Trenchless pipe installation minimizes disruption to upscale community
The Arlington Water Utilities Department also wanted to use a more rigid pipe product that would perform better in the neighborhood’s highly elastic clay-based soil, or “black gumbo,” which either drastically expands or contracts, depending on a season’s rain level. Based on the success of a similar previous project, Arlington Water Utilities Project Engineer Brad Franklin, PE, specified CertainTeed Certa-Lok Yelomine 8-in. SDR 21 PVC pipe for trenchless installation.
“We had a really good experience with CertainTeed PVC pipe on a previous project, and since this was our first project to utilize horizontal directional drill for sewer, we went with a sewer pipe that we felt would give us the best results,” Franklin said.
Positive feedback from homeowners
The city of Arlington hired a local contractor, Gra-Tex Utilities Inc., to install the new sewer line. Beginning work in December 2006, the Gra-Tex crew of seven was able to put in 2,800 ft. of Yelomine PVC pipe through the open trench method, but the remaining 3,500 ft. was installed with a Vermeer directional drill. The crew finished in early April of 2007.
The job ran smoothly (despite the very limited workspace) thanks to the trenchless installation method and easy assembly of the Yelomine PVC pipe.
“Our experience with CertainTeed PVC pipe has been very positive,” said Don Kemp, president of Gra-Tex Utilities. “Our production time was reduced due to our use of Yelomine PVC pipe, and that is a very important aspect of our job. We received several letters from the homeowners stating how satisfied they were with our company on the project. When you receive positive feedback, especially from homeowners, it makes you very proud of your personnel and the vendors who helped with the planning of the project.”
Performance-proven pipe
Certa-Lok Yelomine is performance-proven for a broad range of piping applications, including trenchless construction, potable water, sewer, irrigation and mining. Its innovative joining system, which uses a high-strength spline with an elastomeric O-ring inside to connect pipe lengths, reliably holds the pipe together when installed and pressurized. The product has many qualities that appeal to contractors, but its leak resistance, quick assembly (without the need for time-consuming and expensive joint fusion) and high impact resistance are what really stand out among the competition, according to CertainTeed.
“For more than 30 years, Yelomine has been making a name for itself with its groundbreaking restrained joint PVC pipe system and strong performance,” said Steve Gross, director of marketing and product development for CertainTeed’s Pipe & Plastics Group. “Yelomine’s impact-modified PVC material provides the long-lasting durability needed for sewer lines in the heavy clay soil of North Texas. We are pleased that the city of Arlington chose Certa-Lok Yelomine for this challenging sewer project.”
Valley Forge, Pa.-based CertainTeed Corp. provided this case history.