Dulles Airport Automated People Mover Stations
Location
Dulles, Virginia
Client
Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority
Ammann & Whitney Consulting Engineers
Services Provided
Geotechnical Engineering
Value Engineering
Excavation Support Analysis
Rock Pressures and Drainage
Construction Services
Project Overview
Schnabel is the geotechnical engineering consultant and reviewer for several elements of the Automated People Mover, including the East Main Terminal Station, currently under construction at Dulles Airport. The main station is located between the existing Air Traffic Control Tower and the Main Terminal. The construction of this below-grade station required a 50-foot deep excavation into the bedrock materials of the site immediately adjacent to the two critical structures.
Extremely complex issues at the site which needed to be addressed in the design phase included the support of excavation, drainage of the relatively high groundwater at the site, and estimation of rock pressures for design of the below-grade station walls. Due to the sensitivity of the adjacent structures and very low movement tolerances, analytical modeling of conceptual excavation support tiebacks and micropile underpinning systems was required during the design phase.
Construction services include assistance in preparation of the project geotechnical specifications; detailed review of contractor submittals on the support of excavation, blasting, and micropile underpinning; and other foundation and geotechnical related submittals.
Schnabel’s recommendations on rock pressures, blasting, and drainage requirements resulted in 10s of millions of dollars of savings on this project alone. In addition, these recommendations have established design precedents that will result in major savings on future projects at Dulles Airport.
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