Westward’s Engineering Group Designs Holistic Ready Mix Plant

“Civil engineering is arguably the oldest engineering discipline. It deals with the built environment and can be dated to the first time someone placed a roof over his or her head or laid a tree trunk across a river to make it easier to get across,” notes the Civil Engineering Department at Columbia University.

In fact, civil engineers contribute to the most fundamental aspects of modern society—things we use every day like roads, dams, bridges, pipelines, tunnels and structural components of buildings. They design, construct and maintain so many aspects of the physical environment that make life easier and more enjoyable.

Westward’s team of engineers are responsible for planning and overseeing a variety of different construction efforts, and apply civil and mechanical engineering principles to ensure built structures are safe and durable.

One such structure our team of engineers recently finished is a Ready-Mix plant for Lone Star Concrete north of Austin near Liberty Hill off of Ronald Reagan Blvd. Westward created a site plan for the nearly 15-acre plot based on the scope of the commercial facility and the operational needs of the client within the framework of applicable rules and regulations. Westward provided civil and structural engineering for the industrial plant and equipment foundations, while facilitating all necessary permits for construction and operations, include air, waste water management, compliance Inspections, Contributing Zone Plan, Williamson County Development Permitting including 911 Addressing, Driveway and Floodplain permits, OSSF Permitting, Fire Marshall Building-HazMat Permitting and prepared an SPCC for compliance with federal regulations.

“Every operation has a water consideration, and the Ronald Reagan plant was no exception”, said Curt Campbell PE, CFM, LEED AP ND, Vice President.  Staff Engineer Natalie Sales said “the facility sits over a contributing zone of the Edwards Aquifer and posed unique design challenges.” She said Westward controlled drainage from the site by designing a detention pond in series with a grassy swale. Site specific grading, a vegetative filter strip that treats TSS (total suspended solids) from the entry/exit driveway, and diversion beams to divert upgradient stormwater away from the site were also utilized as part of the overall water quality/quantity design. Together, these methods control stormwater runoff and the discharge of sediment into local water systems.

“We designed a holistic system that assists the client in water conservation through recycling efforts, treating stormwater, and capturing the extra water used in different operational applications,” said Sales. Westward acted as the client representative and agent to obtain Edwards Aquifer permits necessary for operations, and the client installed high-tech equipment and enhanced controls to help with environmental protection.

A fire protection plan was created with the coordination of the local fire marshal that includes a large, on-site water cistern that holds approximately 15,000 gallons of water, equipped with controls for the local fire department to access if needed.

Just over one year to complete, from start of permitting to completion of construction, the new Ronald Reagan plant will employ approximately 20 people at the site when fully operational. The plant is expected to output 1,000-1,500 yards of ready mix concrete a day to supply the growing demand for the material in residential and commercial construction projects.