CAREER EPISODE 2

2.1 INTRODUCTION
Chronology: Sept 2012 to May 2018
Geographical Location: End of Okilo Road, Abuloma, Port Harcourt, Rivers
State.
Organization: IMPaC Oil & Gas Engineering Ltd
Title of the Position Occupied: Civil/Structural Engineer

Even though I have worked as a Site Engineer before joining IMPaC Oil & Gas Engineering Ltd,
My first post graduation experience as a Design Engineer began in IMPaC Oil & Gas Engineering
Ltd in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. I got employed by IMPaC as a Civil/Structural Design
Engineer in September 2012 and resigned in 2018. I did a lot of projects in IMPaC. The
headquarter of IMPaC was in Germany before acquisition in 2013 after which staff employment
was transferred to new owner (Nestoil Plc). The range of services IMPaC provides includes;
Engineering Design, Project Management and Manpower Supply e.t.c.

2.2 BACKGROUND
In a bid to optimize Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) infrastructure usage in the
short term and maximizes ullage for both the Soku and Gbaran areas, they requested Impac Oil
and Engineering Company to carry out Detailed Engineering Design of the facilities.
The EPC contract scope for this project is summarized below as follows:
• Four (4) flowlines from the F2 wells to the new Kolo Creek (intermediate) production
headers with the proper control, safeguarding, metering and monitoring requirements.
• Three (3) flowlines from the F1 wells to the new Kolo Creek (intermediate) production
headers with the proper control, safeguarding, metering and monitoring requirements.
• Three (3) intermediate production headers combining the seven (7) F1 and F2 flowlines
into three (3) intermediate bulklines.
• Three (3) intermediate bulklines with HIPPS and the proper control, safeguarding,
metering and monitoring requirements.
• One (1) Kolo Creek manifold combining the three (3) intermediate bulklines into the 20-
inch, 40 km long bulkline to the Soku Gas Plant.
• 20-inch, 40 km long carbon steel pipeline (including the pig launcher and receiver and
proper control, safeguarding, metering and monitoring requirements) from Kolo Creek
NAG manifold to the Soku Gas Plant designed for evacuation of 400 MMscf/d from Kolo
Creek NAG manifold. This pipeline will traverse some communities in Niger Delta,
Nigeria though the intention of the routing was to avoid it as much as possible.
• Slug-catcher at the Soku Gas Plant and full integration with the existing Soku Gas Plant
including definition of process control and safe guarding systems.
• Utilities in Kolo Creek and Soku Gas Plant to ensure safe and cost effective evacuation of
400 MMscf/d from Kolo Creek to Soku.
• Installation of hardwares for control of facilities at Kolo Creek from Soku control room
• Installation of a Fibre Optics Cable (FOC) along the length of the pipeline ROW for the
purpose of back-up communication for Kolo Creek Instrumentation Systems.

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2.2.1 Objectives of the Project

The primary objective of the project is to sustain gas supplies to Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas
(NLNG) trains 1 to 6.
2.2.2 Nature of my Work Area
In this report, I would describe how I carried out analysis and design of a box culvert in Kolo
Creek facility.
A monolithic section of box culvert was designed to take care of storm water within the new
facility. The box culvert was designed to allow for passage of storm water underneath the roads
for safe movement of humans and vehicular traffic.
To accurately determine the box culvert size, comparison was done between contributing peak
run-off from internal drains and discharge capacity using rational method and manning’s
formula.

2.2.3 Chart of the organizational structure highlighting my position

Managing
Dir ector

Engine ering/
F inance Admin QHSE/NCD
P r oject
Manager Manager Coor dinator
Manager

Discipline
Discipline
Discipline Lead Discipline Discipline
Discipline Lead Lead Discipline Lead CAD
Lead ( Instr ume ntati Lead Lead
(Mechanical) ( Civil/Str uctur ( Mechanical) Lead
(P r ocess) on (P ipeline) ( P iping)
al/Naval)
& Electr ical)

Civil/Str uctur al Civil/Str uctur al

Civil/Str uctur al
Engine er T r ainee
Dr aftman ( F r ed
( Hassan Engineer
Oku)
Muhammad) ( F r ancis uche)

2.2.4 Statement of my duties

The work that I performed prior and during the design of the culvert include:
• Site Visit
• Review of Front End Engineering Design (FEED) Documents.
• Review of Geotechnical investigation report.
• Calculate drainage discharge capacity.
• Calculate culvert discharge capacity.
• Modeling the culvert using Staad Pro software.
• Apply applicable loads on the culvert with applicable load combinations
• Analyze and design the culvert in accordance with applicable standards and codes.
• Produce a report based on the analysis performed with the Staad Pro software.

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2.3 PERSONAL ENGINEERING ACTIVITY

In order to be able to fully carry out my duties efficiently, a sequence of activities was carried out
which includes:
2.3.1 Site visit/Data collection
I led the team to site to ascertain the drainage layout and establish discharge point. I ensured
that measurements were taken to determine available space and propose culvert geometry. I also
ensured that I establish the culvert location so as to pick right bore hole from geotechnical
investigation report.

2.3.2 Site investigation report

I prepared the site investigation report stating all observations, measurements, survey information
and data obtained during the investigation. The report contained a description of the site and
photographs.

2.3.3 Culvert Hydraulic Sizing

I calculated the total contributory discharge flow from surrounding drains to the culvert using
rational formula.
Q=2.78xC x I x A

Where:

Q = Peak runoff in litre/sec

C = Run-off coefficient depending on the characteristics of the drainage areas

I = Average rainfall intensity mm/hr

A = Catchments area in ha

I calculated the discharge capacity of the culvert using manning’s formula as stated below.
Qc = (Ac x R2/3 S1/2) / n where

Ac = Cross sectional Area

n = Manning’s coefficient of channel

R = hydraulic radius in m;

S = slope in m/s.

Comparison was done between contributing peak run-off from drains and discharge capacity to
accurately determine the box culvert size,
2.3.4 Structural Model
I modeled the structure using Staad Pro software with the proposed geometry.

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The box culvert was modeled as plate elements selecting material components as concrete.
I used the Limit State philosophy approach to perform the culvert design and ensure it was in line
with approved Codes and Standards.

Figure 2.1: 3D Model of box culvert

2.3.5 Design Criteria
The criteria I used for the design are given below:
2.3.5.1 Codes, Specifications and Project Documents
• Codes
 BS EN 1991-1-1:2002 Eurocode 1: Actions on structures Part 1-1: General action-
Densities, Self-weight and Imposed loads for buildings.
 BS EN 1992-1-1:2004 Design of Concrete Structures - General Rules and Rules for
Buildings.
 BS EN 1997-1-1:2004 Geotechnical Design – Part 1: General Rules.
• Specifications
 DEP 34.14.20.31-Gen: Drainage Systems and Primary Treatment Facilities.
 DEP 34.00.01.30-Gen: Structural Design and Engineering of Onshore Structures.
 DEP 34.19.20.31-Gen: Onshore Concrete Design and Construction
• Project Documents
 Storm water Drainage Layout.
 Reports on geotechnical survey.
 Overall Layout Plan
2.3.5.2 Analysis and Design Software
StaadPro and Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet.

2.3.5.3 Global Axis System

The model global axis system is as follows:

 X – axis in the X-face direction.

 Y – axis in the Y-face direction.
 Z – axis in the vertical direction.

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2.3.5.4 Member Geometric Properties

I generated the box Culvert model with STAAD Pro finite element software. For analytical
purpose, a centre to centre dimension was adopted in modeling the structure in STAAD Pro
software.

Dimension
Description
(mm)

a 200

b 1600

c 300

d 1000

e 200

Figure 2.2: Typical Section of the culvert

2.3.5.5 Culvert Support Conditions
The Box culvert support was modeled as a plate mat, where spring supports of known
stiffness have been used to model the supporting soil system. The spring constant ks used is
computed according to “Foundation Analysis and design, 5th Edition, Equation 9.9” by
Joseph E. Bowles.

kS = 40 x qa

Where qa= Soil Bearing Capacity

2.3.6 Member Material Properties

I considered the below Values for the materials.

Reinforced Concrete
Grade of Concrete C30/37
Characteristic Compressive Cylindrical Strength 30 Mpa
Unit Weight of Concrete 25 kN/m3
Unit Weight of Mortar 20 kN/m3
Material Partial Factor 1.5
Reinforced Steel
Yield strength of steel 410 N/mm2

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Modulus of Elasticity 200 Mpa

Unit Weight of steel 78.5 kN/m3
Soil (From Geotechnical Report)
Soil Bulk Unit Weight 20.9 kN/m3
Soil Dry Density 17.56 kN/m3
Unit Weight of water 10 kN/m3
2.3.7 Loading
The various loading conditions I considered for the box culvert are listed below;
Self Weight: The concrete dead load comprises of the self-weight of the box culvert
considering unit weight of concrete given as: γc = 25 kN/m3. This was generated
automatically by staad pro.

Surcharge Pressure: I adopted a value of 10 kN/m2 and this was applied as a UDL on the
walls in contact with the supporting soil.

Lateral Earth Pressure: I computed the Lateral earth pressure on the walls due to existing
in-situ soil mass surrounding the box culvert with aid of this formula Ep=Ka*γs*h (kN/m2).
I applied the load as trapezoidal.

Hydrostatic Pressure: I considered the hydro test condition which is the most critical and
the only internal lateral water pressure acting on the culvert. I computed the hydrostatic
pressure on the walls the formula Hp=γw*h(KN/m2). I applied the load as trapezoidal.

Vehicular Load: I computed the load dispersion along the traffic direction as per BS
EN1991-2:2003. I applied the load as point loads.

Groundwater Pressure: I considered a maximum groundwater pressure on the culvert for

the embedded components of the culvert. I computed the groundwater pressure with the
formula Gp = γw*hw and applied the load as trapezoidal on side walls and UDL on base
slab.

2.3.8 Load Combinations

I considered six (6) load combination matrix at limit states design for the culvert. I
considered Load combinations of actions for internal failure (STR), ground deformation
(GEO) and serviceability limit states (SLS).

2.3.9 Checks
Soil Pressure Check: I ensured that the maximum base pressure of the culvert is lower
than the allowable which was given in geotechnical investigation report.

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Walls and Slabs Design: I adopted critical stress condition for the wall design from
StaadPro Output and use Microsoft excel spread sheet to calculate area of reinforcement
for walls and slabs, crack width, check shear capacity and deflection.

MY (local)
kNm/ m
<= 0.004
4.41
8.82
13.2
17.6
22
26.4
30.9
35.3
39.7
44.1
48.5
52.9
57.3
61.7
66.1
>= 70.5

Y
X
Z
Load 13

Figure2.3: Showing Moment Contour on culvert

2.4 SUMMARY

This was the first time I will be modeling and analyzing culvert with Staadpro software. During the
course of this project I got to work with different disciplines in a team. It gave me good exposure
to the application of engineering principles in solving challenging situations. I developed the skill
of a good team player, and was able to carry out substantial research to ensure the timely
execution of the project. I also developed great understanding of certain international standards
and specification.