AMI Consulting Engineers P.A.

Special Projects

"Where Engineering Disciplines Overlap, Blend, and Have No Clear Answers, This Is When AMI Excels"

AMI Consulting Engineers P.A. has the experience needed to quickly and efficiently implement tried and true solutions to known problems, but we recognize unique issues that require us to create new and innovative designs to best suite the project goals. The Engineers at AMI pride themselves in their involvement with truly unique projects and we feature a few examples of projects that exemplify our dedication to special engineering issues.

Great Ships Initiative

The Great Ships Initiative, Land-Based Research, Development and Technology Evaluation (RDTE) Facility in Superior, WI is used to conduct full-scale testing of prospective ballast treatments suitable for the treatment of invasive species in the ballast water of commercial ships. This is one of a very few facilities that can perform this type of testing and the only facility globally that is dedicated to testing in fresh water.

AMI Consulting Engineers refined the preliminary design produced by the Maritime Administration to produce a facility that balanced the goals of mimicking the ballast system on board a commercial vessel and having the control to perform repeatable testing that is expected from laboratory testing. AMI was involved in the design and the project management of its original construction in 2006. GSI was sufficiently pleased with AMI's performance to continue their involvement with the facility expansions, modifications, treatment system installs, and facility operations management to this day. This facility proves that AMI can offer a full range of engineering specialties including fluid mechanics, structural design, mechanical design, surveying, permitting, project management, utilities, finite element analysis, automation and facility design.

For more information on the RDTE Facility and the goals of the Great Ships Initiative please visit them at: www.greatshipsinitiative.org.

Advanced Corrosion Study

Since 2006, AMI has worked to develop an expert panel of corrosion, biology and chemistry experts to determine the causes of extreme freshwater corrosion. The study for the Duluth / Superior Harbor was initiated in 2003 to further investigate the findings of preliminary accelerated corrosion data. A panel of corrosion experts was brought together by state local and federal agencies. The initial results were published by the Army Corps of Engineers in the ERDC/CERL SR-05-3 publication dated March 2005. Since this publication, AMI has complete underwater corrosion investigations, biological studies and material testing for the study. AMI has continued with the ACOE CERL staff in coating studies to determine the effects of ice abrasion and impact on different types of marine coatings for long term corrosion protection. AMI has also worked with state agencies to design, test and install test panels with multiple types of corrosion protection materials for long term effectiveness. Currently AMI continues with its 5th year in the long term study assisting with additional testing, evaluation and preparing cost estimates for repairs. AMI has tested means and methods of steel, wood and composite piling to repair bridge and dock structures.

  • AWS Certified Weld Inspections
  • Load Testing of Existing Structures
  • Expert Witness Testimony
  • Forensic Analysis
  • Hazwoper Trained Personnel
  • Bathymetric / Hydrographic Surveys
  • Commercial Hard Hat Divers
  • NBIS Certified Bridge Inspections
  • Specialty Underwater Imaging
  • Peer / Design Review
  • Video & Still Underwater Reporting