Transfer Station Conditions Assessment & Improvements
Client: City of Olathe
Location: Olathe, Kansas
Summary
Needing a long-term plan to maintain and improve its solid waste transfer station with minimal interruption to daily operations, the City of Olathe, Kansas, decided to begin with a facility conditions assessment. After identifying the required improvements, the city would then hire a team to implement them.
Building on the strength of a nearly decade-long relationship with our team, in support of solid waste and recycling services, the city retained us to conduct the initial conditions assessment, then elected to retain our firm’s design-build services for implementation.
Timing was an important component. The city’s priority was to aim for facility completion before the typical end-of-year increases in waste pickup. We used 3-D scanning technology to facilitate achieving that goal.
The initial building conditions assessment identified a variety of capital and maintenance projects that would be needed over the next 10 years. The most urgent of these were replacing the tipping floor and material handler.
During the preliminary design phase, our team made several site visits to investigate the existing equipment. Using a FARO scanner, we conducted a 3-D scan of the inside of the transfer station building, then generated a 3-D model from the scan. Three-dimensional models make it easier for engineers to develop accurate designs in the office and improve efficiency. Changes can be made without returning to the project site, which reduces facility downtime and minimizes foot traffic in potentially hazardous work environments.
Using the 3-D model, we designed a knuckle boom crane that would reduce weight on the concrete pedestal by separating the power unit and electrical systems. Installation of the new equipment was then completed in two phases. The first phase included the demolition and construction of the concrete tipping floor. Three shifts worked around the clock to complete the floor, after which the facility was reopened. Once the knuckle boom crane was manufactured, operations were again suspended briefly to allow for its installation.
