Parsons Provided Engineering Services for Groundbreaking Hydrostatic Pressure Test

PASADENA, CA – Parsons recently provided field and office engineering services for the first-ever hydrostatic pressure test on the Transco pipeline’s Coosa River Bridge—a natural gas pipeline suspension bridge—in Coosa County, AL. This 700-ft main span bridge—built in the early 1950s—supports two 30-inch-diameter natural gas pipes along the pipeline route from Corpus Christi, TX, to New York, NY.

Parsons’ work on the bridge began 60 years ago when master suspension bridge designer David B. Steinman—founder of the legacy firm acquired by Parsons—designed its aerodynamic stabilization. Most recently, Parsons provided a condition inspection and survey and the finite element structural analysis of the bridge and the pipe under hydrostatic test loads, determined the necessary repairs and temporary measures required to safely perform the test, and supervised field operations.

“Parsons has a long history with the Coosa River crossing, and we are proud to have provided specialized engineering services for this successful hydrostatic test,” said Tom Barron, Parsons Group President.

Hydrostatic tests place dramatically increased loads on the cable system and the pipes. Using original construction drawings, and current pipeline profile surveys and suspension tension measurements, Parsons was able to accurately determine those stresses and recommend the necessary measures to safely and successfully conduct this important test and predict the structure’s deflection during the test to within 1.5% accuracy.

“Parsons’ engineering and project management capabilities not only made the hydro test of the Coosa River Bridge possible but also successful,” said Butch Exley, Williams Gas Pipeline Principal Engineer.

Parsons, celebrating more than 65 years of growth in the engineering and construction industry, is a leader in many diversified markets with a focus on infrastructure, environmental, and defense/security. Parsons delivers design/design-build, program/construction management, professional services, and innovative alternative delivery solutions to federal, regional, and local government agencies, as well as to private industrial customers worldwide. For more about Parsons, please visit www.parsons.com.