Pipe Progress Spring-Summer 1997 -- Feature

Project Data

Virginia Beach hit the ground running when it was incorporated in 1963, and today it is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Until recently, however, Virginia Beach was unable to run away from the fact that it didn't have a secure and reliable water supply.
In fact, the city was forced to conserve, restrict, or ration water in 11 of the 21 years since 1976, a period that included continuous water-use restrictions and a moratorium since 1992 on extensions of the water system. But with the soon-to-be-completed Lake Gaston Water Supply Project, the city and surrounding southeastern Virginia will not be water short for the first time in more than 20 years.

Major components of the $150 million project included a 60 MGD pump station on the edge of Lake Gaston and three pressure controlling structures, two of which are buried, with the third built as an elevated weir structure. Virginia Beach, which provides water service to a population of 400,000, also is committing an estimated $100 million for expansions and renovations of existing water transmission and treatment facilities.

Planning for the Lake Gaston Water Supply Project spanned the better part of a decade. The design engineer, Virginia Beach-based Michael Baker, Jr., Inc., worked closely with the City of Virginia Beach, contractors, and suppliers throughout the design process.

Primary contractors included Kansas City, Missouri-based Garney Companies and John D. Stephens, Inc., of Stone Mountain, Georgia. John D. Stephens also installed 60-inch ductile iron pipe associated with Charlotte, North Carolina-based Crowder Construction Company's Intake Structure contract. AMERICAN Cast Iron Pipe Company supplied approximately 35 miles of 60-inch ductile iron pipe on three contracts.

According to Joe Bivins of Michael Baker, Jr., Inc.: "Input from the contractors and AMERICAN was factored in on many aspects of the design: pipe type and classification, pipe embedment and pipe strength trade-offs, subaqueous and stream-crossing strategies -- even pipe routing and alignment considerations were all areas in which our team worked together. As a result of this long-term team relationship, the city received excellent facilities at an extremely cost-effective price."

"From a design standpoint, AMERICAN ductile iron pipe offered many advantages -- longevity, flexibility in design, and the ability to handle the high pressure areas in the pipeline," Bivins said. "Its simplicity of design and production, ease of installation, and the fact that most contractors are very familiar with handling and installing this pipe were noteworthy advantages."

Bivins adds that calling for 60-inch ductile iron pipe raised questions when the Lake Gaston project was in final design in 1989-90. "At the time, we were pushing the envelope somewhat in allowing 60-inch ductile iron pipe to be specified as one of the materials for what we knew to be a major, very important project," he said.

"There was very little history in the United States for ductile iron pipe of this size. One of the main reasons it was allowed was that we felt comfortable with AMERICAN as a company, and we felt comfortable with its ability to deliver an excellent product."

Despite meticulous planning, bad weather presented itself front and center during the Lake Gaston job. Actually, it was more than just bad weather; last year, the Virginia Beach area had one of the wettest summers on record.

"Southern Virginia usually is extremely dry during the summer months," said Matt Foster, Garney Companies' project administrator for the job. "Areas that normally are very dry were swamps during this summer. This slowed delivery of materials to the site, as well as the restoration and clean-up."

To overcome such conditions, AMERICAN utilized rail shipments to a nearby town and then trucked the pipe to the job site. "That allowed Garney to receive 60 to 100 pipe joints a day," Foster said. "This amount of pipe arriving on site every day was necessary for this project, and AMERICAN handled it very well.

"An age-old problem on high production projects like this is the contractor installing more pipe than the supplier can furnish. AMERICAN didn't allow that to happen. Our pipe unloading crews were always two to five miles ahead of our pipe-laying crews."

John Stephens, owner of John D. Stephens, Inc., concurs: "AMERICAN had a representative help coordinate the rail shipments and deliveries, and the deliveries stayed ahead of the laying operation."

Contractors noted that a primary benefit of AMERICAN Ductile Iron pipe on this project was its relatively light weight. The lighter weight, compared with concrete pipe, allowed AMERICAN to deliver four pipe lengths per truck, which reduced the number of trucks to be unloaded. Also, with the wet conditions, the light-weight pipe was easier to unload and string in the swamp areas.

The contractors also said that AMERICAN Ductile Iron pipe performed extraordinarily well during installation. The deflection capabilities of the Fastite® joint allowed the elimination of some 60-inch bends and associated restrained joints. "The flexibility within the bells allowed Garney to install a 90-degree radius curve without using any specials," said Blaine Eldreth, project superintendent for Garney. "We believe this was the simplest and most cost-effective way to make this radius.

"There were also significant grade changes that had to be made along the powerline right of way section. The deflection flexibility made this quick and easy. Plus, any time a contractor can pressure test 17 miles of 60-inch pipe with no problems, we feel the pipe has performed extremely well," Eldreth said.

Added Stephens: "We laid more than 4,000 joints of pipe on this project without one joint leak."

According to Thomas Leahy of the City of Virginia Beach Public Utilities/Water Resources: "The benefits offered by AMERICAN on this job included quality fabrication, high internal pressure capacity, and the ability to produce large quantities of pipe very quickly. The products have performed well during installation, and all pressure tests completed to date have passed with flying colors. We were fortunate to have quality contractors installing a quality pipeline product."

Workers prepare to install part of the 34.5 miles of 60-inch AMERICAN Ductile Iron pipe used on the Lake Gaston project.

AMERICAN's use of rail shipments was a major factor in coordinating timely shipments and final deliveries to the job site.

Through careful planning and timely deliveries, pipe unloading crews on the Lake Gaston project were always two to five miles in front of pipe-laying crews.

In 1996, contractors on the Lake Gaston job had to contend with one of the wettest summers on record in southeastern Virginia. In this photo, however, conditions are ideal for the pipe-laying crew.

Owner: City of Virginia Beach, Virginia

Service: Lake Gaston Water Supply Project

Engineer: Michael Baker, Jr., Inc., Virginia Beach, Virginia

Contractors: John D. Stephens, Inc.; Stone Mountain, Georgia; Contract C-1, 86,400 feet of 60" Fastite® Garney Companies, Kansas City, Missouri; Contract C-2, 87,100 feet of 60" Fastite® and Lok-Ring®
John D. Stephens; Contract D-1, 9,040 feet of 60" Fastite® and Lok-Ring®
Crowder Construction Company, Charlotte, North Carolina; Contract D-1, Intake Station, Miscellaneous Piping

Piping: Includes 182,540 feet of 60" AMERICAN Ductile Iron Pipe

Sales Engineer: Andy Dodgen

Customer Service Representative: Misty Garrison

Virginia Beach hit the ground running when it was incorporated in 1963, and today it is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Until recently, however, Virginia Beach was unable to run away from the fact that it didn't have a secure and reliable water supply. In fact, the city was forced to conserve, restrict, or ration water in 11 of the 21 years since 1976, a period that included continuous water-use restrictions and a moratorium since 1992 on extensions of the water system. But with the soon-to-be-completed Lake Gaston Water Supply Project, the city and surrounding southeastern Virginia will not be water short for the first time in more than 20 years. Major components of the $150 million project included a 60 MGD pump station on the edge of Lake Gaston and three pressure controlling structures, two of which are buried, with the third built as an elevated weir structure. Virginia Beach, which provides water service to a population of 400,000, also is committing an estimated $100 million for expansions and renovations of existing water transmission and treatment facilities. Planning for the Lake Gaston Water Supply Project spanned the better part of a decade. The design engineer, Virginia Beach-based Michael Baker, Jr., Inc., worked closely with the City of Virginia Beach, contractors, and suppliers throughout the design process. Primary contractors included Kansas City, Missouri-based Garney Companies and John D. Stephens, Inc., of Stone Mountain, Georgia. John D. Stephens also installed 60-inch ductile iron pipe associated with Charlotte, North Carolina-based Crowder Construction Company's Intake Structure contract. AMERICAN Cast Iron Pipe Company supplied approximately 35 miles of 60-inch ductile iron pipe on three contracts. According to Joe Bivins of Michael Baker, Jr., Inc.: "Input from the contractors and AMERICAN was factored in on many aspects of the design: pipe type and classification, pipe embedment and pipe strength trade-offs, subaqueous and stream-crossing strategies -- even pipe routing and alignment considerations were all areas in which our team worked together. As a result of this long-term team relationship, the city received excellent facilities at an extremely cost-effective price." "From a design standpoint, AMERICAN ductile iron pipe offered many advantages -- longevity, flexibility in design, and the ability to handle the high pressure areas in the pipeline," Bivins said. "Its simplicity of design and production, ease of installation, and the fact that most contractors are very familiar with handling and installing this pipe were noteworthy advantages." Bivins adds that calling for 60-inch ductile iron pipe raised questions when the Lake Gaston project was in final design in 1989-90. "At the time, we were pushing the envelope somewhat in allowing 60-inch ductile iron pipe to be specified as one of the materials for what we knew to be a major, very important project," he said. "There was very little history in the United States for ductile iron pipe of this size. One of the main reasons it was allowed was that we felt comfortable with AMERICAN as a company, and we felt comfortable with its ability to deliver an excellent product." Despite meticulous planning, bad weather presented itself front and center during the Lake Gaston job. Actually, it was more than just bad weather; last year, the Virginia Beach area had one of the wettest summers on record. "Southern Virginia usually is extremely dry during the summer months," said Matt Foster, Garney Companies' project administrator for the job. "Areas that normally are very dry were swamps during this summer. This slowed delivery of materials to the site, as well as the restoration and clean-up." To overcome such conditions, AMERICAN utilized rail shipments to a nearby town and then trucked the pipe to the job site. "That allowed Garney to receive 60 to 100 pipe joints a day," Foster said. "This amount of pipe arriving on site every day was necessary for this project, and AMERICAN handled it very well. "An age-old problem on high production projects like this is the contractor installing more pipe than the supplier can furnish. AMERICAN didn't allow that to happen. Our pipe unloading crews were always two to five miles ahead of our pipe-laying crews." John Stephens, owner of John D. Stephens, Inc., concurs: "AMERICAN had a representative help coordinate the rail shipments and deliveries, and the deliveries stayed ahead of the laying operation." Contractors noted that a primary benefit of AMERICAN Ductile Iron pipe on this project was its relatively light weight. The lighter weight, compared with concrete pipe, allowed AMERICAN to deliver four pipe lengths per truck, which reduced the number of trucks to be unloaded. Also, with the wet conditions, the light-weight pipe was easier to unload and string in the swamp areas. The contractors also said that AMERICAN Ductile Iron pipe performed extraordinarily well during installation. The deflection capabilities of the Fastite® joint allowed the elimination of some 60-inch bends and associated restrained joints. "The flexibility within the bells allowed Garney to install a 90-degree radius curve without using any specials," said Blaine Eldreth, project superintendent for Garney. "We believe this was the simplest and most cost-effective way to make this radius. "There were also significant grade changes that had to be made along the powerline right of way section. The deflection flexibility made this quick and easy. Plus, any time a contractor can pressure test 17 miles of 60-inch pipe with no problems, we feel the pipe has performed extremely well," Eldreth said. Added Stephens: "We laid more than 4,000 joints of pipe on this project without one joint leak." According to Thomas Leahy of the City of Virginia Beach Public Utilities/Water Resources: "The benefits offered by AMERICAN on this job included quality fabrication, high internal pressure capacity, and the ability to produce large quantities of pipe very quickly. The products have performed well during installation, and all pressure tests completed to date have passed with flying colors. We were fortunate to have quality contractors installing a quality pipeline product."	Workers prepare to install part of the 34.5 miles of 60-inch AMERICAN Ductile Iron pipe used on the Lake Gaston project.
	AMERICAN's use of rail shipments was a major factor in coordinating timely shipments and final deliveries to the job site.
	Through careful planning and timely deliveries, pipe unloading crews on the Lake Gaston project were always two to five miles in front of pipe-laying crews.
	In 1996, contractors on the Lake Gaston job had to contend with one of the wettest summers on record in southeastern Virginia. In this photo, however, conditions are ideal for the pipe-laying crew.

Owner:	City of Virginia Beach, Virginia
Service:	Lake Gaston Water Supply Project
Engineer:	Michael Baker, Jr., Inc., Virginia Beach, Virginia
Contractors:	John D. Stephens, Inc.; Stone Mountain, Georgia; Contract C-1, 86,400 feet of 60" Fastite® Garney Companies, Kansas City, Missouri; Contract C-2, 87,100 feet of 60" Fastite® and Lok-Ring® John D. Stephens; Contract D-1, 9,040 feet of 60" Fastite® and Lok-Ring® Crowder Construction Company, Charlotte, North Carolina; Contract D-1, Intake Station, Miscellaneous Piping
Piping:	Includes 182,540 feet of 60" AMERICAN Ductile Iron Pipe
Sales Engineer:	Andy Dodgen
Customer Service Representative:	Misty Garrison