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Failure probabilities for plastic utility ducts in roadway trench reinstatements

Hounsome, I W S; Fairfield, Charles A

Authors

I W S Hounsome

Charles A Fairfield



Abstract

Wavin Industrial Products Limited arranged access in conjunction with Balfour Beatty Construction Limited and Bovis Construction Limited to the Braehead construction site, near Glasgow, to test a mixture of smooth bore and corrugated utility ducts in situ . Samples of all ducts were then parallel plate compression tested to BS EN 50086. Results of all site tests are presented with cumulative frequency charts showing the likelihood of a duct failing. Detailed analysis and discussion of the test results from site then follow. Key points arising from the field deformation measurements were: the stiffest ducts performed well; at no point did the vertical diametral strain exceed 5·3%. This indicated both good-quality duct and good-quality installation. Comparisons are drawn with other types of duct and the cumulative frequency plots revealed that duct stiffness played a major role in ensuring satisfactory performance. The vertical diametral strains are categorized with pass/fail decisions attached to each category. This paper casts doubt on the 450 N limiting force at 5% vertical diametral strain; the authors feel it is too low and that 700 kPa is a more suitable minimum specific stiffness. This was supported by a plot of failure probability against average specific stiffness from four different ducts tested in situ over the last five years.

Citation

Hounsome, I. W. S., & Fairfield, C. A. (2001). Failure probabilities for plastic utility ducts in roadway trench reinstatements. Proceedings of the ICE - Transport, 147(1), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1680/tran.2001.147.1.1

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date 2001-02
Deposit Date Feb 19, 2008
Print ISSN 0965-092X
Electronic ISSN 1751-7710
Publisher ICE Publishing
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 147
Issue 1
Pages 1-7
DOI https://doi.org/10.1680/tran.2001.147.1.1
Keywords Plastic pipes; Underground ducts; Failure; Loading; Stiffness; Parallel plate compression tests;
Public URL http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/id/eprint/1937
Publisher URL http://dx.doi.org.10.1680/tran.2001.147.1.1



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