Underwriters are also looking to increase deductibles on
Employment Practices Liability. It is getting more difficult to obtain
defense coverage for Wage & Hour claims (indemnity damages have
never been covered for Wage & Hour lawsuits).
Cyber Insurance - Cyber Insurance covers both first- and third-party
damages. Most policies have numerous coverage parts, and every
Cyber policy is different. While the current cost is fairly modest, we
have seen claims on the rise. Because the marketplace is still competi-
tive, we only expect modest increases this year; but if the loss trends
continue, prices will have to go up. Note that every business, no matter
how small, needs Cyber Insurance nowadays.
Professional Liability - We are seeing some of the opportunistic insur-
ance companies that jumped into the Professional Liability marketplace
starting to exit. Regardless, this line of coverage remains competitive
and preferred design professionals, attorneys, accountants and other
professionals can expect flat to modest rate increases. Recognize that
every Professional Liability policy is different as are the companies
that offer the coverage. Even more so than most commercial insur-
ance lines of coverage, Professional Liability is not a commodity. It is
critical that you understand the coverage you are buying, as well as the
claims-handling abilities and risk control services that are offered by
the insurance company and your broker.
Workers Compensation - Rates across the country continue to trend
down for Workers Compensation, especially in California. Table 2 in-
dicates that the average rates charged in California have dropped over
30 percent in the last five years and a whopping 66 percent since 2003.
It is anticipated that rates will continue to drop in 2020. Assuming a
consistent Experience Modification, most of our clients can budget flat
to minus 10 percent.
Table 2 - California Workers’ Compensation
$ Dollars Industry Average Charged Rate per $100 of Payroll
6.02
6.00 5.73

medical bills for those injured in accidents. Five years ago, it was not 4.66 4.74

uncommon to see average repair costs for a private passenger vehicle 4.00

or pickup truck of about $1,000. Today, the average can be $1,800,

3.47
3.24 2.97 2.96
2.90

$2,000 or higher. To obtain the most favorable rates, underwriters like

2.81
2.52 2.50 2.52
2.15 2.25 2.32 2.26
2.10 2.04

to see a five-year loss ratio of 25 percent or less in addition to well-

2.00

written Fleet Safety Programs that are being effectively implemented.

0.00

Excess Liability - Excess Liability pricing is based on the premiums

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

of the underlying policies over which it provides coverage. While the
percentage rate of the primary cost is staying consistent, Excess Liabil-
ity pricing has increased, just as auto premiums have. We should point
out that anyone working for a gas and electric company in California
should be forewarned. One such company is now requiring that any
contractor who wants to work on its projects carry $50M in general
liability limits. The excess market for this exposure has all but disap-
peared, and arranging this coverage is outrageously expensive.
Executive Risk including Directors & Officers, Employment Prac-
tices and Fiduciary Liability - Experience in these lines has deterio-
Policy Year
We expect to see insurance prices in general increase 5-10 percent,
with the exception of Workers Compensation. Insurance premiums,
however, need to be kept in perspective. They are only one component
in the cost of risk. As mentioned above and illustrated in the sidebar,
insurance is often 50 percent or less of the total cost of risk.
Surety Outlook 2020: Capitalizing on your Capacity
As 2019 comes to a close, the overall economy remains positive and
continues to grow. Though at a slower pace than experienced in 2018
and early 2019, 2020 should continue to show slow to moderate growth

14 csengineermag.com march 2020

 Direct Premium Written
$7
$6
$5
Billions
$4
$3
$2
1998 2000 2002 2004 2006
as the forecasts of many economists shift gears to a more
cautious outlook.
Although continued optimism may be declining for some, the surety
and construction industry remains very fruitful. The Surety industry
is reporting another record year in direct premium written and overall
capacity, and the availably of credit is at an all-time high. Contractors’
backlogs are strong and profit margins appear to show signs of not only
stabilization, but also slight increases in some trades.
In 2018, The Surety and Fidelity Association of America (SFAA) re-
ported overall direct premium written of $6.6 billion, up from $6.2
billion in 2017. The SFAA anticipates similar growth results for 2019
and likely 2020, with relatively low losses across the board.
Parallel with the Surety industry’s results, non-residential public con-
struction spending remains up nearly 6.4 percent from this time a year
ago. With an election year on the horizon, and increasing infrastructure
needs, non-residential spending should continue to grow in 2020.
The availability of credit is in abundance for both small (under $10
million), medium ($10 - $100 million) and large ($100 - $250 mil-
lion) size contractors. Because of the appearance of an endless surplus
of work, many contractors are pushing their aggregate programs and
continuing to show healthy backlogs going into 2020. The excessive
amount of credit in the small-to-large markets has led many surety
companies to soften their underwriting guidelines in an effort to obtain
additional market share. This has been great for the surety consumer
but will likely have a detrimental long-term impact on inevitable future
surety industry loss results.
Another interesting trend in 2019 is resurgence of Subcontractor
2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018
Default Insurance (SDI) in the market. SDI is an alternate product to
bonding and, over the past 5-10 years, has experienced sizeable losses
due to poor management of aggregate exposures. However, recent
guideline changes and market conditions have given SDI new life, and
this has attracted a number of new players to the SDI marketplace.
Although margins are good and backlogs are increasing, contractors
are still facing a wide range of challenges similar to that we’ve seen
over the past few years, including labor shortages, rising material costs
and the uncertainty of fiscal and government policy.
Even with the small-to-large markets having such strong results in 2018,
not all is smooth sailing, notably in the megaproject arena (greater than
$250M) where the Surety industry has experienced sizable losses and
we’ve seen some significant contractor failures. These large losses may
be isolated but, once fully realized, could have a significant impact
on the overall construction and Surety industries. This will eventually
lead to a correction in these markets.
This begs the question, “Are you prepared for the next downturn?”
Be Prepared
It’s easy for business owners to fall victim to the trap of maintaining
the status quo, especially during times of prosperity. Most contractors
simply lack the focus or do not see the value in assessing their opera-
tional procedures and committing to improving on them until forced by
a market shift or project failure.
However, “Best in Class” business owners understand that now, dur-
ing prosperous times, is the right time to perform an internal audit of
their company’s capacities to capitalize on opportunities and guarantee
both short- and long-term success. An operational audit should focus
march 2020 csengineermag.com 15
on improving deficiencies and strengthening efficiency in standard
operating procedures, internal controls and the successful execution of
your overall business plan.
If you wait for the market to dictate your actions, you will not only
miss valuable opportunities, but you may find yourself in a distressed
position when the next recession occurs. Here are a few areas that all
contractors should be focusing on:
1. Human Resources / Risk Control – How a company attracts, trains and
retains great people has a dramatic impact on its success. Consider includ-
ing a Growth and Development Advisor (GDA) on your management team
to drive a strategic approach and attack the ongoing labor challenges that
have plagued the construction industry. Building a best-in-class culture and
onboarding process will pay dividends many times over.
2. Project Controls – Adopting and integrating advanced communication
and technology into all phases of your business will have a significant im-
pact on morale, productivity and overall profitability. Rapid developments in
artificial intelligence (AI), robotics and industry specific automation and data
management tools are creating competitive advantages for early adaptors.
From estimating and material and equipment procurement to subcontract
management and project execution, the opportunities are endless for im-
proving efficiencies.
3. Financial Controls – Much like project controls, updating your accounting
software to ensure your business is utilizing the right accounting system is
a crucial component to driving your success. The process should begin with
evaluating the market options and discussing your company’s needs with
your accounting team and trusted advisors. Whether it’s a fully integrated or
standalone product, regularly updating your accounting system and controls
will produce more efficiency and, as a result, increase bottom-line success.
4. Contract Procurement and Management – Understanding and know-
ing the best procurement methods for your company and project team are
critical in today’s contracting environment. Those firms that don’t properly
manage the risks associated with hybrid delivery models -- including P3, IPD,
CM/GC, MP, DBB and even some DB (Design/Build) obligations with errone-
ous efficiency guarantees -- could find themselves in a vicious financial trap
with unsophisticated owners, design professionals and/or subcontractors.
5. Succession/Continuity - Succession planning is a topic most owners
avoid. For many, it signifies the culmination of your life’s work and it’s easier
to ignore and put it off until it’s absolutely necessary. However, failing to
effectively develop a detailed plan can have grave consequences, not only
for your company but for business owners and their families. Work with your
advisors to develop a well thought-out and comprehensive succession plan.
The process may take years, but if done right, it can ensure the continued
success and legacy of your business for you and your loved ones.
6. Pay-Off Debt – To manage swelling backlogs, some contractors have been
increasingly dependent on their bank lines of credit or other debt facilities to
help bolster cashflow. The challenge this presents is that, once the economy
enters the next recession and companies experience reduced revenue and
backlogs, contractors might find it increasingly difficult to service outstand-
ing debt obligations. To ease this potential burden, business owners should
16 csengineermag.com march 2020
now look to proactively service debt loads when unearned profits in backlogs
are strong.
In lieu of significant labor shortages, rising material costs and uncer-
tain political policies, both domestic and international signs indicate
that 2020 will be another profitable year for the Surety industry. Direct
premium written and construction revenues should be up, contractor
failures should remain relatively low, margins should continue to rise,
and, for most, backlogs should remain strong.
While there is an overall positive forecast for next year, there are some
contractors who are experiencing growing pains and having a difficult
time managing increased backlogs. But those that are thriving in the
current market should not neglect the importance of taking the time
to reflect on their strengths and focus on improvements for short- and
long-term success.
Health Insurance Outlook for 2020
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has two parts that will affect the small
group (2-99 employees) in 2020:
• HIT = Health Insurer Tax, which began in 2014 with ACA, is a tax of roughly
2 percent that health insurers must pay to the federal government and which
must be built into the rates. Congress suspended HIT for 2017 and for 2019,
but HIT is back again for 2020. So this means that rates for policy periods in
any months during 2020 need to be relatively higher than 2019 due to the
need to include HIT.
RADV stands for Risk Adjustment Data Validation, and is the process
that CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medical Services) uses to ensure
the accuracy and integrity of risk adjustment data (diagnosis codes,
etc.) that are used to determine the risk adjustment transfer payments:
i.e. the amount of money a carrier receives due to having members with
worse risk and the amount of money a carrier pays out due to having
healthier members.
The Cadillac Tax, which was intended to help fund benefits to the un-
insured, is still on the table. Most do not think this will be implemented
until after the 2020 election. If the Cadillac Tax goes through, a 40
percent tax on the cost of health plans where the premium is above
$10,200 per individual and $27,500 for family coverage will be added.
Throughout 2019, we saw minimal increases mostly due to age and
plan changes. Blue Shield handed out the largest increases, which were
due to the HIT and RADV mentioned above.
Each of us will be one year older in 2020, which means our rates will
automatically increase. For 2020, we expect low single-digit rate
increases and minimal plan changes. Rates for all “small” employers
(2-99 eligible employees) will be based on the employee and their
dependents’ individual ages, plan design and location of the company.
For example, a family of five will pay for each family member based
on each individual’s age and the plan they select.
We forecast additional plan changes in 2020 that will remain compli-
ant with ACA guidelines. All of the major insurance companies have
 Total Nonresidential Construction Spending
800,000
Value - Seasonally Adjusted Anual Rate (Millions)

790,000

780,000

770,000

760,000

750,000

740,000

730,000

720,000

710,000

700,000
Jul-17

Jul-18

Jul-19
Jun-17

Jun-18

Jun-19
Nov-16

Nov-17

Nov-18
Apr-17
May-17

Apr-18
May-18

Apr-19
May-19
Aug-16

Dec-16

Aug-17

Dec-17

Aug-18

Dec-18

Aug-19
Mar-17

Jan-18
Feb-18
Mar-18

Sep-18

Jan-19
Feb-19
Mar-19
Sep-16

Jan-17
Feb-17

Sep-17
Oct-16

Oct-17

Oct-18
determined that, in order to stay in compliance with the ACA’s metallic
tier guidelines, they must change plan benefits every year. Using the
Platinum Plan as an example, if the actuarial value of a plan this year
was $1,000, then the Platinum Plan has to cover 90 percent ($900) and
pass 10 percent ($100) to the plan member. In the second year, if the
actuarial value goes up to $1,100, 10 percent ($110) can be passed to
the plan member. This will always be a moving target until the values
are fixed or the law is changed.
For insurance carriers to be competitive in 2020, they will continue
to see plans that offer Skinny Network choices, which offer a smaller
number of providers. Skinny Network plans might offer an attractive
price, but employees will have a limited choice of doctors. Be sure
to run a report to compare current providers to those associated with
any programs you are considering. Insurance carriers continue to seek
greater discounts from hospitals, medical groups and doctors and are
offering patient exclusivity in return. Some insurance carriers will al-
low Skinny Networks to be offered side-by-side with full networks,
with the price and contribution being set by the employer to favor one
or the other.
Employee satisfaction increases with choice of medical plans and net-
works, so the more choices offered, the better the employees feel about
their benefits package. Also, ancillary (Dental, Life, Disability and
Vision) and supplemental (Accident, Cancer, Hospital, etc.) benefits
have shown to greatly improve employee satisfaction, which will help
your organization hire and retain the best employees.
Captives, self-funding and partially self-funded plans continue to
be popular and could be a viable option for companies with over 50
employees. Additional ways to reduce costs include buying a Bronze
Level Plan and supplementing it with Cancer, Hospital, Accident and
Critical Illness plans.
Conclusion
While it is important that you have a basic understanding of the eco-
nomics of the insurance industry and how this can affect your business,
there is nothing you can do about it. The market is the market. What
you can control is how your company manages risk. Risk management
is “market agnostic.” It needs to be front and center all the time.
In the long run, the only way to reduce the cost of risk is to reduce
the frequency and severity of claims that drive the cost. An effective
risk management program coupled with a proactive risk management-
oriented insurance brokerage and the right insurance company is the
key to lowering your total cost of risk. Investment in risk management
will produce great returns and directly impact your bottom line.
JEFF CAVIGNAC, CPCU, RPLU, ARM, JAMES P. SCHABARUM II, CPCU, AFSB, AND PATRICK
CASINELLI, RHU, REBC, CHRS, are Principals and Jase Hamilton, CPCU, AFSB, is
a Surety Account Executive for Cavignac & Associates, a leading risk manage-
ment and commercial insurance brokerage firm providing a broad range of
insurance and expertise to design and construction firms, as well as to law
firms, real estate-related entities, manufacturing companies and the general
business community. The firm employs a staff of 55-plus people at offices
located at 450 B Street, Suite 1800, San Diego, Calif., 92101. More informa-
tion about the company can be found on the Web at www.cavignac.com.

march 2020 csengineermag.com 17

business news

An Interview with Nikhil

Choudhary and David Renard
of Zenith Engineers Inc.
By Editorial Staff

Civil and Structural Engineer recently sat down with Nikhil Choudhary
and Davide Renard, two members of the engineering industry making
a splash with San Francisco-based, Zenith Engineers Inc. This firm
takes a unique approach to its clients, project delivery, and technology,
hoping to change industry standards for service, quality, and expertise.
This approach has helped them land a prestigious place on the Inc. 500
list in 2019. The journey is far from over, and Zenith’s leadership has
plans for a larger West Coast expansion in 2020.

Nikhil Choudhary, CEO, founded Zenith in 2009, along with current

president and CTO, Senthil Puliyadi, after seeing a need to address
key areas they felt were missing from the engineering and construc-
tion industries—service, expertise, and responsiveness. Choudhary
graduated from Michigan State University with a master’s degree in
structural engineering, then spent several years working in general
contracting and construction management before founding Zenith.

Prior to joining Zenith, David Renard spent nearly a decade in con-

struction product manufacturing and modular construction project
management. As Zenith’s vice president of sales & partnerships, he is
in charge of partnership development and personnel growth manage-
ment. He also sits on the board for the Society of American
Military Engineers. ICF Project in Santa Rosa, CA.

C+S: Your growth over the time period measured by the Inc. 500 is
1,924 percent. That’s a pretty astounding number. Which of your four
major service lines did the heaviest lifting in terms of this growth?
NC: It goes back to how we grew so fast. We call ourselves recession-
proof because we do service four different sectors. We take on the stuff
that other engineering companies do not want to do. To the question
of which division does the heaviest lifting: I would say it’s all of them
together. It’s a combined effort of how each of our divisions work
together for the overall gain of the company. For example, our resi-
dential division is very low-profit. It’s really hard work because our
end users are homeowners, and this might be the biggest investment
of their lives. But for us it’s a very small project, so just imagine the
coordination that goes on if you’re dealing with 500-1000 homeowners
every year. Although it’s not very profitable, it gives us a cash flow
because these homeowners do not have a line of credit, so they have to
pay us a major portion of the fee up front as a retainer. This balances
out the lesser profit margin from the division. On the other side, our
commercial division is very profitable, but our clients are contractors
who never get paid on time because they are larger projects. Although
the commercial division is more profitable overall, the cash flow still
comes from the residential division.
C+S: We know that cash flow is the lifeblood of the engineering indus-
try, and if you have that money tied up in accounts receivable you can
go down the tube pretty quick. Now, David, as a VP of Sales, a big part
of your job is business development. How are you going to use this Inc.
500 designation?
DR: It’s a great accolade and it’s validation. We were founded in 2009
in the thick of a recession. It was a grind to build a great team of people
who take ownership of their projects and want to be the best engineer
that they could be. Getting this validation now is kind of fun for our
clients, the ones that already make up our base that go: “We knew you
guys were special, and we’re really glad you got this award.” What
this hopefully does is allow us to get into different doors where clients
will say: “Oh, you guys are Zenith Engineers. We’ve seen your name
on title blocks and other submittals. We see the quality of your work,
and we see how responsive you are. We see how you take ownership
of a project and actually want to design what we’re used to building
versus going in not knowing anything about either the contractor or

18 csengineermag.com march 2020


Metal frame construction
the client and trying to dictate design.” With this validation people are
going to take us more seriously and know we are the fastest growing
firm, so we are doing something right.
I always tell our team that we didn’t go into this obsessed with growth.
We went into this thinking there is an interesting void, and there’s an
element of this being a service industry and people forgetting about
the customer service aspect of it. So, this growth is essentially a by-
product of all these measures we put into place to ensure these clients
are going to get the best experience working with a structural engineer.
I used to run West Coast operations for building manufacturers, and the
biggest crux in all these projects was being held up in engineering. Not
that the engineer was doing a bad job. It was just being held up, or we
weren’t getting what we wanted. And so, I went on a journey to find a
new type of engineer that is going to be responsive and flexible to what
we need to achieve in the field. And then I met Nikhil and Zenith, and
I realized there is something here that nobody else has tried to really
form a solid base on—putting the client first.
We talked about residential in the beginning, and that’s what really
gave us perspective. Nikhil was talking about this being a very big
investment on the homeowner’s part, but this is also possibly their
introduction to construction. It’s not like commercial services where
it’s one business talking to another. There are a lot of questions and
emotions along the way. This is not to knock homeowners, but to say
they’ve taught us patience. They’ve taught us that we need to bring a
level of sensitivity to our workflow because it’s not just a client. It’s
a home. When you have that experience and you’re able to transfer it
to a commercial client, it’s a completely different experience, and they
usually tell us it’s different. Then they start telling their friends, and
that’s how it spread like wildfire. We’re not a marketing company.
We’re a hardcore structural engineering firm that wants to take on proj-
ects that other engineers thought were too high risk.
NC: Coming back to the same thing, I’ve seen companies who start
with residential, servicing homeowners, and then when they grow they
stop servicing them. We don’t want to do that because those are the
customers that trusted us when we started. That’s why our residential
team is a completely separate entity, and we tell them not to worry
about profit margins. All we tell them to worry about is customer ser-
vice because we know, if there is another recession, that’s where our
money will come from. People will still be renovating homes, but,
instead of homeowners, there will be investors. They are going to be
flipping properties, and they are still going to need structural engineer-
ing and architecture. That’s exactly where we come in.
C+S: I like that you’re talking about customer service because it’s
sometimes a lost art in the engineering industry. But, let’s talk a little
bit about yourselves. Nikhil, how old were you when you founded
your firm?
NC: I was right about 30 when I founded the firm. It’s been about
10 years since we founded the firm in 2009. It’s been a long and
tough journey. In this industry especially, people treat more age as
more experience and knowledge. Changing that mindset is difficult,
but at Zenith we see our youth as a positive. Our headquarters is in
Silicon Valley, so many of our customers are high-tech. They work in
high-tech, and they want a firm or company that is high-tech too. We
make everything paperless and do online storage. We make use of
technology so that everything is documented so when I client calls us
for missing project papers two years down the line, we can send them
a link. If a client complains, “I signed this contract a month ago and I
haven’t received my drawings,” we have a robust CRM process. We
track every communication, even a text from a project engineer to a
client. All our admin has to do is search the project number and the
whole history is right there.
C+S: Let’s go back to how you founded Zenith. There are plenty of
people out there who want to hear your story. How did it begin?
NC: I used to work at a startup in New York. At that point, I was
ready to start my own company, but I still wanted more experience,
so I worked in the Midwest and New York for quite a bit of time. I
came back to California for a high ranking position at Siemens, but
coming from a startup, I hated my life. I was very comfortable, but it
did not serve my life’s purpose because I was tied up in a bureaucratic
machine. Every little thing I had to get approval for, and I was not used
march 2020 csengineermag.com 19
to that side of things. I would want to service a client and had the tools,
but I needed approval that would take 15 or 20 days.
At that point, I said I’ve been thinking about this for a long time, and I
spoke with my business partner who is now our CTO, Senthil Puliyadi.
He’s an engineer’s engineer. I have a Master’s in Structural Engineer-
ing, but I chose my career path more into operations and construc-
tion management. That means I come from more of a management
background and I understand how to scale up small businesses. That’s
something that a lot of people lack these days. This is where we jive
together because he can take care of all the technical aspects and I can
focus on the business side. This makes us a good team.
C+S: You are still a small company. You still have a long way to go.
You’re out on the West Coast with a lot of big firms. Looking at your
business development and marketing looking forward, what’s the plan
to continue the growth trajectory you’re on right now with a predicted
bear market coming up?
DR: In a sea of sharks, we’re a school of dolphins. We have agility
and adaptability in the team we’ve built so far. It goes back to the four
divisions we serve. Residential taught us patience. A regular engineer
will design the building, but they don’t actually design the construction
methods to go it up. We do that, and it taught us construction phasing
as well as the overall lifecycle of a project—how multiple designers
and engineers could impact each other negatively to affect the builder’s
deadlines. This taught us to look at things not from scratch and how we
can deal with something that is already existing.
We are now positioned to have the experience that no other engineer
has, and the patience to deal with owners and changes. We aren’t
thrown for a loop. We can deal with that. Then we have the construc-
tion phasing knowledge to understand how this building is going to go
up quickly with the most economical materials and labor. And then,
of course on the seismic stuff we are creative, so we can come up with
solutions on the fly. It’s an incredible future we’re positioned for.
20 csengineermag.com march 2020
C+S: How does all this fit into your company culture?
NC: We are very ownership driven. It’s not the owners who drive
them to work though. Each of our employees, whether it be admin or
accounting or engineering or sales, takes ownership of their tasks or
projects. We make sure our hiring process is so robust that we make
sure a person coming in shares our ambition and has the same passion.
Also, we take care of our team members or employees. Like you men-
tioned, we are a small business, so we are also like a small family. We
have just about 30 employees. Our employees stick around with us,
and they are making the best salaries the industry has to offer. Also,
like you mentioned, we have youth on our side. Our company has the
youngest engineering managers because we rate performance by talent.
We are not aiming for the next family-owned company. We are aiming
for the next public company. We don’t want to create just a family
business. That’s when I decided that every employee of Zenith an
equal opportunity if they perform well and if they are talented. Last
year was the first year where an employee who started as a junior proj-
ect engineer got inducted as a partner. These kinds of opportunities
are very unheard of, and are very unconventional in a conventional in-
dustry. That’s where we want to take Zenith. It’s an employee owned
company, not a family-owned one, and we respect talent and we want
to retain the most talented individuals.
C+S: In the future, do you want to stay in California, or do you want
to grow geographically?
DR: We’re based in California now, but we still have the ability to
work in every state across the country as well as Canada and other
places internationally. We carry all those licenses in-house. But we
want that physical presence. We have a strategy now for next year to
grow into Seattle, Las Vegas, and San Diego. That will let us cover a
little more of Southern California, Nevada, and Washington. We have
one, two, and five-year plans for the future, and we have the personnel
to help manage it and the leadership to execute.
A Look Back: Catching Up
with Paul Greenhagen,
2019 Jerry Allen Courage in
Leadership Award Winner
By Luke Carothers
Each year, Zweig Group, based in Fayetteville, Arkansas, presents
the Jerry Allen Courage in Leadership award, which is given to an
individual working in an architecture, engineering, planning, or envi-
ronmental firm who has made a tremendous impact on the company
through courageous leadership. It is the highest individual award given
by Zweig Group.
This award is named in honor of Jerry Allen, a leader in the industry
who inspired loyalty and innovation. Jerry Allen grew the Fort Worth
based firm Carter & Burgess (now Jacobs) from 200 employees and
$17 million in revenue in 1988 to 2,300 employees and $381 million
in revenue by 2002. After Jerry Allen passed away from colon cancer
at the age of 62, the award was developed in his honor.
Zweig Group Founder and Chairman, Mark Zweig believes the special
nature of this award lies in the man it was named after, saying, “[the
award] honors a tremendous individual. Jerry was a very, very strate-
gic thinker. He was truly great at getting people behind his program
and make it happen. We are looking for other Jerry Allen’s out there.
People who have that spirit to overcome obstacles. Individuals who
can achieve their long-term vision through other people. Individuals
who know how to treat other people.”
Zweig Group’s 2019 Jerry Allen Courage in Leadership award winner
is certainly cut from the same cloth.
Paul Greenhagen, PS, was appointed CEO of Westwood in 2010. Un-
der his direction, the firm has expanded from one office in Minnesota
to a dozen offices throughout the U.S. The first step of this expansion
took place shortly after Greenhagen took over as CEO and President in
the depths of a recession. At a time when other companies were down-
sizing, Greenhagen had the foresight to bolster Westwood’s chances of
growing despite the economic climate.
According to Bryan P. Powell, PE, this is an example of starting with
a single crazy idea and working from there. Powell, who is the Senior
Vice President of Westwood’s Land Division, started working at the
company shortly after Greenhagen became president in 2010. He be-
lieves Greenhagen has the, “ability and willingness to take risk, dream
big, and create a vision for what Westwood can become.” Powell also
adds that Greenhagen has, “humility as a leader” and that he “acknowl-
edges he doesn’t have the answer to every question.”
We sat down with Paul to see if he had the answers to our questions:
Paul Greenhagen accepting his award at The 2019 Elevate AEC conference.
Civil + Structural Engineer: The 2019 Jerry Allen Courage in Leader-
ship Award was presented live at the Elevate AEC conference. What
were you feeling in the initial moments after hearing your name called,
and what did it mean to be recognized with such an accomplishment in
a room full of your peers?
PG: It was completely unexpected and a great feeling to be recognized
by my team. I was very surprised, humbled, and very honored to be
chosen for this award from all of the worthy candidates in the room.
C+S: Your colleagues noted your incredible ability to confidently lead
your employees and empower them to take calculated risks. Has win-
ning this award caused any change in your leadership style, or has it
more reinforced the way you were doing things previously?
PG: Winning the award has reinforced the way I do things and gives me
confidence as we continue to make bold moves and take calculated risks.
C+S: They also mentioned your ability to cultivate a “one-team”
spirit within the company, which is evident considering your firm also
took home awards in Best Firms to Work for, Hot Firms, Marketing
Excellence, and Trifecta. How do you weigh those awards against
something like the Jerry Allen Courage in Leadership Award?
We work very hard at Westwood to cultivate a One Team culture across
all of our markets, service groups, and offices. We never stop challeng-
ing ourselves to improve as a Best Place to Work, Hot Firm, and in
Marketing Excellence. I think the Jerry Allen award is recognition of
that constant effort to improve and build a strong cohesive team.
C+S: This award encompasses quite a bit of growth undertaken by
Westwood, and with such strides you are certainly deserving. With that
said, what’s next for you and Westwood?
PG: I truly believe that with growth comes success, both professionally
and personally. I will keep growing with the company.
We will raise the bar. We will continue to challenge ourselves as a
company and as individuals, which means we intentionally strive to
improve. Our strategic plan calls for strong growth and continued
diversification in our markets, locations, and services. We are always
looking for great people and teams to help us achieve our goals.
LUKE CAROTHERS is the editor for Civil + Structural Engineer. If you want to contrib-
ute an article or talk about a project, contact him at lcarothers@zweiggroup.com.
march 2020 csengineermag.com 21
Protecting Infrastructure
Through Stream
Restorations
By Emily Poynter Jenkins
A 33” sanitary interceptor pipe lay exposed in the middle of the Un-
named tributary to the Saline Branch (Photo 1). Rising water from a
storm carries a large log towards the exposed pipe. The log rams into
the pipe; the pipe bends but does not break—yet.
Had the pipe broken, thousands of gallons per minute of raw sewage
would have spilled into the Tributary; thousands of gallons per minute
of stream and storm water would have entered the pipe, flooding the
wastewater treatment plant and causing immediate sewage back-ups at
the homes connected to the pipe.
This scenario is occurring all over the United States as aging pipe in-
frastructure crosses streams that were once small ditches, but are now
large, flashy, urban streams. The pipe infrastructure is deteriorating due
to having been installed 50 to 100 years ago, while the streams they
cross have increased in size and strength. The combination of these
two factors can be a hazard to public health and to the environment.
In 2017, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) gave a re-
port card on the United States infrastructure. We, as a country, received
a D for Drinking Water Infrastructure and a D+ for Wastewater Infra-
structure, which means the infrastructure is in poor to fair condition
and approaching the end of its service life. Condition and capacity are
of serious concern with strong risk of failure.
So, the pipes carrying our drinking water and wastewater have a strong
risk of failing and many of those pipes cross streams. Years ago, when
most of the drinking water and wastewater pipes were installed, pipes
crossed small ditches. However, as more areas were developed and
more rainfall ran off into the ditches, they grew into large streams with
serious erosive capabilities.
Broken pipes often cause adverse environmental impacts, in addition
to harming and inconveniencing the community. Boil orders and sew-
age backups into basements can cause damage and frustrate homeown-
ers. Emergency fixes to the pipe, the stream, and the water/wastewater
plant can be expensive while also leaving the public with a
negative impression.
Performing stream restorations at pipe crossings protects aging infra-
structure and also provides communities with urban green space and
has numerous ecological benefits. A stream restoration is the manipula-
tion of the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of a site
with the goal of returning natural/historic functions to a former or de-
graded aquatic resource. Stream restorations stabilize streambeds and
22 csengineermag.com march 2020
A 33-inch sanitary interceptor pipe exposed in the middle of the Unnamed Tributary
to the Saline Branch. Photo: Jenkins / Farnsworth Group
banks to prevent scouring of pipes and improve the basic functions and
ecology of stream systems.
In addition, people are drawn to natural spaces, particularly when they
are easily accessible in urban areas. Restoring sections of stream in
urban settings can provide personal wellness opportunities to the com-
munity. What once was a liability can become an asset for the com-
munity and the environment.
Protect Infrastructure
Water is powerful. Water can cut into banks, undercut pipes, and erode
pipe and bridge footings. I have seen a 33” sanitary interceptor that
was once buried under a stream, completely exposed with the stream
flowing under it. Another stream cut into its bank until a large exposed
vertical streambank was 20 feet away from a home.
A stream restoration not only redirects the flow of water away from
the bank but also from infrastructure. We can direct the flow of water
into the center of the stream using large boulders, logs, or tree root
wads placed in the streambed. The boulders or logs are placed to create
structures that force water to slow down near the bank, then speed up
as it cascades over the boulder into a center pool in the middle of
the stream.
We can also spread the water out onto the floodplain to slow down the
water and decrease the force it has on the streambanks. When stream-
flow is confined to a narrow, deep channel, the flow increases and the
water can erode banks and infrastructure easily. When the streamflow
can spread out over a floodplain, the flow is slower and banks are
more protected.
In Champaign, Illinois, an electrical box was located on the outside
bend of the Copper Slough. The stream had eroded the bank away,
leaving the electrical box only a few feet away from a vertical, unstable
streambank. Farnsworth Group, a full-service architectural and engi-
neering firm, protected the electrical box by restoring the stream. Boul-
der structures were used to direct water into the center of the stream,
away from the bank with the electrical box. A small ledge, or bench,
was graded into the bank to allow water to spread out and slow down
during rain events. The bend in the stream channel was adjusted to be

Copper Slough post-restoration. Photo: Jenkins / Farnsworth Group
a longer, more gradual curve, adding stability in the stream. Native
vegetation was planted on the banks to protect against bank erosion
and to provide an ecological habitat for pollinators and small wildlife
(Photo 2).
Because of this stream restoration, the electrical box is protected, the
stream is stable, ecology in the area is flourishing, and the homeowners
can reap the benefits associated with being near nature.
Increase personal wellness
While at graduate school in Maryland, I lived in a suburb of Washing-
ton D.C. My research afforded me an opportunity to get outside, but
my day-to-day routine kept me in very urban environments. I found
myself making time to hike and camp, referring to it as my “woods
fix.” After my “woods fix,” I felt centered, calm, and rejuvenated.
Several years later I realized that it’s not just me who needs a “woods
fix.” Researchers have found that being in nature or even viewing
scenes of nature reduces anger, fear, and stress. Forest bathing, a com-
mon practice in Japan, consists of simply being in the forest and has be-
come a healing and preventive healthcare practice in Japanese medicine.
Blue Space, a specific subset of “woods fix,” is the term given to the
impact of water (sea, river, lakes, and even urban water features) on
health and wellbeing. The sight and sound of water can relax us by
The Second Street Basin of the Boneyard Creek in Champaign, Illinois. Photo: Jenkins / Farnsworth Group
lowering cortisol (stress hormone) and raising serotonin (the “happy
chemical” our nerve cells produce). Areas of water in or near nature
are particularly beneficial to human health and we tend to seek them
out when we can (think beach and lake vacations).
People enjoy being near nature – it improves their mood and wellbeing.
Stream restorations at pipe crossings locations create an opportunity
for Blue Space and nature accessibility for the community. If a stream
corridor is owned by the City or Park District, a pipe crossing a stream
can become a park amenity by adding a pedestrian bridge over the
stream, creating a walking path near the stream, incorporating wa-
terfalls or other water features, or building a playground or pavilion
adjacent to the stream.
The City of Champaign, Illinois took advantage of the Boneyard Creek
restoration project in a similar fashion (Photo 3). Though the main
objective of the project is to provide flood storage, the restoration
provides a multi-use trail along-side the channel and flood storage ba-
sin, called Second Street Basin. On any given day, you can walk past
the Second Street Basin and see kids playing in the waterfall feature,
runners jogging on the trails crisscrossing the Basin, and people bird-
watching, picnicking or just napping on the benches along the creek.
Provide Ecological Benefits
Stream restorations are an ecologically friendly way of approaching
stream instabilities to protect infrastructure. Many of the features that
help create a stable stream and protect infrastructure, like access to
a floodplain and boulder structures, also provide benefits to ecology.
When streams flood onto their floodplains, food sources found on
floodplains are washed into the channel. Organic matter like leaves,
woody debris, and vegetation are introduced into the stream ecosys-
tem. Aquatic invertebrates, like insect larvae, snails, and crawdads,
consume the organic matter; fish consume invertebrates. To create and
preserve a healthy circle of life in the stream, you need a constant sup-
ply of organic material, which is readily available on the floodplain.
Stream structures designed to protect the bed and banks of streams, as
well as the infrastructure on the bed and banks, also provide ecological
benefits to the stream system. Structures create diversity in channel
flow. Slower water upstream of the structure and immediately behind
(downstream) of a boulder are refuges for smaller fish. The fast-
moving riffles over a structure provide dissolved oxygen to the water.
Fast-moving water also washes away fine sediment particles from the
march 2020 csengineermag.com 23

Unnamed Tributary to the Saline Branch post-restoration to protect the 33” sanitary
sewer. Photo: Jenkins / Farnsworth Group
gravel bottom of the channel, which is necessary for ideal fish
spawning locations.
Vegetation along the banks of the stream provides shade to the stream,
which regulates the temperature of the water. Vegetation also provides
habitat to pollinators like bees, butterflies, and dragonflies. Dragonflies
carry the additional benefit of eating 30-100 mosquitoes a day. Small
mammals and birds live and eat in streamside vegetation. A restored
stream system can host a diverse bevy of species.
For example, one week after the Copper Slough bank restoration
project in Champaign was complete, a blue heron was fishing off of
the boulder structure in the stream. Fish were enjoying the depth of
the scour pool beneath the structure, and dragonflies, songbirds, and
butterflies were bountiful in the native vegetation lining both sides of
the stream.
Birders regularly come to the Boneyard Creek Second Street Basin to
watch the migratory birds take refuge in the restored in-stream basin.
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) found a fish
species called the Largescale Stoneroller in the Kickapoo Creek one
year after the first phase of a stream restoration project was completed.
The Largescale Stoneroller is classified as a species in greatest need of
conservation by IDNR.
Increase Property Values
Not surprisingly, the biggest argument against stream restorations is
the cost in comparison to a less-natural approach, like using riprap or
concrete to stabilize infrastructure. Certainly, stream restorations are
expensive, but they are also sustainable.
Stream restorations have long-lasting, positive effects. With a one-
time restoration project, infrastructure is protected for the foreseeable
24 csengineermag.com march 2020
future because the flow is manipulated away from sensitive areas.
Conversely, riprap and concrete in the stream simply armor the sensi-
tive areas. When water hits riprap or concrete, it is moving fast and
creates turbulence near the bank. That turbulence can erode adjacent
unprotected areas of the bank, causing increased erosion around and
downstream of the hard-armored materials.
Additionally, research shows that property values increase near water
features. Home lots adjacent to wet ponds in Champaign and Urbana,
Illinois are worth an average of 21.9 percent more than non-adjacent
lots in the same subdivision. A study by Nicholls and Crompton (2017)
shows that “significant positive property price effects are associated
with river, stream, and canal view and proximity.” Once a stream has
been restored to protect infrastructure, adjacent property values
will increase.
The most sustainable and multi-functional method to protect infra-
structure at stream crossings is a restoration. Stream restorations create
a stable stream that will provide long-lasting protection of the infra-
structure. Restorations have the additional benefits of reestablishing
the ecological function of a stream system and reconnecting people to
nature, thereby improving their personal wellness. By changing our
perspective, we can turn failing infrastructure into an opportunity to
create an asset to the community and the environment while protecting
the well-being of both.
And what about the 33” exposed sanitary interceptor pipe in the Un-
named Tributary to the Saline Branch? Farnsworth Group compared
several options to protect the pipe and determined the most cost-effec-
tive solution was to restore the stream.
We adjusted the channel alignment to gently curve the stream away
from the threatened manhole, constructed a small bench, or shelf, on
the bank to give the stream space to flood, and constructed a series of
structures with boulders to direct the flow of water into the center of
the channel and away from the bank. We also slowed the water directly
upstream of the pipe by creating a slow-moving pool, followed by a
long, steep streambed where water cascades and tumbles over large
rocks. The banks and floodplain are now planted with native vegetation
(Photo 4).
The interceptor pipe is now carefully protected underneath the boul-
ders of a stream structure. Deer, heron, turtles, and a plethora of fish
have been spotted in the park setting, and raccoon tracks can be seen
on the stream bank. The sound of running water muffles traffic noises
nearby. I watch a dragonfly dart across the water and listen to the bees
droning on the bank. The serenity of the stream relaxes and rejuvenates
me as I head back to the office to start the next project.
EMILY POYNTER JENKINS, PHD, PE, CFM, is a project engineer for Farnsworth
Group (www.f-w.com) who has been designing stable and sustainable stream
restorations and bank stabilizations for more than 10 years. Examples shown
in this article are designs of hers and the Farnsworth Group team. Her clients
have included municipalities, utility companies, local developers/builders, and
private property owners.
A new connection:
Comcast pedestrian tunnel
By Thomas J. Friese
In the heart of Philadelphia sits the new Comcast Technology Center.
The 60-floor, 1,121-foot skyscraper is the tallest building in Philadel-
phia and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the tenth-tallest building
in the United States, and the tallest outside Manhattan and Chicago.
The building is adjacent to Comcast’s corporate headquarters and the
roughly 1.9 million square feet of building supports a large employee
base, with many depending on the Southeastern Pennsylvania Trans-
portation Authority (SEPTA) commuter rail system for their daily com-
mute. The SEPTA concourse system, specifically Suburban Station, is
a gateway for commuters to enter Center City and provides access to
approximately 25,000 passengers daily. To help alleviate pedestrian
congestion on 18th Street, which separates the new tower from the
original Headquarters Tower building, and extend the station concourse
through the new building to 19th Street, the developers constructed
a pedestrian tunnel crossing under 18th Street to a public concourse
under the new building. This addition to the station complex extends
the concourse to 19th Street.
The installation of the pedestrian tunnel was no easy feat, and almost
seemed impossible to achieve. In order to clear the way for the new
tunnel, significant public utilities had to be rerouted including major
electrical, teledata, steam, water, gas, and sewer infrastructure of which
the sewer and water were designed by Pennoni.
Photo: Foster + Partners
In addition to the utilities, understanding the existing SEPTA infra-
structure related to the underground rail system was equally important.
For a portion of its 100-ft length, the pedestrian tunnel is resting on top
of the 80-year-old train tunnel structures. Our extensive site investiga-
tions for the tunnel construction included archive records research, test
pit excavations, ground penetrating radar, 3D survey scans from the
surface and in the SEPTA tunnels, and coordination with numerous
agencies. Installation of the tunnel across 18th Street required raising
the grade of the street almost 3-ft, necessitating a redesign of the
entire block.
“Finding a path to join those two buildings was one of the most chal-
lenging parts of the entire project,” recalls John Gattuso, President and
CEO of Gattuso Development Partners. “We had to go across 18th
Street, over the top of the rail tunnel, adjacent to and through all the
utilities, and underneath the ramp in the parking garage. We literally
had to raise the entire height of the street by two feet, relocate vast
amounts of massive utilities and find a way to squeeze the concourse
through any number of foundations, including the foundation of
the church.”
Pennoni had primary responsibility for preparing conceptual options
and preliminary designs, and coordination with all affected utility own-
ers and City agencies. Once the tunnel corridor was confirmed and
utility owners had signed-off on the proposed tunnel routing/utilities
rerouting, a preliminary design was coordinated with the tunnel design
team including Kelly/Maiello Architects and Thornton Tomasetti struc-
tural engineers. Pennoni continued to provide design review and coor-
dination between various utilities owners, particularly the Philadelphia
Water Department and the tunnel design team and constructors as they
finalized their utility relocation design and carried out construction.
The entire Comcast Technology Center
took four years to complete. In addition
to the pedestrian tunnel, Pennoni pro-
vided multiple services for this iconic
project including land and title surveys,
geotechnical, environmental, civil/site,
and transportation engineering. The
project required zoning approval and
City Council ordinances for which
Pennoni played an instrumental role
providing the necessary
technical support.
THOMAS J. FRIESE, PE serves as Associate
Vice President and Division Manager
in our Site/Civil Design and Landscape
Architecture Division with more than 36
years of site design experience. For more
information on this project, contact Tom at
TFriese@Pennoni.com.
march 2020 csengineermag.com 25
Intelligent Compaction
is the Key
Long-lasting, durable surfaces result from quality compaction
By Jeff Winke
The most elemental meaning of the word "compaction," is the exertion
of force on something so that it becomes more dense.
In the realm of road construction, compaction is considered one of the
most important processes in pavement and roadway surface construc-
tion. It is necessary in order to attain high quality and uniformity of
pavement materials, which in turn better ensures the long-lasting
performance of the road.
It has been more than a few years since the term and method of "intel-
ligent compaction" (IC) has become a given in discussions of paving.
Today, it has become the norm – compaction is pretty much considered
intelligent compaction.
26 csengineermag.com march 2020
Here is a simple dictionary type definition: IC refers to the compaction
of road materials, such as soils, aggregate bases, or asphalt pavement
materials, using modern vibratory rollers equipped with an integrated
measurement system, an onboard computer reporting system, Global
Positioning System (GPS) based mapping, and optional feedback con-
trol. IC rollers facilitate real-time compaction monitoring and timely
adjustments to the compaction process by integrating measurement,
documentation, and control systems. IC rollers also maintain a con-
tinuous record of color-coded plots, allowing the user to view plots
of the precise location of the roller, the number of roller passes, and
material stiffness measurements.
"Operators have told me that intelligent compaction takes the guessing
game out of their rolling pattern," said Daniel F. Brown, president of
Phend & Brown, Inc., Milford, Ind. "They no longer need to remember
which utility power pole or mailbox they started or stopped at with
their rolling pattern. Additionally, uniform pass coverage is assured
because pass coverage is being measured and documented."
Back in 2011 the FHA reported on a major three-year research project
which was designed to verify that IC, which at the time had been con-
sidered "emerging technology," was mature enough to be implemented
in the real world. The intent of the project was to create the blueprint in
the FHWA IC strategic plan. This study was under the Transportation
Pooled Fund project, which included 12 participating state department
of transportation: Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Maryland, Minnesota,
Mississippi, New York, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia,
and Wisconsin.
The report's Executive Summary states that the project "demonstrated
tried-and-true Intelligent Compaction (IC) technologies through six-
teen (16) field projects and open house activities, numerous meetings
and training for State personnel and local earthwork/paving contrac-
tors, and assistance on the development of State IC specifications."
The IC project's key conclusions:
• IC mapping of existing support layers is effective in identifying weak sup-
port areas for corrective actions prior to the compaction of the upper layers.
• With hot-mix asphalt (HMA) paving, IC tracking compaction roller passes
and HMA surface temperatures can provide the necessary means to maintain
a consistent rolling pattern within optimal ranges of temperatures for cover-
age of 100 percent of the construction area.
• IC technologies can be especially beneficial to maintain consistent rolling
patterns under lower visibility conditions, such as night paving operations.
IC technology, the report stated, will have profound influence on the
responsibilities of various stages of pavement constructions and will
eventually help produce better and more consistent pavement products.
"We are currently running Topcon C-53 IC Systems on two Caterpillar
CB-534 D XW rollers, and two systems on Bomag BW190 AD roll-
ers," stated Brown. "At the time of purchase, the C-53, which offers the
GX-55 control box, was the newest technology available.
"We like that the technology provides for remote mobile access via
Sitelink to allow process balance decisions to be based on real-time
data for the entire paver/roller operation, which in turn ensures that
optimal production rates and density values are consistently achieved."
Topcon Positioning Systems offers an intelligent compaction system
that is designed to track pass counts of multiple rollers or IC machines
working on the same project. Through secure connectivity to Topcon's
global Sitelink3D service, each compactor not only performs its tasks,
but also becomes part of the overall monitored project.
"Each operator is not only able to see their own passes, but those made
by other machines on-screen in real time," Brown said. "And in real
time, the paving superintendant, foreman, and general contractor per-
sonnel can also see what exactly is going on via the Sitelink platform.
This ensures proper compaction from each machine and
eliminates redundancy."
The IC system is designed to:
• Leverage multiple integrated temperature sensors, so each compactor can
achieve consistent results through constant feedback into the system.
• Provide accurate pass counts, geographic locations of each run, as well as
georeferenced task assignments and their completion via its GNSS technology.
• Ensure that regulatory IC standards are being met by documenting surface
stiffness values through its accelerometer.
• Connect to the Sitelink3D Enterprise service which provides 24/7 access
to project data, team collaboration, custom reporting, as well as standard
export to Veta management and analysis software, which can provide ad-
ditional customized information.
• Provide data to demonstrate specification compliance and confirm proper
density claims.
"We're using the Topcon C-53 IC System with a GX-75 control box
on our 850 Series Sakai oscillation/vibration paving roller, which al-
lows the machine operator to monitor the compaction pattern and the
temperature as they're working," stated Sergio Muniz, paving superin-
tendent with Payne & Dolan, Inc., Waukesha, Wis., who acquired the
system working through his local Topcon Solutions Store. "I like that I
can jump onto my laptop and see the work being completed in real time
and make certain we're complying with the tough DOT
state specifications."
Muniz added: "We're finding the Topcon system to be essential for
our high-profile big jobs to ensure we remain on task and is instru-
mental for when we work at night. It also is proving handy for smaller
parking-lot-type jobs as well."
The key benefit of IC is greater control over the compaction results,
which in turn provides better finished paved results. Compaction at its
most elemental is the exertion of force on something so that it becomes
more dense, while Intelligent Compaction provides the technological
means to ensure that compaction is performed consistently, thoroughly,
and accurately. The goal is to achieve optimum densities that ensure
adequate support, stability, and strength. Achieving these densities
uniformly is key, and clearly IC aids this process.
JEFF WINKE is a business and construction writer based in Milwaukee, Wiscon-
sin. He can be reached through jeff_winke@yahoo.com.
march 2020 csengineermag.com 27
MACHINE LEARNING
IN MINERAL WELLS
City Uses Novel Techniques to Determine
Stormwater Utility Rates
By Tak Makino
West of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex is a small city of approxi-
mately 15,000 people called Mineral Wells. Over the last decade, the
city has been battered by repetitive flooding events that have strained
its existing stormwater infrastructure. Facing a budget shortfall and an
urgent need to upgrade its stormwater infrastructure, the City contract-
ed Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN), a national planning,
engineering, and program management firm, and NewGen Solutions, a
management consulting firm, to perform a stormwater utility fee study.
Based on the study, the city wanted to set new storm water utility rates
that would subsequently be used to expand its stormwater infrastructure.
Stormwater Utility Fee Components
Three major components go into a stormwater utility fee study:
1. Utility billing
2. Parcel data
3. Impervious surface coverage
Utility billing data provides a convenient existing framework upon
which to build the stormwater utility fee. The stormwater fee can be
added as an additional charge item to existing utility customers. This
avoids the creation of a new billing system for the stormwater utility
fee and allows both customers and the city to use a billing system with
which they are familiar.
The second essential component is the parcel data. For the Mineral
Wells study, LAN obtained the parcel data from the Palo Pinto and
Parker County Appraisal Districts. The parcel GIS files define the
geographic zone of responsibility for each utility billing customer.
Utility billing customers are responsible for paying for the runoff their
property contributes to the stormwater utility system. In the case of
multiple utility billing customers on a single parcel (e.g. apartments or
duplexes), the total parcel impervious surface is divided by the number
of utility billing customers such that each billing customer pays for an
equitable share of the runoff that enters the stormwater system.
The last, and perhaps the most critical piece, is the impervious sur-
face coverage. Aerial imagery from the National Agricultural Imagery
Program (NAIP) formed the basis of the impervious surface analysis.
NAIP imagery provides four-band (red, green, blue, and near-infrared)
aerial imagery at 0.5m resolution, meaning that each pixel in the aerial
imagery represents a 0.5m x 0.5m area on the ground. Within each
pixel, four values are stored – a value each for red, green, blue, and near
infrared wavelengths (see figure 1). Luminosity on the red, green, and
28 csengineermag.com march 2020
In addition to the red, green, and blue bands of color imagery, the four-band aerial
imagery used in this study includes a fourth infrared band. Photo: LAN
Comparison between full color imagery (left) and color infrared (right). Infrared data
provides a fourth variable for analysis. Photo: LAN
blue wavelengths produce a true-color, composite image, much like
how the eye sees. The near infrared band provides a fourth dimension
that allows for the discrimination of otherwise spectrally similar land
cover classes. For example, aerial imagery of trees and grass – both
green – can appear similar when examining a red, green, blue compos-
ite image. Using a statistical, value-based method of analysis (rather
than by visual observation), it would be difficult, if not impossible, to
discriminate between trees and grass from three-band aerial imagery
alone. However, trees and grass reflect the infrared wavelengths differ-
ently, allowing for a statistically meaningful, value-based separation
of trees and grass.
These three components – the utility billing, land parcels, and aerial
imagery – need to be combined into a single database, one that reports
the amount of impervious surface for which each utility billing cus-
tomer is responsible. A combination of methods was used to achieve
this goal. The first step taken was to identify areas of impervious sur-
face coverage using machine learning algorithms.
Machine Learning
Supervised machine learning is a technique in which an operator pro-
vides a training dataset to the computer, in this case user-defined areas
of different types of land cover, and the algorithms then learn what
characteristics define the classes in the training dataset. For example,
numerous examples of paved surfaces are provided, along with the
declaration that the provided examples are pavement, to the extent that
the computer is then able to correctly identify a never-before-seen area
of pavement as pavement. In other words, given enough examples, the
computer learns what characteristics define pavement.
For the Mineral Wells study, a supervised machine learning algorithm
was used to create an initial, first-pass impervious surface dataset. Ar-
eas representative of land cover classes were manually defined from
aerial imagery. Seven different land cover classes were used in this first
pass. All seven land cover classes were eventually reclassified as either
pervious or impervious surface coverage.
The resultant image exhibited unresolved areas where the algorithm
was unable to definitively discriminate between land cover classes.
The classified dataset also exhibited notable areas of false positives on
impervious surface coverage. This initial, first-pass impervious surface
dataset provided a near-adequate level of resolution and was temporar-
ily set aside while an improved dataset was developed.
To address both unresolved areas and areas of false positives, three
additional machine learning training datasets were made to better dis-
criminate between spectrally similar land cover classes. Each training
set consisted of two of the initial seven land cover classes and a third
class comprised of all remaining land cover classes to provide a con-
trasting backdrop against the classes of interest.
By limiting the number of classes of interest in each training dataset
(two rather than seven) the algorithms that create the statistical de-
scriptions of land cover classes are able to do so in relative isolation,
without the interfering influence of other land cover classes. For ex-
ample, it can be difficult to discriminate between dirt and pavement.
Both land cover classes can appear grey or brownish to the eye and
have relatively high infrared reflectivity. In the full, seven-class train-
ing set, the machine learning algorithm must successfully discriminate
between dirt and pavement while simultaneously discriminating be-
tween five other land cover classes. By reducing the number of classes,
the algorithm is better able to discriminate dirt from pavement because
there is no need to separately identify other land cover classes.
The resultant classifications from these three training datasets were
combined into a single composite dataset. The composite dataset was
reclassified to reflect either pervious or impervious surface coverage.
The three additional machine learning datasets used to improve classification
quality. Photo: LAN
Compared to the initial, first-pass classification dataset, the composite
classification reduces the number of false positives on impervious sur-
face at the expense of additional areas of uncertainty.
The composite classification, which reflected ground conditions more
accurately, formed the basis of the ultimate impervious surface dataset.
Values from the initial, first-pass dataset were used to fill gaps in areas
of uncertainty, producing a product that capitalized on the best parts
of both products. Smoothing algorithms and building footprints were
applied to the impervious dataset to further refine the product.
Data Integration
Access to County Appraisal District parcel data allowed the tabulation
of impervious surface data at the parcel level. This data helped deter-
mine how much impervious surface each parcel contained.
Integrating parcel-level impervious surface dataset into the existing
utility billing scheme required careful execution of automated process-
es. The two datasets were large enough that manual integration was
unpractical. Consequently, automated integration methods were developed.
The addresses were the only common identifier between the two data
sets. Unfortunately, there wasn’t a perfect match between utility billing
addresses and parcel addresses. For example, 123 N Example Street
and 123 N Example St are not perfect matches. While most human
operators would probably recognize that these two addresses refer to
the same property, a computer looking for a perfect, one-for-one match
would reject the pairing.
An address similarity tool was created to address and resolve this con-
flict. In both the billing and parcel datasets, addresses were separated
into their constituent components. An address standardizing tool was
used to ensure that any direction or street suffix conflicts were resolved.
march 2020 csengineermag.com 29

The composite dataset created by combining the three machine learning datasets.
Each color represents a unique combination of results from the three input datasets.
Photo: LAN
The composite dataset created by combining the three machine learning datasets.
Each color represents a unique combination of results from the three input datasets.
Photo: LAN
By standardizing addresses and breaking them out into their com-
ponents, a constituent level comparison could be made. In this com-
parison, every utility billing account address was compared to every
parcel address and returned a similarity score from 0 (no similarity)
to 1 (perfect match). In this comparison, no tolerance for deviation
was allowed in the street number or street direction. While similar to
123 N Example St, 125 N Example St is a different address and does
not represent a matching error. Similarly, 123 N Example St and 123
S Example St also do not represent a matching error and may be quite
geographically distant from each other. Tolerance for errors on street
name and street suffix was allowed. For example, the pair of 123 N
Example St and 123 N Example would return high similarity scores.
123 N Example St and 123 N Exmple St would also return high
similarity scores.
The address similarity tool ran comparisons between every utility bill-
ing account address and every parcel address. This raw comparison
produced roughly 70 million address match combinations. It was as-
sumed that the highest scoring match for each utility billing address
represented the correct parcel match. An arbitrary similarity score
threshold of 0.75 was set to separate correctly matched (≥0.75) and
incorrectly matched (<0.75) pairs. The 0.75 threshold represents a
conservative cutoff point for matching acceptance. A match of 123 N
Example St and 123 N Exmple St would return a score of 0.916 and a
match of 123 N Example St and 123 N Example would return a score
of 0.75. Incorrectly matched utility billing accounts were matched
30 csengineermag.com march 2020
manually through a variety of methods including examining com-
mercial Facebook and Yelp accounts, driving Google Street View, and
other online records.
The address similarity tool was validated with the use of a third-party
geospatial analysis tool. The results of the validation indicated an er-
ror rate of approximately 0.06 percent. In total, three address matches
above the 0.75 threshold were made in error and were corrected manually.
Fee Calculation
The Equivalent Residential Unit (ERU) is a value that represents the
amount of impervious surface found on the hypothetical typical single-
family residential home in a community. The U.S. EPA estimates that
80 percent of stormwater utility fees are based on the ERU concept.
Zoning information allowed for the identification of single-family
residential parcels at Mineral Wells. When examined, the average
typical single-family parcel (excluding undeveloped areas zoned as
single-family residential) exhibited approximately 2,600 square feet of
impervious surface. Thus, the ERU for the City of Mineral Wells was
determined to be 2,600 square feet of impervious surface.
NewGen Solutions took the impervious surface data developed by
LAN and financial data from the city and determined that a per-ERU
fee of $3.89 would fully fund the stormwater utility over the next five
years. If every utility billing customer pays $3.89 per ERU on their
property, the city will be able to recover the necessary funds to repair,
maintain, expand, and ensure that high-quality stormwater services are
provided to the residents. A $3.89 per ERU fee is within the range of
$2.50 - $6.50 fees seen in similar communities in Texas. Under this
proposed billing scheme, all single-family residential utility billing
customers would pay $3.89 to the stormwater utility, regardless of
actual impervious surface coverage. This simplification reduces ad-
ministrative burdens on the City and is common practice in stormwater
utilities. All non-single-family utility billing customers would pay on a
true ERU-based schedule at a rate of $3.89 per ERU.
The City currently bills a $2.50 flat rate stormwater fee for all utility
billing customers, regardless of impervious surface or property type.
A jump from a flat rate of $2.50 to an ERU-based billing schedule at
$3.89 per ERU will increase the amount that most utility customers
would pay. A few commercial properties with relatively little impervi-
ous surface would see a reduction below the $2.50 per month rate. To
ease the transition to an ERU-based system, it is possible that the City
may begin with a $2.50 per ERU rate. As all single-family residential
customers are billed at 1 ERU, single family residential customers
would see no change to their billing rates. This introductory rate may
eventually increase over time to the $3.89 per ERU rate. By using a
publicly announced rate schedule that slowly trends towards the fully
funded $3.89 per ERU rate, the City of Mineral Wells can allow utility
billing customers to plan and budget in advance of any rate changes.
Ultimately, the decisions of City Council will determine the rate set-
ting method.
TAK M. MAKINO, CFM, is a Flood Mitigation Manager at Lockwood, Andrews &
Newnam, Inc. (LAN), a national planning, engineering and program manage-
ment firm. He can be reached at tmmakino@lan-inc.com.
 Flygt - A Xylem Brand | www.xylem.com

Small Community Leads Central Florida in Potable Water Reuse Implementation

Altamonte Springs’ O3/BAF Treatment Facility is the First of its Kind in the State
According to recent studies conducted by the Central Florida Water Initia-
tive, groundwater sources alone will not meet future freshwater demands
for area residents. To address this looming issue, Central Florida water utili-
ties will need to begin diversifying their water supplies. There are several
options water utilities can consider when expanding their drinking water
sources, including surface water, groundwater, and desalination. One op-
portunity that is gaining nationwide popularity is potable water reuse.

“The city of Altamonte Springs, located in Seminole County, Florida, was one
of the first in the area to attack its water challenges by investigating drinking
water reuse.”

The municipality implemented a pilot program, funded in large part by a

grant provided by the St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD).
The pilot called the pureALTA project was designed with two primary goals
– to serve as platform for Altamonte Springs’ future potable water reuse
efforts, and to educate the 45,000 residents about the benefits of potable
water reuse.

The pureALTA project

pureALTA is an advanced treatment facility in Altamonte Springs that treats reclaimed water by employing an advanced treatment train that
results in municipal drinking water. The city worked with Carollo Engineers and Xylem to develop an ozone-biologically active filtration-
based (O3/BAF) advanced water treatment train that also included ultrafiltration (UF) membranes, granular activated carbon (GAC) filtration,
and ultraviolet advanced oxidation (UV AOP).

This solution was chosen over reverse osmosis (RO)-based systems that typically
have high capital and operating costs, and the added burden of brine disposal. The
pureALTA treatment process begins with reclaimed water, which is then treated to
meet or exceed drinking water quality standards without using expensive, energy-
consuming RO.

The innovative network of two advanced water treatment processes – Ozone and Bio-
logically Active Filtration – is handled by the Xylem Oxelia integrated O3/BAF system,
featuring a GSO 30 Ozone Generator, XA underdrain, and IMS 200 media
retainer technologies.

The Xylem Oxelia system treats approximately 28,000 gallons per day (gpd) and uses
an O3:(TOC+nitrite) ratio to set the ozone dose. The city monitors system performance
with Xylem analytics equipment from YSI, including NiCaVIS (upstream of process)
and CarboVIS (downstream of process).

Pilot results
The integrated Oxelia process set the tone for the performance of the entire treat-
ment train. The TOC reduction across the system ranges from 25 to 37 percent. More
importantly, it operates as successful barrier for the UF membranes. Through one year
of operation, the UF did not require any maintenance cleans and only performed a
single clean-in-place. This compared to most membrane operations that typically
require cleanings every six months.

Biofiltration column from Leopold, a Xylem Brand that includes

XA Underdrain and IMS 200 Media Retainer.

march 2020 csengineermag.com 31

Another positive outcome is the
improvement in UVT average
across the Oxelia process – from 71
to 86 percent – which also signifi-
cantly enhanced the performance
of the UV AOP system and reduced
the overall operating costs of the
UV reactor.

Based on the results of the pure-

ALTA pilot project, the city could
build on this success and develop
a full-scale system with the po-
tential to create about 5 percent
of Altamonte Springs’ daily water
demands, reducing stress on
the aquifer.

“We may be a smaller city, but

our philosophy has always been
to think outside the box when
it comes to meeting the needs
of our residents and to conserve
our natural resources,” said Frank
Martz, Altamonte Springs
City Manager.

pureALTA continues to benefit

the community
Altamonte Springs frequently
conducts educational tours at the
pureALTA facility, hosting groups
ranging from middle and high
school students to water utility Main Menu for the Oxelia integrated O3/BAF solution that has several
pre-loaded control strategies the Owner can select.
personnel from around the country.

The city has also developed the Altamonte Springs Science Incubator (AS2 I) program
which it offers as a hands-on science, technology, engineering and math (S.T.E.M.) learning Placard at the pureALTA project commemorating their 2017
experience for Seminole County students. The program includes field trips to Lake Lotus WateReuse Innovative Project of the Year award.

Park, the Regional Water Reclamation Facility and its certified environmental laboratory,
and the pureALTA project site with discussions of treatment processes, safety, drought and the importance of diverse water supplies.

A toast to Altamonte Springs

Altamonte Springs and the pureALTA project won two prestigious awards. The 2018 International Water Association Project Innovation
Awards recognized the city as the only U.S. project with a top award in the Market-Changing Water Technology and Infrastructure category
for its forward-thinking applications and solutions to advance clean and safe water goals.

pureALTA also received the 2017 Water Reuse Innovative Project of the Year at the 32nd Annual WateReuse Symposium. The award recognizes
new and innovative solutions for expanding the use of recycled water and the creation of future models that advocate the implementation
of water reclamation nationwide.

“We are extremely proud of the hard work and committed efforts from our city staff and partners, and are honored to accept these prestigious
awards,” added Martz.

32 csengineermag.com march 2020

5 Ways Utility Valuation Can
Help Protect Municipalities
By Joseph M. Heaney
While most people may have a general sense of the market value of a
home or business, it’s not as easy to apply accurate values to a utility.
Not only do prices change across markets, but decades of adding to
these systems may mean municipalities or private owners lose track
of built assets sprawling across (and under) a cityscape or rural area.
Although a utility valuation may not be something a municipality
seeks out on a regular basis, there are several beneficial reasons to go
through this process. Consider the following five reasons to conduct a
utility valuation:
1. Maximize sale value
Perhaps the best-known reason to seek a valuation is to get the best
price from the sale of a utility asset. Much like selling a house or car,
the starting point for a utility sale is understanding how much an asset
is worth. A seller or buyer who consults an industry partner will have a
much more realistic sense of their asset’s value and be able to plan fi-
nancing and strategies accordingly. A thorough review of the available
reports, inspections, and other documents is the first step in homing in
on the true value of a utility asset.
2. Avoid transaction risks
When a municipality has a utility valuation, it has a stronger place
from which to negotiate in the event of a sale. The risk of not conduct-
ing a utility valuation is that the seller is subject to the terms set by
the other side of the transaction. Becoming an educated partner helps
sellers determine whether or not they’re getting a good deal. Without
an accurate valuation, owners could miss out on a significant amount
of value from the transaction.
Equally important, an inaccurate sale price could mean beginning a
transaction only to have regulatory agencies stop it in its tracks due to
an inappropriate market value.
3. Know before you dig
Planning to build new infrastructure or buy adjacent assets? Consider-
ing consolidation, regionalization, or another cooperative venture with
other nearby systems? Before you begin drawing up those plans and
agreements, it pays to take a step back and understand what you already
have in place. An asset valuation can often demonstrate that it’s more
cost-effective to buy or consolidate assets than to build them. In many
cases, municipalities are not fully aware of the extent of their assets or
other nearby facilities. Part of valuation work is looking for missing
data and potential consolidations or regionalizations— for example,
buried or separate assets that have been forgotten over time or weren’t
documented correctly.
Even if the valuation process doesn’t uncover forgotten assets, it can
help lay the foundation for new projects. Municipalities can leverage
an accurate utility system valuation for more favorable financing con-
ditions for a new build or new partnerships.
4. Correct taxation values
A valuation can help a municipality ensure it’s levying an appropriate
amount in property taxes upon privately-owned utilities and other as-
sets within its corporate limits.
Municipalities rely heavily on property taxes, which are directly related
to the value of the assets within their corporation limits. Many utilities,
including electric utilities, telecom or even private solar farms, self-
report the value of their assets, which then represents their tax burden.
An asset valuation performed on behalf of the taxing authority or mu-
nicipality of those utility assets can serve as a due diligence check to
ensure assets are being appropriately taxed for public services, safety,
and costs of public education.
5. Secure accurate coverage
In the event of a disaster, one would assume that insurance will cover
the replacement of assets — but this assumption can cost municipali-
ties. By conducting a detailed valuation, municipalities can ensure their
assets are appropriately insured. This process can also provide proof of
property value and be particularly valuable in making a future claim.
Know your value
Ignorance may be bliss, but knowing the full value of owned assets
makes for a stronger all-around position from which to make strategic
decisions. By doing the legwork today to understand utility asset value,
municipalities can make better decisions for their citizens and rate payers.
JOSEPH M. HEANEY III is the principal at Walden Environmental Engineering. With
30 years as a professional engineering, Joe is an expert at managing the envi-
ronmental compliance needs of municipalities, industrial clients and law firms.
march 2020 csengineermag.com 33
Geospatial

Choosing the Right Antenna

for GPR Investigations
Look for the highest frequency that can detect
objects at the desired depth
By Jami Harmon

Antennas used with ground penetrating radar (GPR) come in different

shapes and sizes. The largest antennas typically radiate lower frequen-
cies necessary to detect the deepest targets. The smallest antennas radi-
ate the highest frequencies that provide the greatest resolution required
to detect small, shallow targets. The “best” antenna for a job is the one
with the highest frequency that can still detect objects at the desired
depth. Mark DeSchepper, President of Kansas-based Echo GPR Ser-
vices, has more than 12 years of GPR experience and offers some great
examples of how to select the right antenna.

The Importance of selecting the right antenna for the de-

sired depth
Selecting the right antenna for the depth of the particular target is
critical. If the antenna frequency is too high, the maximum detection
depth may be less than needed to find the desired target. The GPR Local supermarket hired Echo GPR to conduct a GPR scan to avoid losing power to
image quality deteriorates with increasing depth to the point where no cash registers or cutting refrigeration pipes in recent renovation project.

reflections can be observed. Conversely, if the antenna frequency is

too low, fine details are lost. For example, if using the wrong antenna,
individual closely-spaced shallow targets cannot be identified because
they may appear as a continuous reflection band.
When assessing which antenna to choose for a job it is essential to
consider the surface cover and soil present. One important parameter
is the material’s conductivity—how well does the soil, asphalt, or con-
crete let an electrical current pass through it? The higher the material’s
conductivity, the more the radar waves are absorbed into the material
as they are moving through it. In other words, the radar waves’ depth
penetration progressively decreases as the conductivity of a material
increases. For example, asphalt typically has low conductivity, while
concrete has varying degrees of conductivity depending on its curing
state, wetness, and composition. Soil conductivity varies wildly, from
radar-friendly sandy soils to radar-foe clay soils.
For this reason, antenna depth specifications are based on the material
and application. Antenna specifications for soil-based applications use
soil information, while concrete-based applications use typical con-
crete parameters.
Other factors to consider when assessing depth penetration include the
presence of metal reinforcing between the surface and the target. The
tighter the rebar or mesh spacing (for example, in a concrete slab), the
more difficult it is to achieve the desired depth penetration.
A closer look at antenna bandwidth ranges
GPR antennas send out a range of radio frequencies and generally have
an ideal frequency at which they transmit most efficiently. This value
is based on the size of the antenna’s transmitter and receiver elements
and is often referred to as the antenna’s “center-frequency.” Another
often-used term is the antenna’s bandwidth, the range of frequencies
that the antenna transmits at power levels that are within half the
power level radiated at the antenna’s center-frequency. A typical GPR
antenna’s bandwidth is about the same as its center frequency.
For example, a 400 megahertz (MHz) GPR antenna will have a center-
frequency of 400 MHz and a range of frequencies radiated at power
levels within half the power level at 400 MHz – from 200 MHz to 600
MHz. The bandwidth would therefore be 600 – 200 = 400 MHz. Like-
wise, a 900 MHz GPR antenna could have a bandwidth that extends
from possibly 450 MHz to 1350 MHz.
This bandwidth range means that small changes in center-frequency
provide minimal enhancement in penetration depth. That is why GPR
antennas are not typically available in small frequency increments.
More commonly, antennas are available in center-frequencies that are
doubled, such as 2000 MHz, 400 MHz, 800 MHz, 1.6 MHz and
2.6 MHz.
Selecting the right antenna
Selecting the right antenna frequency for a GPR job depends on the

34 csengineermag.com march 2020

 office retail spaces, and has performed GPR scans at all the hospitals in
Kansas City. They also work for geotechnical and environmental firms
to locate underground storage tanks.

DeSchepper explains that grocery stores cannot afford to accidentally

cut power to their cash registers. Also, they may have underground re-
frigeration pipes that run to their coolers. The last thing they want to do
is cut into these refrigeration pipes, which would result in downtime,
potential environmental issues, and even store evacuation.

Here are a few real world examples of antenna selection, taken from
the nearly 8,000 GPR scans Echo has performed across the
United States:

Simple concrete cutting or core drilling

For simple concrete cutting or core drilling, Echo GPR opts for one
of the higher frequency antennas, like the 1600 MHz or 2600 MHz
antenna. “I usually reach for the 2600 MHz antenna first. This is the
highest frequency and gives the highest resolution. But higher resolu-
tion gives less depth of investigation. If the project is in a thicker con-
Range of available antenna frequencies, their depth of penetration and applications
for which each is most suited. crete environment, we will switch out to a 1600 MHz antenna, which
is a very sharp resolution antenna but can penetrate a bit deeper into the
size and depth of the target. A lower frequency antenna will provide ground” DeSchepper says.
deeper penetration, but the tradeoff is that the targets must be larger to
be detected. Working upside down and on a ladder
Currently, Echo GPR is working on a basement remodeling job with
When looking only 1-2 feet beneath the surface, for example, when im- a steel erection company locating rebar prior to anchor-drilling steel
aging in concrete and looking for very small reinforcing and conduits, plates for support mounts. “The engineer elected to hire us because they
use a higher frequency GPR antenna, which offers greater detail. For know that once we have
deeper targets or characteristics, the primary and secondary choices marked out all the steel
are lower frequency antennas. These allow users to see deeper but one they can establish where
trades off the ability to resolve smaller or very shallow features the pre-manufactured
and targets. supports are and will be
able to drill into the ceil-
When scanning utilities, the mid-range antennas provide sufficient ing without hitting steel.
resolution to find 4-5 inch pipes at four to five deep. The general rule This speeds up their pro-
of thumb for utility locating is a 1:1 ratio; for every foot down, one cess.” For this purpose,
inch in diameter is required to return a strong hyperbolic reflection of DeSchepper selected a 2
a potential target. To scan deeper, for example, mapping geological GHz Palm antenna, which
features 20-50 feet deep, low frequency antennas will work, because gave him high resolution
very high resolution is not required. data with a good depth of
penetration, while being
Antenna selection based on a solid understanding of cus- extremely lightweight. “I
tomer goals am working upside down
According to DeSchepper, antenna selection should be based on a pre- and off a ladder, with both
job conversation that establishes an understanding of the depth of the hands above my head as I
investigation and what the customer wants to accomplish. Comfort, am scanning, so my an-
convenience, and safety when working on a ladder or overhead is an- tenna choice in this case
other consideration. is based on comfort and
convenience.”
Echo works extensively with electricians and plumbers who are re-
modeling existing buildings. “We do everything from a local grocery Locating targets in the
store that wants to install new plumbing in the floor and needs to lo- Z axis
cate existing utilities and underground conduits – all the way up to The Palm antenna was Using a 2 GHz Palm antenna, the contractor
nuclear power plants,” says DeSchepper. In addition, the Echo GPR also key to the success of located the plastic-capped rebar thread
team works in commercial remodels of strip malls, office spaces, and a project at a local chil- couplers in the Z axis.

march 2020 csengineermag.com 35


Echo GPR scanned the area and identified 16 pieces of rebar reinforcement.
Successful drill locations as identified in GPR scan.
dren’s hospital. The hospital was building nine stories of research labs
on top of an existing parking deck. Contractors needed to thread new
vertical rebar into form savers that were buried in concrete. The form
savers have a profile of ¾ to 1 inch in diameter and are capped with a
piece of plastic. Contractors could not locate the form savers and called
in Echo GPR to help locate them. Using the 2 GHz Palm antenna, Echo
located the plastic-capped rebar thread couplers in the Z axis.
Says DeSchepper, “It was so accurate that contractors could hammer
drill and find 16-30 rebar couplers in each column. We had scanned
800-900 of these rebar couplers and the contractor later told us we
had never missed a piece of post tension cable and only missed 2 form
savers in the entire project. This was gratifying, because the vertical
and plastic capped profile is such a hard thing to image.”
Locating sewer lines and drain pipes
According to DeSchepper, the best antenna choice for customers who
want to install new drain lines but do not know where the existing
sewer is would be a 400 MHz antenna or the 350 MHz digital antenna
with HyperStacking (HS) technology, which allows users to see deeper
targets. The resolution may be less than other antenna options, but it
allows them to look for larger targets 6 to 8 feet below ground.
Another challenge Echo GPR faces is when they’re asked to look for
a clay tile pipe drain line that is in the clay soil that is so prevalent
36 csengineermag.com march 2020
in Kansas City. “In this instance we reach for the newer 350 MHz
HS antenna because the digital antenna offers a clearer image than a
traditional GPR antenna and a 50 percent improvement in depth pen-
etration. It also works with the newer control unit we use (the GSSI
SIR 4000), which has more power and flexibility to image these more
difficult to image targets.” Along with locating sewer lines and drain
pipes, Echo GPR also uses the 350 MHz HS antenna to locate underground
storage tanks.
Sinkholes or underground caves
When working for a geotechnical company at a property where there
are sinkholes or underground caves, Echo GPR uses a 100 MHz bi-
static antenna, one of the few GPR firms to do so. This enables the
company to scan more than 20+ feet down, while mapping out soil
layers and deeper anomalies.
Field conditions can make antenna selection more challenging
DeSchepper warns that selecting the correct antenna for achieving the
depth penetration required can sometimes be tricky. He explains this
happens with more frequency than might be expected – mainly because
actual conditions in the field turn out to be different than those given to
the GPR crew by a contractor. He offers this example:
“Recently, a contractor asked us to scan a 20 foot by 200 foot area
because they needed to cut out a hole and install a new piece of equip-
ment. I grabbed the 2600 MHz antenna, my usual go-to for concrete
cutting. Now, when I teach GPR for those getting the industry certifi-
cate through the Concrete Sawing & Drilling Association (CSDA), the
first thing I tell students is that the most important thing when scanning
concrete is to find the bottom of the concrete – for both slab on grade
and suspended slab applications. This lets you know you are seeing
what you need to assist the cutting/coring contractor. When I scanned
with the 2600 MHz antenna I could not see the bottom of the concrete.
This was a definite red flag, since the contractor said the concrete was 8
inches thick and the 2600 MHz was set up to look up to 12 inches deep.
I quickly realized this was not the right antenna. I switched out to the
1600 MHz – and lo and behold, the concrete they thought was 8 inches
thick was actually 18 inches thick.
DeSchepper was able to call the concrete cutting company before they
left the shop; they came out with the right saw and right size blade to
cut through the concrete.
Antenna selection should be based on a thorough understanding of
what the customer wants to accomplish, as well as comfort and conve-
nience when working on a ladder or overhead.”
JAMI HARMON is the Marketing Operations Manager for Geophysical Survey
Systems, Inc (GSSI), the world leader in ground penetrating radar. Jami has
been with GSSI for twelve years and has experience with ground penetrating
radar in the utility locating, concrete inspection, transportation infrastructure,
archaeology, and geophysics markets. Jami is an active Board Member and
Committee Chair for the Concrete Sawing and Drilling Association (CSDA) and
participates in several industry associations.

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 Channel Sponsor: infotech | www.infotechinc.com
Wet-weather
infrastructure: Smart
analysis and TOTEX planning
equal savings and resilience
How “sweating the system” with smart analytics modeling and
TOTEX planning can deliver fit-for-purpose solutions,
capital cost savings, and system optimization
By Nick Anderson and Melissa Carter
In the world of data analytics there's a phrase that says we are data rich
and knowledge poor. The rise of real-time data has put more informa-
tion than ever at our fingertips, but without proper analysis and context,
this data boom does not deliver much value.
The Stantec team is working to address this challenge in our approach
to water infrastructure design and engineering to make our data work
smarter and harder to deliver real value to clients. By using advanced
hydraulic models, our team is focused on translating extensive data
into a holistic story of the overall outcomes of a project.
The goal? To increase understanding and confidence, drive efficiency,
and achieve real cost savings.
Setting a plan, and checking it twice
Our ongoing work on one of the largest CSO projects in the Northeast-
ern U.S. serves as a prime example of the great potential for advanced
data analysis when applied to hydraulic modeling in optimizing project
solutions. In this case, our team developed a detailed fit-for-purpose
hydraulic model to help optimize CSO control facilities for the Nar-
ragansett Bay Commission (NBC) Phase III CSO Abatement Program
in Rhode Island.
Over the past 20 years, NBC, which operates wastewater collection
and treatment facilities for 10 member communities, has been lead-
ing a three-phase program to address CSO volumes and resulting
environmental impacts. Program goals include a reduction of annual
CSO volumes by 98 percent with no more than four overflows per
year, an 80 percent decrease in shellfish bed closures, and a 98 percent
reduction in fecal coliform loading. The main component in Phase I
(under construction from 2001 to 2008) involved the installation of
a 16,284-ft deep rock storage tunnel with an inside diameter of 26-ft,
located approximately 270-ft below grade. This phase also involved
the addition of a tunnel pump station, drop shafts, and a consolidation
of conduits. Phase II (under construction from 2011 to 2015) added
CSO interceptors to connect additional outfalls to the Providence Tun-
nel, several sewer separation projects, and the addition of a wetlands
storage facility.
38 csengineermag.com march 2020
Prior to kicking off the third and final phase, NBC selected Stantec to
revisit the original Phase III plan (involving a second deep rock CSO
storage tunnel nearly 13,000-ft. long and 28-ft. in diameter with an
estimated capital cost of $815 million) for opportunities to optimize
the existing approach and consider new tactics that may further benefit
CSO control goals. Our first task was to make sure what was proposed
more than 20 years ago would still meet the regulatory goals of storing
a three-month storm and preventing no more than four CSO spills in a
typical year, which it did.
However, while the engineering approach proved solid, the original
analysis for this project was 20 years out of date from a technological
standpoint. Since computing power was limited at the time, teams had
no choice but to make broad assumptions in modelling. This was where
our team spotted an opportunity.
By harnessing the power of advanced analytics in conjunction with
hydraulic models and total expenditure (TOTEX) planning, taking into
account capital and operational expenditures, we worked to “sweat the
system” to optimize the project. This was done while ensuring the new
approach still met the original CSO control criteria without introducing
any additional risk.
The result? A detailed model with smart analytics that have helped
establish a road map for solution optimization at an estimated $60M
reduction in capital costs.
Building a smart model for smarter solutions
Using an adaptive management strategy, we focused on collecting as
much data as possible. In many cases more than what is typically at
the early stages of a design project, with an eye on using the power
of data for project refinement as the hydraulic model becomes more
informed. Very few clients have a backlog of data, so getting as much
data as early as possible with continuous metering and flow assessment
created the means to gain confidence in the design at a much earlier
stage, with smaller refinements to follow.
By taking a TOTEX approach, we focused on analyzing the overall
outcome for our client, rather than a single output of a project being
successfully delivered on time and on budget. In this vein, we looked
to examine standard operating procedures such as the long-term lega-
cies, the costs, the impact on future maintenance, and ownership.
This strategy informed our approach in building the hydraulic model,
where we mapped all water discharge infrastructure within the ter-
rain and layered in rainfall data to establish flow data. We then used
stochastically generated rainfall events to evaluate system exceedance
rather than the traditional approach focused on retention. Combined,
this data helped us better understand the system to determine flow
trends into sewers, available capacity, and general water movement
within the system.
Using a hydraulic model to understand both the magnitude of flows and
the timing is critical. Individually, these data points represent simple
flow conditions, but collectively they represent a complex matrix of
interactions that must be understood and managed to create a success-
ful outcome.
Using a hydraulic model to understand both the magnitude of flows and the
timing is critical. Individually, these data points represent simple flow conditions,
but collectively they represent a complex matrix of interactions that must be
understood and managed to create a successful outcome.
By continuously running the model, collecting NBC’s SCADA data,
and, in some cases, adding additional flow meters over the course
of our five years on this project, the model has become increasingly
informed. In seeing this data year over year, our team is looking for
trends and changes, making sure that the designed system is standing
up to the rigors of this increased implementation via real-time control
and adaptation in the face of future impacts like climate change.
One of the keys to the considerable optimization of this project was the
opportunity to better use the existing assets to manage flows. Once we
were able to understand the system, we used the model to determine
that NBC could open and close gates to fill the tunnel – which can hold
nearly 59 million gallons of water – earlier, and subsequently direct
flows to the treatment plants sooner so that NBC could get the most out
of their existing infrastructure.
In the original plan, interceptors had been proposed to help direct flows
to the tunnel. With our strategy of optimization, we focused on deter-
mining whether aspects of the original system could be reused through
minor upgrades to relieve bottlenecks and get flow to the tunnel. The
key was making sure the system was able to push flows into the tunnel
sooner to create the capacity in the lower reaches. This would then
allow flows in the upper reaches to come down, ultimately reducing the
need for new infrastructure.
This became the biggest single saving in the optimization strategy.
Our reevaluation plan was amended to include this optimized design,
which was accepted by the Rhode Island Department of Environmental
Management in 2017.
Using flow control structures in conjunction with real-time controls
enable the existing system capacity to be maximized before flows are
diverted to the tunnel; these structures are the cornerstone of the solu-
tion optimization.
Using flow control structures in conjunction with real-time controls enable the
existing system capacity to be maximized before flows are diverted to the tunnel;
these structures are the cornerstone of the solution optimization.
Analytics tools like this enable engineers to make earlier informed
decisions to optimize capital solutions. In making our data and model
work harder, our team has been able to support NBC in setting this
CSO control solution up for success against the rigors of future climate
change, while ensuring the project is being used most effectively and
meeting project goals.
NICK ANDERSON is a chief civil networks engineer in Stantec’s water practice. His
primary responsibility is to ensure the technical excellence and quality delivery
of engineering planning and hydraulic modeling projects across North America,
working from the firm’s Atlanta, Georgia, office.
MELISSA CARTER is Vice President, Director of Project Management, and
has worked on a range of water and wastewater infrastructure projects from
Stantec’s Providence, Rhode Island, office. Her focus is currently on wet
weather-related projects to reduce or eliminate sewer overflows that impact the
water quality of natural waterways.
march 2020 csengineermag.com 39
Common Construction Administration
& Inspection Issues That SaaS Can Fix
The construction contract administration phase for unit price contracts is often full of inefficiencies thanks to
outdated, manual processes. While the general complexity of infrastructure projects can lead to unavoidable
conundrums, a vast number of issues can be eliminated by redefining an agency’s process within a Software-
as-a-Service (SaaS) environment. Engineering firms and owner-agencies have been criticized for being slow
to adopt new technologies and generic project management tools like Microsoft Word, Excel, and paper
have overstayed their welcome under the banner of “if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.” Still, many agencies are
beginning to recognize the value of aligning their process with the best technology at hand.
The following situations and processes can be greatly streamlined with the right cloud-based construction
management platform.
Managing Multiple Funding Sources
Funding for many horizontal construction projects comes from a mix of state, local, and federal funds. Budget
tracking for multiple sources can be a major headache involving innumerable spreadsheets, physical ledgers,
and specific project items that require manual updating on each progress payment. SaaS platforms offer a
better way to automate this process by tracking what funding source is paying for each item and automatically
pushing that information to the daily report.
Though spreadsheets have that capability, they require complex macros and a knowledgeable staffer to
manage the process. If that person leaves, the process leaves with them. Many SaaS products allow for
individual fund tracking by item with comprehensive reporting to keep stakeholders apprised of the funding
status, with a minimal learning curve to streamline the process through unforeseen staff changes or
new hires.
Working Without Internet Connectivity
Some agencies implement a SaaS-based construction management solution for mobility in the field, only
to find themselves limited by weak internet connectivity on rural job sites. Technology is funny that way —
without the infrastructure to support it, we’re almost better off with a pen and pad. Keyword: almost. Many
SaaS-based solutions offer an offline mobile app, an invaluable tool for field inspectors. These apps allow
field staff to enter daily work reports in the field which saves valuable time that it would have taken to travel
to an office to enter reports.
Disputes, Audits, and Project Closeouts
Construction professionals spend dozens of hours a week looking for project data, handling disputes
between project stakeholders, and assessing mistakes that require new work to be done. Accuracy and quick
access to data are both paramount to resolving disputes, but when there are thousands of paper documents
to sort through, the lengthy process can lead to tension rising on both sides of the dispute. The solution is
better record-keeping in a digital system that’s well-organized, searchable, and designed to handle specific
situations like budgetary conflicts.
Since most services keep comprehensive digital records and track daily activities, these issues are easy to
eliminate when contractors, consultants, and owners are bought in on using the service correctly. Managers
find that projects are “finaled” out quicker since there’s less back and forth with suppliers and contractors for
common issues like lost certification statements.

40 csengineermag.com march 2020

Daily Reporting Errors
SaaS-based construction management platforms come stocked with a litany of reporting functions that
generate automatic reports from information inputted in the field. Not only does this eliminate transcription
errors when moving field reports from paper to spreadsheets, it also compiles large amounts of live-data that
stakeholders can access to get ahead of possible issues.
The reality is, these are just some of the common grievances that can be eliminated with the right SaaS-based
construction management and administration solution. As leading developers in the field, we could talk
about it all day — but we’d rather show you. Visit https://www.infotechinc.com/appia to schedule a demo
and find out what Appia can do for your organization’s productivity, efficiency, and peace-of-mind.

march 2020 csengineermag.com 41

unmanned systems
Ground Penetrating Radar:
The Unlikely New Hero of
Autonomous Vehicles
GSSI, the world’s leading manufacturer of ground penetrating
radar (GPR) equipment, announces TerraVision™, the first-to-market
localizing ground penetrating radar (LGPR) technology that
improves navigation for autonomous vehicles (AVs).
By Jami Harmon
The LGPR technology was originally developed at MIT Lincoln Labora-
tory for military applications and is designed to help navigate even
in the worst driving conditions. It works by sending radio waves into
the ground, creating a digital fingerprint of the subsurface. This un-
derground map of soils and rocks becomes the reference to guide au-
tonomous vehicles. The benefit? LGPR is unaffected by above-ground
conditions like snow, fog, rain, dust— conditions that present huge
challenges to the usual AV sensors. Since this product is licensed from
the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) under U.S. Patent
No. 8,949,024 for prototype or demonstration purposes, it is intended
for OEMs and Tier 1 companies who aim to solve the hardest problem
remaining for autonomous navigation – the weather.
Developers are now seeing solid results in all weather conditions using
TerraVision, the worlds’ first commercial LGPR. In late June 2019,
TerraVision successfully integrated into Level 2 test automation in a
closed loop field trials in Devens, MA. Level 2 is defined as control
of both steering and acceleration, where a human sits in the driver’s
seat and can take control of the car at any time. “GSSI is proud to be
conducting autonomous driving tests with this technology. It’s only the
second time this has happened with this commercial technology thus
far,” said Dr. Babak Memarzadeh, TerraVision Project Lead, “and we
can clearly see significant improvements since our first attempt.”
Years of experimental testing at MIT has proven LGPR’s potential.
Now, it is benefiting from the leading GPR company to make per-
formance improvements with faster hardware, smarter software, and
smaller mechanical design. For example, GSSI completely redesigned
the RF switching, cut the power requirements by a factor of 4, reduced
emissions by more than 100x, significantly reduced the size, made it
more weather-resistant, and improved performance. “Basically, we
took a science project and turned it into a manufacturable product,” Dr.
David Cist, GSSI’s VP of Engineering said. “The technology still has
room to grow (shrink, actually), with plenty of fruitful real-world pro-
totype testing yet to come. With our decades of experience in geophys-
ics, and GPR in particular, we feel uniquely positioned to collaborate
with OEMs and Tier 1s to prove out this new sensor,” Dr. Cist said.
GSSI has decided initially to focus overseas, given the uncertainties
around FCC restrictions in the United States, and since they had been
42 csengineermag.com march 2020
LGPR impact.
asked by several firms around the world to develop and test LGPR.
This includes two large Japanese and German companies working on
AV navigation. The performance testing in Germany may establish the
technology’s effectiveness by year end.
How LGPR Works:
LGPR works by using radar to map underground rocks, soil layers,
pipes and roots. Each 3m-deep slice image is surprisingly distinct.
Stitching many of these images together creates a full 3D fingerprint
that can be used by any LGPR-equipped vehicle to know exactly
where it is. Since LPGR relies 100 percent on what’s under the road
to navigate, it isn’t dependent on what’s going on above-ground: like
snow, darkness, tunnels or even if there’s a road there at all. Further-
more, with 50 years of know-how and data, GSSI can prove that GPR
maps remain rock-solid for decades, and has the geophysics experi-
ence needed to make LGPR maps stable and reliable. LGPR testing
has shown an in-lane localization accuracy at highway speeds of about
4cm - an accuracy equal to or better than other AV navigation sensors.
For example, GPS navigation can give about 30cm accuracy, except in
cities, forests and tunnels. Other sensors, such as LiDAR, Radar, and
cameras, scan the surface features of the road and its environment to
achieve about 10cm accuracy, but navigation can easily break down in
rain, snow, dust, fog and even fallen leaves. Testing in Texas, Arizona,
and California can solve important problems, but for real progress to
be made, testing will have to be done in far less “friendly” locations.
That’s where LGPR can help.
Adding LGPR for AV navigation would compensate for known sensor
failure modes that put lives at risk. Creating the full map, above-ground
and below, greatly raises the probability that autonomous vehicles can
localize and navigate roadways in any conditions. If international
LGPR field trials confirm MIT’s and GSSI’s results so far, it would be
a huge win for the industry, since user AV acceptance requires fail-safe
localization everywhere and in all conditions.
JAMI HARMON is the Marketing Operations Manager for Geophysical Survey
Systems, Inc (GSSI), the world leader in ground penetrating radar. Jami has
been with GSSI for twelve years and has experience with ground penetrating
radar in the utility locating, concrete inspection, transportation infrastructure,
archaeology, and geophysics markets. Jami is an active Board Member and
Committee Chair for the Concrete Sawing and Drilling Association (CSDA) and
participates in several industry associations.
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 Bentley | www.bentley.com

Yunnan Yunling Industrializes Project Delivery

for Kunming City’s Rapid Transportation System
Digital Management Achieves Significant ROI to Support Smart City Initiatives
A Digital City Initiative
Capital city and political, economic, and cultural center of Yunnan province, Kunming City is developing rapidly and
accelerating pace to transform itself into a regional hub as part of an RMB 90 billion urban revitalization effort to
create a digital city. Multiple provincial and key municipal public private partnership (PPP) projects are being initiated
to stimulate and support the urban development, including an RMB 9.9 billion rapid transport system to improve
transportation infrastructure in the city’s southeastern section. The new roadway network spans 20 square kilometers
and has a total construction distance of 65.48 kilometers, consisting of roads, bridges, tunnels, and underground
pipe corridors. Yunnan Yunling Engineering Cost Consultation (YYECC) was retained as the lead building information
modeling (BIM) strategy consultant to effectively manage the project within the schedule and budget.

As a PPP project, numerous government ministries, stakeholders, and engineering disciplines required coordination
to ensure that investment, financing, design, construction, and maintenance processes met owner requirements. The
digital city initiative presented massive amounts of fragmented data among more than 25 project contracts with over-
lapping functions and a 20-year project lifecycle. Faced with these challenges YYECC required an integrated digital
solution to effectively manage the complex contract system and develop industrialized, automated processes for data
transfer and information sharing.

Digitalization Transforms Traditional Management Model

As a total solution provider offering BIM lifecycle services, YYECC sought to determine the feasibility of integrating
collaborative BIM technology to manage the Kunming PPP rapid transport infrastructure project. The team used Bent-
ley’s project management and modeling applications to create an open, connected data environment (CDE), visualize
project management, and improve management efficiencies. Leveraging the collaboration and management capa-
bilities of ProjectWise with the engineering, design, and visualization capabilities of other Bentley applications, YYECC
established a unified management platform and developed a comprehensive, owner-supported BIM methodology.
The process was designed to improve collaboration, ensuring real-time information sharing and accessibility, and to
optimize lifecycle management of the multidiscipline, long- term PPP initiative. Model and data files, standard process
and supervisory documentation, and design and construction information are stored within a single platform for
efficient collaboration.

Based on the structured format of more than three terabytes worth of stored, accessible data and documents in Projec-
tWise, tasks were appropriately divided, assigned, and evaluated, strengthening the organization and management of
the project participants. Integrating Bentley’s 3D BIM and visualization applications within the CDE facilitated coordi-
nated modeling and more continuous digital workflows from conception through construction and commissioning.
The technology and models were used to simulate analysis of the conceptual scheme, fully demonstrating the design
intent and economic visibility of the project to shorten decision time. The digital simulation features of Bentley’s
applications allowed for real-time analysis of construction progress to keep the project on schedule and to optimize
construction management, ensuring accurate material quantities and pricing and improving construction quality.

Using LumenRT to share the simulations with executors and directors enhanced appearance of the comprehensive
transportation network model so they could better understand the progress and construction to make more informed
decisions and accelerate approval time. The Bentley-based digital solution achieved data integration, collaborative
modeling, application analysis, and coordinated information sharing, transforming traditionally fragmented manage-
ment into efficient, streamlined processes.

Collaborative Design Facilitates Model Integrity

Having accurate digital models within the CDE provides the basis for data sharing and enables remote simulation
of construction progress and inspection to avoid safety concerns, costly mistakes, and missed project milestones.

44 csengineermag.com march 2020

Using Bentley’s design applications, YYECC established a collaborative modeling environment, creating a standard
template library, and roadway, interchange, bridge, tunnel and structural models for the rapid transport system. The
interoperability of Bentley applications facilitated integrated modeling and clash detection, improving design ac-
curacy and management. BIM designers relied on clash detection features and digital workflows within the CDE to
provide accurate data to specific design consultants to ensure model accuracy.

With four different design companies and multiple engineering disciplines, each discipline needed to ensure their
model integrated with the other models precisely. OpenBridge Modeler and OpenRoads allowed specific engineering
disciplines to design in context according to specifications to apply the model in daily project management. Perform-
ing clash analysis on the pipeline and roadway digital models during the pipeline corridor design revealed different
elevations between the models. The team identified and resolved 210 elevation issues between the pipes and the
roadway and underpass parking lot during the modeling phase. Bentley’s integrated technology facilitated more
efficient communication among the various design disciplines and enabled early error detection and resolution prior
to construction, eliminating costly on-site rework. With integrated modeling, the team could closely coordinate the
models and data, optimizing design integrity. “The model integrity is improved by 90 percent,” stated Li Chao, vice
director of BIM Center at YYECC.

Connected Data Environment and BIM Optimize Execution

By combining information mobility with information modeling using a CDE and robust BIM methodologies, YYECC
achieved digital management, industrializing project execution and delivery while facilitating a smarter digital city.
Using Bentley’s applications to implement the digital solution improved progress management by 42 percent and
design intent by 92 percent, realizing 63 percent design optimization. The interoperable BIM engineering applications
helped meet requirements for cost management by defining standard attributes at early project stages. This innova-
tive application of engineering data for cost management guaranteed efficiency and accuracy of multidimensional
cost management, improving engineering quantities and costs by 70 percent.

Using integrated BIM technology in the CDE reduced the review and approval process from one week to one hour,
lowered the deficiency of acquired early-stage materials by 40 percent, and improved on-site information quality by
30 percent. On previous projects, four full-time employees were required to manage approvals for cost submittals;
however, under the new collaborative management process, only one person is required to accomplish the same scope.

Industrializing project delivery processes through digital 3D modeling, visualization, and information sharing en-
hanced design efficiency by 25 percent, reduced design drawing errors by 60 percent, and improved visualization
efficiency by 70 percent incorporating LumenRT. Having the Bentley platform accessible via mobile devices and web
interface helped improve collaboration by 25 percent, while the ability to incorporate remote collection of data into
the CDE improved data integrity on the construction line. By adopting iModels and PDF as lightweight BIM appli-
cations to reduce file size, the team further simplified and accelerated data transmission and information sharing
for more efficient management. Using ProjectWise and BIM software, YYECC optimized execution and delivery of
Kunming’s rapid transport system and resolved the complex management issues. Implementing digital processes
and workflows to connect users and stakeholders facilitated effective collaboration and development of Kunming as
a new digital city.

Digital DNA Drives Urban Revitalization

Recognizing the successes achieved through collaborative digitalization of the Kunming transportation infrastructure
project, the Chinese government has introduced a new directive to other PPP projects in the region to adopt similar
BIM methodologies and technologies. Leveraging a CDE supported by BIM methodologies optimized information
sharing and accessibility and established the digital DNA required for future decision making by the owner-operator.
The new connected digitalized process enables reuse of data for other PPP projects to help drive urban revitalization
and achieve development in the Guandu area of a fully digital, new smart city.

Using Bentley applications to create a robust CDE and digital twin model of the rapid transport system, YYECC has
established the basis for better construction projects and a source for improving digital urban management for future
generations of Kunming City. Through execution of this transportation infrastructure project, the company realized
the full potential of industrialized project delivery, verifying feasibility of BIM for PPP projects and promoting digital
city initiatives. “We firmly believe that going digital, embracing digital workflows, is the best way to create a smart city,”
commented Chao. Learn more here.

march 2020 csengineermag.com 45

Land Development

Construction Challenges
of Rail in an Urban
Environment
The world’s cities are booming, and their growth is changing the face
of the planet. Rapid urbanization in developing countries—the gradual
shift in residence of the human population from rural to urban areas—
is both a challenge and an opportunity to steer the world towards a
more sustainable trajectory.
The latest UN World Cities Report1 found that the number of “mega-
cities”—those with more than 10 million people—has more than
doubled over the past two decades, from 14 in 1995 to 29 in 2016.
Projections2 show that urbanization combined with the overall growth
of the world’s population could add another 2.5 billion people to urban
areas by 2050, with close to 90 percent of this increase taking place in
Asia and Africa.
Traffic congestion is a serious consequence of urbanization in any
country, with significant negative effects on both the quality of life
and the economy. In addition to the time wasted, traffic congestion
results in unnecessary fuel consumption, causes additional wear and
tear on vehicles, increases harmful emissions lowering air quality, and
increases the costs of transport for business. Due in part to traffic, cities
and megacities produce more than 70 percent of world’s anthropogenic
CO2 emissions.
Photo: UN World Cities Report
In a rapidly urbanizing world, the urban rail system is an efficient way
of reducing traffic congestion, reducing emissions, and decreasing pol-
lution. The high capacity offered by rail systems can serve the high
transport requirements generated within and between cities. Compact,
mixed-use, pedestrian-friendly development organized around a mass
transit station is one of the most effective strategic initiatives to address
the negative effects of motorization and identifies rail transit systems
as the backbone of urban development.
The presence of railway stations in city centers enables effective intra-
modality through transfers to urban public transport services in addi-
tion to cycling, walking, car sharing, and city logistics. The introduc-
tion of an urban rail system can be popular and politically attractive,
but the cost is high, and in many cases, improving bus services will
have a greater benefit than installing street-running trams and metros.
However, rail-based transport is appropriate where there is a need to
move large volumes of people (in the order of 10,000 per hour) be-
tween major centres (e.g. a transport hub and the city center).

According to the World Bank (2018)3, as the developing world rapidly
urbanizes, there is an opportunity to build safer, cleaner, more efficient,
and more accessible transport systems that reduce congestion and pol-
lution, facilitate access to jobs, and lower transport energy consump-
tion. In emerging mid-size cities, where most of the new urban dwellers
will live4, city planners have an opportunity to design sustainable and
inclusive transport systems from the start, leapfrogging more polluting
and costly methods of transport.
Urban rail is segregated into metro, light rail transport (LRT), and
tramways. Metro rail projects typically involve below ground, at grade,
and elevated sections with multiple-unit trainsets. LRT is traditionally
aboveground and both LRTs and metros operate in dedicated guide-
ways. In contrast, tramways mainly follow existing road and paved
area configurations, mixed in with normal road and foot traffic. Where
new urban centres are being constructed, it is possible to fully segregate

In older or larger cities, technology and big data are helping to bet-
ter map travel patterns and needs, to engage citizens, and to improve
the quality and efficiency of transport solutions. There are several ap-
proaches to this ranging from the provision of enhanced bus services
and dedicated bus lanes, creation of pedestrian areas with access only
by public transport, to the creation of new light rail and urban
rail services.

One clear solution to the problem of traffic congestion is to reduce the

reliance on the use of private vehicles by restricting their use in urban
areas with the introduction of congestion charges, or by removing them
from the streets altogether. As an alternative, adequate, modern, easily
accessible public transport should be offered to the travelling public. Photo: Railsystem.net

46 csengineermag.com march 2020

the rail lines to enable services to run quickly, reliably, and safely, as
the development can be designed around the transport infrastructure.
In an existing city or urban development, the challenges of integrating
the transportation system require careful planning. In many cases, this
is achieved by constructing underground, minimising the visual and
physical impact on the surrounding environment.
Going Underground
Construction methods can be disruptive, depending on the needs of a
project and its location. The construction of underground metro sys-
tems helps preserve quality spaces above ground, particularly in urban
areas; however, limitations on urban space means that deep excava-
tions for underground metro stations often approach existing structures
such as buildings, utilities, and other underground facilities. Despite
the considerable effort that goes into their design, many urban metro
projects still encounter problems.
Deep excavations in densely populated urban areas impose specific
challenges, especially the potential impact on adjacent structures from
induced ground and structural movement. They can also be a nuisance
to the community with site entry and exit challenges, shoring, under-
pinning, alterations to operations, dust, noise, vibrations and traffic
congestion. Key to addressing these issues is the early engagement of
key stakeholders and the early identification and resolution of critical
issues that may have an adverse effect on the locality. Thoughtful plan-
ning and effective design solutions can minimize the impact on the
built environment.
It is important to consider the social impact on residents and project-
affected persons (PAPs). Project promoters and designers often carry
out special studies to find design solutions that will minimize disrup-
tion and other impacts to the surrounding communities. The promoters
and the contractors should establish robust grievance mechanisms to
receive constant feedback from the community to help ensure that
the risk mitigation plans are minimizing impacts. Robust stakeholder
engagement throughout all the project phases helps to ensure that
feedback is constantly collected from all relevant stakeholders. Thus,
executives and managers for underground metro projects are able to
make informed decisions with the wellbeing of the community in mind.
Tunnelling
Tunneling is the least disruptive construction activity in most ground
conditions. Apart from the insertion points of the tunnel boring machine
(TBM), if used, and the sites necessary for the disposal of excavated
material, there is minimal disturbance to the urban environment. On
the other hand, the method a client selects for tunnelling can vary de-
pending on the ground conditions and location of the works. Selecting
the right method for the project will optimize costs and minimize impact.
Tunnel Boring Machines
The TBM is a machine used to excavate tunnels with a circular cross
section through a variety of soil and rock strata. These machines can
bore through anything from hard rock to sand. Tunnel diameters can
range from 1 meter (done with micro TBMs) to 17.6 meters. Tunnel
boring machines are used as an alternative to drilling and blasting
methods in rock and conventional hand mining in soil. TBMs have the
advantages of limiting the disturbance to the surrounding ground and
producing a smooth tunnel wall. This significantly reduces the cost of
lining the tunnel and makes TBMs suitable to use in heavily urbanized
areas. The major disadvantage is the upfront cost. TBMs are expensive
to construct and can be difficult to transport. The longer the tunnel,
the less the relative cost of a TBM per kilometer versus drill and blast
methods. This is because tunneling with TBMs is much more efficient
and results in shortened completion times, assuming they operate suc-
cessfully. Drilling and blasting however remains the preferred method
when working through heavily fractured and sheared rock layers.
New Austrian Tunneling Method
The alternative to tunnel boring is the New Austrian tunneling method
(NATM), also known as the sequential excavation method (SEM) or
sprayed concrete lining method (SCL). NATM is a tunneling method
that deliberately and purposefully uses the load-bearing properties of
the advance core to optimize the mining process, secure the excava-
tion, and minimize the associated economic costs.
The NATM leverages the behavior of rock masses under load and mon-
itors the performance of underground construction during the project.
NATM is not a set of specific excavation and support techniques. It has
often been referred to as a “design as you go” approach to tunneling,
providing an optimized support based on observed ground conditions.
While excavating a tunnel in urban areas, the face of the tunnel is di-
vided into a number of temporary drifts in order to reduce the surface
settlements and deformations and to help ensure the stability of the
face. This is known as sequential excavation method. This method is
based on understanding ground behavior as it reacts to the creation
of an underground opening. During the construction of tunnels, the
stability of the excavation is usually ensured by the primary lining. The
definitive construction of the tunnel tube (secondary lining) is built
only after the stress-strain state stabilization around the excavation.
The main structural elements of the primary lining are sprayed con-
crete and the anchorage system. An integral part of the NATM is
geotechnical monitoring based on deformation measurements of the
tunnel excavation. NATM belongs to a group of observation methods
based on a geotechnics, in which the course of construction is continu-
ously monitored, and the method of mining and excavation securing by
the primary lining are adjusted according to the actual behavior of the
excavation and the advance core.
This technique first gained attention in the 1960s based on the work of
Ladislaus von Rabcewicz, Leopold Müller, and Franz Pacher between
1957 and 1965 in Austria. The name NATM was intended to distin-
guish it from the old Austrian tunneling approach. The fundamental
difference between this new method of tunneling and earlier methods
comes from the economic advantages made available by utilizing the
inherent geological strength available in the surrounding rock mass to
stabilize the tunnel.
A variation of this process incorporates a slurry TBM, a specialized
version of the TBM, which includes a plenum chamber that is filled by
a slurry made from the water and bentonite, a closed chamber in which
pressure is applied to the slurry to balance the pressure of ground wa-
march 2020 csengineermag.com 47
ter, and a cutting wheel that used for the excavation of ground. This
machine is frequently used in ground that consists of gravel and soil,
but it has a limited use in clayey ground mass5. It provides support to
the face of tunnel in front of the machine by using the pressurized fluid,
applied on the basis of surrounding ground permeability6.

Cut-and-Cover
The cut-and-cover technique, in which a trench is excavated (cut) at a
shallow depth and then backfilled (covered), is often used for the con-
struction of sub-surface, shallow tunnels. At a depth of 18 meters and
more, the cut-and-cover method is commonly used for the construction
of rapid transit tunnels. At a depth of 10 to 14 meters, this method can
be more practical and cheaper than underground tunneling7. However,
this method has the significant disadvantages of longer construction
duration, construction easement requirement, and high surface dis-
tortion8. It is also limited in its route, as it cannot pass under surface
structures and buildings, and can only be used in locations where there
is clear space above, such as roads and greenfield sites. Photo: Railsystem.net

Selection of Tunnelling Methods

In selecting a method of tunneling, various factors need to be taken
into account11. The following chart details the relative advantages and
disadvantages of the various tunneling methods.

Photo: Railsystem.net

Drill and Blast

The drill and blast method dates back to the early 1600s and is suit-
able for both weak-strength rocks (e.g. chalk, clay, and marl) as well
as high-strength rocks (e.g. quartz, basalt, gneiss, and granite). It is
suitable for non-circular cross sections and tunnels of comparatively
shorter length, where a TBM is not considered suitable for use.

The drill and blast method consists of several steps such as drilling
blastholes, charging boreholes, tamping, blasting, fumes extraction by
ventilation, mucking, and support installation9.

The main drawbacks of the drill and blast method are the vibrations
and shockwaves from the blasting process. These make it an unpopular
choice in heavily populated urban locations. The drill and blast tech-
nique has the added disadvantages of intense noise, gases, dust, and
flying debris. As a result, both workers and machines must be evacu-
ated from the working area10.
Moving Material
The movement of materials frequently has a significant impact on the
people who live in and travel through the affected project areas. Dis-
posal of excavated material in urban locations is problematic. Delivery
of construction materials creates traffic congestion during construc-
tion, no matter how well this is managed. Delays make people late for

48 csengineermag.com march 2020


Photo: Doha News
school, work, appointments, and other important everyday activities.
Businesses suffer when clients and customers find it hard to access
them. Everyday emergencies turn critical when ambulances, rescue
crews, and fire trucks are not able to travel regular routes.
Restrictions on the time of travel for trucks bringing in construction
materials and taking away excavated material can help alleviate the
impact. In some cities such as Doha, Qatar, overhead conveyors have
been used to transport excavated material from the tunnelling opera-
tions in the heart of the city to dump sites. Depending on the physical
location of the sites, a range of options may exist.
Case study: Crossrail, London
Crossrail is a new UK railway that runs for over 100 KM
from Maidenhead and Heathrow in the west, through
new tunnels under central London to Shenfield and
Abbey Wood in the east. It is currently Europe’s largest
construction project. Work started in May 2009 and over
10,000 people were working across over 40 construction
sites. The project is planned to open in 2021.
Within Central London, Crossrail is routed through 42
KM of running tunnels. The works in Central London will
generate 6,000,000 T of excavated material. 4,500,000
T of this material will be shipped to be deposited
at a ‘Waste Recovery’ facility at Wallasea Island
approximately 60 KM east of London, where it will be
used to create a coastal nature reserve.
Material unsuitable for deposition at Wallasea Island or
unsuitable for shipping to Wallasea will be transported
by road, rail, and/or barge to a number of licensed
landfill sites to the east of London.
The excavated material is derived from the tunnel boring
machines (TBMs), sprayed concrete lining (SCL) tunnels,
and excavations for boxes, shafts and portals. Crossrail
is utilizing eight TBMs, six earth pressure balance
machines (EPB) and two slurry machines.
Transportation was mainly by rail and river barge, then
by ship to the landfill, avoiding the use of heavy trucks
wherever possible.
Source: https://learninglegacy.crossrail.co.uk
In the case of Crossrail in London, most excavated materials were
transported by barge and ship due to the proximity to the River Thames
and the access to the waste recovery and landfill site by sea. The ap-
proach to material movement will vary by location. Project executives
must prepare adequately to respond to those needs in ways that limit
impact to communities.
Stations
Construction of underground stations results in areas of disruption
whilst the station is excavated and built. Modern techniques such as
top-down construction, when practical, reduce the period of disruption
and the amount of temporary works needed.
The top-down construction method builds the permanent structural
portions of the basement and station along with the excavation from
the top to the bottom. The top-down method is particularly suited to
the construction of underground stations beneath busy roadways and
provides significant savings on overall construction time. This is an
important technique for major projects, in which time is of primary
importance and surface disruption needs to be minimized.
Circular shaped shaft excavations, supported either by diaphragm
walls or secant pile walls, provide significant advantages over plane
walls. They do not need supports such as struts or tie-back anchors.
Such excavation works can be achieved quickly without a complicated
construction sequence or coordination between the excavator and the
shoring or anchor installer.
Photo: Ulmaconstruction.net
march 2020 csengineermag.com 49
For elevated guideways (structures that support tracks in the air), the
main disruption is the construction of the support piers. The guideway
is usually constructed using precast segments that are lifted into posi-
tion using a crane mounted on the piers and then post-tensioned to
form the span.
This has a distinct advantage over more traditional methods of con-
struction such as casting concrete in situ, which relies on extensive
support scaffolding to support the concrete deck during construction.
In elevated sections, the station is also constructed above ground. In
many cases, station construction can be achieved without significant
disturbance to the local environment.
Environmental Impact
No significant construction project, such as an urban metro, can pro-
ceed without a thorough evaluation of its impact on the environment.
An Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) is a formal
process used to predict the environmental consequences of any devel-
opment project. It ensures that the potential problems are foreseen and
addressed at an early stage in the projects planning and design.
The main purpose of the ESIA is to inform decision makers of the
likely impacts of a proposal before a decision is made. ESIA provides
an opportunity to identify key issues and stakeholders early in the life
of a proposal so that potentially adverse impacts can be addressed be-
fore final approval decisions are made.
The ESIA should be prepared initially by the project promoter and built
upon by the designers and contractors as the project progresses.
The Goals of an ESIA are:
• to predict environmental, social, economic, and cultural consequences
of a proposed activity.
• to assess and review plans to mitigate any adverse impacts resulting
from the proposed activity.
• to support the goals of environmental protection and sustainable de-
velopment.
• to integrate environmental protection and economic decisions at the
earliest stages of planning and activity.
A Risk Worth Taking
Traffic congestion is a serious consequence of urbanization in any
country, with significant negative effects on both the quality of life
and the economy. In a rapidly urbanizing world, the urban rail system
is an efficient way of reducing traffic congestion, reducing emissions,
and decreasing pollution. The high capacity offered by rail systems can
serve the high transport requirements generated within and
between cities.
The construction of rail in an urban environment will entail numerous
environmental and social impacts that require careful management and
monitoring, particularly during the construction phase. It is imperative
that they are understood, managed, and monitored extensively through
a variety different means.
50 csengineermag.com march 2020
Construction methods will vary from location to location, but their
overall aim must be to minimise disruption to the urban environment
during construction where possible. Deep excavations in densely pop-
ulated urban areas impose specific challenges, especially the potential
impact on adjacent structures from induced ground and
structural movement.
Tunnelling is a good option for constructing metros in older and larger
cities. It is the least disruptive construction activity in most ground
conditions. And, depending on the ground conditions and depth of
excavation, a range of construction methods exist. But it can be ex-
pensive. Care must be taken to select the right tunnelling option for a
particular project to optimize cost and minimize impact.
In considering any project and in particular one where there is inevi-
tably significant disruption to daily life during the construction phase,
conducting an ESIA and engaging early with stakeholders is essen-
tial. Lines of communication with the local community must be open
throughout, as well.
When the construction starts, the promoter will keep track of the imple-
mentation of the management plans addressing social risk and identify
any further issues through establishing a grievance mechanism and
robust stakeholder engagement. After the work is finished, the final im-
pact on the surrounding area is minimised and often greatly improved
by the creation of passenger transit and access areas, in-station retail
outlets, and infrastructure improvements to the local road network.
Ultimately, the disturbance to the daily routine of the local inhabit-
ants during the construction phase is worth tolerating, especially when
it will be these local inhabitants who reap the ultimate benefits of a
modern public transport system that reduces congestion and impact on
the environment.
References
1
UN Habitat (2016). World Cities Report; 1.2 World Cities: A Gathering Force,
available at http://wcr.unhabitat.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/16/2016/05/
Chapter-1-WCR-2016.pdf
2
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA),
(2018) Revision of World Urbanisation Prospects, available at https://
www.un.org/development/desa/publications/2018-revision-of-world-
urbanization-prospects.html
3
World Bank (2018). Understanding Poverty, available at https://www.
worldbank.org/en/topic/transport/overview
Ritchie, H. and Roser, M. (2019) - "Urbanization". Published online at
4
OurWorldInData.org. Retrieved from: 'https://ourworldindata.org/urbanization'
5
Chappell, M. and D. Parkin (2004). 8 - Tunnel construction. Sewers. G. F.
Read. Oxford, Butterworth-Heinemann: 150-192.
Maidl, B., M. Thewes, U. Maidl, B. Maidl, M. Thewes and U. Maidl (2014). DAUB
6
Recommendations for the Selection of Tunnelling Machines. Handbook of
Tunnel Engineering II, Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH: 363-409
7
Wilton, J. L. (1996). Cut-and-Cover Tunnel Structures. Tunnel Engineering
Handbook, Springer: 320-359
8
Rudolf, J., V. Gall and A. Nitschke (2008). Selection of alignment and
tunneling methods in urban settings. Proceedings of the World Tunnel
Congress 2008—Underground Facilities for Better Environment and Safety
Kolymbas, D. (2005). "Heading." Tunnelling and Tunnel Mechanics: A
9
Rational Approach to Tunnelling: 75-129
10
Lavon, E. V. (1980). Method and device for breaking a hard compact
material, Google Patents found at https://patents.google.com/patent/
US4204715A/en
11
Arshad and R. A. Abdullah: “A Review on Selection of Tunneling Method
and Parameters Effecting Ground Settlements” Electronic Journal of
Geotechnical Engineering, 2016 (21.14), pp 4459-4475
INNOVATIVE STORMWATER
SYSTEM PROVIDES
MAXIMIZED FOOTPRINT FOR
CHARTER SCHOOL EXPANSION
Detention Chambers Buried Under
New Athletic Stadium
The Kipp Charter School has completed its latest expansion for the
more than 2,000 students in attendance from pre-school to high
school. The new 600-seat athletic stadium, which officially opened
on October 24, 2019, was built for football, soccer, and field and track
events. To control stormwater runoff from the field, parking lots, and
building, two underground detention systems were constructed using a
network of chambers that can hold a combined total of nearly 445,000
gallons of stormwater.
“One of the main reasons we had to go underground and selected the
chambers, is because of the constraints on the footprint of the project,
which was previously a driving range of the Bridgeview Golf Course,”
explained Amy Nagy, P.E., senior project manager for EMH&T (Co-
lumbus, Ohio) who led the design team. “We didn’t have any spare
greenspace to provide surface detention and water quality to meet
City and EPA requirements. We realized early in the project that we
would have to utilize underground system because we couldn’t locate
the required storm detention within the floodplain, which was relevant
to the project. Utilizing underground detention allowed us to put it
underneath the field in the endzones. This allowed us to maximize
the footprint of the project in order to accommodate a regulation high
school field and desired building. Once we looked at where that was,
we didn’t have any room for detention outside of that, so we had to
move it within that footprint.
“An additional constraint was to make sure we were clear from any
of the field underdrains and kept structures out of the turf area. The
design for the stadium was following behind the rest of the site plan.
We could have put it over the top of it, but basically we placed it in
the endzones because they were clear areas, and we wouldn’t interfere
with anything as the project phased out.”
The project design called for 288 StormTech® MC-3500 chambers to
be used and buried with a minimum cover of #4 gravel fill 12 inches
over top of the chambers, followed by another 12 inches of compacted
material. System A, 116 x 89 feet, under the south end of the field, with
168 chambers has a total installed volume capacity of 254,338 gallons
of water, while System B, 102 x 74 feet, under the north end of the field
with 120 chambers can hold up to 187,000 gallons of water.
StormTech chambers, a product of Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc.
(ADS) (NYSE: WMS) (Hilliard, Ohio), are designed in accordance
To meet stormwater detention requirements, two StormTech chamber systems were
installed under the endzones at the Kipp Charter school’s new athletic stadium.
Photo: The Daimler Group, Inc.
with AASHTO, ASTM and CSA design standards, qualifying them for
use in commercial and municipal projects. Made from an engineered
grade of impact-modified polypropylene copolymer, the chambers are
made to provide a minimum 75-year service life.
Each chamber, measures 90 inches long x 77 inches wide x 45 inches
high and has an installed volume of 1,339 gallons of water (178.7 cubic
feet). Ferguson Waterworks (Newport News, VA) supplied the cham-
bers and storm pipe from its Columbus, Ohio branch, and coordinated
the just-in-time deliveries to the site.
Along the sides and on top of the chambers, ADS 0601TG non-woven
geotextile was used as a soil separation layer. Underneath the cham-
bers, ADS 315WTM woven geotextile was used to add scour protec-
tion. Nearly 8,000 square yards of geotextile fabric was used.
ADS N-12® 18-inch diameter high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe
was used to connect the chambers. Plus, 750 feet of four-inch diameter
N-12 perforated pipe provides additional drainage into the
StormTech chambers.
Each of the two systems has two StormTech Isolator® Rows that trap
sediment from the stormwater drainage preventing it from settling at
the bottom of the bed, which would slow the infiltration rate. The
Isolator Rows can be cleaned out by a JET-VAC® process using access
from any one of the inspection/clean out ports.
ADS FLEXSTORM® inlet filters that are configured based on drain-
age structure type and filtration needs were used in the upstream struc-
tures with open grates. Each FLEXSTORM unit effectively filters
silt, solids and other pollutants and readily fits an ADS pipe system,
including the Nyloplast® drain basin.
Nyloplast Water Control Structures were used in both StormTech sys-
tems as a collection point where one or more drain lines converge.
The unit is designed to improve water quality as part of the National
march 2020 csengineermag.com 51

Two underground detention systems were constructed using a network of 288
StormTech chambers that can hold a combined total of nearly 450,000 gallons of
water. Photo: The Daimler Group, Inc
Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) and EPA Phase
II Standards.
Built in 2008 on the site of the former golf course in northeast Co-
lumbus, the campus includes KIPP Elementary, KIPP Primary, KIPP
Middle and the KIPP High School along with the KIPP Early Learning
Center and the KIPP Athletics and Wellness Complex. Additionally,
the YMCA of Central Ohio operates an Early Learning Center at KIPP
Primary for infants to pre-kindergarteners. Also, the Battelle Envi-
ronmental Center opened on the KIPP Columbus Campus in 2017.
This center has learning labs, a makerspace, demonstration areas,
and a three-mile nature path and preserve that is incorporated into the
educational programming. KIPP is a national network of 242 free,
open-enrollment, public charter schools that focus on educating early
childhood, elementary, middle, and high school students.
The two underground chamber systems provide detention and water
quality for the limited asphalt area, the building rooftops, field, and
track. From the chambers, water flows into ADS HP Storm pipe, car-
ried into the floodplain area and eventually travels to Alum Creek. A
weir plate between the chambers and the outlet provides the required
release rates.
“Utilizing the StormTech chambers provided an efficient footprint to
minimize impact to the project.” Nagy stated. “And we needed the
water quality. The city of Columbus still regulates and requires post-
construction stormwater controls for both water quality and
water quantity.”
Massana Construction Company, Inc. (Columbus, Ohio) was respon-
sible for installing both stormwater control systems.
“We prefer to utilize the StormTech systems in most cases,” offered
Toby Beegle, operations manager for Massana. “That’s because of
52 csengineermag.com march 2020
weight and more fluid installation. Installing the plastic chambers can
be done with a reduced crew, and the equipment utilization to set the
chambers is minimal. You can handle them with just two individuals
in most cases. We’ve done multiple projects with them.
“We certainly like the high-performance pipe because it eliminates any
deflection so you can pass the mandrel test. Money well spent getting
the HP Storm pipe. We just use it to eliminate problems on the job site.
When we pull mandrels for the City, we want that mandrel system to
work every time. We’re going to use that pipe in the vast majority
of times.”
A high-performance polypropylene (PP) pipe for gravity-flow storm
drainage applications, HP Storm pipe provides stiffness and premium
joint performance. The ADS design couples advanced polypropylene
resin technology with a proven, dual-wall profile design for superior
performance and durability, according to the company. The pipe is
corrosion resistant and is unaffected by salts, chemicals and hot soils
and meets or exceeds ASTM F2881 and AASHTO M330. Burial cover
can range from 1-39 feet.
“The stadium is built into the hillside and part of it is in the existing
floodplain,” explained Drew Hanna, project manager for site developer
the Daimler Group, Inc. (Columbus, Ohio). “We remediated about
30,000 yards of peat moss. Dug all that out, put back stable soils plus
a little bit of rock to stabilize the plateau, and then put in about 80,000
yard of fill plus the two StormTech systems from ADS. These take
all the runoff from the field and parking lots west of the stadium and
flows through the filter then back into the watershed and the floodplain.
“It was quite a process. We literally built the plateau to the field 20
feet out of the floodplain above existing grade, right up to the hillside.
This kept the beauty of the land. When you look over the hillside, you
see the floodplain, the river, all the natural trees and foliage. We even
found an old abandoned bridge buried in the hillside, which we reme-
The Kipp athletic stadium was built on the former driving range of a golf course.
Photo: ADS.
The new Kipp Charter School’s Athletics and Wellness Complex was dedicated on October 24, 2019.
diated, and is now a part of the landscape, adding even more character
to the site.
“The old golf course path is now being used as cross-country trail
through the woods and back up the hills to the track inside the stadium.
It all ties together as one big nature campus.
“In the end, we probably moved 100,000 yards of dirt and built the sta-
dium. Even with it being the wettest year on record, we were definitely
on budget. The timing was somewhat flexible to make sure everything
was done right with the floodplain and nature, and that we weren’t just
cramming it all in there to save time. This project took about a year
and it was really one of the biggest earth-moving undertakings I’ve
ever seen.
“The Daimler Group has been involved with the school since the be-
ginning,” Hanna continued. “The one thing everyone always agreed
on was to preserve the natural features of the site and build into the old
fairways. This made it possible to save a lot of tree lines. To keep the
beautiful vista, the buildings were built right up to the hillside over-
looking the floodplain, and the same thought went into the planning for
the new stadium.”
About Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc.
Advanced Drainage Systems (ADS) is the leading manufacturer of
high performance thermoplastic corrugated pipe, providing a com-
prehensive suite of water management products and superior drainage
solutions for use in the construction and infrastructure marketplace.
Its innovative products are used across a broad range of end markets
and applications, including non-residential, residential, agriculture and
infrastructure applications. The Company has established a leading
position in many of these end markets by leveraging its national sales
and distribution platform, its overall product breadth and scale and its
manufacturing excellence. Founded in 1966, the Company operates
a global network of approximately 55 manufacturing plants and over
30 distribution centers. To learn more about the ADS, please visit the
Company’s website at www.ads-pipe.com.
march 2020 csengineermag.com 53
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Strong Connections
By William Gould
Building codes and referenced standards are constantly evolving. A
three-year or longer cycle for development of codes and standards
may present challenges to manufacturers’ product development plans.
Through the provisions in the International Building Code® (IBC)
Section 104.11 Alternative materials, design and methods of construc-
tion and equipment, however, ICC Evaluation Service (ICC-ES) keeps
pace with innovative product development through a continuous cycle
of new Acceptance Criteria (AC) being proposed and revised
every year.
In 2015, ICC-ES collaborated with the Deutsches Institut für Bautech-
nik (DIBt) to develop a new Acceptance Criteria for Load-Bearing
Thermal Break Assemblies (LBTBAs) Installed Between Concrete
Balconies and Concrete Floors (AC464; https://icc-es.org/acceptance-
criteria/ac464/). ICC-ES AC464 was partially based on a new Euro-
pean Assessment Document (EAD) for LBTBAs which form a thermal
break between concrete balconies and internal concrete floors. Struc-
tural load tests, fire resistive assembly tests and engineering analysis
were used as the basis for AC464, and allowed for a parallel evaluation
to the EAD.
The first ICC-ES evaluation report under AC464 was issued to HAL-
FEN GmbH in ESR-3799 (https://icc-es.org/report-listing/esr-3799/).
The HALFEN technical team, led by Dr.-Ing. Thorsten Heidolf, imple-
mented a very proactive approach including structural and fire testing
done as part of their European Technical Assessment (ETA). A review
of the HALFEN test data and analysis confirmed compliance with ICC-
ES AC464 requirements, and qualifying inspections of the HALFEN
manufacturing facilities in Europe and the U.S. were successfully com-
pleted prior to publication of ESR-3799. The HALFEN Insulated Con-
nection (HIT) is a load bearing connection used as a structural thermal
break for concrete to concrete connections such as reinforced concrete
floor with reinforced concrete balconies. The HALFEN HIT system is
a novel load-bearing connection assembly that utilizes steel reinforcing
bars and innovative compression shear bearing units to transmits shear
forces, bending moments or a combination of both shear and bend-
ing moments. Mineral wool is utilized as both an insulating and a fire
protection material providing a minimum 2-hour fire rating. Strut and
tie models are used to analyze and design the HALFEN HIT structural
connections in regards to the concrete failure modes. The technical
solution to the complex connection behavior was facilitated by open
and frequent communication between HALFEN, ICC-ES, and DIBt
throughout the review process.
“The combination of ICC-ES’s and DIBt’s technical expertise and
communication skills made the development of AC464 and the ESR
3799 approval process very easy and straight forward”, said Dr.-Ing.
Thorsten Heidolf, Team Manager of Structural Physical Products and
Reinforcement Systems at HALFEN. “As a product manufacturer, we
appreciate ICC-ES’s cooperation and quick turn-around as ICC-ES
reports are a critical component of our marketing and design strategy.
project delivery
HALFEN HIT System – Balcony to Main Slab Connection
During all phases of the process we felt that all parties were work-
ing together as a team to accomplish a goal. The advantage for our
customers is that the area of application, the design concept and other
rules are checked and clearly described by experts.”
In 2017, HALFEN’s HIT Insulated Connection received the first
ICC-ES Evaluation Report (ESR 3799) for a structural thermal break
system from ICC Evaluation Service (ICC-ES). HIT allows insulation
to run continuously through the balcony increasing the effective R-
value of the overall wall system by almost two times compared to an
un-thermally broken balcony.
ICC-ES and DIBt collaborated to develop AC464 under a Memoran-
dum of Understanding (MOU) between the two product evaluation
agencies. The MOU underscores the trust that the agencies have
in each other’s technical and quality management processes. Other
collaboration projects between ICC-ES and DIBt are currently in the
works for different types of building products. "Global markets call for
global product assessment solutions. We are happy to cooperate with
ICC-ES to provide high quality product evaluations to our industry
partners. Aligning American and European technical specifications is
a key factor in reducing evaluation costs and times-to-market for our
customers," said DIBt Vice President, Dr.-Ing. Karsten Kathage.
“ICC-ES’ cooperation with DIBt was shaped to solve global manu-
facturers’ conformity assessment challenges,” said William Gould,
ICC-ES VP of External Relations & Client Services. “This partnership
works because the two organizations have the same mission, and that is
to streamline the global conformity assessment process while helping
save lives in the built environment.”
Subsequent revisions to ICC-ES AC464 were approved by the Evalua-
tion Committee in June 2017 in order to address expanded polystyrene
(EPS) as a different LBTBA insulating material, in addition to the
mineral wool insulation previously approved in 2015. EPS insulating
blocks used as part of an LBTBA under ICC-ES AC464 must also
comply with the testing and manufacturing quality requirements in
ICC-ES Acceptance Criteria for Foam Plastic Insulation (AC12).
march 2020 csengineermag.com 55
The primary purpose of ICC-ES evaluation reports is to provide build-
ing code officials with evidence of code compliance in accordance with
Section 104.11 of the IBC. The primary benefit of ICC-ES evaluation
reports to the manufacturer is to facilitate approval of their products by
local building code officials. Evaluation reports, listings and approv-
als thus indirectly help the manufacturers grow their business through
recognition under the IBC. Evaluation reports also provide peace of
mind to design professionals that the product has been independently
reviewed by an ISO/IEC 17065 accredited conformity assessment
body with expertise in evaluating the specific product. A lot of work
goes on behind the scenes in development of an AC from the manufac-
turer, ICC-ES staff and other interested parties including the proponent
manufacturer. As part of the ICC-ES evaluation process, surveillance
inspections of the product manufacturing are also done for the life of
the evaluation report. This ensures continuous compliance of the prod-
uct with the ICC-ES AC and IBC requirements. “We are very proud to
be part of this alliance of evaluation experts, working collaboratively
to help reduce any code conformity issues manufacturers may face,
in both the United States and Europe,” said ICC-ES President Shahin
Moinian, P.E. “Together, we will increase efficiency in product evalu-
ation and testing.”
The collaboration between ICC-ES and DIBt is unique. It has allowed
for sharing of manufacturer test data and associated analyses in order
to establish compliance with the ICC-ES AC and EAD simultaneously.
HALFEN was able to obtain an ESR and ETA under a unified testing
and analysis program through the cooperative effort of ICC-ES and
DIBt. In the end, the process was very efficient saving both time
and money.
Other manufacturers seeking evaluation reports for compliance with
the I-codes can work directly with ICC-ES as usual if they intend to
market and sell their products in the U.S. If manufacturers also want
to obtain an ETA to increase their global market reach, the MOU be-
tween ICC-ES and DIBt allows for a collaborative project with both
evaluation agencies, streamlining the process for dual certifications in
the U.S. and Europe.
Manufacturers interested in applying for an ICC-ES evaluation report
may contact Michael Temesvary, P.E. at (800)423-6587 ext. 3877
mtemesvary@icc-es.org.
56 csengineermag.com march 2020
About ICC-ES
ICC-ES Evaluation Reports (ESRs), Building Product Listings and
PMG Listings provide evidence that products and systems meet require-
ments of codes and technical standards. The ICC-ES Environmental
Programs issue VAR environmental reports that verify a product meets
specific sustainability targets defined by today’s codes, standards,
green rating systems, and ICC-ES Environmental criteria. The Envi-
ronmental Programs now offer Environmental Product Declarations
(EPDs), to meet global market demand for science-based, transparent,
quality-assured information about a product’s environmental perfor-
mance. ICC-ES is a member of the International Code Council Family
of Companies. For more information, please visit www.icc-es.org.
About DIBt
DIBt is the German approval body for non-regulated construction
products and techniques. As a provider of services and public func-
tions, DIBt fulfills a large range of technical and regulatory tasks in the
field of construction. These include, among others, granting national
technical approvals, issuing European Technical Assessments (ETAs),
granting structural design type approvals, recognizing and notifying
independent third-party bodies as well as performing market surveil-
lance responsibilities. DIBt is also mandated to prepare and publish the
official Technical Building Rules and to keep them up-to-date. Learn
more at www.dibt.de.
About the International Code Council
The International Code Council is a member-focused association
dedicated to developing model codes and standards used in the design,
build and compliance process to construct safe, sustainable, affordable
and resilient structures. Most U.S. communities and many global mar-
kets choose the International Codes.
WILLIAM GOULD, P.E., CDT, CCCA is a licensed Civil Engineer with 30 years of
technical, management and leadership experience. He graduated from the
United States Military Academy at West Point, served in the U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers and is a Certified Construction Document Technologist (CDT)
and Construction Contract Administrator (CCCA). Bill is active within the
engineering community and serves on a number of industry technical commit-
tees, including AISI, APA and ASTM. He is currently the Senior Vice President
of Engineering & Technical Services at ICC Evaluation Service (ICC-ES), a
subsidiary of the International Code Council (ICC).
Protect Your Firm with
Limitation of Liability
By Mark Jackson
Contracts are important tools for your business relationships with
both clients and subconsultants. The different provisions in a contract
can provide protection for your design firm if a dispute should arise.
One such provision that we recommend be included in every client
contract is a Limitation of Liability.
A Limitation of Liability (LoL) clause limits the design firm’s liabil-
ity in the event of a claim related to your professional services. LoL
clauses protect the assets of the firm in the event of a large claim or
multiple claims.
Not all of your clients will accept a LoL clause but that should not stop
you from asking for it in every contract. Even if only a small portion of
your clients agree to it, LoL clauses reduce your overall financial expo-
sure. Also, most insurance companies will give you a discount on the
cost of your Professional Liability insurance based on the percentage
of your contracts that contain a LoL clause. LoL clauses are especially
important for small projects because they help balance the risk-reward
benefit. The fees collected on smaller projects oftentimes do not justify
the exposure of the firm for your insurance policy limits.
Some key points to consider when drafting LoL language:
• Do not attempt to relieve the firm of all liability. Instead, put a cap on the
liability for a pre-determined amount. Language that attempts to eliminate all
liability may make it unenforceable.
• Keep the LoL clause and any indemnity clause totally separate and apart.
• Make the LoL clause apply to actions against any principal, officer, agent
and employee of the corporation, as well as the corporation itself.
• The LoL clause should apply to all causes of action by the client including
breach of contract, breach of warranty, and negligence.
• The clause should not attempt to limit third party claims, but instead should
address only claims by the client
Limitation of Liability (LoL) clauses can be drafted based on either
a set dollar amount or a limit of insurance. The first type of clause
specifies a fixed dollar amount or an amount equal to your contract
fee. This set-limit clause is desirable for small fee projects. The design
firm should not have to expose itself to a large claim for projects that
generate very little profit.
An example of a LoL clause is listed:
In recognition of the relative risks, rewards and benefits of the project
to both the Client and the Architect, the risks have been allocated so
that the Client agrees, to the fullest extent permitted by law and not-
withstanding any other provisions of this Agreement, to limit the total
liability of the Architect to the Client and all subcontractors on the
project, for any and all injuries, losses, expenses, damages of any na-
ture whatsoever or claim expenses arising out of this agreement, from
any cause or causes, so that the total aggregate liability of the Architect
shall not exceed the total compensation received by Architect under
this Agreement or $50,000, whichever is less. Such claims and causes
include, but are not limited to, strict liability, negligence, professional
errors or omissions, breach of contract or breach of warranty. This
clause applies to all principals, directors, officers, employees, agents
and servants of the Architect.
The second type of Limitation of Liability clause seeks to limit your
exposure to an amount of insurance. This type of clause can be written
to include policy limits. However, we recommend that the limitation
be tied to the insurance proceeds available at the time of settlement of
a claim.
Here is sample language: “…. the total aggregate liability of the design
firm shall be limited to the amount of insurance proceeds available at
the time of the settlement.”
If you hire subconsultants, you need to pay special attention to LoL
clauses in your agreements. Although we stress the importance of get-
ting LoL clauses, you should not grant a LoL to your subconsultants
unless you get one from your client.
There is a case where a client filed a claim against an architect due
to structural issues on the project. The architect did not have a LoL
clause with the client, but their agreement with the structural engineer
subconsultant granted a LoL that capped the subconsultant’s liability at
$75,000. The claim settled in excess of $2M, with the structural engi-
neer’s contribution limited to $75,000. The architect was responsible
for the difference even though $1.3M of the damages were attributed
to the subconsultant.
Limitation of Liability clauses are an important risk management tool
for design firms. Limiting your liability can be as important as nego-
tiating your fee and a LoL clause should be standard language in all of
your client contracts.
march 2020 csengineermag.com 57
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