Structural Analysis and Design of Water Treatment Plant Structures

Abstract

The increasing demand for clean and safe drinking water in urban and semi-urban areas necessitates the establishment of well-designed and efficient water treatment facilities. This thesis focuses on the hydraulic and structural design of a 14.00 million Liters per Day (MLD) conventional Water Treatment Plant (WTP), aiming to ensure structural safety, operational efficiency, and sustainability in water treatment infrastructure. The hydraulic design is based on the latest CPHEEO Manual 2024 guidelines, ensuring proper sizing and layout of essential components including intake chambers, flash mixers, flocculators, sedimentation tanks, rapid sand filters, clear water reservoirs, and pump houses. The structural analysis and design of all major components have been carried out using STAAD Pro software, which enabled precise modeling, load analysis, and efficient reinforcement detailing as per IS 456:2000 and relevant Indian Standard codes. The design process considered various load combinations, including dead load, live load, hydrostatic pressure, and seismic forces as per IS 1893 (Part 1): 2016. A case study approach was adopted for the selected site, evaluating site-specific parameters such as soil bearing capacity and seismic zone. The results demonstrate that all structural components are safe under ultimate and serviceability limit states. The integration of hydraulic functionality with structural integrity ensures long-term performance and safety of the plant. The project highlights the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration between civil and environmental engineering domains and showcases how software tools can be leveraged to enhance design accuracy, optimize material usage, and reduce construction costs. This study provides a reference for future WTP projects, especially in the context of growing urbanization and the need for sustainable water infrastructure.

Introduction

Access to safe and clean drinking water is essential for health, yet over 1.1 billion people worldwide lack improved water sources, leading to numerous waterborne diseases. Water Treatment Plants (WTPs) mitigate these risks through multi-stage processes—coagulation, flocculation, sedimentation, filtration, and disinfection—to remove contaminants.

In India, the Central Public Health and Environmental Engineering Organization (CPHEEO) sets guidelines for designing efficient WTPs to meet increasing water demands. Structural integrity is critical to ensure safe, reliable operation, with tools like STAAD Pro used for structural analysis.

Literature Review Highlights:

• Studies analyze WTP designs (e.g., Jalgaon and Ponukumadu), emphasizing treatment stages and challenges like aging infrastructure and need for automation.

• Research explores innovative uses of WTP sludge in construction materials and wastewater treatment, promoting sustainability.

• Various case studies detail WTP designs in rural and urban Indian contexts, focusing on site-specific water quality and population needs.

• Advances in water treatment technologies and Industrial Revolution 4.0 applications are reviewed to enhance efficiency.

Proposed Methodology:

• Design parameters are chosen based on raw water quality, demand forecasts, and regulatory standards.

• Hydraulic design ensures proper flow rates and sedimentation efficiencies.

• Structural design accounts for durability, seismic resistance, and safety using relevant Indian standards.

Results:

• Hydraulic design for a 14 MLD WTP following CPHEEO guidelines includes detailed calculations for aeration fountains, channels, and flow control structures.

• Emphasis on overloading capacity and flow velocities ensures operational flexibility and treatment effectiveness.

Conclusion

The design and analysis of the 14.00 MLD Conventional Water Treatment Plant (WTP) was carried out with a comprehensive approach integrating hydraulic and structural engineering principles. This project provided a detailed understanding of the functional requirements and structural demands of a WTP, including components like sedimentation tanks, filtration units, clear water reservoirs, and overhead tanks.Hydraulic design ensured the optimal flow of water through each unit, adhering to CPHEEO 2024 guidelines, while the structural design was validated using STAAD Pro software. Structural analysis considered critical loads including dead load, live load, hydrostatic pressure, and seismic forces. The results confirmed the stability, strength, and serviceability of all components, complying with IS 456:2000 and relevant codes.The use of STAAD Pro enabled precise modeling and design optimization, reducing material waste and improving structural efficiency. The integrated approach ensured the development of a durable, safe, and cost-effective WTP that can function reliably under varying operational conditions.

References

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Copyright

Copyright © 2025 Mr. Rikesh S. Bisen, Dr. A. N. Dabhade . This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.