June 11, 2010

CONSULTING ENGINEERS OF ONTARIO

Dillon Consulting Ltd. was recognized for designing a complex grade separation for rail traffic.

Industry accolades

J. L. Richards & Associates wins award for wastewater treatment plant upgrade

PATRICIA WILLIAMS

staff writer

J. L. Richards & Associates Ltd. is the recipient of this year’s Willis Chipman Award for its role on an ambitious $115-million upgrade at the Ravensview Wastewater Treatment Plant in Kingston.

The firm provided project management, engineering, architectural and planning services, which included environmental assessment preparation, onsite piloting, design, construction and commissioning oversight.

Upgrades to the plant included enhancements to effluent quality and a 30 per cent increase in capacity, which will enable the continued growth of the city over the next 25 years. Cutting-edge biological aerated filter (BAF) treatment technology was used.

Planning began in 2003 and was completed in late 2009, approximately 10 per cent under budget and six months ahead of schedule. The key challenge was to maintain existing plant operations throughout the entire work schedule.

The upgrade is the largest municipal project in the city’s history. The client/owner is Utilities Kingston.

Presented by Consulting Engineers of Ontario (CEO), the Chipman Award is the highest distinction in Ontario’s consulting engineering community.

CONSULTING ENGINEERS OF ONTARIO

Quad Engineering won an award for its work developing a process for hot rolling titanium ingots

It recognizes the project that best demonstrates the valuable contribution that consulting engineers make to the social, economic and environmental quality of life in Ontario.

The award was presented at a banquet during the association’s annual conference in Huntsville.

Awards of excellence were presented in three categories, based on the size of firm.

Winners were:

• Firm with 1 to 25 Employees: Quad Engineering Inc. Hot Rolling of Titanium Ingots — A New Process. The Perryman Company had a new concept to roll titanium ingots, replacing the existing forging process. Quad Engineering turned this into a successful project. Work included “first principle” process engineering, customized equipment design, manufacture of large, complex components in multiple Ontario facilities and installation engineering for minimum costs. Client/Owner: The Perryman Company.

CONSULTING ENGINEERS OF ONTARIO

• Firm with 26 to 100 Employees: DST Consulting Engineers Inc. Green Ground Improvement of a Brownfield in Thunder Bay. Soil settlement, due to consolidation, results in building damage. Settlement occurs over long periods of time. This poses a particular challenge in Thunder Bay. A geotechnical investigation showed that a new Leon’s building would require a deep foundation, an expensive undertaking. An innovative ground improvement method was used to eliminate the deep foundation requirement. Client/Owner: Leon’s Furniture Ltd.

• Firm with 101+ Employees: Dillon Consulting Ltd. Walker Road CPR Grade Separation. A grade separation was required to eliminate vehicular congestion caused by slow-moving U.S. bound trains, subjected to scanning after 9/11.

The grade separation involved land acquisition, utility relocations, a 45-metre bridge, 4,000 square metres of earth-reinforced walls, watercourse realignment and a storm water pump station. Client/Owner: The Corporation of the City of Windsor.

Awards of merit were presented for achievement in six areas of engineering practice. Winners were:

• Building Engineering and Science Award: Sigmund Soudack & Associates Inc. The Absolute. This 56-storey building’s main feature is its shape, which presented challenges in the development, analysis and structural system design. Ellipse-shaped slabs, turned by variable angles with respect to central vertical axis, create an attractive curve-shaped building, dubbed Marilyn Monroe. Client/Owner: Dominus Management Group.

CONSULTING ENGINEERS OF ONTARIO

• Environment Award: Stantec Consulting Ltd. Sandy Hill Flood Control & Park Rehabilitation. Stantec’s solution to surface and basement flooding in Ottawa’s Sandy Hill area united innovative engineering design with the redesign of a community asset. Client/Owner: The City of Ottawa.

• Industry, Energy and Resources Award: Simulent Inc. Modelling Epoxy Lining Procedure in Pipe Lining. A comprehensive experiment and analytical study of the pipe lining process was carried out using an epoxy resin.

The project was successful in determining the most important parameters to ensure a high quality lining. Pipe lining software, used to optimize the operational conditions prior to performing the lining, was developed. Client/Owner: Bradley Mechanical Services/Pipe-Shield.

• Studies and Research Award: Delcan Corporation with McCormick Rankin Corporation. Ontario’s Action Plan for the Intelligent Border Crossing. As cross border trade and traffic increase, issues such as long waits, congestion and unpredictable crossing times have emerged.

The Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO) and Transport Canada initiated development of an action plan to facilitate the efficient movement of people and goods at 14 land border crossings. Client/Owner: Ministry of Transportation Ontario/Transport Canada.

• Transportation Award: URS Canada Inc. Detroit River International Crossing. This was the Canadian contribution to the bi-national study addressing traffic capacity, system connectivity, border processing and redundancy at Canada’s busiest land border crossing.

Recommendations carried forward include a new six-lane bridge spanning the Detroit River, new Canadian inspection plaza and a six-lane access road, the Windsor-Essex Parkway. Client/Owner: Ontario Ministry of Transportation.

Submissions were judged by a panel of eminent professional engineers representing client groups, professional associations and universities who are not currently engaged in consulting practice.

Consulting Engineers of Ontario is a non-profit organization representing more than 225 consulting engineering firms in Ontario.

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