HDPE PIPE AS FORCEMAIN

[bserda]

I have never used HDPE pipe as a sanitary sewer force main. Has anyone used HDPE pipe as a force main before? Can HDPE pipe be jacked and bored? What type of testing is required for HDPE? Has anyone experienced any failure in the use of HDPE?

 

[bimr]

I did a project with 1400 feet of directional drilled 8-Inch HDPE. The directional drilling went through rock under a creek. The HDPE replaced an existing metallic line that corroded away.

Project was uneventful.

 

[cvg]

just about any pipe can be installed in a jacked and bored casing. Google Drisco to find more information.

[link ]

http://www.performancepipe.com/en-us/ww/Pages/default.aspx

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[stanier]

bserda,

HDPE is a very old fashioned term but still used in industry. High density polyethylene is rarely made as it does not have the improved properties of medium density PE. Medium density PE is commonly just known as PE. It does comes in a number of grades primarily PE 80B and PE100. It is the latter that is in common usage.

Back to you questions:

Yes it is commonly used in direction drilling for sewer forced mains.
PE is hydrostaticaly tested slightly differently to legacy materials like steel and ductile iron. The phenomenum of creep has to be taken into account. The relevant national standards or AWWA references will cover this aspect.

“The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you.”
---B.B. King

http://waterhammer.hopout.com.au/

 

[bimr]

Here is a link to a pipe material guide:

http://www.trenchlessonline.com/pdfs/2010_Pipe_Materials_Guide.pdf

Here is a link to a design guide for PE pipe:

http://plasticpipe.org/publications/pe_handbook.html

Frequently Asked Questions HDPE Pipe for Water:

http://plasticpipe.org/pdf/tn-27-faq-hdpe-water-transmission.pdf