For around 5000 years, people have been relying on concrete for the construction of everything from apartment buildings to sewers. In the United States, the application of concrete pipe only goes back over 100 years – less in states such as Georgia and Tennessee, but its market presence remains steady and is actually growing in some sectors. However, it is important for engineers and construction contractors to ensure they select the right concrete pipes for the project.
Determining Performance Requirements
When selecting concrete pipes for a project, engineers and project managers must look at specific qualities of the job. They must then compare such specifications with the qualities of the various types of concrete. Factors to consider are:
- Purpose: What is the purpose of the pipe? Is it to convey sewage? Is it to transport stormwater or some type of communication system?
- Environment: What type of environment is the concrete pipe to inhabit? Would standard or reinforced concrete pipe (RCP) prove to be more effective?
- Installation: Where is it to go? How difficult is it to install in this location? Does the crew possess certain skills requisite for standard installation or would it be easier to purchase precast concrete pipes?
- Environmental Forces: Must the concrete pipes require specific qualities to enable safe, durable and reliable transportation of the materials? Will it need to be soil-tight or watertight?
Always look at the various above characteristics of the project before choosing the appropriate type, size, and style of concrete pipes.
Choosing Concrete Pipe
Today, modern technological advances are making improvements on the already durable and reliable concrete products. They are ensuring the products are capable of meeting the demands of engineers in Tennessee and throughout the United States. However, excellent concrete pipe systems can fail to perform optimally if the engineers and other involved parties fail to correctly evaluate the project-specific demands.
