SEWER REHABILITATION

Nick Orman Area Leader - Network Operations Service, WRc plc

The challenges of
sewer rehabilitation
Published over 30 years ago, the first Sewer Rehabilitation Manual included design guidance that is
now widely used across large parts of the world. As WRc releases an updated version of the manual,
Nick Orman looks at how processes have changed.

S
ewer rehabilitation techniques
became established in the UK in
the late 20th century in response
to concerns over the deteriorating state
of the nation’s sewers, demonstrated
by a number of large and high-profile
sewer collapses. Take-up of these new
technologies was facilitated by a large
programme of testing and evaluation
carried out by WRc in the 1980s.
A wide range of technologies were
evaluated, including slip-lining the
sewer with a smaller pipe; lining the
pipe with segments; spray lining with
cementitious or polymeric materials;
and cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) lining.
These trials were documented in the
Sewer Rehabilitation Manual (SRM),
which was first published in 1983.
The problem to be addressed in
the 1970s and 80s was gravity sewer
collapses, but these have been
CIPP renovation systems have become the most widely used in the UK
followed by new problems, and sewer
rehabilitation products have developed As a large cohort of rising mains pipe (CIPP) renovation systems have
to address these issues. These include: reach the end of their design life, the become the most widely used in the
• Reducing groundwater latest challenge for sewer rehabilitation UK. Although spray lining is used for
infiltration into sewers is to take these technologies into the rehabilitation of manholes, other
This required the development pressure sewer market. sewer renovation systems are not
of methods to properly seal the extensively used.
At the same time, street works
annulus between the liner and host
authorities were applying pressure New challenges for lining systems
pipe at the ends of the liner. It has
also driven the development of to reduce the amount of road space have required further evaluation and
manhole rehabilitation systems. required to carry out the work. Clients testing to give users confidence in the
are also under pressure to reduce the new products. Since the 1980’s WRc
• Reducing the risk of sewer carbon footprint of construction work. has continued to support the sewer
blockages to improve the Patch liners have also been developed rehabilitation sector in the evaluation
serviceability of sewer to facilitate local repair without lining and testing of new systems. For
networks the whole manhole length.
This required the development example, in response to the demand
of techniques for use in smaller In response to all these, new for systems to reduce groundwater
pipes that could smooth over techniques were developed and infiltration, WRc worked with the
discontinuities in the host pipe and existing systems evolved to meet the industry to develop the CP308 test
to be able to go round bends while new challenges. During this process which is now widely used in the UK
still presenting a smooth unwrinkled some systems also became less and internationally. In CIPP systems the
surface to the flow. used and, over time, cured-in-place industry has largely replaced hot water
Water & Sewerage Journal 33

Installed CIPP lining
cured with steam cured and, more
recently, UV cured systems. UV curing
allows longer pot life and wider use
of factory impregnated liners which
improves consistency.
Sewer renovation systems should
have the same long life that we have
had from traditional sewer materials.
To give confidence in the long-term
performance of these systems testing
can be quite time consuming. For
example the standard long-term flexural
modulus test takes 10,000 hours – a
14 month test. The Stress corrosion test
for glass fibres used in reinforced CIPP
liners takes a similar time. Long-term
testing is a considerable investment by
the manufacturers in new materials.
Rising main rehabilitation
A number of manufacturers are
developing or marketing CIPP lining
systems for use in sewer rising mains.
A look at the introduction of a new
material (PVC-U) in sewer rising mains in
the 1970’s makes for sober reading. A
lack of understanding of the properties
of PVC-U and the conditions under
which it would operate led to a spate
of early life failures. This led to a major
research programme which identified
the issues and led to improved design
and manufacturing techniques. If a
proper evaluation of the material had
been undertaken at the start these
problems could have been avoided.
34 Water & Sewerage Journal
The issues that need to be resolved
if CIPP liners are to be used with
confidence in sewer rising mains
include:
• development of fittings to join
lengths of lined pipe
• fatigue resistance of the material
- the same problem found with
PVC-U in the 1970’s – it is known
to be an issue in glass reinforced
pipes which use very similar
materials to CIPP
• abrasion resistance – known to be
an issue in some rising mains
• impact resistance under fast
flowing conditions particularly at
bends
• resistance to highly acidic
conditions that are known to
occur in many rising mains
– particularly resistance of
reinforcing fibres.
WRc has looked at some of these issues
during its major research programme
into the use of CIPP in gas distribution
systems, but others still need further
work to develop tests.
The first edition of the proposed
ISO product standard for CIPP lining in
rising mains are unlikely to address all
of these issues – particularly the fatigue
issue because of the need to develop
tests.
Consistent quality
Cured in place pipe lining systems
involve undertaking complex chemistry
in less-than-ideal conditions. Initially
this was backed up by extensive
quality control testing. However, as the
technology has become more routine
and structural rehabilitation became
less of a driver, a number of installers
and clients have perhaps become
complacent and ceased to carry out this
routine testing.
When the Institute for Underground
Infrastructure (IKT) in Germany first
published the results of their tests on
CIPP liners in 2004, the pass rate of
samples was only 85 per cent, with
some techniques and contractors
scoring much lower. This led to a loss
of confidence by some German clients
and the market dipped. Ten years later,
the pass rates are in the upper 90s and
confidence has returned. In 2015, a UK
contractor was included in the IKT liner
report for the first time.
Regular QC testing of samples
prepared in field conditions is essential
if contractors are to be able to monitor
and provide consistent performance.
This is essential if liners are to be used
in the more demanding environment of
a rising main.
Keeping up with
technology
Some developments can only be
implemented if the design method
is updated to allow the improved
properties to be taken into account.
An example of this is the reduction of
shrinkage in CIPP liners. This reduces
the annulus between the liner and the
host pipe and improves the buckling
resistance of the liner. However the
original SRM design method is based
on the properties of older materials.
WRc is currently updating the design
method, taking into account academic
research undertaken in this country at
Bradford and Cambridge Universities,
to bring the SRM design methods up
to date.
The updated design methods are
also aligned with the structural design
principles of the Euro codes. This
allows users to reflect the results of
materials testing in the factors of safety
applied in the design, underlining the
importance of proper QC testing.
The new SRM Sewer Renovation
Design Guide is to be published at the
beginning of 2017
Contact
Nick Orman, WRc plc
T: +44 (0)1793 865177
E: nick.orman@wrcplc.co.uk
www.wrcplc.co.uk