City of South San Francisco Utilizes FPVC® Pipe for Challenging Sewer Rehabilitation Project

City of South San Francisco Utilizes FPVC® Pipe for Challenging Sewer Rehabilitation Project - Material Properties Drive City Decision

In August 2008, Underground Solutions, Inc. (UGSI) contracted with JMB Construction to provide UGSI's FPVC® pipe and fusion services for the City of South San Francisco East of 101 Sewer Improvement Project. Project scope included 6,240 LF of FPVC® pipe installed via open cut and pipe burst for the gravity sewer section (10" - 27" diameter) and 2,980 LF of 12" FPVC® pipe installed via HDD for the force main section.

Following a detailed design analysis by consulting engineer Wilsey & Ham and the City of South San Francisco, FPVC® pipe was sole source specified for the project. For each pipe size, FPVC® pipe provided the required ID and flow while reducing pipe OD by 20% to 30% compared with thicker walled HDPE pipe. The smaller OD resulted in 20% to 40% less soil displacement during pipe bursting and HDD operations. In addition, PVC's higher modulus of elasticity eliminated concerns about long-term over deflection of the pipe, which the City has experienced with HDPE pipe in gravity sewer installations. Higher strength-to-weight ratio, superior buckling pressure, and resistance to hydrocarbon permeation were all key material property considerations.

City of South San Francisco Engineer Andy Tan stated: "The City was well satisfied with FPVC® pipe on this project. It gave the City the opportunity to install using trenchless methods where applicable."

Design Engineer Jeff Peterson, of Wilsey and Ham, commented: "UGSI performed and executed to the highest standards on the South San Francisco project."

John Burke, owner of JMB Construction, added: "UGSI did a great job and supported us well on the project. The job worked out very well and came in ahead of schedule. We saved a lot of money on the Forbes Avenue HDD section using FPVC® pipe. JMB looks forward to working with UGSI on an upcoming project which we recently won that was also specified around Fusible PVC™ pipe."

For additional project information, please contact Rob Craw at (925) 577-7566 or by e-mail at rcraw@undergroundsolutions.com

Fusion

Bursting

HDD

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.