Corrugated pipes, typically favoured for use in culvert installations, come in a range of materials with their own unique properties, advantages and disadvantages.
Modern plastic culvert pipes are made from either corrugated or double-sided PVC (polyvinyl chloride) or HDPE (high-density polyethylene). They are lightweight, corrosion-resistant, cost-effective, and relatively easy to transport and install. However, they are not designed for heavy duty or heavy traffic applications.
Steel culvert pipes are relatively lightweight, enabling ease of transport and installation. They are also somewhat flexible, to suit uneven ground and areas that experience ground movement. However, as with any metal that is constantly exposed to water, there is potential for galvanisation and thus corrosion.
Rather than replacing culverts that are failing, certain rehabilitation methods like slip lining enable the culvert to be restored instead of being replaced. This process minimises disruption and costs and extends the life of the structure.
Culvert slip lining involves the installation of a new pipe within the old culvert and the annulus between the old culvert and the new pipe is often grouted.
Kwik-ZIP General Manager, Paul Jeffreys, said that Kwik-ZIP’s HDX and HDXT products are suitable for installation on and in corrugated pipe. As a result, they are ideal for use on culvert slip lining rehabilitation projects. The products are adaptable and versatile, able to work on corrugated pipe which is being inserted into a smooth pipe and function on a smooth pipe that’s then being inserted into a corrugated pipe.
For corrugated carrier pipe, the flat base of the HDXT and HDX runners bridge the pitch of the corrugations which allows the load to be transferred to the carrier pipe via the full length of the runners.
Additionally, if the enveloper is corrugated, the HDX and HDXT flat-wear pads allow for smooth slip lining along the invert. Mr Jeffreys said Kwik-ZIP’s innovation when it comes to its solutions are one of the many reasons its products are the first choice for many when looking for a versatile spacer solution.
“Kwik-ZIP’s spacer solutions help to increase the lifespan of pipelines. They contain no metal parts that would promote corrosion and feature a load-sharing suspension system designed to support heavy loads, which is especially crucial when the pipe is filled with water.
“These spacers allow for good grout flow and minimise voids during the grouting process. They firmly grip the pipe surface on anti-slip rubber pads that prevent spacer dislodgement during the installation process and thus maintaining the correct spacer intervals.”
Kwik-ZIP maintains a focus on cost-effectiveness, simplicity, and rapid on-site assembly, to ensure that its spacer solutions deliver significant cost, time and operational advantages to customers.
For more information, visit kwikzip.com
Featured image: Culvert slip lining involves the installation of a new pipe within the old culvert.
Image: SergeyKlopotov/shutterstock.com
