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  1. PA PE

    Measuring flow from Fire Pumps during Churn Test

    If the flow is 20 gpm, it will take 15 seconds to fill a 5-gallon bucket. I'll handle the bucket and get wet. Another person will handle the stop watch and should be able to time it to +/- 1 second. Then our accuracy would be 1/15 or +/- 1.3 gpm. That would be acceptable in my opinion. We...
  2. PA PE

    Measuring flow from Fire Pumps during Churn Test

    Little Inch: You're right. The inlet is 8" and the fire pumps are rated for 1000 gpm in normal operation. The relief valve is spring loaded and adjustable, and the name plate is all beat up. We'd need to rely on the pressure gauges and manufacturer's literature again. All these things are...
  3. PA PE

    Measuring flow from Fire Pumps during Churn Test

    Thanks Daniel, That might work for the 1" pipe because there is some straight length available. For the 4" pipe, there isn't much straight length, and the pipe isn't flowing full.
  4. PA PE

    Measuring flow from Fire Pumps during Churn Test

    A client performs "churn tests" on two fire pumps on a weekly basis. The pumps are essentially run at shutoff head for a short time to verify that they are operable and are developing the proper head. A small amount of water is discharged through relief valves to prevent overheating. The...
  5. PA PE

    Miami Pedestrian Bridge, Part XIII

    EarthPi, you're right, I do remember reading something about vibration with respect to the pipe stays, and I think it was to dampen vibration from the live loads. I remember thinking "how are pedestrians going to make that much vibration?" Maybe if they were all marching double time, or doing...
  6. PA PE

    Miami Pedestrian Bridge, Part XIII

    Cables vs. pipes: Since these members were not to be load bearing, maybe there was a concern that cables would sag and ruin the aesthetics. A question: would daily thermal expansion/contraction in the pipes be cancelled by the corresponding vertical thermal movements in the pylon, to prevent...
  7. PA PE

    Miami Pedestrian Bridge, Part XIII

    Quote Vance Wiley: "design to a half pipe" That's so that the most you can be off is 50%
  8. PA PE

    Miami Pedestrian Bridge, Part XIII

    @Vance Wiley: "You don't get off that easy...." You're right, LRFD is a straightforward concept. Thanks for the explanation. If you ever have a question about hydraulic grade lines.....
  9. PA PE

    Miami Pedestrian Bridge, Part XIII

    JStephen: Ha, good one. You got me. Therein lied the danger of being up on a soapbox for too long.
  10. PA PE

    Miami Pedestrian Bridge, Part XIII

    I'm looking to retire myself in a few years. In college I was interested in structural engineering and took all the courses, including prestressed concrete. After graduation, I found work doing water/wastewater work and thankfully have been doing that for 38 years! It's still fun to make...
  11. PA PE

    Miami Pedestrian Bridge, Part XIII

    Here is the photo of the joint area before any concrete was placed. It would be virtually impossible to effectively roughen the surface due to the congestion in that area. And what are those loopy black things? Anything in this area that is not steel or concrete weakens the thing. Two other...
  12. PA PE

    Miami Pedestrian Bridge, Part XIII

    Referenced standards are often seen as boilerplate and for the purpose of CYA. I like to put plenty of notes on the drawings. Referenced standards are supposed to be available on site. How often does that happen, who takes the time to read them, and who enforces that requirement? At the very...
  13. PA PE

    Miami Pedestrian Bridge, Part XIII

    I understand that the requirement to roughen the surface was not explicitly stated on the Drawings. Rather, this requirement is said to be included in a referenced standard: A Florida DOT publication. Since this is such a critical requirement, would it make sense to restate this requirement...
  14. PA PE

    Miami Pedestrian Bridge, Part XIII

    The interface area was extremely congested. It would have been difficult to put a hand inside that mess of steel, let alone get a tool in there and maneuver it around to roughen the surface of the cold joint. In the Figg rebuttal there is a photograph of of this area showing forms and steel in...

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