purcc 2012 - University of the Pacific

Civil Engineering Senior Projects
Snow Supporting Structures, Echo
Summit, California
Matthew Anderson, Bryant Fukuda,
Josh Hai Ngo
Faculty Mentors: Scott Merry, Gary Litton
Avalanches are a constant threat to winter
travelers both in convenience and safety.
Currently, the avalanche risk near Echo Summit
is being managed by the Gaz-EX system, which
triggers small avalanches in order to prevent a
major avalanche. Utilizing current methods, the
California Department of Transportation
(CALTRANS) is able to readily clean up the
debris on the highway created by the small
avalanches. In a worst case scenario, small
avalanches triggered at the wrong time would
result in a much larger uncontrolled avalanche
and wasted resources. This sudden avalanche
could endanger the property and lives of
travelers. Additionally, road closures and
removal of snow and debris after avalanche
generation are requirements of the current
system, which cost both time and money.
Our proposed solution to this problem is a snow
supporting structure that is based on a design
popularly used in Europe and recommended by
the Swiss Avalanche Guide. It is a steel
structure that will have horizontal panels in order
to support the snow. The structure will be
supported by micropiles. This structure will be
designed to withstand a design snow load of six
and a half feet; thus, reducing the frequency of
dangerous avalanches in the area.
The structure will require no upkeep during the
winter seasons and is intended to prevent
avalanches up to six and a half feet of snow.
During the summer seasons it is Trifecta’s intent
that the structure will blend into the landscape
and look as if it belongs in the surrounding
environment.
Municipal Water Storage Upgrade, City
of Oakdale, California
Thanh Do, Dameon Flores, Caroline Grant,
Gregory Weissmann
Faculty mentors: Scott Merry, Camilla Saviz,
Luke Lee, Dr. Gary Litton
The City of Oakdale is an agricultural and food
production town located in Stanislaus County.
Since 2006, the City’s population has increased
by over 30% and is now nearing 21,000 people.
In order to meet the current and future peak
water demands of its citizens, the City of
Oakdale needs to increase its municipal water
storage capacity. This will be done by adding
two water storage tanks at opposite ends of the
city center at Greger Street and Valley View
Drive. Additional supporting elements will also
be constructed as need for tank to function as
designed.
Project goals at the Greger and Valley View
Sites include design of a 1.5 million gallon
surface-bearing tank, and a 250,000 thousand
gallon surface-bearing tank, respectively.
Design considerations will include structural,
geotechnical, water resources, civil planning, and
environmental analysis. Final project
deliverables will include structural design of the
tanks and foundations, upgrade of the existing
pipe network, and development of construction
site plans.
Ford’s Bridge Spanning The Tuolumne
River, Long Barn, California
Evan Eyster, John Romero, Roberto Vera,
Damasio Zepeda
Faculty Mentors: Scott Merry, Luke Lee,
Hector Estrada, Camilla
Saviz
The Ford and Matkin Family are owners of a
property located near Long Barn, California.
Access to his property involves a crossing of the
north fork of the Tuolumne River. The crossing
is located in a timber harvesting area and the
path is subject to frequent use by logging
vehicles and residents of the property. The
current crossing is partially submerged year
round and fully submerged during wet weather
storm events. Recently, the state of California’s
Regional Water Quality Control Board has
identified an increase in sediment loading and
erosion in streams due to logging traffic. During
wet weather events the river crossing may
become inaccessible. The steep driveway grades
also create a safety hazard for traffic during
winter months. As a solution to the access and
environmental river crossing issues, Mr. Ford is
looking to build a bridge.
Vision Consulting Engineers will provide
services in the design of a bridge to cross the
Tuolumne River. With the addition of a bridge,
there will be improved year-round access, quality
of life, safety of the residents. In addition,
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