Thursday, September 13, 2018
Opening Session
Richard Burkert, President & CEO | Johnstown Area Heritage Association
8:00 am – 8:30 am
From Coal Mine to the Flight 93 National Memorial
Joseph F. Boward, P.E., F.NSPE | Garvin Boward Beitko Engineering, Inc.
Paul Murdoch, AIA, LEED AP | President, Paul Murdoch Architects
8:45 am – 10:15 am
Mr. Boward is a licensed Professional Engineer (P.E.) in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia and Maryland. As a consulting engineer, Mr. Boward primarily specializes in geotechnical engineering and selected components of environmental, hydraulic and forensic engineering. As a civil engineer, Mr. Boward is concerned with the application of civil engineering technology to aspects of the earth, including the interaction of engineering works with soils and bedrock.
Mr. Boward graduated from Purdue University (Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering), where he studied Geotechnical, Environmental and Structural Engineering. He earned his Master of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh, where his studies concentrated on Geotechnical Engineering and Hydraulic Engineering (water/stormwater flow/transport/control, etc.).
Paul Murdoch, AIA, LEED AP In 2005, Paul Murdoch Architects, along with Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects, was selected from over 1,100 entries in an international competition to design the Flight 93 National Memorial in Pennsylvania. The first 21st century national park in the US commemorates the forty passengers and crewmembers who sacrificed their lives on September 11, 2001 thwarting a terrorist attack on the US Capital. In 2012, the American Institute of Architects honored Paul and his wife Milena as Architects of Healing for their role as designers of the memorial.
Paul graduated from UCLA with a Master in Architecture and from the University of Virginia with a Bachelor of Science in Architecture. Paul has taught architectural design and theory at USC’s School of Architecture and has been a guest critic at UCLA and Sci-Arc. He is a registered architect, a member of the American Institute of Architects and a LEED Accredited Professional with the U.S. Green Building Council. Paul has over thirty years of experience exploring sustainable architecture for cultural, higher education and public transportation clients.
LED Lighting – Achieving Tunable White Light While Minimizing Risk and Satisfying Clients
James M. Yorgey, PE
8:45 am – 10:15 am
This presentation will take participants through the different types of color control of lighting using LED’s. The three primary methods of light spectrum control are discussed. Emphasis will be on the color tuning abilities of tunable white fixtures and the design challenges involved. Conclusions will focus on how you can reduce risk and meet your client’s lighting and sequence of operations requirements on projects that require color tunable lighting.
Learning Objectives – At the end of this course, participants will be able to:
- Describe the fundamental categories of spectrum control with LEDs.
- Analyze the color tuning features of tunable white fixtures.
- Identify challenges with tunable white.
Evaluate the feasibility of meeting project requirements with various fixture types.
Jim Yorgey is Technical Applications Manager, with Lutron Electronics Co., and has held positions in quality control, engineering, marketing, and sales. Jim’s current role as System Sales Engineer, provides technical support to sales teams, specifiers and contractors in the mid-Atlantic region on the design and installation of lighting, lighting controls, and window treatments. Jim is a member of IEEE, IES, INFOCOMM and NSPE. He serves on various IES committees and INFOCOMM Committees. He is a board member and past-chair of the National Lighting Bureau. Jim has a Bachelor of Engineering Technology Degree from Penn State, is a registered Engineer (PE) in Pennsylvania and is lighting certified (LC).
Johnstown Flood: A Case Study in Ethics
Eric Tappert, PE
8:45 am – 10:15 am
On May 31, 1889 the South Fork Dam above Johnstown, PA failed after being overtopped. The resulting wall of water, estimated at 60 feet high and moving at 40 miles per hour struck the city of Johnstown and destroyed over 16,000 homes and killed over 2,000 citizens. This examination of the history of the dam and the associated engineering decisions traces the root cause of the failure and relates the actions of the people involved to the ethical standards of the engineering profession.
Eric Tappert, PE received his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the Moore School of Electrical Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania (1969) and his Master of Science in Telecommunications from the University of Colorado (1998.) Eric’s career included working on the Safeguard Anti-Ballistic Missile System with responsibility for maintenance and development of the multi-processor computer system; design work for cell site equipment used in the Bell System service trial of cellular telephony. In 1979 he came to the Western Electric Plant in Allentown to perform application and integrated circuit definition work. He contributed to several long distance transmission and switching improvement programs. Since his retirement in 2002, in he has done consulting work in the area of communication system design and has been an adjunct faculty member of the Pennsylvania State University, Berks Campus, teaching electrical engineering technology courses. He is a Past-President of PSPE and a senior member of the IEEE.
The Pittsburgh International Airport Terminal Modernization Program
Tom Woodrow, PE | Allegheny County Airport Authority
10:30 am – 12:00 pm
Pittsburgh has transformed itself. It’s time the airport did the same. Air travel has changed dramatically over the past 26 years, since Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) opened in 1992. No longer a hub for connecting traffic on one dominant airline, PIT had the opportunity to propel the region forward through the modernization and right-sizing of its facilities. PIT must transform to meet the challenges of tomorrow, and now is the time to realize a new vision based on what Pittsburgh needs and deserves. The Terminal Modernization Program (TMP) addresses needed terminal facility modifications at PIT. It relocates the Landside Terminal functions and related ground-side functions to a new facility that will be built adjacent to the Airside Terminal. It also provides a new parking structure and associated roadway system to support the facility.
Tom Woodrow serves as the Vice President of Engineering for the Allegheny County Airport Authority, which owns and operates Pittsburgh International and Allegheny County airports. He has 29 years of professional experience including project management, engineering, construction and operations management. Additionally, he has experience in both the private and public sectors including aviation, automotive, iron and steel, midstream oil and gas development, and public water and sewer. Mr. Woodrow’s areas of technical expertise include site-civil design, land development, water and wastewater treatment, erosion and sediment control, environmental permitting and construction management.
Mr. Woodrow holds an MBA from Robert Morris University, as well as a B.S. in Environmental Engineering and an Associate Degree in Electrical Engineering from Penn State. He is also a registered professional engineer in Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia and is a Board Certified Environmental Engineer.
PECO’s Advanced Grid and Smart Meter Program
Glenn Pritchard, PE | PECO
10:30 am – 12:00 pm
This course will give an in-depth study of PECO’s multifaceted Smart Grid Deployment, with Advanced Metering, Distribution Automation, Smart Street Lights and other innovative applications. The motivation and justification for this deployment will be discussed, as will the design principals and key architectural decisions for this system. Several significant areas of benefit will be detailed, including Theft Detection, Remote Service Connect/Disconnect, Outage Management, Asset Management and emerging Analytics opportunities. The session will conclude with a discussion of the future of the Smart Grid and how it may be leveraged for new challenges such as Microgrids, Distributed Energy Resources and enhanced grid automation.
Glenn Pritchard is currently the Manager of Advanced Grid Operations and Technology for PECO’s Smart Grid/Smart Meter system. PECO’s Smart Grid consists of 2.3M electric and gas meters and nearly 1,000 Distribution Automation devices. Pritchard graduated from Clemson University in 1990 with a B.S. Degree in Electrical Engineering. He is a registered professional engineer in Pennsylvania. He has been with Exelon/PECO in Philadelphia for twenty-six years where he is responsible for developing new applications that leverage the Smart Grid, AMI Systems and metering data.
Project Management
Thomas Skibinski, PE | Principal, Skibinski Associates
10:30 am – 12:00 pm
This seminar will present an overview of the various components of project management and how they relate to engineering projects. The project evolution process will be presented along with the skills and responsibilities that come along with being a project manager. The importance of communication and communication skills will be discussed.
Mr. Skibinski is President/CEO of Skibinski Associates, a consulting engineering firm located in State College, Pennsylvania. He possesses more than 35 years of experience in the consulting engineering and A/E professions. His broad background includes project management, design and construction administration of private and public-sector projects. These projects include land development (residential/commercial/industrial/institutional), master planning, roadway and bridge design, transportation planning, utility infrastructure, stormwater management, buildings and engineered systems, LEED/sustainable design, and wastewater treatment and collection. His expertise is well suited towards complex/multi-faceted projects with critical time frames. He possesses extensive experience with contract documents, contract administration, regulatory agencies, approval acquisition, project financing/budgeting and fund procurement. Mr. Skibinski was recently admitted to the American Arbitration Association’s Roster of Neutrals to serve as a construction arbitrator on construction and design disputes. Mr. Skibinski is a licensed Professional Engineer in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and a Professional Planner in New Jersey.
Johnstown Regional Sewer Upgrades
Stephen M. Sewalk, P.E.
1:30 pm – 2:30 pm
The Johnstown Regional Sewer (JRS) Upgrade Project is an ongoing sanitary sewer rehabilitation project which encompasses 19 municipalities who independently own and operate sanitary sewer collection systems tributary to the Dornick Point Wastewater Treatment Plant, which is owned by the Johnstown Redevelopment Authority (JRA). The Regional Project was obligated through the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection through Consent Order and Agreements issued by the Department to the JRA and each of the tributary municipal members calling for the elimination of all Combined Sanitary Sewer Overflows (CSOs) and Sanitary Sewer Overflows (SSOs) actively discharging raw sewage into waters of the Commonwealth. It was determined that the best and cost effective method to comply with the Consent Order and Agreements issued by the PaDEP was to remove the Inflow and Infiltration (I/I) entering the system by replacing/rehabilitating not only the public sector, but also the private sector of the system. The EADS Group, Inc. is the Engineer for eight (8) of the nineteen (19) tributary municipalities as well as the Johnstown Redevelopment Authority and has been involved with numerous sanitary sewer upgrade projects associated with the Johnstown Regional Sewer Upgrade Project.
Stephen Sewalk is a Civil Engineer with 22 years of experience in both the potable and waste water industries. Steve is the Vice President of The EADS Group, Inc. and the Office Manager of The EADS Group, Inc. Johnstown Office. Steve graduated from the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown and is a registered Professional Engineer in both the states of Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Combining the Additive Manufacturing with Conventional Processes
Serdar Tumkor, PhD | University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown
1:30 pm – 2:30 pm
When adding an additive manufacturing (AM) component to the traditional manufacturing processes, different factors need to be considered; including cost, time, lot size, design characteristics of the process, setup and tooling, and other process-specific factors. 3D printers were originally used for prototyping but AM has increasingly been used more than just prototyping for traditional manufacturing, for example as creating tooling or direct digital manufacturing of end-use parts. However, because the procedures and tools are so different in nature, combining the different kinds of manufacturing processes requires experiments. Design, manufacturing, and inspection barriers are needed to be overcome so that the innovative ideas can take full advantage of AM capabilities. This course will give an overview of the additive manufacturing processes and applications in the new product development.
Dr. Serdar Tumkor is an Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering Technology at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown. Dr. Tumkor has more than 25 years of experience in engineering and education, having taught at Stevens Institute of Technology and Istanbul Technical University. His engineering experience includes design, manufacturing, and product development. He has been lecturing Manufacturing Processes, Machine Design, Engineering Design, and Computer Aided Technical Drawing courses.
Engineer of Record
Rebecca Bowman, PE, Esq.
1:30 pm – 2:30 pm
This session will discuss and evaluate the legal and ethical implications of being and having – or not having – an Engineer of Record.
Rebecca A. Bowman, Esq., P.E. is the principal of a woman-owned business in civil engineering, dispute resolution, real estate, and legal services. She is experienced in boundary law issues, engineering design and forensic analysis, construction/project management, dispute resolution, real estate, and small business start-ups. She is a registered professional engineer and a certified arbitrator, mediator, and Christian conciliator. Mrs. Bowman writes a column for the PE Reporter, “Risky Business”. She is frequent CPE lecturer (law and engineering) for a variety of providers. She received her B.S. degree in civil engineering, from the University of North Dakota, her M.B.A. degree from Oklahoma University and her J.D. degree from Duquesne University. Mrs. Bowman is involved with the National Society of Professional Engineers, the American Arbitration Association, the Institute for Christian Conciliation, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, and the American Bar Association. She volunteers with Legal Aid, Family Promise, the Pregnancy Resource Center of the South Hills, MATHCOUNTS, and Pennsylvania History Day. She received the 2014 PSPE President’s Distinguished Service Award.
Storage Tanks: The Importance of Specialized Engineering in Major Projects
Brian Houston, PE | University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown
2:45 pm – 3:45 pm
Often on major projects, engineers and project managers often make assumptions about subcontracted specialty
work that affect schedule and cost, without consulting experts in those specialty areas. This presentation identifies
several types of storage vessels. It explains some basic parameters and how they affect the final design. A
comparison of various geometries and materials is given so attendees can evaluate how design parameters might
affect geometry and material selection, and ultimately cost. A brief analysis on how to choose and interpret code
requirements and design standards is given. Ultimately, the goal of the information is to show the potential
complexity of seemingly simple design elements and to highlight the importance of consulting specialty engineering
professionals early in the bidding process.
Brian L. Houston is a Civil Engineer with nearly 25 years of experience. Prior to engineering, he worked in
warehouse management, purchasing management, and as a carpenter/construction worker. He is an Associate
Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, and the Chief Engineer for Phillips
Tank & Structure. Brian has a BA degree in Honors Mathematics and Science from Northwestern University, and
BS/MS degrees in Civil Engineering from Oklahoma State University. His teaching focuses on Construction
Management, Construction Materials, Surveying, Land Development, and Reinforced Concrete Design. His
professional experience is in the petrochemical industry, providing designs for steel and steel plate structures, as well
as reinforced concrete structures. He serves as a faculty advisor for several students groups, notably the UPJ ASCE
student chapter, as well as the UPJ Concrete Canoe and Steel Bridge teams. He also serves on several scholarship
committees and university boards/committees.
Johnstown’s Flood of 1889 – A New Look at the Cause of the Disaster and ASCE’s 1891 Investigation of the Dam Breach
Neil Coleman, PG
2:45 pm – 3:45 pm
The Johnstown Flood of 1889 should never have happened. The South Fork Fishing & Hunting Club was responsible for the repair and maintenance of the South Fork dam. Scientific analysis of the changes they made to the dam reveals that they fatally reduced its safe discharge capacity. The original dam, as built in the mid-1800’s, had an embankment 0.9 m higher and the added capacity of an auxiliary spillway and five discharge pipes. Its discharge capacity at overtopping was more than twice that of the Club’s reconstructed dam. A properly repaired dam would never have overtopped and would likely have survived the storm of late May, 1889. ASCE’s investigation of the dam breach was completed in January, 1890, but the report was suppressed, not published until two years after the flood. The disaster continues to teach important lessons about dam safety that resonate today.
Neil Coleman (PG) retired from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in 2010, where he served as a Senior Staff Scientist for two federal advisory committees, the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards and the Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste. He teaches geophysics at Pitt Johnstown and has numerous peer reviewed publications, including lead authorship (with Victor Baker) of a chapter in the 2009 book “Megaflooding on Earth and Mars.” His continuing interests include the safety of the nation’s dams, the paleo-hydrology of Mars, and research with colleagues on the watershed of the Little Conemaugh River.
South Valley Parkway Project
Mike Chorba and James Marzolino | Kriger Construction Inc.
Stephen D. Boone | Borton-Lawson
2:45 pm – 3:45 pm
The South Valley Parkway Project is a new alignment, capacity adding project being led by the Department of Transportation, District 4-0. This corridor brings six new roundabouts to the South Valley region in Hanover Township, Luzerne County along with a six span bridge, single span bridge and 188 ft long box culvert. Completion of this project will provide the necessary safety and congestion relief, access to Luzerne County Community College and accommodations for future economic development. Borton-Lawson led the Design Team and was responsible for roadway design, drainage design, bridge design, E & S design, project design coordination, agency coordination, regulatory agency permitting, and supporting role in the environmental mitigation. Kriger Construction Inc. won the award and construction in early 2016 and is scheduled for completion in 2020.
Mike Chorba has a Bachelor of Science degree in Construction Engineering and has managed some of Kriger’s largest and most complex projects to date. Mike has managed projects ranging from heavy highway, heavy civil, highway bridges and other structures. Currently, Mike is managing the SR 3046 South Valley Parkway Project, a $50 million new highway alignment which includes a 700 foot 6 span bridge, a 150 bridge, a 200’ long box culvert, 4 miles on paving, and 1.6 million cubic yards of excavation. Mike also covers the private and municipality sector for Kriger Construction Inc dealing with developers and municipalities on projects of all scopes and sizes.
James Marzolino has led the development of Kriger’s Heavy Highway Division including its bridge construction teams since Kriger became PennDOT prequalified 15 years ago. In that time, Jim has completed nearly 200 PennDOT contracts encompassing a wide array for project types and sizes. They include bridge rehabilitations, bridge replacements, highway rehabilitations, new highway construction, slope stabilization projects, stream stabilization projects, and on-call emergency maintenance contracts. Jim is also heavily involved in the implementation of Kriger’s development projects, most recently the Bell Mountain Park and Bell Mountain Quarry developments currently under development. Jim currently sits on the board of directors for the Associated Pennsylvania Constructors (APC).
Stephen D. Boone is a Civil Engineer with nearly 13 years of experience. Stephen assisted in the development of the South Valley Parkway Project’s permitting, post-construction stormwater management engineering, erosion and sediment pollution control plans, and drainage design, from early in Final Design through Construction. He obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh and obtained a Master of Science Degree in Water Resource Engineering from the University of Colorado. Mr. Boone has provided professional consulting as both a project engineer and project manager on large complex transportation infrastructure projects, flood risk management and stormwater management projects, including flood management systems design for floodwalls, levees, and stormwater pump stations for municipal and private owners. Mr. Boone is currently a Project Manager for multiple disciplines within Borton-Lawson.
Act 129 – Energy Rebate Program
Matt Sotosky, PE | CJL Engineering
4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
The Pennsylvania General Assembly charged the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) with Implementing Act 129 of 2008 and guiding consumers and electric utilities toward achieving the legislation’s overall goals of reducing energy consumption and peak electric demand.
Act 129 provides Pennsylvania electric utility consumers opportunities to take energy efficiency and conservation to the next level. The General Assembly enacted Act 129 to require Pennsylvania’s seven largest electric distribution companies (EDCs) to develop energy efficiency and conservation (EE&C) plans and adopt other methods of reducing the amount of electricity consumed by customers.
Matthew R. Sotosky is Vice President and Managing Partner of CJL Engineering. He started with the firm in 1990. His responsibilities include designing and managing mechanical and electrical engineering projects for all types of buildings. He has extensive experience in Design and Commissioning of HVAC, Plumbing and Fire Protection for Industrial, Healthcare, Educational, and Commercial projects, with over 28 years’ experience as a registered professional engineer.
Geographic Information Systems in Engineering
Sarah M. Reasbeck | EADS Group
4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
This presentation will give a comprehensive look at ArcGIS as a tool for water and sewer utility inventory, maintenance, inspection, and analysis in the engineering field. For Inventory, we will look at ArcGIS as a tool for collecting utilities in the field, through the use of IPADS, and for conversion of utility data from old maps and CAD drawings into a web based GIS. For maintenance, this is the next step after inventory. With giving clients the tools, they can use their own efforts to maintain and update their systems. For inspection, we will highlight active construction projects and how they can impact accurate inspection data collection in the field in real time. IPADS and web based GIS will be emphasized as inspectors and other end users can view the same data at the same time. For analysis, we can discuss MS4 mapping, hydrant testing, treatment plant operations and flow metering, or PA One Call response.
We will take a look at Jackson Township Water and East Taylor Municipal Authority’s water systems as well as the City of Johnstown Sanitary Project and Pressure Testing process for construction input and maintenance.
Sarah Reasbeck is a GIS Specialist with 7 years of experience at The EADS Group. She received two Bachelor degrees in Sociology and Geography from the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown and a Master’s degree in Regional Planning at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. She has mapping experience with ESRI ArcMap for sanitary and water systems and experience with AutoCAD incorporation with ArcGIS software, ArcGIS Online, Mobile and Web mapping capabilities, is familiar with PDF Expert and OwnCloud operations on IPad and mobile devices. Sarah is a member of PA Magic and PA Geographical Society.
Drones Applications in Engineering and Surveying/Mapping
John G. Dunkle, Jr. | EADS Group Inc.
4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
The session will start with a brief summary of the different types of UAVs and the Pros and Cons of their uses compared to each other. There will be a discussion on the procedure for completing a UAV project. Some of the items will include FAA Waivers, Survey Ground Control, Environmental Conditions and On-Site Coordination. The technical aspect of a UAV project will be discussed concerning data management and UAV software choices. Examples of completed UAV projects will be shown and the process for each explained.
John Dunkle Jr, is an Assistant Survey Manager for EADS Group Inc. He has been with EADS for the past 19 years. He has been working in the GIS, Surveying and Photogrammetry fields since 1987. Along with day to day GPS and Robotic survey tasks, he is also responsible for UAV data collection and data processing for both internal and external clients. John is a certified Part 107 Remote Pilot and has been flying UAV’s for 4 years as a hobby and commercially since September 2016. He has incorporated UAV data with ground surveys to generate base mapping for engineering designs, Inspection Reports to Final Asbuilt ALTA Surveys.
Friday, September 14, 2018
Seward Generating Station Tour
8:30 am – 12:00 pm
Join us for a guided tour of the largest waste coal burning power plant in the United States.
PA/NJ Turnpike Connector Bridge 2017 Repair
Brad Updegrave | Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission
8:30 am – 9:30 am
On January 20, 2017, a full-depth fracture was discovered in the top chord of the Delaware River Turnpike Bridge forcing the immediate closure of this critical river crossing connecting Pennsylvania Turnpike to the New Jersey Turnpike. The fracture occurred in the four-span continuous deck truss unit of this 6571’ bridge. Both Turnpike Agencies, contractors and various consultants worked together in the procurement of services and materials to ensure these repairs were completed in a timely manner. This session will cover all of the events that occurred day the fracture was discovered to the day the bridge was opened to traffic. All activities associated with the repair efforts are covered from hands on inspections, material testing, Non-Destructive (NDT) testing, structure modeling, repairs, future plans, etc.
Brad Updegrave is structural/bridge engineer with nearly 23 years of experience. He currently serves as the Bridge and Tunnel Maintenance Engineer with the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission. Prior to joining the commission in 2004, Brad worked for 9 years in the private sector with Sheladia Associates and with Erdman Anthony where he served as a lead bridge inspector and as a designer for multiple contracts. Brad is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown (1996) and registered professional engineer (2000).
U.S. Route 219 Environmental Mitigation
Jacob C. Steinbugl, P.E. | EADS Group Inc.
8:30 am – 9:30 am
The SR 219 Extension Project located in Somerset County, PA is the extension of Four-Lane Limited Access from the SR 219/US 30 interchange south to the Meyersdale Bypass. The total length of new four-lane is approximately 11-miles, with a construction cost of over $300,000,000.
Mr. Steinbugl currently manages a staff of Environmental Monitors responsible for the oversight of all wetland and stream impacts, relocations, and mitigation areas. These impacts require the monitoring of 13,125 linear feet of stream mitigation to be monitored for a total of 5 years and 29.5 acres of wetland mitigation areas for a total of 10 years. Semi-annual and annual reports of macroinvertebrate sampling are completed for the various on-site and off-site streams. EADS is also providing real time water quality information to the various state and federal regulatory agencies. EADS provides coordination with PennDOT 9-0 and the permitting agencies as construction progresses, commitments are fulfilled, and the corresponding monitoring reports are submitted.
Jake Steinbugl, PE is a Civil Engineer/Environmental Manager with 18 years of experience. He has overseen a team of Environmental Monitors on this project since the project let for bidding and construction began in 2013. Currently Mr. Steinbugl is responsible for overseeing and/or performing services for a variety of Environmental Tasks including design, agency coordination, regulatory permitting, construction monitoring, and post construction environmental monitoring and reporting, mainly in support of PennDOT and PA Turnpike roadway and bridge projects. Mr. Steinbugl is a graduate of Penn State University and is a registered engineer in PA, MS, OH, and TN. He is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and American Society of Highway Engineers (ASHE).
Fuel Cell Technology
Jeff Nehr | Peoples Natural Gas
8:30 am – 9:30 am
Abstract coming soon…
Jeff Nehr is the Vice President for Business Development of Peoples Natural Gas Company. He fulfills a critical role driving revenue, with a focus on strategic Commercial Sales and Marketing. Jeff oversees all facets of business development, new construction, competitive rate development, alternative fuel initiatives, asset optimization and midstream programs. Part of that work included launching the Peoples Service Extension Program, targeting 370,000 households that are currently not utility gas accounts and offering residents substantial energy cost savings.
Because he is an accomplished leader and respected executive with demonstrated success in the Energy industry, Jeff has been a key contributor to the success of Peoples Gas merger and acquisition activity. Recent and ongoing transactions include the acquisition of Equitable Gas Company in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Delta Natural Gas in Lexington, Kentucky.
He earned Bachelor of Science in Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering at Pennsylvania State University.
PA Turnpike NE Extension Bridge Replacement
Walter W. Wimer, PE | Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission
9:45 am – 10:45 am
The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission’s presentation will discuss two bridge replacement projects that used Accelerated Bridge Construction techniques. It will cover factors that lead to the decision to use ABC, traffic control benefits and challenges, environmental and ROW impacts, and the necessary public outreach used to alert travelers of the weekend closures. It will also cover the contractors’ approaches to the bridge slides including the falsework and jacking systems.
The first project to be discussed is the superstructure replacement of Bridge No. WB-224B carrying the mainline Turnpike over Brush Creek in Beaver County. The second project to be discussed is the complete replacement of Bridge No. NB-355 carrying the Northeastern Extension of the Turnpike over a local township road in Lehigh County.
Wally Wimer has 15 years of experience as a design engineer and project manager. He has worked for the PA Turnpike Commission for the past six years as a Project Manager. Wally served as Project Manager for the design of two Accelerated Bridge Construction projects; the WB-224B Bridge Replacement Project and the NB-355 Bridge Replacement project.
Legislative Update
John Wanner, CAE | PSPE Legislative Director
9:45 am – 10:45 am
Content coming soon…
Engineering Lessons to be Learned on Demolition Projects – The Market Street Building Collapse Tragedy
David Fleisher, PE | Fleisher Forensics
9:45 am – 10:45 am
This course will focus on two (2) demolition projects in Philadelphia – a Brownstone on Spring Garden Street and the Market Street Building Collapse. Both of these events will be discussed from a cause and effect aspect, including the tragedy, public safety issues and resulting litigation and outcomes. In the Market Street case, a video of the collapse and still photos will be presented and a discussion of the criminal trial and outcome will be given. The former and new demolition rules will be presented. The objective is to provide and educate by discussing the building collapse from their cause to the end results, in terms of the event details, following litigation and public safety.
David H. Fleisher, P.E. is a consulting Engineer responsible for inspection of incidents; evaluation of vehicle, bicycle, and pedestrian accidents; determination of the safety of traffic elements, roadways, intersections, parking lots, and work zones; and the assessment of speed, time and distance. Consulting in analysis of construction and industrial safety devices and practices involving roofs, openings, scaffolds, trenches, platforms, guards, railings, steel erection, and demolition. Responsible for evaluation of pedestrian safety concerning slips, trips, and falls on floors, walkway surfaces, stairways, parking lots, bathrooms, and land. Consulting in assessment of flooding, ice accumulation, grading, storm water capacities, detention basins, soil erosion and sedimentation control. Consulting in the analysis of failed or collapsed steel, concrete, masonry, stone, and wood structures and devices. Responsible for determination of the safety, capacity, and stability of slabs, floors, roofs, foundations, columns, beams, walls, joists, decking, platforms, and equipment. Consulting in evaluation of compliance to codes and standards such as: BOCA, ADA, ICC, OSHA, ANSI, AASHTO, ASTM, ACI, AISC, SBCCI, and UBC.
A Case Study in Ethics: Boston’s Great Molasses Flood
Eric Tappert, PE
11:00 am – 12:00 pm
A chronological history of the great Boston Molasses Flood (due to a tank failure) of 1919 with emphasis on the the application of the standard of care by those responsible for the tank construction and maintenance.
Eric Tappert, PE received his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the Moore School of Electrical Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania (1969) and his Master of Science in Telecommunications from the University of Colorado (1998.) Eric’s career included working on the Safeguard Anti-Ballistic Missile System with responsibility for maintenance and development of the multi-processor computer system; design work for cell site equipment used in the Bell System service trial of cellular telephony. In 1979 he came to the Western Electric Plant in Allentown to perform application and integrated circuit definition work. He contributed to several long distance transmission and switching improvement programs. Since his retirement in 2002, in he has done consulting work in the area of communication system design and has been an adjunct faculty member of the Pennsylvania State University, Berks Campus, teaching electrical engineering technology courses. He is a Past-President of PSPE and a senior member of the IEEE.
South 10th Street Suspension Bridge Rehabilitation & Dehumidification System
Mike Dillon, PE | Allegheny County
11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Philip Murray (South 10th Street) Bridge Project is a rehabilitation of a historic structure being led by Allegheny County, in cooperation with PennDOT and the Federal Highway Administration. The Philip Murray Bridge is a cable suspension bridge that carries South 10th Street over the Monongahela River in the City of Pittsburgh. It is the only bridge of its type located completely within the state of Pennsylvania. The project was done in two phases. Phase 1 included the replacement of the grid deck sidewalk, lighting, and steel repairs to the fascia beams. Phase 2 includes painting of the entire structure, roadway paving, steel repairs, and extensive work to the vaults, cable socketing and the installation of dehumidification system. Phase 1 was finished in 2014 and Phase 2 began in early 2017 and will be complete by mid-2019.
AECOM was the designer of the project and SAI is providing construction management and inspection services.
Michael Dillon is the Deputy Director of Public Works for Allegheny County. After spending 8 years with the City of Pittsburgh he joined Allegheny County 11 years ago working with the Bridge Unit. Mike is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, registered professional engineer, and has a Master’s in Business Administration. He serves as a board member with the American Society of Highway Engineers (ASHE).
Engineering Safety
Bernard M. Telatovich, P.E., M.Eng., Esq. | Consulting Services & Investigations, LLC
11:00 am – 12:00 pm
This seminar, Engineering Safety (Safety Through Design), focuses not only on the duties of engineers in addressing occupational hazards and risks in the design, construction, operation, and maintenance processes across the engineering profession, but also on the methods which engineers, employers, companies, and individuals should follow to assure safe operating/working conditions and safe environments for the public also. By applying these methods and appropriately addressing safety through all phases of any project, an engineer can better practice his/her profession consistent with the engineer’s basic fundamental canon for holding safety paramount!
Bernard M. Telatovich, P.E., Esq. is the President of Consulting Services & Investigations, LLC, (CSI), a Forensic and Investigative Engineering firm in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. He is also the Vice President of Engineering at Benchmark Civil Engineering Services, Inc., (Benchmark), a Land Development, Transportation, and Surveying firm in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Mr. Telatovich received his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Lehigh University in 1985. In 1993, he obtained a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Florida. In 2015, he earned his MEng in Advanced Safety Engineering and Management (ASEM) from the University of Alabama/Birmingham. Mr. Telatovich is a registered professional engineer in three states (PA, NY, and FL) and a licensed attorney in two states (PA and FL.) He has been an adjunct professor at several colleges for many years and remains active with many professional associations and organizations. He is a past Pennsylvania Society of Professional Engineers (PSPE) “Engineer of the Year” from the Lehigh Valley, and a past-governor for Region 2 of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE).
SR 119 Indiana Hill Bridge, Jefferson County
David J. Layman | PA Department of Transportation District 10-0
1:15 pm – 2:15 pm
This session will examine existing Geotech conditions, possible solutions, and the solution chosen to mitigate the stability issue.
Fallingwater Renewal
John Matteo | 1200 Architectural Engineers, PLLC
1:15 pm – 2:15 pm
Considered by many to be Frank Lloyd Wright’s greatest work, Fallingwater, built between 1936 and 1939, was voted by the American Institute of Architects to be the “best all-time work of American architecture”. The iconic view of the main house celebrates the residential design’s daring cantilevers in reinforced concrete over Bear Run (Figure 1). A 65-year period of deflection and cracking at Fallingwater, evidence of a troubled structural past, frames a parallel history of analysis, monitoring and measured intervention. Matteo served as Project Manager for Robert Silman Associates throughout the structural strengthening and preservation work at Fallingwater and continues now, with 1200 Architectural Engineers, to provide structural engineering designs for repairs and ongoing maintenance.
Building on 25 years of professional experience as a structural engineer, John Matteo co-founded 1200 Architectural Engineers, PLLC in 2013. Mr. Matteo’s career has focused on preservation engineering, with a diverse range of projects. He has a Masters in Civil Engineering from Princeton University and studied as Fulbright Scholar in Lausanne, Switzerland. Mr. Matteo served in the adjunct faculty at Columbia University, the University of Virginia, and currently serves as Lecturer in Civil Engineering at Johns Hopkins University where he leads the senior capstone design course. He was awarded the 2007 Kress Mid-Career Grant by the James Marston Fitch Foundation and the 2011 National Endowment for the Arts Fellow in Historic Preservation and Conservation at the American Academy in Rome. In Rome, he studied the ancient concrete dome of the Pantheon and the legacy of its form in architectural history, as achieved through evolving building systems.
Cooling Tower Collapse
Francis J. Stanton, PE | The ENC Group, LLC
1:15 pm – 2:15 pm
This session will present the theory and types of cooling towers, and the various conditions that contribute to cooling tower failures and collapses that result in loss of production until repairs made. Two real life collapses will be presented, a collapse of a counter flow cooling tower and of a cross flow cooling tower.
Francis J. Stanton, Jr., PE graduated from Villanova University in 1981. In 2001 he co-founded The ENC Group with his mechanical engineering partner Ann Marie K. Stanton, also a Villanova graduate from the class of 1981. ENC is recognized as a DBE and is part of the Pennsylvania uniform certification system. ENC has expertise in engineering, design, construction and management of complex projects covering capital improvement projects and facilities. He is active in the National Society and Pennsylvania Society of Professional Engineers and has held leadership positions at the Chapter, State and National level. He is a Past President of the Union County, Valley Forge Chapters, and State Professional Society (PSPE) and was the Chair of the NSPE Board of Ethical Review, and Market Segmentation Task Force. In 2017 he was appointed by Governor Wolf as a member of the State Registration Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors and Geologists. Mr. Stanton is a member of the Practicing Institute of Engineering which pre-approves engineering PDH sessions for New York State credit. He is currently licensed in multiple states.
PennDOT District 9 – 219 Alignment
John Vitez | CDI / L.R. Kimball
2:30 pm – 3:30 pm
The SR 6219 Section 020 Project, also known as SR 219 – Somerset to Meyersdale, is a new limited access facility that extends the existing US 219 four-lane eleven (11) miles south to its tie-in with the previously constructed Meyersdale Bypass in southern Somerset County. This PennDOT / Federal Highway Administration sponsored project includes construction of two new interchanges, six sets of dual mainline bridges, four box culverts, side road relocations, and environmental mitigation. Once construction is complete in the fall of 2018, it will become part of the 1,500-mile Continental 1 Corridor that will ultimately connect Toronto to Miami.
John Vitez is a Civil Engineer with nearly 26 years of experience in the transportation industry. He currently serves as CDI / L.R. Kimball’s Chief Highway Engineer and Manager of Operations for the transportation division. Since 2007, he has been the project manager for the overall project, taking the project from design to construction. John is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown and is a registered Professional Engineer in Pennsylvania, Maryland and West Virginia. He is an active member of the American Society of Highway Engineers (ASHE).
Corrosion
Thomas Conner | Peoples Natural Gas
2:30 pm – 3:30 pm
Topic of discussion will be based on types of cathodic protection system design for new structures and also in relation to existing facilities that may need enhanced. Dissimilar metal corrosion and electrical system grounding designs with regards to cathodic protection.
Tom Conner is Tom is a US Navy veteran who now serves as Manager, Corrosion, Peoples Natural Gas. He is a 22 year NACE member #6461 with the following certifications:
- NACE Corrosion Technician / NACE Corrosion Technologist / NACE CP-1 / NACE CP-2 / NACE Internal Corrosion Technologist / NACE Senior Corrosion Technologist
- Member of NACE Foundation Workforce Development Committee
- Prior US Navy welding certifications per NAVSHIPS 250-1500:
- NEC 4955 (High Pressure Plate and Pipe)
- NEC 4956 (Nuclear Components Welder)
Current Problems with Roofing & Code Compliance
Mark Sobeck | Mark J. Sobeck Roof Consulting, Inc.
2:30 pm – 3:30 pm
Mark J. Sobeck has 41 years of experience in the roofing industry. His firm, Mark J. Sobeck Roof Consulting, Inc., specializes in the design and inspection of all types of roofing, including asphalt, rubber, thermoplastic, slate, tile, and metal among others. The firm is also involved in light masonry and restoration work. The firm has a client base of over 800 throughout the United States and Canada. Recent project highlights include the Luzerne County Courthouse, Sullivan County Courthouse, Mohegan Sun Arena, Nealon Federal Courthouse, Prudential Financial Headquarters, and a $25 million-dollar reroofing project for the U.S. Army.
General Session: Engineering Code of Ethics
Francis J. Stanton, PE | The ENC Group, LLC
3:45 pm – 4:45 pm
This session will discuss what is Ethics, why study Ethics, and why practice Ethics.
The session will review the Code of Ethics written in the Engineer, Land Surveyor and Geologist Registration Law, the NSPE Code of Ethics a benchmark code for professional engineers, the application of the engineer’s seal and a Case Discussion from the Board of Ethical Review’s case library.
Francis J. Stanton, Jr., PE graduated from Villanova University in 1981. In 2001 he co-founded The ENC Group with his mechanical engineering partner Ann Marie K. Stanton, also a Villanova graduate from the class of 1981. ENC is recognized as a DBE and is part of the Pennsylvania uniform certification system. ENC has expertise in engineering, design, construction and management of complex projects covering capital improvement projects and facilities. He is active in the National Society and Pennsylvania Society of Professional Engineers and has held leadership positions at the Chapter, State and National level. He is a Past President of the Union County, Valley Forge Chapters, and State Professional Society (PSPE) and was the Chair of the NSPE Board of Ethical Review, and Market Segmentation Task Force. In 2017 he was appointed by Governor Wolf as a member of the State Registration Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors and Geologists. Mr. Stanton is a member of the Practicing Institute of Engineering which pre-approves engineering PDH sessions for New York State credit. He is currently licensed in multiple states.
