Hendricks County Regional Sewer District Wastewater Treatment Plant Expansion
Sponsor: American StructurePoint
Mentors: Karen Saavedra and Jordan McCormack
Seniors working on this project: Abigail Martin, Katelyn Long, and Robert Wachter
Project description:
The population of the town of Avon, IN is growing at a rapid pace of about 4.26% per year since the year 2010 according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Since it is anticipated that this growth will continue, regional wastewater treatment plant for the district must be upgraded to handle increased wastewater flows. The main objective of the project is to expand the capacity of the current plant from 2.45 MGD to 3.10 MGD while also increasing its capacity to handle increased solids loading. As part of this wastewater treatment plant expansion, the team of Abigail Martin, Katelyn Long, and Robert Wachter was tasked with the responsibility of designing a vertical loop reactor (VLR) and a secondary clarifier. To accomplish this goal, the team investigated the expected wastewater flow and waste strength in terms of monthly carbonaceous biological oxygen demand (CBOD), total suspended solids (TSS), ammonia, and total phosphorus (TP) concentrations. The results of the investigation along with the most recent National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit served as design parameters used in the BioWin modeling software to determine the most effective size of the VLR and secondary clarifier.
South Bend WWTP Upgrade
Sponsor: Arcadis
Mentors: Ben Burroughs, Amy Smitley, and Stephane Jousset
Seniors working on this project: Chiara Smorada, Ben Scholl, Mariana Silva, and Juliette Burcham
Project description:
Peracetic acid (PAA) is an emerging chemical disinfectant for wastewater treatment. PAA exists in an equilibrium solution with acetic acid, hydrogen peroxide, and water. Compared to other chemical disinfectants, PAA decomposes rapidly in wastewater into acetic acid and hydrogen peroxide. The South Bend municipal WWTP currently relies on chlorine gas, a more traditional, yet possibly more toxic, chemical disinfectant. In anticipation of eventual expiration of their chlorine gas equipment, South Bend is looking into PAA for the future. Working with Arcadis, the current project goal is to investigate the potentiality of the South Bend WWTP implementing PAA disinfection, and to develop a basic design for PAA application at the existing plant. The project’s guiding motivation stems from the benefits of using PAA over more traditional methods such as chlorine gas, namely its improved safety, elimination of known disinfection by-products, reduced cost, long shelf life, lack of quenching requirements, and healthy ecosystem promotion. Money can be saved through lower dosages that reduce the number of required chemical deliveries and through the elimination of quenching agent purchases.
TxDOT Bridge 85
Sponsor: Kiewit
Mentors: Eric Herbert and James Statser
Seniors working on this project: Barret Lee, Steve Johnston, and Steven Ream
Project description:
The goal of our project is to design TxDOT Bridge 85 located in the Dallas Fort Worth area of Texas. Our point of contact through this project is Eric Herbert of Kiewit. Every Wednesday, we meet with Eric at 11 am via Microsoft Teams. Eric has provided a list of deliverables which can be divided into three categories: drawings, calculations, and documents. The drawings needed are GP&E, Framing Plan and Girder Layout, Typical Superstructure Section, Abutment Geometry, Column/Shaft Geometry, and Pier Cap Geometry. The calculations required pertain to the Loads, PT Girder and Strand Estimate, Deck, Columns/Shafts, Pier Caps, and Abutments. The documents required are Quantity estimate, Cost estimate, and Basis of Design. The scope of this project will be limited to the design of two bridge sections, two types of piers, and any unique features of the bridge.
Elkhart WWTP – CMDF Treatment
Sponsor: Donohue
Mentors: Meenu Garg and Jeremy Roschyk
Seniors working on this project: Samantha Amezquita, Madeleine LaPorte, and Joe Nowak
Project description:
The purpose of this project is to prepare design plans and specifications for a cloth disk media filtration (CMDF) system to treat wet-weather flows in excess of 30 MGD for the City of Elkhart’s WWTP. Installation of this system will therefore bring maximum capacity up to 60 MGD. When flows exceed 30 MGD, water will be diverted from headworks to the CMDF system before recombining with effluent from secondary treatment. This combined effluent will then be piped to the existing UV system for disinfection and eventual discharge into the St Joseph River. The characteristics of the final effluent must remain compliant with EPA standards. A hydraulic model will detail the required piping to and from the CMDF system and for the entire treatment plant using Excel and potentially hydraulic-specific software. A physical model of the entire plant will also be created using AutoCAD. Other improvements to existing primary clarifiers and other WWTP components will be determined and designed during the Spring semester. Additionally, a cost analysis supported by vendor quotes will be completed by the end of the Spring semester.
South Wellfield
Sponsor: Donohue
Mentor: Jeremy Roschyk
Seniors working on this project: Jack Keenan, Matt Riss, and Lexi VanBlunk
Project description:
South Bend’s South Pressure District has long been serviced by the Fellows Reservoir and Fellows Booster Station located near Chippewa Ave. The city of South Bend is interested in upgrading Fellows; however, without a redundant source of drinking water, the South Pressure District would be left thirsty. Therefore, it has been suggested that water be pumped from the South Wellfield to create a redundant source of drinking water. The goals of this project are to ensure that drinking water coming from South Wellfield is potable and that the water can meet the water consumption needs of the entire South Pressure Zone. This will involve designing a treatment system to remove ammonia from the pumped groundwater as well as modeling a hydraulic pipe network to deliver said water to residents.
Economy Road Bridge over Martindale Creek in Wayne County, IN
Sponsor: American StructurePoint
Mentors: Thomas McNicholas and Ryan Cummins
Seniors working on this project: Thomas Howe, Peter Jachim, and Nathan Yusko
Project description:
This project’s motive is to replace the old bridge on this road since it has deteriorated enough to need a full replacement. The old bridge was built in 1950 and uses a common steel beam bridge design to span across a river. The same style bridge design will be used in this project. The service goal for this project is to design a bridge that will have a 75 year lifespan and require minimal service for the first 15 to 20 years. The project follows INDOT’s design manual for bridges, AASHTO’s LRFD Bridge Design Specifications, and AASHTO’s Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets. The technical skills involved are primarily structural and transportation engineering. The software used in this project are AutoCAD for drawings, SAP2000 and LPILE for structural analysis, and Microsoft Excel for other calculations.
Madison Avenue Stormwater Design
Sponsor: GAI Consultants
Mentors: Rachel Sparks and Shannon Killion
Seniors working on this project: Jessica Davis, Patty Dirlam, and Erin Glendon
Project description:
The city of Greenwood, IN, is implementing changes in a roadway corridor on Madison Avenue, which include adding a pedestrian trail and sidewalk as well as reducing driving lanes and making stormwater system improvements. The overall motive of these improvements is to encourage safer driving speeds, increase pedestrian and cyclist access, and promote a stronger sense of community. Our team’s project goal is to design the new stormwater pipe network of Madison Ave. The service goal of this new stormwater network will be to accommodate the new road improvements as well as up to four bioretention areas. The technical skills involved in this project include applications of hydrology (delineating watersheds and calculating peak flows), designing a stormwater pipe network according to Greenwood’s Stormwater Technical Manual, modeling curb turnout and pipe networks, drafting construction plans, and creating a plan for erosion control during the construction process of the stormwater network.
Innovation District Pump Station
Sponsor: Gannett Fleming
Mentor: Matthew Sushinsky
Seniors working on this project: Jennifer Buck, Colin Dorsey, and Lily Polster
Project description:
The North Potomac Yard Pump Station is a pump station to be built on the new mixed-use development for the VA Tech campus in Alexandria, VA. There is currently an existing pump station which is incapable of handling the wastewater flows of the proposed new development, and the purpose of this project is the design of a new pump station at the site that can meet required average daily flows and peak flows. Our team is focusing on the design of the structural elements of the building, including the roof system, the subgrade wall design model, the masonry shear wall, the elevated floors, the slab on grade, the foundation at the generator/electrical room, the bridge crane hoist, the monorail beam, and miscellaneous components such as pipe supports, drain trenches, and openings in elevated floors. The calculations and design of most of these elements were completed in the Fall Semester. The building design will reference ASCE 7-16 and IBC 2018. For the roof design, the Vulcraft Catalogs were used. For the masonry shear wall, TMS 402/602-16 Building Code Requirements and Specifications for Masonry was used. Finally, for the concrete beam design, ACI 318-19 was used. Most of the calculations will and have been done by hand, but SAP2000 will be used to design the basement walls and the design of the bridge crane/monorail. AutoCAD will be used for all of the drafting.
Ionia County, MI – Cutler Rd over Looking Glass River Bridge Removal and Replacement
Sponsor: Williams & Works
Mentor: Jordan Pelphrey
Seniors working on this project: Margaret D’Auria, Adolfo Mora, and Kellen Hinchey
Project description:
The current bridge over the Looking Glass River along Cutler Rd was built in 1980 using timber pillars and an asphalt deck. This bridge has become worn over time, leading it to need a renovation. Teaming with Williams & Works from Grand Rapids, MI, students will work on the bridge design process starting with applications and permits and ending with a 90% design submittal. The bridge will be designed in accordance with standards set by both MDOT and FHWA. AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications incorporating HL-93-mod live loading will be followed. The new bridge will be a prestressed concrete girder superstructure with concrete abutments and deep foundations (driven piles). The bridge will be a single-span structure spanning 172 feet, which is governed by the permitting restriction of no piers in the water. The goal of the service is to give the travelers of Cutler Rd a safer bridge to drive across, increasing the road’s overall quality.
Vantage Data Centers (Santa Clara, CA)
Sponsor: Frost Engineering & Consulting
Mentors: Jay Thomas
Seniors working on this project: Celine Castillo, Joe Danko, Leonardo Falquez-Malesani, and Dayna Park
Project description:
The project consists of designing the cable bus support and the generator access platform of a Vantage Data Center facility located in Santa Clara, California. These components of the data center were previously designed utilizing fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) members but will now be redesigned for steel members. The structures will be designed around the set placements of cables and generators for the facility. The client requested that the structure be designed with Risk Category IV due to the large economic losses associated with a structure failure. In addition, seismic loading will have to be heavily considered due to the facility’s location in a seismically active zone. The final design will adhere to the 2019 California Building Code which references IBC 2018, ASCE 7-16, and AISC 341. Plans will be completed in Revit, and structural modeling will be done in SAP 2000.
Notre Dame Office Park
Sponsor: Schaefer
Mentor: Adam Knaack
Seniors working on this project: Erin Olsen, Kevin Diggins, and Kyle Carey
Project description:
The project is the design of a new Notre Dame office facility that will be constructed to the North-West of the existing campus. The building is intended to be six stories tall, have 30,000 square feet of floor place, and accommodate an occupancy of 300 people. An architect has supplied a preliminary set of plans for the building. The ultimate goal of the project is to produce a complete set of construction drawings that are compliant with all governing codes and represent a feasible option for the client’s building. This process demands the use of technical skill in a variety of areas. First and foremost is skill in steel and concrete structural design. This not only includes design calculations, but also the ability to navigate relevant codes and make reasonable engineering assumptions. Familiarity with SAP 2000 may also prove valuable in modeling the building. Finally, technical ability in Revit will be needed to produce the drawings themselves. All of these technical skills will be supported by an array of soft skills, such as communication, organization, and teamwork.
Erskine Golf Course Drainage Improvements
Sponsor: McCormick Engineering LLC
Mentors: David McCormick and Natalie Schommer-Pries
Seniors working on this project: Abbey McCarthy, Robert Fiegelist, Michael Dunn, and Leonard Calvo
Project description:
This project involves designing stormwater transport and storage improvements between the Miami Detention Basin and downstream Chippewa basin. Currently, the Miami basin water level is controlled by infiltration and a release valve to a combined sewer system. However, during extreme precipitation events, the Miami Basin overflows through the Erskine golf course, causing flooding. The runoff that is currently released to the combined sewer system will instead be redirected through the Erskine golf course and to the Chippewa basin. This will eliminate the need to discharge to the sewer and reduce flooding during peak events. The main design components of this project will include the runoff conveyance system from the Miami Basin through the Golf Course and the addition of stormwater storage in the golf course or in the Chippewa Basin. Design decisions will be largely influenced by hydrologic and hydraulic modeling completed using EPA SWMM software. The project could also potentially include designing a wetland treatment system to treat inflow runoff.
Eddy Street Commons Phase 3 Redevelopment
Sponsor: Abonmarche Consultants
Mentors: Paul Wunderlich and Chad Knip
Seniors working on this project: Katie Calhoun, Elizabeth Gardner, Tess Ngochi, and Nic Saladino
Project description:
South of the University of Notre Dame’s Campus, Eddy Street Commons has provided the surrounding community with convenient commercial options as well as loft apartments and office space. While the first two phases of development involved construction along the Eddy Street corridor, the third phase deals with a plot of land at the confluence of several nearby roads. Marking the southern end of the Commons, this redevelopment will feature townhomes, a private bank, and a Trader Joe’s franchise. While the corporate nature of the project brings limitations to creative design solutions, the students have identified several components to which they can contribute their services. The goal of the design is to reconfigure the space north of the new Trader Joe’s development to accommodate the increased traffic flow in the area upon implementation. This will include the addition of new traffic features, bike and pedestrian pathways, utility rerouting, and updated stormwater management through the use of a rain garden. This semester, we intend to draw our final ideas in CAD and provide a cost estimate with the guidance of Abonmarche.
Plainfield Road Bridge Project
Sponsor: Orion Engineers PLLC
Mentors: Dana McKane and Lukas Janulis
Seniors working on this project: Marie Bond, Isabel Puno, and Lily Rodriguez
Project description:
The Plainfield Road Bridge Project is a redesign and reconstruction of the current bridge crossing over I-294 just North of where I-55 meets I-294 in Cook County. The entire bridge is being replaced due to the age of the bridge and to add more lanes and capacity to the highway beneath it. The structural design team for the new bridge includes Orion Engineers PLCC in Chicago, IL. Orion Engineers is sponsoring this senior design project to give students invaluable experience in structural bridge design and analysis as well as reading and drafting plans and performing cost estimates.
Bear Creek Bridge Gallatin County, MT
Sponsor: DCI
Mentor: Manny Nuño
Seniors working on this project: Carmen Bolivar, Gabriel Brown, and Ryan Morgan
Project description:
This project consisted of a demolition and construction of a bridge on a private residence. The cost of the project is currently estimated to be approximately $40,000 and the goal was to keep the project cost as low as possible since the cost was paid for by the owner of the private residence and property. Carmen Bolivar, Gabriel Brown, and Ryan Morgan covered all design and construction stages of the project. The project time spanned approximately 9 months. They designed the bridge, the connections onto/off of the bridge and the surrounding landscape. In designing these components, Carmen, Gabriel, and Ryan adhered to Montana State Building Code and applied the equations and methodologies of AASHTO. Their scope included the hydraulics calculations for the river including peak flow rate and 100 year storm, thus performing a hydraulic analysis, civil/erosion control, the grading plan, and the final design of the bridge. HEC-RAS, Revit, Civil 3D, and StreamStats were all used to determine the flow and design the sections of the bridge.
Raclin Murphy Museum of Art at Notre Dame
Sponsor: Thornton Tomasetti
Mentor: Kevin Mueller, Mary Williams, and Joe Porada
Seniors working on this project: Annalena Bellm, Kevin Deye, and Ricardo Pozas Garza
Project description:
The Raclin Murphy Museum of Art is a project to greatly expand the quality and quantity of museum space in the campus of the University of Notre Dame. The project, designed by the internationally-recognized architectural firm Robert A.M. Stern Architects, will add 132,000 square feet of museum, academic, and administrative space to campus. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2021, and is set to last approximately two years. Our group is working closely with Thornton-Tomasetti, a structural engineering firm, in order to design the structural systems of this new development. Our designs will include the gravity system and the lateral system.
