Precast Solutions - March/April 2008 - (Page 12)

TECHNICAL COMPARING RCP WITH PLASTIC PIPE WHEN A LITTLE BIT OF KNOWLEDGE IS A DANGEROUS THING: CRITERIA FOR SELECTING RCP AND HDPE PIPE FOR STORMWATER DRAINAGE APPLICATIONS. BY SUE MCCRAVEN E D I TO R ’ S N OT E For a more in-depth version of this article, please visit www.precast.org. The online version includes additional information including embedded links to Web sites that provide specifications and other research materials. H ave you ever felt that you have been dropped in the middle of a battle zone? If not, start asking questions about which is when selecting RCP or HDPE pipe for stormwater drainage systems. Please note that this list is not allinclusive, and examples given in each category are only some of the many factors to consider in selection of RCP or HDPE for drainage materials. 1. Application 2. Cost 3. Strength 4. Liability 5. Service life and joint integrity 6. Installation and inspection 7. Sustainability 8. Material competition 9. Engineer’s knowledge of materials the better product – corrugated high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe or reinforced concrete pipe (RCP) – and watch the dust fly. There is probably not another arena in the construction industry that can compare to the dead-serious competition between the gladiators and lions who vie for market share in the precast concrete and plastic pipe industries. Amazing assortments of weapons are wielded by these intensely motivated competitors, both legitimate and incredible. On both sides, there are arsenals of research data purporting to prove many positions. Legitimate instruments are also in evidence, such as valid study data, guidelines from state departments of transportation (DOTs), documents from standards-writing organizations (AASHTO, ASTM) and memoranda from the U.S. Federal Highway Administration. This article takes an objective look at the current pros and cons of corrugated HDPE and RCP materials in order to provide engineers and specifiers with some well-founded rationales and references for selecting materials for stormwater drainage applications (this article does not address other profile configurations of HDPE pipe, such as ribbed and solid wall). Application. Will a cross drain be running under a high-traffic road? The Wisconsin DOT (WIDOT) uses average daily traffic (ADT) as a barometer for selecting material; if ADT is greater than 7,000 vehicles, for example, RCP is used for its proven service life and to avoid potential road closures for repairs. ADT as a determining factor for materials selection varies throughout the nation. Historically, some states have not allowed the use of plastic pipe for cross drains while some agencies have no ADT restrictions on HDPE pipe. What is the depth of cover over the culvert? If the culvert is beneath an existing or proposed roadway and WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN the depth of cover is 0 feet to 3 feet, Michigan DOT requires AASHTO M 86 Class IV RCP. Corrugated plastic pipe (CPE) less than 36 inches in diameter is acceptable under roadways with greater than 3 feet to 10 feet of SELECTING PIPE MATERIALS Data from state transportation agency specifications were used to create the following criteria to consider 12 PRECAST SOLUTIONS | MARCH/APRIL 2008 http://www.precast.org/rcp

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Precast Solutions - March/April 2008

Precast Solutions - March/April 2008 Contents Smooth Move Riding the Waves Comparing RCP With Plastic Pipe Cost-Value Analysis of Storm Sewer Pipe Concrete Testing On a Grand Scale Building Confidence

Precast Solutions - March/April 2008

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