Project Profile

Potomac Yard Off-Site Storm Drain Outfall Tunnel - Real-Time Track Monitoring
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA)
Alexandria, VA

Crescent Resources, Inc. is owner and developer of the property formerly known as the RF&P Potomac Yard in Alexandria, Virginia. A large commercial development was planned for the site but infrastructure elements must be built first. A large 72-inch diameter storm sewer was planned to carry rainwater from the site to the nearby Potomac River. The route of the storm drain required that it run under existing CSX Railroad Tracks and the tracks of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. The design specified the storm drain be tunneled under the WMATA tracks.

Facility Engineering Associates was retained to design, implement, and manage a real-time monitoring program for track movement during the tunneling and its associated grouting operation. FEA installed electronic sensors in the track bed of the two WMATA tracks and placed a remote data logger adjacent to the tunneling and grouting operations command post.

The data logger was in turn interfaced with a computer and video output for real time viewing of track bed behavior during the subsequent tunneling and grouting operation. Heave and settlement of the track bed was monitored and appropriate measures taken to avoid adverse effects to the revenue operations of WMATA.

Scope Items:

Monitor railway track
Real-Time data acquisition system
Remote data retrieval

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