Water

Project:

Name: Saluda Dam Remediation Project
Client: South Carolina Electric and Gas (SCE&G)
Location: Columbia, South Carolina

Client Benefits

Kleinfelder's staff was singled out by both the client and the project owner as having played a critical role in the success of the project. The firm's performance on this project demonstrated Kleinfelder's resourcefulness and ability to pull together the necessary resources on short notice to serve a demanding project on an around-the-clock basis."

Trusted Advisor in Water

When South Carolina Electric and Gas (SCE&G) Company officials learned that the 1.5 mile long, 200-foot high Saluda Hydroelectric Project dam embankment could liquefy during significant seismic activity, they knew something had to be done. However, the solutions had to maintain the water levels of the reservoir rimmed by businesses and homes, and keep a downstream hydroelectric and coal-fired steam plant operational.

The result was a monumental 1.3 million cubic yard roller-compacted concrete (RCC) backup dam with earthen abutments finished in 2005. The project is owned and operated by SCE&G and is located on Saluda River approximately 10 miles upstream from Columbia, South Carolina. The dam impounds Lake Murray, one of the largest bodies of water on the East Coast. The original dam was constructed in 1930 as part of a 203 megawatt hydroelectric facility and is under the jurisdiction of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).

The remediation project was part of a seismic upgrade in response to dam safety deficiencies identified by the FERC. The new dam consists of an earthen embankment on either side of the RCC embankment center. In addition to the RCC, 12 million cubic yards of filter, rock fill and earthen core were placed during the course of this project.

SCE&G and the project designer, Paul C. Rizzo Associates, selected Kleinfelder to provide quality control testing for this project based on experience, qualifications, key personnel, large staff, resources and responsiveness. Kleinfelder designed and equipped the onsite testing laboratory to be capable of providing all of the required quality control and quality assurance testing. Most of the testing was conducted around-the-clock to keep up with the continuous RCC construction schedule.

Kleinfelder provided testing and consulting services development and qualification of the site-manufactured concrete aggregate, including gradation and quality. At the request of the designer and contractor, Kleinfelder developed more than 40 concrete mix designs at its onsite laboratory in an effort to craft the most efficient and cost-effective mix. Kleinfelder also performed routine compaction testing and concrete sampling and testing.

The American Society of Civil Engineers' (ASCE) 2006 Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement (OCEA) award was presented at the Outstanding Projects and Leaders awards gala in Washington, DC to the Saluda Dam project for its significant contribution to the civil engineering profession and its local community.

"South Carolina Electric and Gas Company officials were faced with an extraordinary challenge when they realized the impact a repeat of the 1886 Charleston earthquake could have on Columbia's three-quarters-of-a-century-old Saluda Dam," ASCE President Dennis R. Martenson remarked. "Their proactive approach to protecting the surrounding communities and the innovative methods they implemented to achieve that goal make this project the embodiment of everything for which the OCEA award stands. We are proud to honor the Saluda Dam Remediation Project with this year's award."

Project Manager John Moossazadeh commented, "Kleinfelder was selected over other local and larger firms to provide quality assurance services on this landmark project because of the firm's experience and the caliber of its personnel. Kleinfelder's staff was singled out by both the client and the project owner as having played a critical role in the success of the project. The firm's performance on this project demonstrated Kleinfelder's resourcefulness and ability to pull together the necessary resources on short notice to serve a demanding project on an around-the-clock basis."