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Two HDR Projects Recognized at Bentley’s 2020 Year in Infrastructure Virtual Awards Gala

Two HDR Projects Recognized at Bentley’s 2020 Year in Infrastructure Virtual Awards Gala

OMAHA, Neb. — Two HDR projects received global recognition with this year’s Bentley Year in Infrastructure Awards. The Oroville Dam, 3D Seepage and Stability Analysis was a finalist for the Geotechnical Engineering award, and the Marc Basnight Bridge (Bonner Bridge Replacement) received an Advancing Project and Asset Longevity Special Recognition award.

Open to all Bentley software users, the Bentley Year in Infrastructure Awards program has recognized nearly 4,000 of the world’s most outstanding infrastructure projects since 2004.

Marc Basnight Bridge (Bonner Bridge Replacement)

The $252 million project features a 2.8-mile long bridge on North Carolina’s Outer Banks, designed to last 100 years and withstand hurricanes and ship strikes. By using an integrated design and document control workflow, HDR was able to coordinate the contributions of over 250 people representing numerous disciplines, organizations and locations to deliver a project optimized for cost, constructability, environmental impacts, performance and long-term durability.

HDR utilized Bentley ProjectWise to store, manage and share thousands of files, including LEAP CONSPAN Analyses, MicroStation Drawing Files and Geopak Coordinate Geometry data to create an innovative, efficient and consistent design. Using digital workflows reduced costs, design time, and coordination errors and facilitated continued access to data during inspection, operations and maintenance. The new structure, opened to traffic in February 2019, provides a critical hurricane evacuation route as well as access to health care, education, recreation and tourism.

Oroville Dam, Tallest Earthen Embankment Dam in United States, 3D Seepage and Stability Analysis

At 770 feet, the Oroville Dam is the tallest earth dam in the U.S. and is the key element in California’s State Water Project. The last two five-year inspections resulted in recommendations for an improved seepage monitoring program. Due to the dam’s height and steep embankment, HDR knew traditional design methods would not work when developing that program.

HDR chose SOILVISION to create a 3D seepage and stability analysis of the model, which helps incorporate foundation topography and valley effects and provides more accurate calculations. Individual surfaces were combined in a “layered cake” approach, allowing the software to easily mesh the inclined core and adjoining zone surfaces. HDR developed an extremely large mesh that contained 407,561 nodes and 222,930 elements. The California Department of Water Resources is now able to monitor the dam’s seepage level to comply with regulations. The model will be archived for use in further reviews that occur every 5 years.

About HDR

For over a century, HDR has partnered with clients to shape communities and push the boundaries of what’s possible. Our expertise spans more than 10,000 employees in more than 200 locations around the world — and counting. Our engineering, architecture, environmental and construction services bring an impressive breadth of knowledge to every project. Our optimistic approach to finding innovative solutions defined our past and drives our future. For more information, please visit www.hdrinc.com.