The strength and durability of concrete is well known and widely used, however, its weight and density can limit its use for construction or rehabilitation projects. Enter Lightweight Cellular Concrete (LCC) and Low Density Cellular Concrete (LDCC).
This mixture, which is a slurry comprised of cement and water — contains air gaps purposely created by prefabricated foam. This allows this lower-density material to be flowable, meaning it can be used to reinforce spaces that were previously not possible, or perhaps considered beyond repair.
Here are just a few examples of how this versatile material can be used to create long-term solutions.
Often considered the same as sliplining. However, in the sense that DLVEWS considers culvert rehabilitation is a full service offering for any culvert or sewer needs. If a culvert needs rehabilitation it could include: a slipline design, a spot repair, joint repairs on RCP or other via the HydraTite mechanical joints seals, or full dig and replacement with a 100 year service life solution.
DLVEWS has engineered culvert lining solutions for all shapes and sizes, including but not limited to arches, ovals, rounds, box culverts, and bridges. Their products are designed to be flexible and easy to install, so your summer crews can become culvert lining installers during the winter.
All lining options provided to you by DLVEWS can be designed as a standalone product or direct bury structure, both of which meet most stringent DOT specifications and requirements.
As part of our commitment to client satisfaction, DLVEWS is available to perform on-site visits and culvert inspections. Our extensive history in the industry has left us with a thorough understanding of what to look for when inspecting a culvert for damage or deterioration.
We also offer technical assistance to all clients, which includes assistance with culvert specifications and drawings, transparent discussions about service quotes, and help understanding installation best management practices.
We recommend Snap-Tite because it’s the best in the industry, but we are more than happy to help guide you to an alternative culvert lining system. We want you to feel satisfied with your project outcome.
That question is a loaded one. It should first be said that rehab/sliplining will take a fraction of the time that dig and replace would take; hence one of it’s biggest benefits. The timeframe for a culvert rehab/sliplining project is dependent on many factors. Some of the items that should be considered for the time it takes to complete a slipline/rehab job include but are not limited to: length and diameter of the pipe, establishing bypass of the water if/as needed, any cleaning of the host pipe needed such as silt/rock/debris removal, grouting, job site clean up, and others.
Ultimately, 50-100 years but we often consider designing for closer to 75-100+ years as most of the materials are meant to last at least that long. All project aspects must be considered throughout design process including abrasion of the stream materials, pH of the water and soils, resistivity, pipe wall thicknesses, etc.
There are many methods of culvert rehabilitation which include but are not limited: paved inverts, sliplining or relining, dig and replace, or spot repair, joint repairs, structural plate lining and tunnel liner plate lining, spirally wound liners. DLVEWS, Inc. always focuses on pointing the customer towards the proper consideration that will meet their structural needs as well as their hydraulic needs; two of the most important criteria when considering a culvert rehab project.
At this time, folks have many options to choose from which makes culvert rehab a terrific option to consider any time something comes up. Even if a culvert is partially failed, do not hesitate to contact us for a potential solution. DLVEWS has been involved in many project recently where the pipe was already in severe condition and we were able to rehabilitate them.
One of the most expensive parts of a culvert lining project is the installation of a new pipe. If you want to cut down on costs but still maintain a long-lasting, fully functional culvert, then it’s time to think about using a culvert lining system such as Snap-Tite.
Snap-Tite has a proven record in the culvert rehabilitation business, and their products are designed to be cost-effective, flexible, and easy to install. No more overpriced installation teams. No more excessive excavation stress.
Just Snap-Tite, and it’s all right.
Channeline is a glass reinforced plastic; better known in the industry as GRP. A hyper-versatile solution for the stormwater and wastewater industry, Channeline can be used for some of the toughest environments including high H2S (hydrogen sulfide), brownfields, pH sensitive areas, highly salted areas, etc. It can be used to slipline and rehab culverts & sanitary sewers. It can also cover a wide range of live and dead loads. Channeline is often utilized in areas where excavation pits must remain minimized or alleviated. It can be designed in multi-piece segments to be lowered through existing manhole or access points as necessary.
Because of it’s versatility in design, Channeline has the ability to make unique shape offerings which will optimize your hydraulics while optimizing constructability. Unique shape solutions include, but not limited to:
Egg or Ovoid
Box Culverts
Box Culverts with a cunette for concentrating flow during low water events
Cattle crossing or pedestrian tunnel shapes (popular in railroad culverts)
Pipe Arches
Circular
And much more
DuroMaxx steel reinforced polyethylene (SRPE) pipe combines the strength of steel with the durability of plastic, resulting in an extraordinarily strong and durable pipe. DuroMaxx meets the long-term structural demands of the most difficult sanitary sewer, storm sewer, irrigation, stormwater detention, and wastewater projects.
Why is Culvert Rehabilitation Needed?
Culverts that were built 40 to 50+ years ago are beginning to fail and in some areas, this is happening at an alarming rate. Here’s what happens:
Metal culverts are vulnerable to abrasions from rocks that wash in from streams and wear the metal down (much like sandpaper to wood). Plus, because soil backfill loss weakens the metal’s structural integrity, concerns such as poor soil or poor water quality can wear down and corrode these types of pipes. Abrasions and the corrosion of the metal cause eventual leaks and/or failure.
Concrete pipes are more rigid than metal pipes, however, their weakness lies in their joints. These connection points naturally shift or crack (much like the way the foundation of a house “settles”). These cracks and joint separations increase in size over time, weakening the culvert through backfill loss and ultimately causing sinkholes and/or dangerous collapse.
So how can these culverts be rescued? It may seem that an “out with the old, in with the new” approach would make sense, but when referring to essential structures like culverts, this is rarely the best way forward. In fact, digging out existing pipes and replacing them is not an option in many areas, and/or the issues caused by a road shutdown would be largely problematic to the general public. When done correctly, repairs also last longer than a complete replacement — making culvert rehab increasingly necessary.
Some cities and municipalities may consider postponing these types of structural updates because of budgetary considerations, however, investing in strengthening culverts will help prevent dangerous and expensive problems — and DL VEWS can help before that happens. Almost always, culvert rehab will not only save money, but also prevent larger issues in the future and is more environmentally friendly. Luckily, today’s engineering advances, such as those employed by DL VEWS, have made the culvert rehab process safer, faster, and more cost-effective than culvert replacement — all while causing minimal to no disruption to traffic and the project’s surrounding areas.
How Does an Inspection Determine if Culvert Rehabilitation is Possible?
DL VEWS is here to take the concerns and guesswork out of your pipe rehab project. We believe in a hands-on approach, so we’ll meet with you right in the field. Our professionals assess the structure and project scope, and determine the best way to create a solution that will last for decades to come. In fact, our repair of your culvert may be the last one you’ll ever need as the service life of these solutions are 75-100 years +.
To determine if your pipe is a candidate for rehabilitation/repair, our team will investigate and review:
The exact materials used in the construction of the culvert, including existing coatings and any other details.
The alignment, or misalignment, of the pipes’ joints.
Prior inspection reports, especially noting changes that have occurred over time in the performance of the structure, such as its structural capacity.
Visible defects in the pipe, such as sections that have spalled, are missing rivets, or have deteriorating joints/connections.
The status of the areas surrounding the culvert, such as the road, end slopes, or runoff areas (paying special attention to the safety concerns inherent to working in the area).
Whether the flow of the structure is holding at its intended rate, or is impeded by some or all of the issues inside the pipe.
How is Culvert Rehabilitation Accomplished?
The exact approach for repairing your culvert will depend on its shape (e.g. circular, arched, egg-shaped, etc.), the original construction material, its location, the extent and type of damage, and the best replacement material. Here are our top methods, and the products we use to provide you with superior, long-lasting results that are also environmentally sound.
Sliplining
The most commonly-used, and generally most effective, approach of culvert rehab is sliplining. In simple terms, this is the process: Folks take sections of new pipe, attach them to each other, and slip them into an existing pipe. The new pipe is then grouted by pumping in material such as low-density cellular concrete in between the new and old pipes. Because this specialized material is self-leveling and self-compacting, the strengthening result is immediate. The below products are ideal for accomplishing a more permanent solution when completing a sliplining project.
Snap-Tite HDPE Culvert Lining System
Snap-Tite’s patented male-female machining “snap” together, creating a tight seal, and can be used for circular or oval culverts ranging from 8 to 63 inches diameter. The Snap-Tite lining system comes in pre-fabricated sections, meaning less working space is needed throughout the duration of the repair. Once complete, flow rate can be vastly improved due to the smooth internal surface of the Snap-Tite pipe, which provides an improved coefficient of friction vs. the prior damaged metal culvert. The addition of a HydroBell at the inlet can improve the entrance loss coefficient and overall capacity of the culvert by 30%.
Weholite
Lightweight, ASTM F894 piping is a superior piping product used for culvert lining from 18 inches inside diameter to 132 inches inside diameter. Made from high-density polyethylene (HDPE) Weholite pipes provide a 100-year design life with chemically inert, superior loading capacity. These products can also be utilized for fabricated structures such as manholes, pump stations, combined sewer storage, and much more.
Spirolite
Also a high density polyethylene plastic piping F894 product, Spirolite can be used for culvert lining. Spirolite’s products are bell and spigot connections used to meet stringent joint requirements for circular sewers.
Channeline
While Channeline Glass Reinforced Plastic products were initially born out of sanitary sewer reconstruction needs, culverts with more unique shapes also benefit from their versatility and strength. This is one of the most versatile culvert and sewer lining materials offering very unique geometries that are fully structural. If your rehab project also incorporates combined sewers and/or large diameter sanitary sewers, you can be confident in our ability to complete your repair with Channeline products.
Contech
Slipining products from CONTECH include DuroMaxx®, Corrugated Metal Pipes (Aluminum, ALT2, UltraFlo), and CONTECH Tunnel Liner Plate & MultiPlate. Your project may call for these solutions when metal pipes are the most ideal candidate for the sliplining process; however, you can be sure that unlike the metal of the past, the metal in these pipes will withstand the test of time.
Joint Repair
To fix failing/cracking joints, which are most commonly found in concrete pipes (though metal pipes can fall victim as well), internal bands are applied inside the pipe at each connection point. HydraTech’s innovative product, HydraTite bands, provide multiple benefits for this purpose.
These EPDM rubber bands are installed and then fastened permanently to the host pipe with stainless steel retaining bands. Once installed, the failing joints will never have to be mortared again. The backfill loss will be mitigated and future sinkholes will not be an issue.
Because pipe failures can increase in severity in the winter months, the HydraTite product for the joint repair process is ideal for culvert repairs that need to be completed regardless of the season.
It’s important to note that traditional rehab methods such as shotcrete, coatings, or spot repair, can still be used to complete a rehabilitation project when applicable. However, these methods are far less needed when the stronger, more reliable approaches mentioned above are employed.
Why is DL VEWS the Best Choice for Your Culvert Rehabilitation or Sewer Rehabilitation Project?
When you need to repair culverts, sewers, or other essential structures, you want the confidence of working with a company that has a strong track record and provides rehab installation expertise with long-term viability. After all, once it’s done, it’s much better not to repeat the process again in a few years! In addition to staying within your budget, you will have the ability to rehabilitate all sizes and types of existing culverts and sewers, provide environmentally-friendly repair solutions, cause minimal disruption to the areas surrounding the project, and complete the project quickly with superior workmanship.
As the most hands-on group in the industry today, DL VEWS is pleased to provide you with all of these benefits, along with the most versatile program offerings and the most sustainable solutions.
Getting Started
We appreciate your consideration of DL VEWS. We know that finding the right company to trust with the safety and vitality of your infrastructure is not a decision to be taken lightly. We appreciate the opportunity to discuss your project and create a customized solution that fits your needs and your budget.
