Perimeter Gabion MSE Wall of a New Combined Cycle Power Plant in Massachusetts

摘要

In the summer of 2014, in Salem, MA, construction started on a new $1.06 billion high efficiency, natural gas combined cycle power plant capable of generating enough electricity to power over 600,000 homes. Integral to project permitting and incorporating the new energy center into the Salem community, the perimeter of the plant is framed on three sides by an earthen berm supported on the inside by MSE wall with gabion facia, topped with a freestanding gabion wall. The design and construction of the berm faced multiple challenges: the design team had to contend with a project site composed of almost entirely landfill of various vintages and complying with permit design documents to capture the vision originally presented at project conception. The construction team faced the task of coordinating the design across multiple project stakeholders and constructing MSE/gabion wall simultaneously with the earthen berm and storm drainage within a tight corridor surrounding the active power plant project.