Rehabilitation of 20" Fire Main at Dover Air Force Base

Rehabilitation of 20" Fire Main

Underground Solutions (UGSI) was contracted by Hopkins Construction to rehabilitate an existing underground fire main at Dover Air Force Base in Dover, Delaware.

The line that was rehabilitated ran under a road from the maintenance hangar to the valve vault across from the pump house. The host pipe was an existing 20-inch ductile iron pipe. The project scope consisted of:

Excavation of two pits
Cleaning the host pipe
Video inspection which showed deflected joints
Supply of 16-inch Duraliner™ PVC starting stock
Fusion and insertion of the Duraliner™ starting stock into the host pipe
Expansion of the Duraliner™ starting stock to meet the ID of the host pipe
Expansion of the ends to meet the outside diameter of the host pipe

The end expansion allowed for the attachment of 20-inch ductile iron fittings. The pits were then backfilled and pressure tested at the operating pressure of 175 psi. The total length of run that was rehabilitated was 120 feet.

Hopkins Construction provided the labor and equipment for the excavation of the pits, cleaning and video inspection as well as reconnection, backfill, site restoration and pressure testing. The UGSI team, which consisted of a site supervisor and four field technicians, completed the installation of the Duraliner™ system. The time for installation of the Duraliner™ process was three days.

Conclusion: The location of the existing lines made dig and replace a logistical challenge and a costly alternative. Underground Solutions™ supplied a cost effective alternative by successfully installing Duraliner™ as specified by the project. Hopkins Construction and Dover Air Force Base were both fully satisfied with the project completion and workmanship.

Fusing Duraliner™ Starting Stock	Completing Fused Joint
Inserting Fused Starting Stock	Expanding the Duraliner™
Fused, inserted, & expanded Duraliner™ application	Preparing the connections after expansion

Underground Solutions (UGSI) provides infrastructure technologies for water/wastewater applications, and conduit for applications ranging from electrical to fiber optics. UGSI's Fusible PVC™ products, including Fusible C-900®, Fusible C-905® and FPVC®, contain a proprietary PVC formulation that, when combined with UGSI's patented fusion process, results in a monolithic, fully-restrained, gasket-free, leak-free piping system. UGSI's Duraliner™ is a patented, close-fit pipeline renewal system creating a stand-alone structural liner.