A GeoEngineers temporary cofferdam project in New Orleans, Louisiana has won a Project of the Year Award from the Pile Driving Contractors Association (PDCA). GeoEngineers’ Performance-Based Engineering (PBE) Group delivered numerical modeling and geotechnical support services for the project, which required the deepest excavation in New Orleans history.
The Permanent Canal Closure and Pumps (PCCP) project was part of an ambitious storm-resiliency program designed to improve flood control and protect the city of New Orleans. In 2016, GeoEngineers provided services for the 17th Street, London Avenue and Orleans Avenue Canal Pump Stations. The project required cofferdams to be installed in the water at the mouth of each of the three canals. To protect the excavation, the shoring system needed to withstand significant hydrostatic pressures from the surrounding water and soil while limiting cofferdam movement.
The project was a result of cooperation between multiple groups and business units across GeoEngineers. King Chin’s (Redmond) PBE team delivered advanced numerical modeling and analysis to confirm the effectiveness of an untested cofferdam shoring design for the 40- to 54-foot excavations in the region’s soft soils.
GeoEngineers’ consulting work on the project was completed in 2016, but construction was ongoing through 2018. The completed pumping stations will be able to pump a combined 24,300 cubic feet of water per second out of the city and into Lake Ponchartrain, protecting New Orleans from flooding in the event of a large hurricane or storm event.
The winning project will be featured in PileDriver magazine and was officially recognized at the PDCA 22nd Annual International Conference and Expo 2019 in July.
