D.E. Karn and J.C. Weadock Complex Landfill Geotechnical Engineering Services
LOCATION: Essexville, Michigan
CLIENT: Consumers Energy
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The J C Weadock Landfill Engineering Study was to identify the feasibility of siting, engineering and permitting various solutions for a long-term coal combustion residual management program at the facility. This study involved historical review of the site, feasibility study of alternatives, geotechnical subsurface investigation, geophysical subsurface investigation, laboratory analyses, slope stability analyses, settlement analyses, preparation of Health and Safety Plan, preliminary engineering of alternatives, 2-year fill plan and specifications, long-term management recommendations and submittals.
As the Prime, CTI also supervised a subconsultant, two drilling subcontractors, and a geotechnical testing laboratory. CTI provided a full-time Field Investigation Manager and Site H&S Officer to support the field activities and ensure the safe, timely completion of the project field work. CTI provided inspection, construction quality assurance and technical expertise for the D E Karn Ponds B and C1 closure construction, involving the inspection and testing of fly ash placement, geosynthetics installation, cover soil placement, seeding, and restoration work. The DE Karn Pond C2 stabilization construction quality assurance project involved survey hub monitoring and piezometer monitoring during construction to detect and prevent stability problems from static liquefaction during construction.
The projects included the collection of soil samples, third party oversight, field density testing of compacted fly ash, documentation of geomembrane installation, observation and testing of the rooting zone and topsoil construction, documenting and monitoring survey hubs and piezometers, and preparation of required documentation including daily reports and instrument monitoring programs. CTI prepared certification documents for approval by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) and provided a Professional Surveyor registered in the State of Michigan to complete the final grade as-built surveys following construction.
The Karn-Weadock Complex projects involved the following work elements:
- Geotechnical borings
- Undisturbed sampling
- Cone Penetration Testing (CPT)
- Slope stability analysis
- Settlement analysis
- Construction quality assurance
- Geosynthetics
- In-situ instrumentation
- Piezometer monitoring
Project challenges and features included: difficulty in accessibility and relocation of CPT and boring locations, maintaining distance of at least 50 feet from the overhead electric transmission lines from construction equipment, and unstable foundation conditions at the landfill site. During all projects, CTI was responsible for management of Quality Control system for its own work products, including field investigation, engineering, and CQA procedures. CTI provided Quality Assurance technicians to document site construction quality assurance.
Responsibilities included inspecting all aspects of the construction work, performing selected field and laboratory tests, documenting project progress meetings, scheduling geotechnical testing, and preparation of daily quality assurance reports. CTI provided an on-site Safety and Health Officer to coordinate the safety training of all subcontractors and administer CTI’s safety program, lead safety tailgate meetings and prepared daily safety reports.
As a result of CTI’s quality assurance services, the construction project was completed in a safe, timely, and quality manner. Construction issues noted by CTI personnel were quickly communicated and resolved by the project team. The quality and completeness of CTI documentation exceeded client expectations and resulted in an expedited review process. CTI’s engineering services resulted in actionable design options for the feasibility study and provided exceptional value to the client.