to identify the best approach to satisfy the unique dynamics of the job, both in terms of the physical environment as well as budget. Technologies to Watch In addition to alter- native approaches, novel technologies will also gain greater adoption in the next 12 months. Part of this will be driven by the infrastructure bill, which prioritizes technologies that are cost-effective, made in America and more sustainable. The Fed- eral government will continue to drive the growth of trenchless technologies and will accelerate the pace of
project completion. This will also have a tremendous impact on small diameter pipe rehabilitation, which represents 80-85 percent of the repairable inventory in the United States. Continued adoption of the Cured-In-Place Pipe process (CIPP) and UV liners are expected over the next several months. As the most common and proven form of trenchless technology, CIPP provides unbeatable performance, quality, and versatility that is especially needed now. CIPP’s technology enables it to be strong and structurally indepen- dent, enabling its design to determine how much it should rely on the host pipe for any structural strength contribution. It’s the fastest, least disruptive and most cost-effective pipe rehabilitation solution. Unlike most CIPP liners, UV liners are cured by ultraviolet light rather than thermo cure which uses steam or water. Both technologies have unique efficiencies and in the case of our own UV offering, it reduces footprint and emissions. Geopolymers offer several advantages compared to conventional con- crete, which contributes to the growing use of this material in trench- less, structural renewal of raw storm and wastewater infrastructure. Both bursting and lining water technologies will also see increased use over the next several months. Such water technologies are very attractive as they can repair twice the amount of water utilities without increasing the cost. Bursting’s fracturing and displacing technology for existing buried sewer lines allows simultaneous replacement with new pipes. Water liners such as our new water epoxy, TIPP H20, eliminates the traditional labor- and digging-intensive line removal and replace- ment of potable water lines.
Robotics have steadily made inroads in pipe rehabilitation projects, and that’s expected to continue. As a provider of robotic, lining and software infrastructure solutions, we’re excited to facilitate greater use of robotic products to help transform the industry and simplify repairs. Electric and battery-operated options are available to perform a myriad of tasks in small or hard-to-reach sections of pipe, including descal- ing, removing debris, installing lateral plugs and connection seals, and performing point repairs. Additionally, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the assessment phase will continue to grow. Our Protocol Type Assessment Certification Protocol is an example of the strategic appli - cation of AI to aid engineers in deploying CIPP rehabilitation quickly and accurately. While material availability may continue to prove challenging over the next 12 months, the new year holds more opportunities than ever for engineers to investigate new approaches and technologies. This ultimately benefits customers, as it expands the options available for any given project to ensure the method selected is truly the best in terms of performance, longevity and cost. Understanding the trends that will most impact the industry will enable engineers to be nimble and responsive regardless of supply chain disruptions.
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csengineermag.com
DECEMBER 2021
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