Cooper, Brandon

Brandon Cooper is a speaker at WEFTEC 2026.

Titles from this speaker

Can You Dig It? Chimborazo Sewer And The Chamber Of Secrets

Abstract

The Chimborazo Interceptor Sewer serves a portion of the Church Hill area to the northwest of historic Chimborazo Park in the City of Richmond, Virginia. The combined sewershed drains to the interceptor, stair stepping down the steep hillside adjacent to the park near the intersection of East Grace Street and North 32nd Street. Due to the torrential rainfall from Tropical Storm Gaston in August of 2004, the slope failed and caused a portion of the downstream combined sewer to collapse. The City was faced with a unique challenge to address structurally damaged portions of the 48-inch circular brick step sewer residing within and near the steep hillside that is prone to failure. An emergency sewer repair was completed in 2005, which involved reconstructing a portion of the step sewer upstream of the existing junction chamber and installation of a 42-inch ductile iron pipe within the existing distressed 48-inch brick sewer downstream of the junction chamber. Another emergency sewer repair was completed in 2017, which involved the installation of a special steel pipe with concrete encasement at a step failure. The emergency sewer repair work was a temporary solution, and the design and construction of a phased permanent solution to prevent future failures of this critical asset was incorporated into the City DPU Capital Improvement Plan. A Preliminary Engineering Report was developed, which included a holistic review of collected background information, field investigation, hydrologic and hydraulic review, topographical survey, subsurface geotechnical investigation, and a cultural resources study. Using this data, phased alternatives and recommendations for a comprehensive permanent solution were developed. Due to the location, geography, subsurface conditions, and hydraulics, an unconventional design approach was developed for the abandonment and replacement of Phase 1 of this original combined sewer which dates to the late 1800's. This presentation will showcase the final design, equipment selection, bid phase, construction phase, planning, and coordination efforts that went into the construction of this replacement sewer. Phase 1 features a 60-inch inlet sewer; a 10-ft diameter, 30-ft deep inlet chamber; an 18-ft diameter, 100-ft deep vertical drop shaft chamber, which houses a fabricated siphon spillway drop unit (with 30-inch inlet, 6-inch air switch, 30-inch overflow, and 24-inch drop pipes); and a 60-inch outlet sewer. It also includes 5 new manholes, 900-ft of 60-inch gravity sewer replacement via micro-tunneling and open-cut techniques, and upstream and downstream connections to the existing 60-inch brick sewer. From utilizing an innovative technology new to the City, encountering unknown utilities and subsurface conditions, and navigating coordination with all types of stakeholders (federal, state, and local agencies, neighborhood groups, civic associations, and nearby homeowners), this presentation will highlight the project successes, challenges, and lessons learned. This project is currently under construction with an estimated final completion in March 2024.

The City of Richmond, Virginia was faced with a unique challenge to permanently address structurally damaged portions of the Chimborazo Interceptor Sewer residing within and near a steep hillside that is prone to failure. This paper will recount the design process and showcase the final design, equipment selection, bid phase, construction phase, planning, and coordination efforts that went into the construction of this replacement sewer. This project was completed in March of 2024.

SpeakerCooper, Brandon

Presentation time

14:30:00

15:00:00

Session time

13:30:00

15:00:00

SessionDon't Miss the Bypass!

Session number602

Session locationRoom 338

TopicCollection Systems, Intermediate Level

Author(s)

Cooper, Brandon, Hamilton, Susan, Nottingham, Quinton, Guhse, George

Author(s)B.E. Cooper1, S.D. Hamilton2, Q.L. Nottingham3, G.L. Guhse4

Author affiliation(s)1Greeley and Hansen | A TYLin Company, VA, 2City of Richmond DPU, VA, 3RVA, VA, 4Greeley and Hansen

SourceProceedings of the Water Environment Federation

Document typeConference Paper

PublisherWater Environment Federation

Print publication date Oct 2024

DOI10.2175/193864718825159707

Volume / Issue

Content sourceWEFTEC

Word count12

Stop, Collaborate, And Listen: Upham Brook Stabilization And Sewer Rehabilitation

Abstract

This presentation features a streambank stabilization and sewer rehabilitation project located on the border of two neighboring utilities and how this unique teamwork opportunity became a project delivery success story. As part of the City of Richmond's Collection System Master Plan, DPU initiated a City-Wide Sewer Creek Crossing Investigation and Rehabilitation Program to protect water quality and address infrastructure vulnerability along unstable urban stream corridors. The purpose of this program is to assess the condition of both the sanitary sewer system and the stream bed and banks in the vicinity of the crossings to determine the risk of failure and identify remedial actions for repairing sewer systems and stabilizing streams. A system wide desktop analysis was performed of sewer infrastructure near or crossing waterbodies. Field investigations were conducted to prioritize a list of sewers requiring additional inspection and rehabilitation, which were then incorporated into the DPU Capital Improvement Program. Downstream portions of the Upham Brook gravity sewer, located just upstream of the Upham Brook Sanitary Sewer Pump Station, were identified as a high priority area. Once-buried, this 36-inch RCP sanitary sewer was built in 1959 and runs parallel to I-95 along Upham Brook in Henrico County. Over the years, Upham Brook has become incised and has severely eroded banks, exposing and undermining over 400 feet of sewer. Upon comparing the original record drawings of the sewer to recent aerial imagery, Upham Brook has meandered and eroded its southern bank 50 to 75 feet in some locations within the project area. Intersecting stormwater drainage from adjacent I-95 and state right-of-way discharges to Upham Brook and is contributing to the erosion problem. Adding another level of complexity to the project, solving the stormwater outfall drainage concerns triggered VDOT project review and approval. CCTV of approximately 1,550 feet of the sewer showed visible, projecting aggregate, as well as sediment/debris build-up. The design to mitigate these challenges includes creek stabilization and sewer protection measures, stormwater outfall drainage improvements, heavy sewer cleaning, sewer rehabilitation using cured-in-place pipe, manhole rehabilitation, sanitary sewer bypass pumping, work zone stream flow dewatering, and stormwater outfall flow diversion. A Henrico County owned 12-inch sewer, which crosses underneath Upham Brook and discharges into their 48-inch sewer, requires upsizing to handle future flows from new development. The additional design includes a replacement 16-inch concrete encased DIP gravity sewer and replacement of three manholes. Since these improvements are located within the same project area, they were combined into one project during the design phase as a joint effort between the two utilities. The benefits of this proactive program are reducing the risk of future sanitary sewer overflows, coordinating utility improvement with stream stabilization projects for potential cost sharing opportunities, establishing easements to provide access for future maintenance, protecting adjacent private and public properties, and minimizing costly emergency repairs. By joining forces, the two utilities also developed a project to solve both of their needs in an efficient and cost-effective manner, preventing duplication of design and construction activities, coordinating permitting efforts to shorten overall project duration, and streamlining the construction sequence to minimize environmental impacts. With the design finalized in 2025 and construction expected to start early 2026, this presentation will showcase the final design and construction, highlight the joint procurement effort, discuss project challenges, and underscore how the importance of utility and state agency collaboration produced a successful project outcome.

This paper was presented at WEFTEC 2026 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Presentation time

14:00:00

14:30:00

Session time

13:30:00

15:00:00

SessionCIPP Is Just A Part Of The Process

Session locationErnest N. Morial Convention Center

TopicCollection Systems

Author(s)

Cooper, Brandon, Hamilton, Susan