Speaker: F. Ross Stroud, CDM Smith

Date: Thursday, April 18, 2024

Topic:  The East Neuse Regional Pump Station - The Design, Construction, and Startup of one of NC's Largest Wastewater Pump Stations

Presentation: Video

Summary: Raleigh Water’s new East Neuse Regional Pump Station is part of a program to supplement the main arteries of their wastewater collection system and also aid in improving service for partner municipalities. This facility will allow removal of flow from the Neuse River basin and the Wendell service area from the existing lift station and interceptor system. In addition, the facility will allow diversion of flow from the Crabtree and Walnut Creek basins during extreme wet-weather events. This project presents CORPUD with an interesting challenge, however— how to design and build a pump station to operate efficiently with dry-weather flows in the range of 20 mgd, while still accommodating wet-weather flows exceeding 100 mgd. Adding to the challenge is the depth of the pump station dictated by upstream river crossings while avoiding inverted siphons or multiple pump stations.

This presentation will discuss aspects of pump station design, construction, and startup. Focus topics include physical hydraulic modeling to optimize the wetwell design, equipment and pump selection to accommodate the wide range of flows, construction challenges including deep excavation, river crossing, pipe connections and installation, and the startup coordination between the pump station projects and the interconnecting infrastructure.

Bio: Ross Stroud, P.E., is an Associate Engineer at CDM Smith in Raleigh NC. He has a B.S. in Civil Engineering from N.C. State University, and has been involved in the design and construction of wastewater and water treatment and conveyance systems for more years than he wants to admit. Ross is a member of NC One Water, and the Water Environment Federation. He is a native North Carolinian and now resides in Raleigh.

Speaker: David Ragan, P.E. and Nathan Wiggins, P.E.

Date: Thursday, March 21, 2024

Topic:  Perquimans River S Bridge Replacement

Presentation: Video

Summary: Stretching over the Perquimans River as it drains into the Albemarle Sound in northeastern North Carolina, a historic bridge connected the towns of Hertford and Winfall. Built in 1929, the previous structure carried a 0.6 mile long causeway of US17/NC37 on poor compressible soils including a 650 feet long bridge structure with a 161 feet Warren Truss Swing Span. Continued settlement of the causeway, flooding during severe weather, and deterioration of the structurally deficient Swing Span necessitated the replacement of the entire structure.

To replace the structure, NCDOT has embarked on its first movable bridge replacement through Design-Build procurement. McLean Contracting teamed with RK&K and Hardesty & Hanover to replace the existing structure with a new pile-supported bridge including 27 concrete approach spans and a new Steel Swing Span over the existing navigation channels for an overall length of 2700 feet. The approach spans consist of precast deck panel forms with a cast-in-place concrete deck pour, Florida I-beams, 30in. prestressed concrete piles and integral abutments. The Steel Swing Span consist of a stringer-floorbeam floor system with a lightweight concrete deck, and a Warren Truss.

Technical design requirements included strict adherence to durability requirements for concrete approach spans and concrete substructure, enhanced aesthetics of Swing Span and Control house, protection to turtle species, a new formulation for metallizing the Swing span structural steel, minimizing long-term machinery and electrical costs, and capabilities for remote operation of the bridge.

Speaker: Brian Ceccarelli, P.E.

Date: Thursday, February 15, 2024

Topic:  The Yellow Signal Light - Physics, Red-Light Cameras and Engineering Malpractice

Presentation: PDF

Summary: Mr. Ceccarelli introduced this topic to ASCE in 2017. Much as happened since then. For his new presentation, he will review the physics in the Institute of Transportation Engineer's (ITE) practice of determining the duration of the yellow light. Departments of Transportation use this ITE practice. The errors and omissions in the physics cause drivers to systematically run red lights. Red-light camera firms partner with governments, who together use the power of government to exploit these errors for profit.

Departments of Transportation have been adopting the ITE practice since 1965. On March 3, 2020, he and his colleagues convinced ITE to admit that its practice was wrong. ITE published a new practice which adopts their new math equation and rebukes zero-tolerance traffic law enforcement. Most DOTs, like the NCDOT, ignore the new equation. And ITE and the NCDOT continue to inject errors and omissions making everyone run red lights.

Mr. Ceccarelli's presentation includes news of current red-light camera law suits and proposed legislation in North Carolina. We will talk about cities continuing to operate red-light cameras in spite of state engineering boards' rulings that the red-light camera engineering plans lack signature and seal of a PE and/or a firm licensed to practice engineering. We will discuss why NC courts and NCBELS still refuse to oppose a standard of care which does not rise to the requirements of NCGS 89C.

Bio: Brian Ceccarelli has a degree in physics from the University of Arizona. Ceccarelli is a licensed professional engineer. He designs and builds software for engineering and science companies. He is currently employed by the Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere at Colorado State University.

Ceccarelli became interested in traffic signal timing when the Town of Cary, North Carolina bestowed upon him a red-light camera ticket. That motivated him to research government’s obligations to conform man-made ordinances to the laws of science. Mr. Ceccarelli currently serves as expert witness in traffic signal timing and photo-enforcement in North Carolina and New York. Ceccarelli has presented this subject for the National Society of Professional Engineers, the United Kingdom's Autonomous Vehicle Symposiums, ASCE, and other venues.

Speaker: Jim Talian

Date: Thursday, January 18, 2024

Topic:  CMAR Helps Preserve Downtown Businesses During Disruptive Construction

Presentation: Video

Summary: The Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) process has helped a highly disruptive construction project in a downtown central business district to be performed while reducing impacts to the thriving but fragile downtown business community.

The features of the CMAR process that contributed to project success are the ability to select a CM based on their willingness to be flexible: the guaranteed maximum price which enabled the selected manager to successfully budget contingencies; the ability of the CM to select subcontractors based on capability and understanding; and the participation of the CM in the design process so that surprises during the project were minimized.

Bio: James Talian, P.E., has over 45 years of professional engineering experience, primarily in water resources engineering.

He has modeled flood plains in Kentucky and Missouri; regulated dams on the Mississippi River; designed subdivisions in St. Louis; developed management policies for multi-purpose reservoirs in Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama; designed and managed water, sewer, stormwater, street, and building projects for the City of Lynchburg, Virginia, and currently serves as the Capital Projects Program Manager for the City of Fayetteville, North Carolina.

Mr. Talian has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in civil engineering from Penn State. He has been active in engineering licensing policy, and government affairs with the American Society of Civil Engineers and is currently chair of ASCE’s national History & Heritage Committee. He is a licensed professional engineer in North Carolina, Virginia, and Missouri.

Speaker: Chas Webb, PE, CFM

Date: Thursday, November 30, 2023

Topic:  City of Raleigh's Drainage Assistance and Stream Stabilization Programs

Presentation: PDF

Summary: The Drainage Assistance and Stream Stabilization programs are two City of Raleigh programs that help private residents with public flooding and erosion. Public flooding and erosion is classified as water that comes from City right-of-way or public land. These programs have helped dozens or residents with stormwater issues on their property. The programs are funded through the City stormwater utility fee.

This presentation will look at the history of the Raleigh Stormwater and the programs. It will identify goals, challenges and successes. It will also look at newly created Stream Stabilization program which was authorized by the City Council in 2022 to complement the Drainage Assistance program.

Bio: Chas Webb is an Engineering Supervisor that oversees the Drainage Assistance and Stream Stabilization programs. Chas has been with the City of Raleigh for 6 years. He’s a graduate of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) with his B.S. in civil engineering and M.S. in engineering management, both from UTC. He’s a licensed engineer in North Carolina and Tennessee and is also a Certified Floodplain Manager. Chas is also the ASCE Region 4 Governor of North Carolina. He’s authored four books.

Speaker: Ghadir Haikal, PhD

Date: Thursday, October 19, 2023

Topic:  Computational Modeling of Interfaces in Complex Infrastructure Systems

Presentation: Video

Summary: The field of computational mechanics has witnessed significant advancements that have greatly improved our ability to model complex phenomena, ranging from large-scale structures to nanoscale systems, under conditions that cannot be replicated in a laboratory, and often at reduced cost compared to experimental testing. However, many challenges remain in the development of numerical models for complex infrastructure systems and composite materials where multiple components interact through an interface. Interfaces are critical pathways for load-carrying mechanisms that contribute to lifelong performance and structural resilience. Thus, it is crucial for the computational model to accurately capture the interface kinematics and force transfer processes, particularly in the presence of geometric and material nonlinearities, damage, friction and dynamics.

This presentation details the challenges and applications of interface modeling for coupled problems in engineering. I will introduce a new class of formulations that can efficiently handle complex interface interactions in structures and materials. I will discuss a physics-based model for accurate prediction of bond behavior in reinforced concrete (validated by experiments) that quantifies bond resistance from the material properties of steel and concrete constituents, as well as the mechanics of contact between them in the anchorage area. These new and robust interface formulations enable the modeling of complex structures for purposes of health monitoring and life-cycle management that also support the development of emerging materials and novel techniques for enhanced structural resilience.

Bio: Ghadir Haikal is an Associate Professor in Structural Engineering and Mechanics in the Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering at North Carolina State University. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from Tishreen University, Syria and M.S. and Ph.D degrees from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, also in Civil Engineering. Prior to her current position, Dr. Haikal led the Computational Materials Integrity group in the Department of Materials Engineering at Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), and was an Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering at Purdue University. Dr. Haikal’s research focuses on developing advanced computational models for structural integrity and lifetime prediction in complex structures and materials. She is a Fulbright Fellow and is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, the Society of Engineering Science and the United States Association for Computational Mechanics.

Speaker: Steve Williams, PE

Date: Thursday, August 17, 2023

Topic:  Back to Basics with Geogrids

Presentation: Online video

Summary: We’re going back to basics, but adding in new developments. For decades geogrids have been successfully utilized for subgrade stabilization and pavement optimization applications. During that time, the industry’s knowledge base has grown substantially. Recently, several new tools, methods, and products have been introduced that will enhance design capabilities

In this session, we will:

• Introduce geogrids used for soil stabilization applications and their performance mechanisms and benefits for construction

• Discuss fundamental concepts of Subgrade Stabilization using geogrids, other geosynthetics, and conventional methods

• Give guidance for design and a discussion of performance and specification criteria

• Provide a brief introduction to the concepts of Pavement Optimization using geogrid. We review the fundamentals of AASHTO flexible pavement design, show how geogrid can be properly integrated into the design, and discuss best practices for ensuring reliability in pavement performance.

• Discuss relevant case studies of these applications.

Steve is a 1995 graduate of Mississippi State University with a B.S. in civil engineering and has been a professional engineer since 2000. He has been working in the geosynthetics industry for over 10 years and loves the unique challenges that working for Tensar routinely brings. Prior to his current position with Tensar, Steve worked as the market manager for marine and ports which exposed him to a multitude of exciting projects worldwide. He currently lives in Wilmington, NC and manages the sales and marketing efforts of Tensar’s roadway applications in South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, and Washington, DC.

Speaker: Charles Webb

Date: Thursday, April 27, 2023

Topic:  Ethics in Engineering – A Lawyer’s Perspective

Presentation: N.A.

Summary: Charles Webb has been practicing as an attorney since 1959. He is a graduate of Alfred University and Albany Law School. He began his professional career as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of New York. Following that he worked in the private sector for many years in Syracuse. He also served as counsel to the New York House Majority Leader Perry Duryea. Mr. Webb helped write many legislative bills for the State of New York including the 1969 New York City school decentralization and 1971 New York City Rent Control Act.

In 1986, Mr. Webb began a law practice with Steve Berger, now Berger and Webb. Mr. Webb’s specialty is in eminent domain. He has worked on many high profile cases involving eminent domain such as the new Brooklyn Nets stadium and the Second Avenue subway in New York. He has been married to his wife Maritza for 40 years. He has a son Chas Webb and daughter-in-law Honey Minkowitz. In his spare time Mr. Webb enjoys playing golf, watching Syracuse games and being a reader at his local church.

Speakers:

• Mike LaViolette, PE, P.Eng

• Matt Longfield, PE, SE

• John Belcher, PE

Date: Thursday, March 16, 2023

Topic:  ABC of Unbraced Network Arch Using SPMTs

Presentation: Video

Summary: This presentation will provide an overview of the signature Network Tied Arch Second Avenue Bridge over I-94 and will cover the planning, design, and innovative construction methods that included building the bridge off-site and moving it into place using Self-Propelled Modular Transporters (SPMTs). MDOT, along with key stakeholders including City of Detroit and Wayne State University, desired a signature bridge as the centerpiece of the I-94 Modernization Project to act as a Community Connector - essentially a park-like structure that would promote the safe transportation of pedestrians and cyclists. This 245 ft long, tied arch span carries vehicular traffic, bicycles, and pedestrians and is a first of its kind in Michigan.

The future widening of I-94 requires a much longer bridge than would fit in the existing freeway corridor. Traffic volumes on the depressed freeway approach 175,000 vpd while limited vertical clearance allowed no safe and suitable means of building the new bridge in place. The team was driven to develop a unique approach to constructing a durable signature bridge that could achieve these objectives in an efficient way while prioritizing safety and reduced public impacts.

Moving the bridge skeleton into position during a short closure of the freeway was the only feasible way to meet the objectives of the project without creating significant, long term traffic impacts to the I-94 freeway. Assembly of the steel-concrete hybrid bridge skeleton was performed in a staging area approximately 500 feet from the final bridge location. Furthermore, the assembly lot was located nearly 20 ft above the elevation of the depressed the I-94 roadway. The bridge site was further constrained by an adjacent historic Motown recording studio building that could not be disturbed.

The 5,000,000 pound bridge skeleton was lifted using specialized SPMTs, transported to the final location and rolled across the freeway in July, 2022. The presentation will provide a detailed step-by-step overview of the preparations prior to and operations of this innovative and unique bridge move and the teamwork required to make it a success.

About the Speakers:

Mike LaViolette, PE, P.Eng. is a Senior Professional Associate and National Bridge Practice Leader with HDR. He has over 30 years of experience in complex bridge design and construction engineering services for US and international projects. Mike served as the lead bridge designer for the I-94 2nd Avenue Bridge. His previous projects include the Governor Mario Cuomo Bridge in New York and he is currently serving as Senior Technical Advisor for the $10B Ontario Line transit project in Toronto. Mike earned his BS (Civil Engineering) and MS (Structural Engineering) degrees from Iowa State University.

Matt Longfield, PE, SE is the Bridge Section Manager for HDR in Michigan. Matt has been intimately involved with construction of the I-94 2nd Avenue Bridge including review of contractor erection analysis and extensive on-site technical assistance. He has 15 years of experience in bridge engineering, construction, and inspection, including several ABC projects utilizing SPMTs, sliding and precast construction. Matt earned his BS in Civil Engineering from the University of Toledo and his MEng in Structural Engineering from the University of Michigan.

John Belcher, PE is the Statewide Bridge Construction Engineer for the Michigan Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Bridges and Structures. John leads MDOT’s effort to achieve statewide alignment and innovation and he provides field support to MDOT Regions and TSC construction offices on all aspects of bridge construction. John has over 21 years of experience including 8 years serving as MDOT’s Concrete Engineer. John earned his BS degree from Tri-State University in Angola, Indiana.

Speaker: Keith Rines, PE, CCM, PSP

Date: Thursday, February 23, 2023

Topic:  How to Save a Troubled Project: Case Studies of Transitioning to Takt Planning at Project Closeout

Presentation: Video

Summary: How do you shift the culture of a project to transition from full-on production to completion and closeout? One solution is Takt time - a planning tool with careful attention to balancing workflow and utilizing space as a resource.

Case study #1 will explore challenges from implementing a workforce management plan in the closeout phase when the project was executed with poor original planning and an incomplete critical path method schedule. Then

Case Study #2 will then apply the multiple lessons learned from Case Study #1. Takt planning is a practical application of executing a collaborative endeavor involving owner, contractor and subcontractors to switch everyone’s thinking from push to pull planning.

Keith Rines has over 26 years of experience in civil engineering, construction administration, project controls, claims analysis, and dispute resolution. Keith is a shareholder in MBP, an agency construction management company with offices ranging from New York to Florida and projects all around the world. Keith is the current Treasurer and a former President of Eastern Branch.

Speaker: Chuck Howard, PE

Date: Thursday, January 19, 2023

Topic:  How Having a PE Guided a Career

Presentation: Video

Summary: This presentation will describe the career path of the presenter over a career starting in 1973 to the present. Three specific projects will be used to help explain the tremendous benefit of being a licenses professional engineer. The attendees will hear about the ups and downs encountered over a 50 year span covering multiple political, financial, and business climates and how a PE was a major component making these fluctuations easier to handle. An emphasis will be put on the ethical importance of maintaining an engineering professional license by always trying to follow the first Fundamental Canon of engineers to “hold paramount the safety, health, and welfare of the public”. The presenter will welcome an open discussion at the end of the presentation to clarify anything within the seminar.

Chuck Howard has a Bachelors Degree in Civil Engineering from The Ohio State University and has Professional Engineering licenses in North Carolina plus 17 additional states. Chuck has almost 50 years of design/build metal building and metal roofing experience. He is a member of PENC’s Building Infrastructure committee which is tasked with attempting to provide viable solutions to a continually increasing building infrastructure funding v. needs imbalance. His company, Metal Roof Consultants, Inc., actively designs and administers contracts for public and state metal roof projects in NC, VA, TN and SC.

Speaker: Ying Tan, PhD, PE

Date: Thursday, November 17, 2022

Topic:  Post-Tensioning Tendon Repairs of Two Segmental Concrete Bridges

Presentation: PDF

Summary: How to repair post-tensioning (PT) tendons and get bridges back to normal service? This presentation will demonstrate the design and construction of PT tendon repairs for two segmental concrete bridges - Wando River Bridge in Charleston, SC, and N-2 Missouri River Bridge at Nebraska city . The design for both structures utilized a combination of 3D time-dependent staged-construction finite element beam models to evaluate overall behavior and non-linear finite element solid models to evaluate local effects. The repairs included detensioning the damaged tendons and installation of supplemental external tendons, construction of expandable PT systems with post-installed anchors and deviators, and the extension of an existing end diaphragm.

Dr. Ying Tan is a Senior Bridge Engineer with HDR's South Atlantic Area Complex Bridge Group in the Raleigh office and is leading the advanced modeling team within the group. She got her PhD from NC State University in 2001 and has 24-years' experience in bridge design.

In the North Carolina market, she was one of the key bridge designers and Engineer of Records of several NCDOT’s High Profile Projects, which includes Triangle Expressway in Wake County, US 64 Asheboro Bypass in Randolph County, Monroe Expressway in Union County, Fayetteville Outer Loop Completion in Cumberland County, and East End Connector in Durham County.

In the national and global market, since joining HDR in 2018, Ying has spent most of her time working on complex bridge analysis and advanced finite element modeling, which includes Los Angeles International Airport Automated People Mover Project, the I-395 signature bridge in Miami Florida, Wando River Bridge Repairs in Charleston South Carolina, Sound Transit’s Tacoma Dome Link Extension in Washington State, and the Ontario Line project in Toronto.

Ying has been serving as the NC State University Practitioner Advisor of ASCE NC Eastern Branch since 2021.

Speaker: Daniel Knight

Date: Thursday, October 20, 2022

Topic:  Standard Form Contracts: What Are They and How Do I Choose

Presentation: Video

Summary: Standard form contracts are a dime a dozen in the construction industry. From AIA and DBIA to AGC and EJCDC, navigating and selecting a contract can be overwhelming and problematic if left unrevised. This presentation will look at some of the most commonly used standard form contracts in North Carolina and the difference between them while providing attendees with some key factors to consider in selecting a contract. Additionally, this presentation will consider the importance of reviewing and revising standard form contracts by discussing several key provisions found in many standard form contracts.

Daniel Knight is an attorney in the Raleigh office of Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein and concentrates his practice primarily in construction litigation. His clients consist of a diverse group of industry participants including engineers, architects, land surveyors, general contractors, developers, municipalities, and insurance providers. He represents industry participants in a wide variety of construction litigation issues including design defects, construction defects, payment disputes, scheduling/delay disputes, mechanics’ lien claims, payment and performance bond claims, and contract disputes. Daniel received his law degree from Campbell University’s School of Law and his bachelor’s degrees in history and political science from North Carolina State University. He has been practicing since 2014 and is currently licensed to practice law in the State of North Carolina and is admitted into all three federal district courts for North Carolina and the Supreme Court of the United States. Parker Poe is a regional law firm with 275 attorneys across 8 offices in the southeast.

Speaker: Dr. Albert Rubin

Date: Thursday, August 25, 2022

Topic:  One Water - Some perspectives on the future of water management

Presentation: Video

Summary: Dr. Albert Robert Rubin is an Emeritus Professor in the Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department at North Carolina State University and is currently a Senior Environmental Consultant and principal with his firm, A. R. Rubin and Associates. From 1999 through 2005 he was a visiting scientist with the USEPA in Washington, D.C., where he assisted with development of the onsite and decentralized wastewater management program. For that effort, the USEPA awarded a Bronze Medal to Dr. Rubin and the decentralized project. From 2005 through 2009 he was employed as a senior technical consultant with a private firm and in 2009 he formed a consulting firm. In 2013 he was appointed to the Environmental Management Commission for the State of North Carolina.

He has assisted with development of guidelines and rules addressing wastewater reuse and biosolids management throughout the country and internationally, solid waste compost and a variety of biosolids management options. In 2012 he was instrumental in development of the NSF 350 Standard for non-potable water use and reuse. This standard promotes widespread application of reclaimed and non-potable water. This standard was recently adopted in the IgCC International Green Construction Code (2012). Building code enforcement officials in New York City have applied this standard to several reuse efforts developed by Natural Systems Utilities, Inc. in collaboration with Dr. Rubin. In 2013, Dr. Rubin was appointed to the NC EMC and the USEPA Infrastructure review committee on nutrient recovery from wastewater. He has been active in development of training and certification efforts for wastewater system operators utilizing the plant/soil system as the beneficial receiver for a variety of recovered resources. He remains active in teaching and research to address a variety of water, wastewater, stormwater, treatment residuals, and solid waste management efforts in North Carolina and Florida.

Speaker: Annette M. Lucas

Date: Thursday, July 21, 2022

Topic:  Don't Let Stormwater Be Dry

Presentation: Video

Summary: Over 100 communities across North Carolina implement local stormwater programs to comply with the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer (MS) Program. However, complying with a federal stormwater requirement does not have to be boring! Fortunately, the MS4 Program allows communities leeway to create a local stormwater program that is fun, creative and responsive to the unique needs of their citizens, businesses, and visitors. This presentation will describe the resourcefulness and innovation of a variety of North Carolina communities in inspiring their own teams, engaging their citizens, increasing their program’s efficiencies, and most of all, protecting and improving water quality.

Speakers:

Annette Lucas, PE is the Stormwater Program Practice Lead at McAdams in Durham, NC. Prior to joining the McAdams team, she served as the supervisor of the NC DEQ Stormwater Program, where she managed a large team and a diverse array of stormwater programs, including the MS4 Program, the Post-Construction Program and the NPDES Industrial Stormwater Program. Annette successfully completed numerous high profile stormwater projects during her tenure at the NC DEQ. She led the Minimum Design Criteria (MDC) stakeholder team and authored updates to the state’s stormwater rules that went into effect in 2017. Her contributions have expanded the use of green infrastructure practices such as permeable pavement and bioretention cells. Annette has extensive experience working with the NC General Assembly, communities, developers, and citizens. Annette has a Master’s in Civil Engineering from NC State University and a Bachelor’s in Public Policy Studies from Duke University.

Speaker: Amit Sachan, Matt Laufer, and Steve Bourne

Date: Wednesday, June 15, 2022

Topic:  The Future of Transportation Resilience in North Carolina

Presentation: Video

Summary: A holistic assessment of the transportation corridors and various interacting systems is required to understand the potential vulnerabilities that will be exposed by continued growth along with future weather challenges. The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) is studying the impact to people and infrastructure along transportation corridors which include impacts from increasing temperatures, such as from intensifying storms and rising sea levels. The presentation will offer an insight into NCDOT’s programs and tools with a case study focusing on a resiliency study on the US74 corridor from Charlotte to Wilmington.

Due to increasing global temperatures, the 190-mile stretch of US74 from Wilmington to Charlotte NC is facing more-intensive storms and rising sea levels. Given its role as an important path for people and goods connecting I-95 and major urban centers, the NCDOT recently teamed with Atkins to assess its vulnerabilities using Atkins’ City Simulator tool. Following a baseline analysis of existing conditions, City Simulator is simulating alternatives for improvements along the corridor. Results from the study will help prioritize improvements along the corridor. Study progress and findings will be presented along with a description the simulator’s configuration and animations of the simulator.

Speakers:

Matt Lauffer, PE, NCDOT: Matthew (Matt) Lauffer is an Assistant State Hydraulics Engineer for the North Carolina Department of Transportation Hydraulics Unit and has been with the department for 22 years. The Hydraulics Unit supports design and operations and manages the department’s stormwater and floodplain management compliance. Matt manages the Hydraulic Design and Highway Floodplain Program and takes an active role in the department’s flood resilience activities. He is a member of the Transportation Research Board committee on hydrology, hydraulics, and stormwater, and is a member of the AASHTO Technical Committee on hydrology and hydraulics. Matt holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Ohio State University. Matt is a registered professional engineer in North Carolina.

Amit Sachan, PE, Atkins: Amit Sachan is a Project Director with Atkins in the Community and Intermodal Infrastructure Business Unit in Raleigh. With over 20 years in academics and private sectors, Amit has served in engineering and business development roles. His project experience includes stormwater, flood control, resiliency and transportation infrastructure projects for municipal, state, and federal clients. Originally from India, Amit received an undergrad from IIT Bombay and graduate degrees from Virginia Tech and NC State. Amit has been on the board of directors for American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC-NC) and he is the past president for the NC Association of Floodplain Managers (NCAFPM). On personal front, Amit enjoys volunteering for STEM education programs such as MATHCOUNTS and FutureCities.

Steve Bourne, PE, Atkins: Steve Bourne is a project director with 20 years of experience at Atkins, a global engineering consultancy. He is a lead resilience modeler, climate scientist, and software engineer. He is the principal developer of City Simulator, Atkins' map-based tool for simulating communities as they evolve into a climate change-influenced future.

Speaker: Ralf Leistikow P.E. and Jason Ledy P.E.

Date: Thursday, April 21, 2022

Topic:  Investigation and Testing of Existing Structures & Construction Materials

Presentation: Video

Summary: The presentation will focus on the various investigative and testing techniques available to assess existing structural and other construction materials. The speakers plan to:

• Discuss investigative and testing techniques for the evaluation of existing structures and construction materials

• Review testing techniques and equipment to evaluate these materials and/or determine potential defects: concrete, steel, masonry, stone, and wood

• Review potential advantages and limitations of each test method

• Outline general principles and reference standards for each test method

Founded in 1956, Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. (WJE), is an interdisciplinary engineering, architecture, and materials scientist firm specializing in delivering practical, innovative, and technically sound solutions across all areas of new and existing construction. WJE combines state-of-the-art laboratory and testing facilities, nationwide offices, and knowledge-sharing systems to provide solutions for the built world.

Speaker: John Wolosick, PE, SE, F. ASCE

Date: Thursday, March 17, 2022

Topic:  Case history of a very large design/build micropile project in Waikiki Beach, Hawaii called the International Marketplace Mall

Presentation: Video

Summary: John R. Wolosick is Senior Advisor for Keller North America Inc. in Atlanta, Georgia. From this home base, he works on projects across the USA. He holds a B.S. and a M.S. degrees in Civil Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He has 40 years of experience in geotechnical engineering and contracting and is the author of more than 35 technical papers. Mr. Wolosick is the recipient of the 2008 ASCE Geo-Institute Martin S. Kapp Foundation Engineering Award. He is the Past-President of the Deep Foundations Institute (DFI – 2014-2016). John is the former Co-Chair the ADSC/DFI Micropile committee (2004-2007). Mr. Wolosick was named the Georgia Society of Professional Engineers ‘Engineer of the Year – Industry’ in 2017.

Speaker: Ayman Elfouly, PE

Date: Thursday, February 24, 2022

Topic:  High Fidelity Non-Linear Structural Analysis under Extreme Loading Conditions using Extreme Loading Technology

Presentation: Video

Summary: Extreme Loading for Structures Software or ELS, is an advanced non-linear structural analysis software tool designed specifically for structural engineers. ELS allows structural engineers to study the 3D behavior of structures through both the continuum and discrete stages of loading. This includes static and dynamic loads such as those generated by a blast, seismic events, impact, progressive collapse, and the wind. Unlike many structural analysis software tools which are based on the Finite Element Method (FEM), ELS utilizes a non-linear solver based on the Applied Element Method (AEM).

This allows ELS to automatically analyze structural behavior during elastic and inelastic modes including the automatic yielding of reinforcement, detection, and generation of plastic hinges, buckling & post-buckling, crack propagation, membrane action & P-Delta effect, and separation of elements. The resulting debris and impacts with structural elements are also automatically analyzed and stress redistribution is inherently calculated.

Speaker: Ayman is a Senior Structural Engineer at Applied Science International, LLC (ASI). During his 17+ years working for ASI, he was able to develop a strong background in structural vulnerability assessment, demolition analysis, and progressive collapse analysis where he gained a lot of experience in non-linear structural analysis. Moreover, he had managed several AT/FP projects where he gained a lot of experience in this field and allowed him to publish many technical papers on progressive collapse analysis.

Speaker: Rodney Money, PE

Date: Thursday, November 18, 2021

Topic:  NCDOT U-2827B I-40 Business Reconstruction & Green Street Pedestrian Bridge

Presentation: Video

Summary: The NCDOT I-40 Business Reconstruction project reimagined and beautified the 1.2-mile gateway into downtown Winston-Salem. The critical interstate overhaul replaced nine highway bridges, modernized interchange configurations, improved highway geometry and drainage, enhanced pedestrian movement with larger sidewalks, provided a multi-use path through downtown, and added two signature pedestrian bridges.

The project significantly improves safety, mobility, and traffic flow while incorporating aesthetic features, including brick facing on retaining walls, decorative arch facades on the highway bridges, landscaped pedestrian facilities, and decoratively lit pedestrian bridges. The Green Street Pedestrian Bridge gracefully spans the highway as a complex double tied arch structure unlike any other in North Carolina.

Speaker: Rodney has over 25 years of industry experience and currently serves as HDR’s South Atlantic Area’s Transportation Quality & Delivery Manger where he works with Project Managers and Project Teams to improve the quality and overall health of our projects. Throughout his career, he has been fortunate to be involved in the design and construction support for some of North Carolina’s most challenging bridge projects. Rodney served as HDR’s Design Manager on NCDOT’s I-40 Business Reconstruction Design-Build Project.