By: Angus W. Stocking
Aware of aging and deteriorating infrastructure, the city of Aurora, Colo., contracted with Wilson & Co. Inc. Eng. & Architects to conduct a comprehensive condition assessment of Aurora Water’s corrugated metal pipe (CMP) storm water infrastructure and assess various rehabilitation methods based on a set of specific criteria with regard to hydraulic capacity, load capacity, and impact on the environment and traveling public. When a pair of 96-in. CMP culverts under a major arterial roadway at the intersection of Louisiana Ave. and Biscay Street in Aurora were found to be severely deteriorated and deemed to be in imminent danger of failure, Wilson & Co. made a recommendation to employ centrifugally cast concrete pipe (CCCP) for the rehabilitation based on the situational analysis and the city’s criteria.
Ace Pipe Cleaning Inc., a certified applicator of CentriPipe by AP/M Permaform—a proven CCCP method—was selected from four qualifying contractor bids. The Ace Pipe Cleaning team began the rehabilitation process with cleaning, invert repair, void grouting, storm flow diversion and sandbagging to ensure any large storm runoff would not flood the nearby neighborhood. Ace Pipe Cleaning then applied the fine-aggregate cementitious CentriPipe liner in ½-in. passes to attain the engineered design thickness.
CCCP is a viable and cost-effective rehabilitation method for large-diameter CMP. The minimal footprint enables this solution to be used in areas where traffic must be maintained. Rehabilitation utilizing the CentriPipe liner exponentially extends the life of the pipe and results in a structurally sound, smooth, watertight structure.
