CORRUGATED STEEL PIPE SURPASSES PLASTIC IN CULVERT INSTALLATIONS

A recent study of high density polyethylene (HDPE) and corrugated steel pipe (CSP) culverts installed 3-5 years ago on the South Fork of the Salmon River, about 28 mi (45 km) east of Cascade, Idaho, concluded that an inappropriate choice of material for a particular application and inadequate installation procedures contributed to the degradation of an HDPE piping project. An internal camera revealed significant damage to, and failure of, the HDPE culverts. Findings included wide-open joints with exposure of the coupling device and debris collecting at the joint, interior buckling between ribs, ovalation of the cross section, annular and linear stress fractures, vertical and horizontal misalignment, soil adherence to that area just above what appeared to be the low/longer term flow line, damage to the pipe ends from debris, and extensive debris collection at the joints caused by backfill infiltration. The CSP, on the other hand, was performing at or above expectations. It was concluded that the bulk of the problems arose from a poor material selection at the onset. HDPE pipe requires special handling because the material is "unforgiving." Because of its superior stiffness, which is unaffected by temperature changes, CSP does not demand the extra care during installation that HDPE needs.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/08919526
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Included in a special advertising section to this journal issue entitled, "Engineering the Future in Steel."
• Corporate Authors:

  McGraw-Hill, Incorporated

  330 West 42nd Street
  New York, NY  United States  10036
• Publication Date: 1998-9-7

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Photos;
• Pagination: p. S28-S30
• Serial:
  • ENR
  • Volume: 241
  • Issue Number: 9
  • Publisher: McGraw-Hill, Incorporated
  • ISSN: 0891-9526

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Construction; Corrugated metal culverts; Corrugated pipe culverts; Culverts; Ethylene resins; High density; Installation; Nondestructive tests; Steel; Stiffness; Structural materials; Support piles
• Uncontrolled Terms: Degradation; Polyethylene; Steel piling
• Old TRIS Terms: Culvert materials
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Construction; Design; Environment; Geotechnology; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Materials; Planning and Forecasting; I21: Planning of Transport Infrastructure; I34: Steels and Metals;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00753354
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Sep 29 1998 12:00AM