Interflow Awards
The suitability of Expanda Pipe for renovating pipelines in seemingly inaccessible locations has been put to the test on projects located in Sydney's lower north shore. |
The Problem:
A pipeline at Longueville, on the lower north shore of Sydney was located at the base of a cliff on the foreshores of the harbour. The only access was via a steep staircase and vehicles could not get closer than 100 metres.
The area surrounding the pipeline was environmentally sensitive containing protected plants and ferns. Water flowing in a creek provided a further impediment to access.
The Solution:
Careful consideration of how the equipment could be carried and assembled for the job was required. Expanda Pipe can be installed well away from the support vehicles as the liner is manufactured at the point of installation, from a PVC profile strip. There is no need for heating in any part of the process.
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The Project:
The lnterflow crew rigged up a 'flying fox' to carry the Rib Loc Expanda Pipe winding machine down the nearest access chamber. Other equipment was carried in by hand. Expanda Pipe profile, cables and hoses were run from the support vehicle, down the staircase and through the bush.
Transporting and assembling of the equipment at the access chamber took a total of two hours. Once the set up was complete, pipeline rehabilitation proceeded in the normal way.
Radio communication was used between the installers at the access chamber and the controller at the support vehicle. From the support vehicle, the controller was able to monitor progress of the relining via closed circuit television.
The profile was sufficiently tough to be undamaged during its 100 metre journey from the vehicle, and winding it into the deteriorated pipe was straight forward.
The project was completed within a day, which included disassembly and retrieval of the equipment. The remote location and the need to be sensitive to environmental factors allowed the advantages of Rib Loc Expanda Pipe to be demonstrated.