The American Concrete Pipe Association’s new video, linked to YouTube from www.concretepipe.org, presents precast, rigid concrete pipe as the ideal choice for durable drainage installations. In every region across North America, engineers, the association contends, transportation departments and contractors know they can trust concrete pipe as the most resilient choice to last for over 100 years. The video explores benefits and performance characteristics backing up that confidence:
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Strength. Precast concrete pipe is the strongest available in the drainage class, and manufactured to ASTM and AASHTO standards. As a composite structure, concrete and reinforcing steel bear respective compressive and tensile forces.
Resilience. Concrete pipe is resilient and durable or, in Webster’s words, “able to exist for a long time without significant deterioration.”
Dependability. Long-term performance is proven, not theoretical. Innovations in mix designs, product configuration and casting processes have made concrete pipe more reliable and dependable than ever.
Structure and conduit. Concrete pipe is a rigid product affording structure and conduit upon site arrival. Unlike flexible alternatives, it has little dependence on the surrounding soil for its structural performance.
Non-flammable. Concrete pipe will not burn, corrode prematurely, deflect or reduce hydraulic performance—or collapse under loads designed into its structure.
Cost and value. Concrete pipe easily meets service life demands, and remains the strongest, most hydraulically efficient, durable and environmentally friendly drainage solution available.
Environmental considerations. With its long service life, use of natural/recycled products and local availability, concrete pipe is environmentally friendly.
Ease and value of installation. Concrete’s strength facilitates successful installation, reducing owner, engineer and contractor liability. When proper installation is specified and affirmed through inspection, concrete pipe has the lowest installed cost against alternative drainage products.
Design/construction flexibility. Whether the project calls for open-cut, deep or shallow burial, tunnels or complex alignments, concrete pipe has the design and construction flexibility to meet engineer and owner demands.
Joint performance. Concrete pipe joints’ rigid profile allows for soil-tight to water-tight to pressure-rated designs.
Mass and hydraulic performance. Built-in features benefit design, installation and performance. Concrete pipe’s mass makes it more durable to install and resistant to flotation; rigidity and mass allow it to greatly outperform flexible pipe systems hydraulically.
Quality control. Concrete pipe has the most rigorous quality control testing in the drainage industry.
Sustainability. Capacity to perform as expected for the design life of a project is a fundamental engineering consideration, especially in today’s economic environment, where requirements have been set to ensure a sustainable buried infrastructure.