Using Corrugated Steel Pipes for Drainage Under Roadways and Avoiding Collapses

Corrugated steel pipes can be an effective option for rainwater drainage. However, if you are lying corrugated steel pipe beneath a roadway, you need to take steps to ensure your pipes don't collapse. Here's some tips to guide you:

1. Thoroughly research your load demands.

When you order corrugated steel pipes, you are likely to find a range of thicknesses with the ability to bear different weights. Research the weight that is likely to be on your roadway thoroughly. Consider the material and weight of the road itself as well as the amount and type of traffic that uses that road.

Ideally, you should monitor the traffic during your investigative phase to help guide you toward the right types of pipes.

2. Add arches.

Also, consider insulating your corrugated steel drainage pipes from the weight above them by reinforcing them. You can add metal or stonework arches above your corrugated steel pipes, and that helps to keep weight off them, and thus, makes them less likely to collapse.

3. Corral your tree roots.

Tree roots are incredibly strong, and if unchecked, they can break through cement or even steel. To reduce the risk of nearby tree roots piercing your corrugated steel pipes, consider adding root barriers. Even if the trees are already in place, you can add these useful barriers.

Before laying your pipes, simply trim any of the tree roots that come into the space near your them. Then, put down your steel pipes and add the root barriers around them. When the roots hit these barriers, they will simply stop and then grow in another direction.

4. Monitor your pipes.

Although corrugated steel pipes are strong, especially if you take the above ideas into consideration, they can still become damaged. Ideally, you should monitor your pipes. Periodically, send a camera into your steel pipes and assess their condition.

If you see a small issue or hole, you can easily patch it. Similarly, if a bit of pipe has rusted, you can replace that section. In contrast, if you don't monitor your corrugated steel drainage pipes, if they start breaking down for any reason, you won't know, and unfortunately, that means that you cannot respond. As a result, your steel pipes are likely to rust even more, and eventually, they may even collapse.

For more tips on supporting corrugated steel pipes and avoiding collapses, contact a corrugated steel pipe expert, such as Corrugated Metal Pipe Manufacturing PTY LTD.


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