RSVP for February’s lunch no later than January 30 to amccullough@cmjengr.com

After Hurricane Katrina with 14 billion US dollars, many complex projects have been constructed around New Orleans to provide a 100-year level of protection from a storm as part of the Hurricane and Storm Damage Risk Reduction System (HSDRRS). These projects involved hydraulic structures, pump stations, concrete bridge, steel bridge, access ramp, generator building, control house buildings, VLG towers etc. State of the art finite element approaches as well as traditional simplified analysis were considered in designing these structures. An innovative construction technique Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) [a Hybrid-Design Build concept] method was used to complete some major projects within the time frame mandated by US Congress. West Closure Complex Pump Station- World’s Largest Drainage Pump Station, and Inner Harbor Navigation Canal (IHNC)-Seabrook Complex will be the focus of this presentation. Challenges and solutions during the design and construction of these mega projects along with operation and maintenance details will be discussed. Performance of these projects during the recent Hurricane Isaac in August 2012 will also be discussed.

Dr Anwar Zahid: Senior Project Manager & Principal Engineer, ARCADIS-US has served as the Engineer of Record and Project Manager for the IHNC-Seabrook Sector Gate Complex. He also served as the Structural Engineer of Record for the Lake Pontchartrain and Vicinity (LPV) 144 – Bayou Dupre Control Structure; the tallest gate in the HSDRRS system and Tall T-Walls in St. Bernard Parish, and as Lead Structural Engineer for the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway – West Closure Complex Pump Station, the largest drainage pump station of the world. Lessons learned from these projects will be discussed.

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