Use of Computers in Design of Sanitary Sewer Systems

Author(s): P. R. DeCicco, H. F. Soehngen and J. Takagi

Source: Journal (Water Pollution Control Federation), Vol. 40, No. 2, Part I (Feb., 1968), pp. 269-284

Published by: Water Environment Federation

Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25036015
Accessed: 26-02-2016 23:30 UTC

Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at
http://www.jstor.org/page/ info/about/policies/terms.jsp

JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content
in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of
scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.

Water Environment Federation is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Journal (Water
Pollution Control Federation).

http://www.jstor.org

This content downloaded from 142.51.1.212 on Fri, 26 Feb 2016 23:30:05 UTC
All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
 USE OF COMPUTERSIN DESIGNOF
SANITARYSEWERSYSTEMS
P. R. H. F. and J.
DeCicco, Soehngen, Takagi
est in water pollution control has fo
cused new attention on the engineering
of sanitary sewage collection systems.
During the next several years expendi
of
tures manpower and money for the
design and construction of such works
will represent the greatest part of a
total investment which will amount to
millions of man-hours and billions of
dollars.

The urgency of the need to solve the

problem of water pollution is now gen
erally being met by a willingness of
government to provide the necessary
legislation, and by the public to pro
vide the tax support required.
If authorized programs are to be
implemented quickly and at reasonable
this acceptance
costs, of responsibility
by government and citizens should be
matched now by the engineering pro
fession's more efficient use of already
scarce and increasingly expensive man

power. The advent of high-speed,

large-memory computer systems pro
vides the engineer with new oppor
tunities to meet his part of the chal
lenge. This paper will describe the
of a
recent use computer-oriented sys
tem for the analysis, design, and esti
mation of costs for a wastewater col
lection district.

P. B. DeCicco, E. F. Soehngen, and J.

Takagi are, respectively, Co-Director, Center
for Urban Environment Studies and Pro
fessor of Civil Engineering, Polytechnic Insti
tute of Brooklyn, Brooklyn, N. ?., and Vice
B.
President, Charles Velzy Associates, Inc.,
New York, N. Y.
The paper was presented at the 40th An
nual Conference of the Water Pollution Con
trol Federation, New York, N. Y., Oct. 8-13,

The current growing national inter

 of Computer-Oriented ment of broad design concepts is in
Applicability
creased, and this inevitably leads to
Procedures to Sewer Design
improvement of the quality of the work
The extremely large quantity and produced.
the heterogeneity of the information
in the Development of Computer-Oriented
which must be processed design
of comprehensive wastewater collection Design System
systems first suggested the suitability The first work on the system to be
of computer techniques. The highly described herein was started in 1962
repetitive nature of the unit operations at the Polytechnic Institute of Brook
which comprise the collection, record lyn. At that time, Sewage Collection
ing, and analysis of field data; the District No. 1 in the Inwood area of
determination of flows; and the line Nassau County was used as a model.
by-line computations for design, for This collection district covered ap
quantity takeoff, and for estimation of proximately 1,300 acres (526 ha) of
add
construction costs all significantly
which 65 percent was residential, 25
to the attractiveness of computer-ori
percent industrial, and 10 percent
ented procedures for sewer design. business and light manufacture. It
Finally, and perhaps most a im
had design population of 25,000 per
portant, by relieving engineers of the sons and required approximately
tedium of performing the many op
269
erations noted above, the time avail
able for development and redevelop

This content downloaded from 142.51.1.212 on Fri, 26 Feb 2016 23:30:05 UTC
All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
 270JOUENAL WPCF

February 1968

124,000 lin ft (37,800 m) of lateral areas of different size, topography, and

sewers and 2 pumping stations. The configuration and which could be used
construction cost for this project was also for different stages of engineer
approximately four million dollars. ing work ranging from preliminary
The initial work on these early com feasibility studies to final design.
puter programs resulted in the de In the autumn of 1966, the system
to the
velopment of basic techniques for the was applied preliminary design
analysis of collection system networks of the Merrick Harbor Sewage Collec
and established general procedures for tion District which is part of Sewage
the data input and for the prepara Collection District No. 3 in Nassau
tion of suitable output reports. Above County, N. Y.

all, the work on the InwTood model

Objectives and General Description
demonstrated the general feasibility as
of System
well as certain specific advantages of a
computerized system for sewer design. The basic objective was to produce
During the period from 1963 a computer-oriented system for the en

through May 1966, the sequence of gineering of sanitary sewer systems

programs which now constitutes the which would be flexible enough to
computerized design system was de maximize computer use in all phases
veloped in detail. Particular attention of the engineering process. This ob
was devoted to the production of a jective required a general review of
highly generalized and flexible system the several basic operations involved.
which could accommodate data from These included procedures for conduct

DISPOSAL
DISTRICT
N?l
INWOOD

FIGURE 1.?Nassau County Sewage Disposal Districts 1, 2, and 3.

This content downloaded from 142.51.1.212 on Fri, 26 Feb 2016 23:30:05 UTC
All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
Vol. 40, No. 2, Part 1 COMPUTEES FOE SEWEE DESIGN 271

FIGURE 2.?Merrick Harbor collection districts.

ing field work, for plotting and com County. It is largely residential in
piling information from note form and character and covers approximately
from drawings, for making initial 3,200 acres (1,290 ha). The district
a
sewer layouts, and for the step-by has present population of 30,000 and
step design sequence including evalua an estimated future population for the
tion of the best criteria to be followed. year 2,000 of approximately 40,000
In addition, since no system could be persons.

expected to operate effectively without The projected land use in the area
an integrated cost-evaluation pro includes approximately 2,100 acres
cedure, the linkage of quantity takeoff (850 ha) for residential development,
and cost estimation procedures to the 40 acres (16 ha) for multiple dwell
design programs was considered essen ings, 280 acres (113 ha) for business
tial if some to and industry, and 280 acres (113 ha)
approach system optimi
zation was to be included. for parks and other public uses.
As developed, the total system in Business together with some light
cludes five major programs which may manufacturing and industrial zoning
be linked when a comprehensive design has been confined to strips along the
or main
study and report are required, may thoroughfares.
be used separately if desired. The As designed, the collection district
major programs include: (a) estima contains approximately 80 miles (128
tion of design flows, (b) design of km) of sewers ranging from 8 to 42
of
sewers, (c) computation partial flow in. (20 to 107 cm) in diameter and
2
characteristics, (d) estimate of costs, pumping stations. The estimated cost
and (e) plotting of field data and final for the project is approximately
four
sewer design. The first programs $16,000,000.
will be discussed in this paper. Figure 1 shows the location of the
Merrick Harbor Collection District
Merrick Harbor Collection District
within Nassau County and within
This proposed collection district is Sewage Disposal District No. 3. This
located on the south shore of Nassau figure also shows the Inwood Collec

This content downloaded from 142.51.1.212 on Fri, 26 Feb 2016 23:30:05 UTC
All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
 1968
272 JOURNAL WPCF February

^?l^VA*

FIGURE 3.?Boundary and street layout in sub-district 5.

tion District (Disposal District No. 1) area was divided for design purposes.
in the southwest corner of the county. Sub-district No. 1 was designed by
Figure 2 shows the seven sub-dis conventional methods as a control for
tricts into which the Merrick Harbor the computer procedure. The use of
the smaller sub-districts is not re
DEPARTMENTOFPUBLKWORKS but
COUNTYOF NASSAU,NEWYORK quired in this case was convenient
- because of the con
SEWAGECOLLECTIONDISTRICTNO.3 MERRICKHARBOR(M.H.) multi-peninsula

CHARLES.VELZYASSOCIATESINC.. figuration of the southern portion of

CONSULTINGENGINEERS the area, and because it permitted a
?
MINE?LAMEWYORK,N.Y. more convenient flow of office, field,
and computer work to take place.
BASESFORCOMPUTATIONSANDOESIGN
'" Figure 3 shows the general street
- 50 YEARS
O?I?GNPERIOD pattern of sub-district 5. This sub-dis
OESIGNFLOWS
trict will be used to illustrate several
1. AVERAGEFLOWS
DOMESTIC 100 GAL./CAP./DAY examples which will follow.
COMMERCIAL3750 GAL./ACRE/DAY37.5 PERSONS/ACRE
-
INDUSTRIAL5000 GAL./ACRE/OAY50 PERSONS/ACRE
?
OTHERS AS NOTED
Organization of Data
2. MAXIMUMFLOWS
? AVERAGEFLOWX CAPACITYFACTOR
*
The information which must be
CAPACITYFACTOR* FORFLOWSLESSTHAN650,000 GAL/DAY

CAPACITYFACTORSFORFLOWSEXCEEOING650,000 GAL/DAY processed by the computer may be di

AS ONCAPACITYCURVE
S^OWN vided into four general categories, the
PIPE DESIGN
first of which includes information re
MINIMUMPIPE SI2E 8 INCHES to
MINIMUMVELOCITY 2 FEETPERSECCNO(FLOWINGFULL) lating design criteria including con
FLOWFORMULA KUTTER
ROUGHNESSCOEFFICIENTS stants, standards, and guides for de
sign procedures. Examples of these
are standards set forth by regulatory
agencies, such as minimum pipe ca
- of permis
POPULATION A$ SHOWN pacities and slopes, limits
FIGURE 4.?Eases for
sible velocities, and other criteria es
computations
and design. tablished to meet local needs and

This content downloaded from 142.51.1.212 on Fri, 26 Feb 2016 23:30:05 UTC
All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
Vol. 40, No. 2, Part 1 COMPUTEES FOE SEWEE DESIGN 273

conditions, such as minimum depths of street configurations, locations and

sewers, conduit materials, and design types of buildings, limits of collection
and construction details. district, location of surface utilities
A second category includesinforma such as hydrants, poles, and drainage
tion which describes the area under structures, and the identification of
consideration. Included here are demo pavement types and any other features
to
graphic data relating population and which might have a bearing on the
as present
land use, such and future design, construction, or cost of the
estimates of population, zoning regu collection system. This category also
lations, and estimated contributing contains subsurface data, such as soil
flows from residential, commercial, in characteristics and the locations of
dustrial, and public-use areas to be groundwater, rock, and utility lines
served by the system; topographic in and structures.
formation including ground elevations, The third category includes informa

-&

FIGURE 5.?Sewer layout.

This content downloaded from 142.51.1.212 on Fri, 26 Feb 2016 23:30:05 UTC
All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
 1968
274 JOURNAL WPCF February

FIGURE NO. 6
TOPOGRAPHIC INFORMATION

FIGURE 6.?Topographic information.

tion describing the collection system This section is developed almost fully
network. This would consist primarily with one-family residences. Storm
of one or more sewer layouts to be drains which cross sanitary sewer lines
designed. are indicated and the general north
The fourth division of data relates ward flow of sewers against existing
of
to the estimate of costs and includes grades is shown. This type map is
the bases on which quantity takeoffs usually prepared by photogrammetric
are to be made and the unit costs techniques and provides the source for
which are to be applied. network input data including location,
The pre-input processing of these identification number, and type of
each
data offers many opportunities to use manhole, the length of sewer link,
ground elevations as required, and the
computer techniques. Auxiliary pro
grams, while not specifically identified location of houses and other property
units requiring service.
in this paper, have been used when
Figure 6 shows a larger-scale map
ever they were thought useful. Sub =
(original scale 1 in. 50 sq ft or 1
routines for reduction of survey field = 6
notes and for arriving at unit costs cm m). This map generally will
to be applied in the estimates of cost contain information obtained from

program are examples in point.

field work, including locations of un
derground utilities, sidewalk locations,
Examples of Input house service points, basement eleva

Figure 4 shows a page of computer tions, pavement type and thickness,

output in report form, which indicates and other information required for de
some of the basic criteria used in the sign and estimate of costs.
estimation of flows and the design of Figure 7 illustrates some of the sub
pipes. Figure 5 shows a sewer layout surface information used as input.
for a section of sub-district No, 5. of
The elevation groundwater is shown

This content downloaded from 142.51.1.212 on Fri, 26 Feb 2016 23:30:05 UTC
All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
Vol. 40, No. 2, Part 1 COMPUTEES FOE SEWEE DESIGN 275

through groundwater contours. Bor the input data elements shown under
ing logs, providing information about A, B, and C in the chart are treated
rock and other soil conditions which as variables and are read in as gen

require special treatment in design or eral data which make the system use
inestimation of costs also are given. ful over a wide range of applications.
Figures 8 and 9 show the land-use Some of the "A" input elements
and population-density information are:

required for the estimation of design

flows. 1. Bases for estimating design flows.
These include domestic flows in gal
Description of Input Information
lons per capita, commercial flow in
Figure 10 shows a generalized flow gallons per acre, industrial flows in
chart for the design system. All of gallons per acre or in terms of equiva

?4/.?/

APPROXIMATE LIMIT OF MARINE

-
TIDAL MARSH UNDER
FILL

FIGURE 7.?Subsurface information.

This content downloaded from 142.51.1.212 on Fri, 26 Feb 2016 23:30:05 UTC
All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
276 JOUENAL WPCF February 1968

FIGURE 8.?Land-use information.

lent population, infiltration rate in required sewers depths for providing

gallons per acre or per foot of sewer; service, maximum manhole spacing,
as
factors introduced
for
digitized curves and bases for
using drop-manholes.
or tables reducing unit flows as
area Some of the "B"
contributing grows larger. input elements,
2. Sewer design criteria. These in which include demographic, topo
clude minimum pipe size, minimum re : per
graphic, andsubsurface data, are
quired velocities for various hydraulic
sons per dwelling unit or per acre,
conditions, maximum velocities, the
pertinent ground elevations, pavement
flow formula to be used, roughness co
or desirable types, locations and depths of sub
efficients, permissible
surface utilities, depth of groundwater,
schedule of acceptable pipe diameters,
depth of rock and of soils which re

This content downloaded from 142.51.1.212 on Fri, 26 Feb 2016 23:30:05 UTC
All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
Vol. 40, No. 2, Part 1 COMPUTERS FOR SEWER DESIGN 277

quire piles, cradle, or removal and re checks provide warnings or reject data
placement of foundation materials. which is inconsistent with expected lim
The UC" input relates to the sewer its of link lengths, ground elevations,
layout and includes a listing of man and other characteristics.
holes, rim elevations, lengths of sewer
Normalizing routines convert op
links, and coded street names.
tional forms of input into program
Additional information required for
acceptable terms. For example, input
the estimate of costs is shown as a
information for estimation of flows
direct input to the cost-estimate pro
may be given as dwelling units, areas
gram.
of given population density, or di
Edit and Normalizing Routines rectly as gallons per day. In some

The edit routines are designed to cases, redundant data can be called
check the acceptability of the input in to replace equivalent rejected data
and manhole numbers from sub-dis
data. One procedure edits the net be
work to determine if all links are in tricts may converted to overall col
Other lection district numbering systems.
cluded and are shown properly.

' '
14TO16PERSONSACRE ^Z=^^ /'?*^,' //' ij \V3t^^^^-J/
8TO20PERSONSACRE K ^
"^[^j
20 TO22 PERSONSPERACRE ^^^| '. . ;
r"
' ^^S?l
i ? If"
?j|8|?||?S?l ?j \\\\\
150 MULTFAMILY. w/
PERSONS/ACRE, ^^^^^^ \ felV $ 'Iff
'
PERS./ACRE
15,000 G/A/DAY,*37.5 : .*: '. ^V .'///'
[:i';."':/:

FIGURE9.?Population
density.

This content downloaded from 142.51.1.212 on Fri, 26 Feb 2016 23:30:05 UTC
All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
 1968
278 JOUENAL WPCF February

USE OF COMPUTERS IN DESIGN OF SANITARY SEWER SYSTEMS

INPUT
(A) (B) (C)
CRITERIA, CONSTANTS, STANDARDS DEMOGRAPHIC, COLLECTION
FOR ESTIMATE OF DESIGN FLOWS TOPOGRAPHIC, SYSTEM
AND FOR DESIGN OF SEWERS. GEOGRAPHIC, NETWORK
SUB-SURFACE
INFORMATION

PRINT-OUT INPUT EDIT ROUTINES

DATA FOR RECORD NORMALIZING ROUTINES

COMPUTE FLOW
TO EACH SEWER

OUTPUT COMPUTECUMULATIVE
FLOWREPORT FLOWTO EACHSEWER

OUTPUT
SEWER DESIGN DESIGN SEWERS
REPORT

OUTPUT PERFORM QUANTITY TAKEOFF INPUTBASES

ESTIMATE APPLY UNIT COSTS FOR ESTIMATE
OF COSTS PRODUCECOST ESTIMATE UNIT COSTS

OUTPUT EXECUTEPARTIAL FLOW ANALYSIS

AT
PARTIAL FLOW FOR ALL LINES AVERAGE,
REPORT DESIGNAND MINIMUMFLOWS

EXIT

FIGURE 10.?General flow chart of computerprogram for sewer

analysis and design.

Estimate of Flow Program units, and number of persons. The

implicit number of persons per dwell
The first of the four linked major
ing unit, or the flow per acre of con
programs computes the flow to each is
sewer link. Figure 11 is a typical tributing area part of the "A" input
described earlier.
output sheet of the over 400 pages pro
duced for the Merrick Harbor Project. The last three columns of the output
This figure shows several of the links sheet (columns 10, 11, and 12) show
of the sewer layout previously shown the average flow, capacity factor, and
in Figure 5. Note that this output design flow for each link, and in this
identifies each sewer link between format, the average and design flow
to each manhole also are identified.
specified manholes, prints out the
street in which the sewer lies, and The average flow in this case is based
shows several elements of the estimate on a per capita flow of 100 gpd (379
of flow, namely, increments of flow to 1/day). The design flow, shown in
the link itself, flow contributions from column 12, is arrived at by applying
upstream, and total accumulations as a factor (4.0 in this case) which con
contributing area, number of dwelling verts average flow to design flow. This

This content downloaded from 142.51.1.212 on Fri, 26 Feb 2016 23:30:05 UTC
All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
Vol. 40, No. 2, Part 1 COMPUTEES FOE SEWEE DESIGN 279

factor includes suitable maximum-to all design information, including di

average flow ratios and infiltration ameter, slope, and invert and ground
rates, and also automatically provides elevations, required for the prepara
the
for a varying reduction of average tion of sewer profile drawings. The
to design flow factor as the design length of each sewer link and the de
passes from upstream laterals having sign flow in gallons per day also are
small contributing flows to intercep shown.
tors and trunks which service larger The sewer design program is based
areas. on an algorithm which lists a sequence
of steps which establish, by priority,
of Sewers
Design Program a number of conditions which must be
As indicated in the general flow satisfied. These encompass setting
of flow
chart Figure 10, the appearing minimum depths of sewers to satisfy
in the output from the first program service requirements, observing a
becomes part of the input to the sewer schedule of minimum slopes for given
design program. A typical output diameters in order to satisfy mini
sheet from this program is shown in mum-velocity criteria, and instruc
Figure 12. This sheet also carries the tions to follow ground slopes where
page number 15 (as did the flow out possible in order to minimize cuts.
put sheet), and reports design informa The design program has several
tion for the same sewer links shown other features which should be men
on the output sheet from the estimate tioned. The first is a routine for
of flows. In the report format these searching out control lines. This
two sheets appear opposite each other technique permits any point in the
and provide a convenient means for system to be declared a control point
review of any sewer run shown in and to have the full upstream control
the computations. path for that point identified. These
This output form repeats the man critical points may be at pumping sta
hole identification numbers and shows tion locations, at existing or proposed

SEWAGECOLLECTIONDISTRICTN0.3-MERRICKHARBORCMHI
CHARLESVELZYASSOCINC..CONSULTINGENGINEERS

AT.ORFROM
ONSTREET

1586NEWBRIDGEST.

16. 1589

FIGURE 11.?Output sheet showing estimates of flows.

This content downloaded from 142.51.1.212 on Fri, 26 Feb 2016 23:30:05 UTC
All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
 280JOURNAL WPCF

February 1968

trunk lines, or at low existing points aid the engineer. Several of these are
of the system which warrant checking. shown in Figure 13.
This subroutine includes an option
which will designautomatically relief Criteria and Standards
for the critical line by applying previ Some of the criteria and standards
ously determined special design cri used in the design of the Merrick Har
teria based on lower service depths, be
bor Collection District are given
lower roughness coefficients, or reduced
low.
velocity requirements. for
The also informa 1. Kutters formula velocity
program accepts =
tion which locates drains and other 2. Design flow 4 X average flow,
utilities which might obstruct the with reduction for flows above 650,000
cu
sewer lines. These data act as con gpd (2,460 m/day).
on
3. popula
trols which direct the computer to Average flows: Based
a sewer which above or tion?100 gpd/cap (379 1/day/cap).
design passes
below the obstructions, as required. From commercial areas?3,750 gpd/
cu
The design output also provides for acre (35 m/day/ha). From indus
a number of special annotations to
eu
trial areas?5,000 gpd/acre (47 m/
alert the to certain
day/ha).
engineer special 4. Minimum velocity = 2 fps (0.6
situations, such as manholes which lie
m/sec) flowing 5. full.
on the control or critical paths, depths =
Maximum velocity 10 fps (3.1
which resultfrom the application of m/sec) flowing 6. full.
minimum-depth requirements alone, Minimum =
and the need
for
drop manholes in
pipe size 8 in. (20.4
cm).
accordance with conventions for their 7. ?
Koughness coefficient n = 0.013.
use.

In addition to the special annota Partial Flows Program

tions described above, a number of This program, when linked to the
sewer
supplementary outputs are provided to previously described design pro
SEWAGECOLLECTIONDISTRICTN0.3-MERRICKHARBOR(HH)
CHARLESVELZYASSOCINC..CONSULTINGENGINEERS

1581 1585 200.00 0.401 451306. 2.00 0.50 -0.30 8.00 8.50 8.50 8.20 14400.
1584 1585 I8?T0O 0.656 578604. 2.56 0.68 -0.30 7.12 8.50 8.00 8.20 11200.

1585 1586 240.00 8 0.401 451306. 2.00 -0.30 -1.27 8.50 8.77

1580 1587?300.00 8 0.415 528899. 2.34 -0.50 -1.75 7.50 9.75 7.00 8.00 28800.
1586 1587 120.008 0.401 451306. 2.00 -1.27 -1.75 8.77 9.75 7.50 8.00 30400.

15751588 220.00 8 1.290 812724. 3.60 1.00 -1.84 6.50? 9.84 7.50 8.00 3200.
1587 1588? 30.00 8 0.304 451243. 2.00 -1.75 -1.84 9.75 9.84 8.00 8.00 59200.

1588 1589* 225.00 0.304 451768. 2.00 -1.84 -2.52 9.84 8.22 8.00 5.70 73600.
1573 ?589 280.00 1.258 802537. 3.5? 1.00 -2.52 6.50? 8.22 7.50 5.70 9600.

1589 1590? 250.00 0.304 451243. 2.00 -2.52 -3.28 8.22 9.18 5.70 5.90 89600.
1572 1590 230.00 0.629 566575. 2.51 -1.83 -3.28 7.73 9.18 5.90 5.90 24000.

1590 15?l? 250.00 0.304 451243. 2.00 -3.28 -4.04 9.18 5.90 4.00
?5*9~1591 180.00 1.177 776148. 3.44 -1.92 -4.04 7.72 5.80 6.00

113) (14) 115) (16) (17) (18) (19) (20)

_
NEXTTOMANHOLENUMBERINDICATESTHATTHEPIPE IS ONTHECRITICALPATH
NEXTTODEPTHINDICATESPIPE IS SETATMINIMUMOEPTH

FIGURE 12.?Output sheet showing design of sewers.

This content downloaded from 142.51.1.212 on Fri, 26 Feb 2016 23:30:05 UTC
All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
Vol. 40, No. 2, Part 1COMPUTEES FOR SEWER DESIGN 281
OllOMINGSI

IREOR.

IOMNST.
EXIS?C
2600.
2750.
3ZZS.
IOYC?LA.
MMMICM
CNAMST.lt.

6980,
7080.
tNOOFCAITICALLI

FIGURE 13.?Supplementary output giving street name codes, dead-end manholes,

and
manhole number equivalents, critical-path manhole numbers and distances fromcon
trol point.

gram, automatically gives the depth ready in the computer. The cost pro
and velocity at any flows specified. In gram used in the Merrick Harbor
the Merrick Harbor project, partial Project provided for automatic takeoff
depths and velocities were computed and estimation of over 100 separate
for each sewer link in the system for items. All sewers were estimated on
design flow, for average flow, and for a cost per foot basis for as many as
a minimum flow of one-half average. 12 different cut ranges. The detailed
Figure 14 shows a typical partial-flow output report sheet shown as Figure
analysis output sheet in report form. 15 shows information for 8- and 10-in.
This sheet again carries the page num (20.4- and 25.4-cm) sewers only. The
ber 15 and is compatible with the data full output includes all other sewer
given on the related estimate of flows sizes, house connections and assemblies

and design of sewers output sheets with a breakdown of each type of

shown as Figures 11 and 12, respec connection used and additional riser
tively. height required, the number of stand
ard
This partial-flow analysis provides additional
manholes, depth of man
the engineer with an additional basis holes, drop assemblies and additional
for evaluation and modification of the drop depth, cost for removal of pave
design. ment with breakdown of each type,
cost for replacement of pavement with
Estimate of Costs Program breakdown of each type, and cost for
maintenance of trench.
Because of the ultimate importance
of the cost of the project, this program In addition to the detailed cost out
is in some ways the most significant. put for each sub-district, a summary
For the cost program to be useful in of costs for the entire collection system
the optimization of design, it was also is produced. Figure 16 shows
necessary to make it as highly detailed a summary for the Merrick Harbor
as possible while at the same time Project.
minimizing the amount of new input It is important to note that the full
by making full use of information al cost-estimating routine may be called

This content downloaded from 142.51.1.212 on Fri, 26 Feb 2016 23:30:05 UTC
All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
 JOURNAL WPCF February 1968

VELZYASSDCINC.CONSULTING.ENGINEER
DESIGN(AVG.'CF.) ;rage i loo Gpco) MINIMUM(50GPCOI
ro uia*i SLriPECAPAcr FLPHDEPTHVELOCIT'

?400. 1.06 0.81 3600. 0.59 0.50 1B00. 0.42 0.38

?()0. 0.85 0.87 2800. 0.47 0.53 1400. 0.35 0.41

0.80 0.64 3600. 0.59 0.50

35 1.15 7200. 0.72 3600. 0.53 0.55

0.80 0.6' 3800. 0.59 0.50

3200. ?.42 0.61 40C. 0.18 0.32

i9200. 2.02 1.32 14;

5B9. 8 O.' 73600. 2.24 1.42

2400. 0.38 0.61

?0. 3 ?.3( 22400. 1.29 0.? 11200. 0.94 0.75

1.21 1.12 6000. 0.65 C.68 3000. 0.49 0.53

31200. 1.50 1.1

208G0. C.09 1.32

FIGURE 14.?Output sheet showing partial-flow analysis.

for any design. It also can be ap Advantages of Computer-Oriented

plied automatically after each itera Design System
tion in the procedure previously de
Experience to date indicates that
scribed for relieving control lines. In several significant benefits result from
this mode the cost advantage of each the use of the computerized techniques.
separate iteration can be noted.
Several of these benefits are described
The detailed format for the cost esti
below.
mate output permits the engineer to
examine such things as length of pipe Systematization of Procedures
of each size in each cut range required
The first and perhaps mostobvious
by a particular layout, and to observe
in advantage results from the systemati
the changes any individual cost
zation of pertinent field and office
item which results from a change in
unit operations which is fundamental
layout or other design factor. to the development of the algorithms
-
COLLECTIONDISTRICT
INCCONSUITI. MERRICKHARBORCMHI

SUMMARYOFCOSTS
ITEM OUANTITYtl.F AMOUNT!fI
8 INCHSEWERS 368.645 4,942,360
- ? -
-10~I?ICH^SEWE1?S i<r,47t> -340T808
?KOUNT 12 INCHSEWERS 7,290 183,SOS
14 INCHSEHER 5.890 217,5T4
1760.00
-1? "TWCMSt**$
It INCHSEMCRS 33,660
20 INCHSEHERS 5,190 300,190
?246C.0 " *? 5.0?5 -
~24 INCTTSEHERS

17520.5 30 INCHSEWERS 130.990

36 INCHSEWERS 104.720
^ -^TOTAtT?R-SEWERS"->T3Ht.-F-.-"" ??-8.T04.28T
HOUSECONNECTIONSANOASSEHBLI 1,093,104
MANHOLES
_
? 1.109.812
REMOVALOFCONCRETEPAVEMENT 163,061
REPLACEMENTOFPAVEMENT 1,497,222
MAINTENANCEOFTRENCH '1,167,682
1*.SS
18.50 TOTALFORPAVEMENT
TOTALMAJORCONSTRUCTIONITEM! < 11,735,14?

sheetshowing 16.-Output
FIGURE 15.?Output cost FIGURE sheet showing cost
estimate. summary.

This content downloaded from 142.51.1.212 on Fri, 26 Feb 2016 23:30:05 UTC
All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
Vol. 40, No. 2, Part 1 COMPUTEES FOE SEWEE DESIGN 283

on which the computerized techniques schemes (after review of computer

are based. the
output) occupied greatest amount
In the case of the work reported of the time of senior staff engineers.
herein, the extraction of data from ex The input for the first computer run
isting sources and the gathering of was prepared by supervisory engineers
field data (including survey party
and subsequent inputs by technicians
data) were enhanced through a and recent high school graduates.
sharper identification and selection of Similarly, the bases for quantity take
information required by the develop off and the schedule of unit prices
ment of improved data record forms were prepared by engineering staff and
which served both as permanent put into the machine by technicians.
(original) office data records and also At a time when the availability of
as convenient computer input forms,
competent technical help including
and through the establishment of more
drafting, junior engineers, and above
efficient checking procedures for all all, experienced senior-level engineer
phases of the work. ing personnel presents ever-increasing
problems to engineering management,
Redistribution of Technical Man
the use of computers offers attractive
power
possibilities for immediate relief.
Implicit in the above comment is
the accompanying reorganization of as Rapid Execution of Computations
signments of engineering and tech For
the Merrick Harbor Collection
nician-level human resources. Most it took approximately 6 min
System,
significant in this reorganization was of machine time (IBM 7040) to exe
the fact that the highly repetitive and cute all flow computations for 84 miles
routine operations inherent in this
(135 km) of sewers, approximately 12
kind of project are moved progres min to execute several complete de
sively downward in the order of staff signs and to produce the final opti
competence levels. That is, senior en mized design and detailed cost esti
gineers were assigned to more than one mate, and approximately 5 min to
job since their efforts could be concen produce the complete partial-flow hy
trated on the conceptual or broad draulic analysis. It is estimated that
planning levels of the work and on a tenfold reduction in the time re
of to
the establishment general rules and quired perform all computations for
procedures for design. Junior engi the design of comprehensive sewer col
neers could supervise technicians who lection systems is achieved through the
prepared information for input, and use of the computerized procedure. Re
even technicians could be relieved of cent runs on an IBM 360/50 computer
the tedious jobs of data assembly and have reduced execution times further.
checking which now could be per
formed by personnel with no more Report Format
than high school training. The heart of engineering reports for
In this project, several specific im collection systems comprises the bases
provements in the use of engineering of
for design, the estimation flows, the
and technical manpower were realized. required sewer design, and finally, the
For example, once the basic rules and estimate of costs for the project for
guides for design had been established as many alternate schemes as may be
by the most experienced management warranted. The computer-produced
and supervisory-level engineers, the output reports shown in several of the
the
computer took over many repetitive figures which have been cited in this
operations which followed. The prepa paper are complete and concise and
ration of general sewer layout are valuable by-product advantages of
schemes and the redevelopment of these the overall computed procedure. Cur

This content downloaded from 142.51.1.212 on Fri, 26 Feb 2016 23:30:05 UTC
All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
 284JOUENAL WPCF

February 1968

rent versions of the computerized de to offer a significant improvement over

sign system now produce completely traditional engineering approaches to
annotated sewer profile drawings. such work.
With this graphical output the com The authors believe that the system
puterized report can be considered developed and tested in the design of
truly complete. the Merrick Harbor Collection District
has demonstrated that computerization
Reduction in Overall Engineering of this kind of engineering work is
Costs
not only feasible but may offer the
It is difficult at best to attempt to only answer to the current need to
quantify the advantage of computer balance increased work loads in this
ized techniques over more conventional area and available technical manpower.
procedures. In fact, the authors have Since its original development and
found extremely wide ranges in costs its later application to the Merrick
for noncomputerized engineering of Harbor District, the system described
collection systems as reported by dif in this paper, with the addition of
ferent engineers. But since the rec graphical output techniques, has been
ommendation of a new methodology used successfully in connection with
carries some responsibility to speak to collection systems in New York City,
this point, the authors have considered Rockland County, and Canada.
this item in context of the Merrick
Harbor Project. It is estimated that Acknowledgments
overall engineering time was reduced The authors wish to acknowledge the
by as much as 20 to 25 percent, and valuable programming assistance of
costs a like amount, through use of Robert Jankowski, member of the ad
the computerized technique. However, junct teaching staff of the Polytechnic
it should be recognized that there is Institute of Brooklyn, and Charles R.
always a strong temptation and prob Velzy Associates, Inc., for the oppor
ably a tendency to turn such time tunity to test the various programs
and cost advantages back into the job and for the invaluable assistance of
in the hope of achieving further over their staff in the preparation and
all improvement of design and addi checking of input data and the evalua
tional reductions in construction costs. tion of all output.
Thanks are also due to Commis
Conclusion
sioner Herbert J. Simins and Deputy
The Commissioner John H. Peters of the
reported computerized pro
Department of Public Works of
cedure for the design of sanitary
Nassau County, for their cooperation.
sewer collections systems is believed
This content downloaded from 142.51.1.212 on Fri, 26 Feb 2016 23:30:05 UTC
All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions