A Sustainable Solution with Improved Chemical Resilience Using Repurposed Glass Fibers for Sewage Rehabilitation Pipes

Abstract

This paper introduces a sustainable sewage rehabilitation solution, utilizing repurposed glass fibers for enhanced chemical resilience and environmental conservation. The approach involves dividing a unitary pipe into segments, assembled during commissioning, aiming to reduce installation and transportation costs, particularly in less accessible areas. Each pipe segment comprises a multi-layered glass fiber composite sandwich, joined by an adhesive reinforced with recycled glass fibers. The glass fiber-reinforced plastic (GFRP) pipe features a core of blended sand impregnated with resin, an outer layer for impact resistance, and an inner layer to prevent corrosion. Chemical resilience is assessed through a 10,000 h strain corrosion study exposing both unitary and two-piece circular GFRP pipes to sulfuric acid in a deflected condition. An apparent hoop tensile test evaluates mechanical integrity before and after exposure. The experimental results reveal that the two-piece pipe with a tongue and groove joint (TGJ) with recycled glass fiber adhesive exhibits superior long-term bending stress and failure strain % compared to unitary pipes. This enhancement is attributed to the TGJ’s improved load-bearing capability and chemical resistance. The failure strain % of the two-piece pipe (1.697%) is higher compared to the unitary pipe (1.2613%). The long-term bending stress of the two-piece pipe obtained is 119.94 MPa whereas the unitary pipe reaches 93.48 MPa at the 50-year mark. The cost analysis supports the adoption of the two-piece pipe over unitary pipes due to a 40% reduction in carbon emissions and transportation cost. The novelty lies in the utilization of multi-piece pipes with enhanced chemical resilience, achieved through the incorporation of milled fiberglass reinforcements in the TGJ. Strain corrosion tests take a long time to perform; hence, an accelerated test is needed to improve the current recommended testing standard.