Gas Station Demo

slowpoke

We just got a print to demo a gas station and grade for a new building. This would be the first time demoing a gas station. We know soil types from geo testing. However, nothing is known about the underground fuel tanks. We are going to have a contractor remove the tanks, but we will be responsible for backfilling. Unsuitable materials will be bid at unit cost. A couple of questions:
Anyone know approx. the volume of an underground tank?
Thickness of concrete around the pumps?
Is there anything that would be unusual to this type of demo?
Any comments would be appreciated.

dayexco

you need to visit the site and familiarize yourself with your above questions. we have no clue how thick the concrete is, or how big the tanks are. you'd better do some leg work there dude

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someday, i'll be as patient as Nick.

slowpoke

I've been to the jobsite and it is currently still in business. I can't do any test holes and the underground is unknown. I was looking for an general idea of average size tanks and concrete around the pumps. I assume the concrete to be maybe 8-12 inches. I am hoping someone else has done this previously and can give a little knowledge abouot what they ran into. I hate bidding on a big unknown.

Kgmz

Have you asked anyone there, like whoever is operating the station? How old is the station? Have the tanks ever been replaced? Is this a large station? How many pumps do they have? How many islands?

We have removed gas tanks, etc., and did a lot of them in the late 80's when everyone was required to. We also install new systems for gas stations, convenience stores, government, etc.

Whoever is operating the station should know exactly how big the tanks are. How do they order gas/fuel without knowing. Depending on the size, volume, age of the station the tanks can be anywhere from 4,000 to 20,000 gallons.

The concrete can be anywhere from 4 -18" thick. Normally the drive lanes are only 4 -6" thick, the islands where the pumps sit are normallly 6 -12" thick, but can be deeper in spots depending on how they set it up and if they poured down to the bottom of the containment boxes under the pump. Does this station have a canopy. If it does there will be huge concrete bases where the support posts are. The concrete pad over the tanks is usually 6 -8" thick. Also depending on how old the tanks are, if there is a high water table, the type of tanks, etc. there will be concrete anchors below the tanks which the tanks are strapped down to.

Then you will have to deal with possible soil contamination. Again depending on the age of the station, how old the piping is, if it is steel, fiberglass, plastic, if it is double walled (secondary containment), etc.


Also make sure the contractor is certified. And you can go to this link below the learn all the rules in Ohio, and you can also look up the station and see how many, size and type of tanks it has according to the state database.

http://www.com.state.oh.us/sfm/bust/



Just read the site above, make sure and read this PDF on "Out Of Service and Closure Guidlines".

https://www.com.state.oh.us/sfm/bust...os_closure.pdf

slowpoke

Thanks for the link. It was very informative. I appreciate all your comments.

Blas

All the suggestions above are very good and just about cover it all. The demo isn't gonna be much different. I would suggest talking with the GC/Owner at the precon meeting, and really put a good game plan together as far as handling contaminated materials and getting an action plan on resolving them if encountered nobody wants to sit around and wait for some dude to set his coffee down and call a guy that's an hour out and really can't make an executive decision as to what's "Extra", who's paying, where it goes and who measures the volume out and in, when trucks are siting. Make sure the environmental guy is at that meeting and on site when you are. Enjoy your demo it's my favorite thing in the world to do.

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