The retrofit of the penstock trestle at the Musquash Generating Station : a typical engineering project

Abstract

This report outlines a basic methodology for completing an engineering p r o j e c t . The o u t l i n e i s very general and can be a p p l i e d t o any engineering process. The goal of t h i s report i s to document an a c t u a l engineering p r o j e c t from s t a r t t o f i n i s h and i l l u s t r a t e how i t f i t s i n t o the stages of t h e general process. The p r o j e c t followed was the r e t r o f i t of t h e penstock t r e s t l e , which I was assigned while on the P r o f e s s i o n a l Experience Program w i t h NB Power during the summer of 1990. The work conducted on the t r e s t l e , through the planning, design and c o n s t r u c t i o n , closely p a r a l l e l l e d the stages of t h e general engineering process. Several design a l t e r n a t i v e s were considered, a f i n a l design chosen and tendered, and the c o n t r a c t o r i n s t a l l e d 12 s t e e l reinforcement sections i n t o the aging wooden s t r u c t u r e . In a d d i t i o n t o t h e above comparisons, I have evaluated the design and c o n s t r u c t i o n methods used. The reinforcement sections e a s i l y f i t into the e x i s t i ng s t r u c t u r e . There were some d i f f i c u l t i e s i n t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n phase, p r i m a r i l y caused by d e v i a t i o n from the pre-award workplan. This p r o j e c t demonstrates the importance of adhering t o c o n t r a c t plans and documents.