Marlborough, MA
Massachusetts Water Resource Authority, Walnut Hill Treatment Plant, Cosgrove Intake Pipeline
Scope/Solutions
The Cosgrove Intake pipeline, a 144 in. dia. prestressed concrete cylinder pipe (PCCP), at MWRA’s Walnut Hill Water Treatment Plant Project was completed in early 2004 as a part of the water supply system for the City of Boston. Less than a year after construction of the pipeline, a large leak of approximately 700 gpm developed near a deep manhole chamber in a section of the pipeline with multiple elbows. SGH provided emergency response and evaluated the risk of failure resulting from the leak, inspected the pipeline to determine the cause of the leak, and developed a repair scheme.
For this project, SGH:
- Performed internal inspection of the leaking pipe using a diver during a brief shutdown while the line was in operation
- Evaluated the structural safety due to the combined effects of internal pressure, dead loads, prestress, and hydraulic pressure-induced thrust at elbows
- Internally inspected and measured all harnessed joints to determine if any joints opened more than the design limits, inspected the pipeline for visible signs of anomalies, and externally inspected the leaking joint
- Designed repairs that included welding of the leaking joint and soil grouting.
Project Summary
Solutions
Repair & Rehabilitation
Services
Structures | Advanced Analysis
Markets
Infrastructure & Transportation
Client(s)
Barletta Heavy Division
Specialized Capabilities
Repair & Strengthening | Buried Infrastructure | Failure Analysis
Key team members


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The owner of the Columbia Street Parking Garage needed a cost-effective design to replace the deteriorated precast concrete structure. SGH was the prime consultant, structural engineer, functional designer and precast concrete specialty engineer for the new structure.
Northeast
CBD Garage
The CBD Garage is a six-level municipal parking garage constructed circa 1980. Since 2013, SGH has helped the City of Malden by assessing the structure's condition and overseeing repair designs and administration.