Abstract
This paper describes the most important results of a theoretical, experimental and in situ investigation developed in connection with a water supply pumping pipeline failure. This incident occurred after power failure of the pumping system that caused the burst of a prestressed concrete cylinder pipe (PCCP). Subsequently, numerous hydraulic transient simulations for different scenarios and various air pockets combinations were carried out in order to fully validate the diagnostic. As a result, it was determined that small air pocket volumes located along the pipeline profile were recognized as the direct cause of the PCCP rupture. Further, a detail survey of the pipeline was performed using a combination of non-destructive technologies in order to determine if immediate intervention was required to replace PCC pipes. In addition, a hydraulic model was employed to analyze the behavior of air pockets located at high points of the pipeline.
Highlights
Prestressed concrete cylinder pipe (PCCP) has been successfully utilized to convey pressurized drinking water to cities and is used in wastewater rising mains
Because there were no pressure recorders in the failure area, a hydraulic transient analysis was performed to estimate the magnitude of the pressure increases that may have occurred near the failure location
The analysis started with a simulation of a transient event caused by power failure for the four pumps in the plant without considering air pockets
Summary
Prestressed concrete cylinder pipe (PCCP) has been successfully utilized to convey pressurized drinking water to cities and is used in wastewater rising mains. When corrosion of the prestressing wires occurs, they eventually break reducing the strength of the pipe at that location, which creates distress in the concrete core that might lead to a catastrophic failure. State that several municipalities in Canada and in the USA have experienced rupture of PCCP water mains, causing considerable damage. The damage to PCCP initiates with the development of cracks in the external mortar coating enabling chloride and sulfide ions to reach the prestressing wires through diffusion. The external mortar coating delaminates, which further increases the exposure of the wires to the aggressive environment
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