Each year, hurricane season descends on the United States, with residents along the Gulf Coast in particular watching the news closely. They have good reason to be cautious, as memories remain of Hurricane Katrina, which brought 145 mph wind and devastated Louisiana and other regions. Texas has not fared much better. The Great Galveston Hurricane in 1900, the deadliest natural disaster in U.S. history, killed over 8,000 people, and despite advancements in warning systems and the seawall, the state remains vulnerable because of the Gulf’s warm waters. It makes the work of Mehul Panchal, a structural engineer, all the more important. In 2020/2021, he led a team of engineers and designers to restore the Texas coastline by designing a new levee, flood wall, and floodgate from Sabine Pass to Galveston. As a result, communities are better protected from flood waters that would otherwise devastate their homes, businesses, and the environment.
In 2020, Mr. Panchal worked for Stantec Consulting Inc. as a licensed professional engineer with more than 13 years of experience. Known for his vision, ability to quickly grasp the intricacies of complex projects, and inclusive leadership style, he was tapped to lead the “Sabine Pass to Galveston Bay Coastal Storm Risk Management Project.” Over the coming months, Mr. Panchal guided three young engineers and two designers to design shoreline protection structures, including a 17.5′ (height) x 25′ (width) floodgate using USACE ETL 1110-2-2105 and AISC steel design guidelines for 20’ opening of road closure gate and foundation support structures for flood gate at multiple different location within the boundary of the project.
“One of the reasons I enjoyed this project so much was that I knew from the start that we would be making a huge difference in people’s lives. Hurricanes cause so much anxiety, let alone millions of dollars in property losses, so we understood the importance of this project,” Mr. Panchal explains. “We would also get to spend a lot of time in the field, which I like to do. There were a lot of long, hot hours, but we worked well together and were determined to guard the coastline from horrendous storms.”
Controlling the flood from future hurricanes involved designing a single-leaf-hinged fabricated gate to be installed at road closure spots between Sabine Pass and Galveston Bay. Deadlines were strict: in only three months, Mr. Panchal had to conduct a structural analysis and then design the single-leaf-hinge gate, including its basis of design report, concrete foundation, and anchorage design using HILTI Profis Engineering Suite software. He was involved in the STAAD pro analysis and design of the floodgate as well as dedicated hinges at the top and bottom of the gate and producing drawings.
“What was especially impactful was that because the design of this single-leaf floodgate could be used as a model for other locations of closure gates, that saved approximately $2M to $5M expense for the entire project including design, engineering, fabrication, installation and commissioning cost,” Mr. Panchal recalls. “It is always satisfying when we are able to save money without sacrificing any quality or weakening the overall impact.”
After completing the design of the floodgate and its foundation, Mr. Panchal submitted a technical design calculation report to the US Army Corps for its review and approval. Looking back on the project, he said that the entire experience was invaluable. “I deepened my expertise in dedicated hinge designs, anchorage calculations, structural design checks including verifications of stresses, strain and deflections,” Mr. Panchal believes. “In particular, the FEA analysis I conducted was an important part of the design calculation in STAAD with loads and load combinations per USACE ETL 1110-2-2105 guidelines.”
After the successful design of the single-leaf floodgate, Mr. Panchal got several more opportunities to work on floodgate projects for the US Army Corps and State and City funded throughout the nation while working at Stantec. He believes these endeavors will remain some of the most fulfilling of his professional career. “Avoiding natural disasters starts with being proactive about designs and looking into the future,” says Mr. Panchal. “I am thankful that I could use my abilities to shift part of the Texas Gulf coast onto a more secure trajectory so that when – not if – hurricanes come, communities will be ready.”
For more information and insights, please connect with Mr. Mehul Panchal on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/mehul-panchal-29650033.
