Challenge:
The amount of hoses running along the floor of an oil blending facility posed serious tripping hazards. It was also an operations nightmare to change hoses as it could take over an hour to trace and remove these very long and heavy hoses. The facility decided to optimize the hose room by adding in hard piping and valves to replace the majority of the hoses. HEA was tasked to design the pipe rack structure which would support the new piping system.
Resolution:
Our engineering team designed the new pipe rack structure in a highly iterative process to provide the optimal support for the various piping while minimizing the obstructions presented by our new columns and framing. Our engineering team also verified the existing building structure to be capable of safely supporting the new loads due to the new pipe rack structure. Site visits were performed to ensure constructability fit-up and to address any issues that arose in the field for a smooth construction process.
