TABLE OF CONTENTS Ralph T.Eberts
Black & Veatch
Los Angeles, California
Todd F.Schellhase
Black & Veatch
Kansas City, Missouri
The structural design of a modern water treatment plant is a dynamic, interactive process that requires specialized expertise. Because most structural engineers are typically more familiar with the design of conventional buildings, this chapter focuses on the design features that are unique to treatment plant structures.
The engineer responsible for the design of structures at a water treatment plant must be intimately familiar with the general principles and codes governing structural design. The designer should work with the project team during preliminary design to establish the configurations of the facilities based on economy, structural efficiency, and performance criteria. The design should then be developed and detailed in a manner that accounts for the special considerations required for a water treatment plant.
Historically, the civil, process, architectural, and structural designs of a water treatment plant were prepared by the same individual and shown on the same set of drawings. Although this comprehensive approach resulted in a well-coordinated design and an efficient use of construction documents, the additional complexities of a modern treatment plant make this approach impractical.
Engineering, like most technical professions, has advanced to the point where no one engineer can adequately address all the considerations associated with the design of a large water treatment plant. Today s design team, therefore, requires an engineer who specializes in structures to support the project team in developing structural drawings...
