Development of Fabric-Wrapping Technique for Leaking Pipeline Joints under Roadway Pavement

Abstract

Joint leakage is very common in underground pipelines that are made of Reinforced Concrete (RC) sections. Leakage would cause soil erosion in the vicinity of the pipeline and the subsidence of the road surface. The usual practice of rehabilitation by road authorities is to patch the pavement surface. However, the repeated patching of pavement due to continuous loss of soil from leakage-induced exfiltration or infiltration worsens the problem since compaction loads contribute to creating additional stresses on the already damaged pipe section or joints. Existing onsite repair techniques by trenchless methods using either Cured-In-Place Pipes (CIPP) lining or joint sealing can not restore the original structural integrity of the joints. Replacing entire sections of the pipes has been proven uneconomical. This paper describes the development of a local repair technique for RC pipeline with leaking joints using Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) composite wraps. The technique is designed to be rapid and only requires local excavation at the leaking joints. Two prototype specimens were built and tested in the laboratory according to the ASTM C497-03a Standard for Concrete Pipes. The test results were satisfactory.