A very mature residential area in the unincorporated community of New Alexandria in Fairfax County, VA, had been experiencing long-standing and worsening tidally influenced flooding in its 35-acre drainage area. After much study, it became clear that providing protection from flooding was practical for only the upper 23-acre portion of the drainage area, and the only way to provide this protection was to close off an existing concrete drainage channel and construct a pump station. Preserving neighborhood aesthetics and mitigating construction noise were high priorities for the community, so ground freezing was chosen as a substitute for sheet piling. Mike Koser, PE takes a deep dive into the process of ground freezing, including what it is, how it works, and when and where it can apply. He will also discuss key concerns when using ground freezing and lessons he learned while working on the New Alexandria pump station.
Mike Koser, PE is a Utilities Project Manager with four decades of experience in public and private civil infrastructure development, including all aspects of water and wastewater management.
This preview is part of our AWWA Speaker Preview series, which highlights the WithersRavenel staff invited to speak at the 2018 NC AWWA-WEA Annual Conference. For more previews, follow along during the week of October 29 through November 2, or click here to see all of the posts in the series.