×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

Can plumbing be placed within a structural element?

Can plumbing be placed within a structural element?

Can plumbing be placed within a structural element?

(OP)
I recall something in the building code (plumbing code) that does not allow any plumbing to be placed within a wall, or column.. Plumbing can pass through the element with a sleeve or something but it shouldn't be cast directly with the element?

Anyone have any code experience on this topic? The designer wants to run a roof drain right down the center of a concrete column that has been oversized due to some cantilever action so I am not concerned with the loss in capacity for axial or flexure.

RE: Can plumbing be placed within a structural element?

Not sure where you are, but that is fairly commonly done in Australia. The difficulties are in getting the pipe in at the top and out at the bottom. Make sure those details are thought out and defined before you allow it to happen.

RE: Can plumbing be placed within a structural element?

ACI 318 has guidance in Chapter 6 about casting conduit and piping through structural concrete.
I think the main problem is getting the different crafts (plumbers, rodbusters, etc.) to play nice with each other.

RE: Can plumbing be placed within a structural element?

Is freezing not a concern? I could see a drain end up getting clogged somewhere and freezing being an issue (eg a lambs-tongue at the face of an exterior column/pilaster getting clogged)... but i suppose this only depends on climate and location of the column in question.

RE: Can plumbing be placed within a structural element?

We recently observed galvanized tube columns that were actually used as plumbing for roof drainage.
It was a really bad idea as most of them were bulging and some split open due to freezing action.
Many also had wet organic debris piled up in the bases creating a continued environment for corrosion. Galvanizing eventually gives away.
Again, a bad idea.

RE: Can plumbing be placed within a structural element?

(OP)
Thank you for the input. The project is located in California and freezing is not an issue. It would be drainage for a high roof of a stadium were there will not be any trees or possible leaf debris just dust.

RE: Can plumbing be placed within a structural element?

Very common in AU, Happens on 90% of my projects.

However as the Structural Engineer you end up becoming the diplomat between the Plumber, Reo fixer and PT Installer, Hydraulic consultant and builder.

All part of the fun game we play. bigsmile

"Structural Engineering is the Art of moulding materials we do not wholly understand into shapes we cannot precisely analyse, so as to withstand forces we cannot really assess, in such a way that the community at large has no reason to suspect the extent of our ignorance." Dr. Dykes, 1976

RE: Can plumbing be placed within a structural element?

You often see this in gas station canopies.

But you see a lot of gas station canopy failures, too, so maybe they're not the best example.

RE: Can plumbing be placed within a structural element?

The OP talked about taking a pipe down through a concrete column, and where freezing is not an issue. Done correctly with entry and exit details worked out, that is doable. With steel columns, it is asking for trouble.

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources