This project expanded the existing Pond 001 capacity on the East Airfield of Denver International Airport (DEN) by adding a 10.6-million-gallon storage pond to work with the existing ponds that are part of the existing facility. A series of trench drains, storm sewers, and diversion structures capture industrial and deicing water from the East Airfield Aprons at DEN and diverts that water to the Pond 001 facility for storage. Most of the industrial water that is captured consists of deicing fluid used on aircraft during the winter months.
An existing diversion structure was expanded to divert the flow through a new 108-Inch RCP storm sewer and into the new 10.6-million-gallon storage cell. An 8-Foot by 8-Foot sluice gate in the expanded diversion structure can be opened or shut to control the flow into the new pond cell. The additional pond cell provides a third pond that can be utilized in the Pond 001 facility. The water in these ponds can be pumped between the three ponds providing DEN the ability to control the concentration of deicing fluid in the diluted stormwater before pumping it to a recycle facility or into the wastewater treatment system.
Background
One unique challenge included the installation of the 108-Inch RCP Storm and deicing pipe at 30-Foot depths adjacent to DIA’s Runways and Taxiways. The RCP pipe sections weighed 38,000 pounds each and each crane pick from the surface to the final location was carefully evaluated and designed. This could not be solved just by crane size as DIA and the FAA had limitations of the maximum altitude that any piece of equipment could operate at, which was less than 50-Foot above the ground. A special shoring design to install the 108-Inch pipe adjacent to the Taxiway was completed to ensure uninterrupted aviation traffic on that Taxiway.
Another unique challenge was that the project required the export of 65,000 Cubic Yards of dirt (5,400 truckloads) to construct the deicing and stormwater pond. This dirt was moved from the airfield to a dumpsite outside of the airfield, with each truck needing coordination with DIA security protocols, badging, and coordination with DIA’s operations., so as to not impede the busy airport’s aviation schedules.
The team that overcame these challenges through planning, logistics, and persistence was comprised of the DEN’s Infrastructure Management Department, DEN’s Operations Department, Jviation, Hamon Infrastructure and Hamon’s subcontractors.
Hamon exceed the baseline industry safety requirements by ensuring that our Full-Time OSHA 500 Safety Trainer was On-Site at all times. Our trainer was able to assist and facilitate daily safety discussion with staff and crew. This fostered a strong safety culture of “Zero Tolerance for Safety Issues” throughout the project—beginning each day with the precedent someone expects you home safe tonight.
All crew-members maintained proper DIA Access and clearances. Hamon and DIA also provided support to our subcontractors and suppliers, both through Daily access training, tool box meetings and utilizing the escort procedures DIA has established on the air field.
Project Benefits
A high arch shoring system was engineered and implemented for the successful and safe installation of the 108-Inch RCP pipe, including 45-degree bends, all adjacent to the taxiway.
A temporary steel damn wall that could act as a slide gate was designed by Hamon’s inhouse engineer to prevent storm flows from coming from the existing 108-Inch storm/deicing pipe into the new work zone of the new 108-Inch pipe and new deicing pond during construction.
