Precast Concrete Box Culverts Serve Dual Purpose in Lake ... · Most recently, the Q-Cast quality assurance pro-gram of the ACPA is making an impact, globally. The “Quality Cast”

• Precast Concrete Box CulvertsServe Dual Purpose in Lake Ontario

• New Canadian Bridge DesignStandards Published

• South Dakota DOT Uses RCPEnergy Dissipators

Volume 53 No. 2 Summer 2001

Opinions expressed by authors other than staffof the American Concrete Pipe Association donot necessarily reflect the official positions orpolicies of the Association.

AmericanConcrete Pipe

Association

This issue:

Volume 53, Number 2Summer 2001

Concrete Pipe News is designed to provide acommunication forum for the concrete pipeindustry to facilitate the exchange ofinformation regarding product use andapplications, industry technology and trendsamong members of the American ConcretePipe Association, contractors, engineers,vendors, suppliers and other interestedparties.

American Concrete Pipe Association Staff

John J. DuffyPresident

Mike SaubertDirector of Marketing

Josh BeakleyDirector of Technical Services

Matt ChildsDirector of Engineering Services

Carol LeSueurDirector of Member Services

Wendy LambertController

Media Task GroupScott Olson, ChairmanThe Cretex CompaniesElk River, Minnesota

Bill GardnerMadison Concrete Pipe, Inc.Madison, Wisconsin

Walter KrahnInland Pipe LimitedCalgary, Alberta

Bill HobsonN C ProductsRaleigh, North Carolina

Merle HeadingtonZeidlers, Inc.Waterloo, Iowa

Contract Editorial StaffA. Grant LeeAGL Marketing LimitedExecutive Editor

Gary WilderWilder StudiosProduction

Published by:

American Concrete Pipe Association222 W. Las Colinas Blvd., Suite 641Irving, Texas 75039-5423Phone: (972) 506-7216Fax: (972) 506-7682E-mail: [email protected]

Table of ContentsRegular DepartmentsPresident’s Report ............................................................................................ 3From Association President John J. Duffy

Industry Spotlight ............................................................................................. 4For nearly three decades, Don Schmidgall, Vice President of Marketing with TheHawkeye Group, Inc., has contributed to production efficiencies and quality of concretepipe products through his work as a leading supplier of pipe manufacturing machineryand as an ACPA Associate Member. Learn more about manufacturing automation,robotics and the future of pipe manufacturing from this suppliers viewpoint.

FeaturesNew Plant Produces Quality Concrete Pipe in the United Arab Emirates ............ 5Work on Advanced Pipes And Cast Company’s reinforced concrete pipe plant began inearly 1997, making use of state-of-the-art technology in pipe production processes andequipment. Since then it has achieved ISO registration and the ACPA’s Q-Castcertification. The plant recently won a prestigious national award that recognizes highquality production and product.

Global Growth of the ACPA Plant Certification Program ..................................... 6Paul D. Krauss, P.E., Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, describes his travels to AdvancedPipes and Cast Company in the U.A.E. to certify the plant under the ACPA’s Q-CastProgram. He provides insight into the production techniques and challenges inproducing quality pipe in this hot, arid region of the world.

New Canadian Bridge Design Standards Published ........................................... 9The new code provides comprehensive, updated requirements for highway bridges, andsupports a national transportation system with uniform minimum standards and designfor loads for bridges on inter-provincial highways. It includes requirements for theengineered soil, and dimensions of buried circular and elliptical pipe, boxes, archesand three-sided boxes.

Precast Concrete Box Culverts Used as Groynes and Aquatic Habitat .............. 10With the use of precast concrete box culverts for groynes and the associatedpossibilities of enhancing aquatic habitat, a new application has been established forprecast concrete products. Centennial Concrete Pipe & Products Inc., Cambridge,Ontario, supplied the box units and assisted with the engineering.

South Dakota DOT Breaks New Ground with Reinforced Concrete Pipe ............ 12The South Dakota D.O.T. made history with an emergency culvert pipe replacementproject on Highway 34 in Buffalo County by using energy dissipators in RCP under amajor roadway. The D.O.T. used the new Standard Installation specification forinstalling the pipe. South Dakota Concrete Pipe, Pierre, S.D., assisted with the design ofthe pipe and bedding using PipePac 2000 software.

Cover Photo: Twenty-four8-inch pumps empty water

from the trench whereover 920 meters (3,018 ft.) of1800-mm (72-inch) diameter

precast reinforced concrete pipewas installed nearAbu Dhabi, U.A.E.

Inset Photo: The epoxy coating on pipes provide

added protection from in-situchlorides and sulfates.

President'sReport

continued on page 14

John J. Duffy

Think globally and act locally was the eco-nomic and political mantra for many businessesand governments throughout the 1980s and early1990s. For an industry with a North American his-tory approaching two centuries, many concretepipe producers thought that global marketplacesand forces did not quite have a place in daily busi-ness activities. After all, concrete pipe plants tradi-tionally serve a market area within a couple ofhundred miles from the plant. What possible ben-efit would thinking globally have on a local enter-prise? National issues were, and still are, viewedby many as the ones that really matter.

That was yesterday. Internet technology andrecent trans-national trade agreements have openedthe gates to global influences on local markets.There are no longer any true national borders inthe information age. Information flows freely intoand out of the offices of Corporate America. Inseconds, Internet technology can produce infor-mation that collapses the decision making processto minutes and hours, instead of days, weeks andyears. Trans-national trade agreements bring withthem standards and specifications from other coun-

tries, that impact on local operations.For example, the concrete pipe industry in the

United States and Canada recently joined forces totackle the pipe tie-down issue for shipping con-crete pipe throughout North America. Impetus forthe cooperative effort was provided by NAFTA.PipePac, the software program for aiding engineersand specifiers in pipe product choices, is used in-ternationally. Since 1997, it has been made avail-able from Web sites in Canada and the UnitedStates. Concrete Pipe News, ACPA’s quarterly maga-zine, is distributed in the U.S., Canada and morethan 25 foreign countries. National borders wereignored, and the concrete pipe industry has ben-efited greatly by its use.

Most recently, the Q-Cast quality assurance pro-gram of the ACPA is making an impact, globally.The “Quality Cast” Plant Certification Program hasa 124-point audit-inspection feature that covers theinspection of materials, finished products, andhandling/storage procedures, as well as perfor-mance testing and quality control documentation.This program, similar in some respects to the in-ternational ISO registration program, presents acomprehensive quality assurance program for theconcrete pipe industry that enhances both the lo-cal and global credibility of a business. Ocean Con-struction Supplies Limited in Vancouver, B.C. wasthe first company in North America, outside of theU.S. to achieve Q-Cast certification. Advanced Pipesand Cast Company in Abu Dhabi, United ArabEmirates (U.A.E.) received its certification in 2000,and became the first globally certified plant. Theconcrete pipe industry’s quality assurance programsare second to none in the world’s drainage pipeindustry.

This issue of Concrete Pipe News demonstratessuccesses of quality assurance programs of mem-ber firms in the U.S., Canada, and around the worldthat have excelled because of the quality of theirplants and products. Our Industry Spotlight focuseson Don Schmidgall of The Hawkeye Group whoshares his perspective of changes in equipmentused for pipe production. And this issue’s techni-cal section highlights the new Canadian BridgeDesign Standards published by Canadian StandardsAssociation (CSA).

Our cover story features the construction of anew concrete pipe plant based entirely on qualityassurance. The award-winning plant is now pro-

Global Influence onQuality Pipe Production

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IndustrySpotlight


Don H. SchmidgallAssociate Members of the American Concrete

Pipe Association play a significant role in the de-velopment of new equipment and services to theprecast concrete pipe industry.Their efforts directly contribute toproduction efficiencies and qual-ity of products offered by concretepipe producers. Many AssociateMembers take an active interest inthe activities of the Association, andserve on committees and taskgroups. Don Schmidgall, VicePresident of Marketing with TheHawkeye Group, Inc., Mediapolis,Iowa, is one such member. Heserves the ACPA through his workon the Associate Members Execu-tive Committee and GovernmentRelations Committee.

During his undergraduateyears, Don worked in many areasof Hawkeye’s Mediapolis plant asa machine fabricator. Upon gradu-ation from Iowa State University in 1974, with aBachelor of Science degree in Engineering Opera-tions, he was hired by Hawkeye as Vice President,Marketing.

Reflecting upon his work over the last threedecades, he said, “The really nice thing about mycareer is the travel that allows me to see a widerange of concrete pipe production operations, meetall kinds of fine people, and tour exceptionalplants.”

In addition to his duties at Hawkeye, Don isinvolved as a Director on several Boards of areabusinesses and a charitable foundation.

We asked Don to talk about change in themanufacturing of equipment used in the produc-tion of reinforced concrete pipe. Here is what hehad to say.

Q: Over the past 20 years, the manufacturingprocess for reinforced concrete pipe has changeddramatically. What has changed the most?

Schmidgall: Our industry’s manufacturing plantshave become much more sophisticated and flex-ible. Where we used to see plants set up to justmanufacture round pipe, now they have the ver-satility to also produce non-round pipe, box sec-tions, manholes, and related products. The use ofautomation and new technology has also made abig impact, and we’re seeing more sophisticatedmachinery with quicker change-over times to maxi-mize plant efficiency and agility.

Q: Machine tolerances are critical to maintainconsistency of pipe products. How do membersmonitor tolerances in the production process?

Schmidgall: This is a very impor-tant question. The first step be-gins with management. Qualityoriented plants have that attitudeinstilled in their employees. Theyestablish procedures and see thatthey are carried out. Raw materi-als need to be inspected. Thereneeds to be a scheduled proce-dure for maintaining, inspecting,and measuring form sets and jointrings against specified tolerancesand industry standards. Also, in-tegrating a test line into the manu-facturing process permits eachproduct to be vacuum tested andgauged. This goes a long way to-ward ensuring that only qualitypipe leaves the plant.

Q: For someone who has neverseen how concrete pipe is produced, what wouldthey find most surprising?

Schmidgall: I think that people form perceptionsabout concrete pipe manufacturing based on whatthey see in their day-to-day activities. They seeconcrete being poured into a mold and left to setovernight, indeed a slow process. So, when thesefolks tour a concrete pipe production facility, theyare first of all, impressed with the speed of pro-duction and the immediate de-molding of the prod-uct. They’re also amazed at the sophistication ofthe equipment used to produce the pipe and thequality of the finished product. Their eyes openwide and they go away with a new appreciationof precast concrete drainage products.

Q: Total automated plants and robotic systemsare appearing throughout the concrete pipe indus-try. Where do you see this technology taking theconcrete pipe industry over the next 20 years?

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Advanced Pipes and Cast Company W.L.L.(APACC), an International Member of theAmerican Concrete Pipe Association, beganlife in 1996 as a manufacturing facility for aconstruction company, Bin Hafeez Establish-ment (B.H.E.). The United Arab Emirates isa developing country, which 40 years agohad very little infrastructure. New roads arebeing constructed to link existing towns andvillages. Sewerage, drainage and storm wa-ter networks are being laid, and residentialareas planned. Consequently, there is room

in the marketplace for small to medium sizedconstruction companies. Supplying materi-als to these companies is an area that has nodefined limits, and it is relatively easy fornew manufacturers or products to establishthemselves.

The beginning of oil production in theregion sparked an urgent necessity to pro-vide living and working accommodations,together with all supporting amenities, forthe flood of people pouring into the coun-try. As with all projects undertaken in a great

By M. Boon, Quality Manager • Advanced Pipes and Cast Company W.L.L., • Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates • (011) 971-2-551-1400

Seven lines of 1400-mm (54-inch) diameter reinforced concrete pipe converge in a manhole where a 2400-mm (96-inch)diameter line will transport the water to a treatment station.

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c o n c r e t e p i p e n e w s f e a t u r e s t o r y

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hurry, more attentionwas paid to physical re-sults than to quality.Outside of the oil indus-try itself, quality has be-come an issue in the lastsix to ten years, and en-vironmental issues areonly now beginning tobe addressed by privateindustry.

The policy of no-compromise with re-spect to the quality of itsproduct, led Advanced Pipes and Cast Companyto adopt the bold step toward vertical integra-tion in its line of business. The prime objectiveof its integration was to ensure better controlover the company’s products by controlling thesource of the materials required to produce them.

In the beginning, Advanced Pipes and CastCompany relied upon the resources and skills

The American Concrete Pipe Association’s “Q-Cast” Plant CertificationProgram became international in January 2000, when Ocean ConstructionSupplies Limited in Vancouver, British Columbia achieved ACPA certification.Global growth occurred in December 2000, when Advanced Pipes and CastCompany (W.L.L.), located in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, achievedACPA certification.

I was fortunate to participate in the certification audit of Advanced Pipesand Cast Company. To get to Abu Dhabi from Chicago (where WJE is head-quartered), you can travel east, west or north. My flight was 11,880 km (7,384miles) and included two legs, Chicago to London Heathrow 6,360 km (3,953miles), and London Heathrow to Abu Dhabi 5,520 km (3,431 miles). Thetime difference between Abu Dhabi and Chicago is 10 hours.

I arrived in Abu Dhabi after traveling for 18 hours, and was warmlygreeted at the airport by Poul Jacobsen, the Plant Manager, and Nasser, thePlant QC Inspector. It was about 8 p.m. Friday night, their only day off. Theplant operates 6 days a week, observing Friday as the holy day.

After discussing the next few days’ schedule, I departed with the driversent by the hotel to meet me. The Mafraq Hotel is remote, but very pleasantand modern. The hotel was nearly deserted since I had arrived in the middleof Ramadan, the 9th month of the Islamic year, observed as sacred with fast-ing practiced from dawn to sunset. The hotel staff was excited to see theiralmost sole customer.

Advanced Pipes and Cast Company manufactures pipe with diametersfrom 600-mm (24-inch) to 2400-mm (96-inch) in diameter. Most of the pipeis lined using HDPE, and the liner joints are field welded. The plant was pro-ducing unlined pipe during the inspection, which allowed me to better in-spect the barrel appearance, D-Load and hydrostatic testing. The plant ap-plied for the more difficult Combined Stormwater and Sanitary certification.

I was picked up from the hotel and driven the 15 minutes to the plant.The main road is a modern four-lane divided highway, complete with peri-odic jarring speed bumps. To avoid the occasional congestion caused byconstruction or accidents, trucks often drive off the pavement and some-times become stuck as deep as their axles in the soft sand. I saw several onmy way to the plant.

The one-km road leading to the plant was under construction. It was adirt road that parallels, and occasionally crosses, the new pavement not yetopened. Very rutted and with severe dips, it would not have been passablewithout our four-wheel drive vehicle. I made a mental note to take a closelook at the pipe loading procedures at the plant.

I learned that the plant received ISO 9001 certification in 1998 (oneyear after commencing operations), and ISO 14001 certification for environ-mental management in 1999. In 1999 the plant also received Gold recogni-tion for the Sheik Khalifa Industry Award as well as the Sheik Khalifa Excel-lence Award. It was clear when I inspected the modern, well-maintained pipemanufacturing equipment in the plant that the management team had done agreat job.

Advanced Pipes and Cast Company faces several challenges due to theirlocation in a hot and dry desert climate. Daily high temperatures range from20 to 35° C (68 to 95° F) in the winter, and 38 to 45° C (100 to 113° F) in thesummer. Water is scarce with the average annual rainfall of only 110 mm(4.3 inches), which occurs mainly between December and March. When I

that B.H.E. already hadin place to support therapid growth it had ex-perienced in the previ-ous five years. These in-cluded huge capital in-vestments in plant andequipment, a special-ized management teamfocused on quality, andthe outstanding financialsecurity of B.H.E.

Work on the rein-forced concrete pipe

plant began in early 1997, making use of state-of-the-art technology in pipe production pro-cesses and equipment. It employed experiencedstaff to ensure that the reinforced concrete pipeproduced would consistently meet the high stan-dards that it had set for itself, and that all thoseinvolved in the operation of machinery, receivedextensive training from suppliers. This is a prac-

Global Growth of the ACPAPlant Certification ProgramPaul D. Krauss, P.E.,Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Northbrook, Illinois(847) 272-7400

Advanced Pipes and Cast Company plant encompassesover 13,900 square meters (150,000 sq. ft.) with ampleroom for yarding.

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tice that continues whenever new machinery ortechnology is introduced.

The first test pipe was produced in July 1997.By November, Advanced was producing pipe

arrived in December, it had not rained for over a year.The plant has several underground tanks to hold or recycle water. Due

to the hot climate, noheat curing is needed.During the hot summermonths the pipes arecooled to preventcracking and highconcrete temperatures.Immediately afterfinishing, each pipe isindividually wrapped inplastic sheeting tomaintain the moisturewithin the concrete.

Quality aggregatesare difficult to obtain inAbu Dhabi, so aggre-gates are trucked in fromAl ‘Ain which is over 150km (93 miles) away. Theplant has a single primary concrete mix design that has been carefully opti-mized for pipe production. The moisture content of the aggregates is closelymonitored, and the mix water is adjusted. The aggregate is stored in coveredbins and cooled with water during hot weather.

During the inspection, several people mentioned the current “cool”weather. With daytime highs near 23° C (73° F), it felt wonderful to me forDecember and coming from Chicago. Correspondence overseas is best-doneusing E-mail and the Internet. After checking my e-mail, I found that our

office in Chicago was closing early due to a snow emergency, with over 24inches (600 mm) of blowing snow. The sun and heat felt even better.

The two-day inspection included the review of plant manuals, QC pro-cedures, calibration records, raw material test reports, pipe test reports; in-spection of production practices; measurement and testing of pipe in stock;testing of concrete and gaskets; review of product repair, storage, and ship-

ping; as well as many other aspects of quality control. Be-ing ISO-certified, Advanced Pipes has developed extensiverecords that are well organized and well maintained.Complementing ISO certification with ACPA certification isbeneficial since the ACPA certification is specifically de-signed for concrete pipe while ISO certification is broadbased. ISO certification procedures tend to be procedur-ally-oriented, while ACPA certification is product (pipe)quality-oriented.

The ACPA certification requires successful comple-tion of unique hydrostatic tests of pipe joints in the maxi-mum off-center loading, and structural proof tests of pipejoints performed on pipe randomly selected from stock bythe auditor. More standard three-edge bearing tests andhydrostatic tests must also be passed during the audit on

randomly selected pipe. The ISO and ACPA certifications are complimentaryand together show a clear dedication to quality.

Most specifications in the UAE reference British standards, and mostwork uses metric units. The inclusion of foreign plants in the certificationprogram provides ACPA an opportunity to closely compare the US and Brit-ish standards and update the ACPA certification manual with both US and

for its first project. Early in 1998, Advanced Pipesand Cast Company W.L.L. was registered as aseparate, independent entity.

September 1998 saw confirmation of APACC’scommitment to quality when the company hadits quality management system certified to ISO9001: 1994. A significant number of the Ad-vanced Pipe’s staff is trained to be internal qualityauditors and carry-out this function in additionto their every day jobs.

During the following nine months, AdvancedPipes & Cast Company redesigned the spigot ofits pipe and modified the plant’s operations toimprove the speed and efficiency of the pro-duction process, while enhancing the quality ofthe product. In parallel with these developments,the management team identified the environ-mental aspects related to the factory and pro-duction processes, and implemented its Envi-ronmental Management System (E.M.S.). Fourpercent of staff is qualified to audit E.M.S., and

A 2400-mm (96-inch) diameter Class IV reinforced concretepipe undergoes a three-edge bearing test as part of AdvancedPipes and Cast Company’s extensive quality assurance

Pipe mould beinglowered into theproduction pit.

Production of steel reinforcementcages at Advanced Pipes’ plant.

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Advanced Pipes and Cast Company W.L.L. wasestablished in 1997 to supply reinforced concretepipe to the United Arab Emirates marketplace.The plant is equipped with two pipe machinesand covers an area of approximately 13,935square meters (150,000 square feet.) It receivedits “Q-Cast” plant certification from ACPA in 2000,and produces a variety of concrete pipe prod-ucts ranging in size from 600-mm diameter (24-inch) to 2400-mm (96-inch) diameter. In addi-tion to reinforced concrete pipe, the plant alsoproduces all kinds of pipe related fittings.

Client: Sewerage Projects CommitteeGovernment of Abu Dhabi

Project: Abu Dhabi Social ServicesContract 219/B, Surface WaterDrainage,Khalifa City B, Abu Dhabi

Contractor: Nael & Bin Harmal HydroexportEstablishment

Quantities: 4,473 meters (14,675 feet) of 2400-mm (96-inch) diameter RCP4,038 meters (13,248 feet) of 2000-mm (78-inch) diameter RCP920 meters (3,018 feet) of 1800-mm(72-inch) diameter RCP742 meters (2,434 feet) of 1600-mm(60-inch) diameter RCP1,057 meters (3,468 feet) of 1400-mm (54-inch) diameter RCP580 meters (1,903 feet) of 1200-mm(48-inch) diameter RCP1,832 meters (6,010 feet) of 900-mm(36-inch) diameter RCP989 meters (3,245 feet) of 700-mm(27-inch) diameter RCP627 meters (2,057 feet) of 600-mm(24-inch) diameter RCP

Producer: Advanced Pipes and Cast CompanyW.L.L.Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

in July 1999, the system was registered ISO14001: 1996. The safety manual is an inte-gral part of the E.M.S., and there is one per-son for every 12 employees qualified in firstaid.

Advanced PipeSecures Major Project

In 1999, APACC secured a contract to sup-ply approximately 15 km (9.5 miles ) of re-inforced concrete pipe, in nine different di-ameters, on a project for the SewerageProjects Committee of the Government ofAbu Dhabi. Known as 219/B, the project wasa surface drainage system using reinforcedconcrete pipe.

The purpose of the project was to installa storm water drainage system for a newresidential area. Most of the product was sup-plied in 1999, but delivery of the productdid not go according to plan because exca-vators broke through the ceiling of severalcaverns, and discovered an undergroundbrackish lake in one of them. The pipelinecould not be diverted from its route, so en-gineers had to find a way to divert the lake– at least temporarily. This required someinnovative thinking from the project man-ager because re-routing a lake through adesert is not a common occurrence! Theproject manager and the design team accom-plished the diversion by installing twenty-four 8-inch water pumps that operated non-stop for 144 hours, while the pipe was in-stalled and covered with concrete.

Pipe was placed at an average depth of6 meters (20 feet); approximately 4.5 meters(15 feet) below the water table that is nor-mally not more than 1.5 meters (5 feet) fromthe surface. Because of the quality of thepipe, and the perseverance of productionand field staff to ensure that the pipe was

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The Canadian Standards Association (CSA)recently introduced the latest edition of theCAN/CSA-S6-00 Canadian Highway BridgeDesign Code. Developed in cooperation withprovincial regulators from across Canada, thecode provides comprehensive, updated re-quirements for highway bridges. It replacestwo previous publications: OHBDC-91-01,Ontario Highway Bridge Design Code, 3rd Edi-tion, and CAN/CSA-S6-88, Design of HighwayBridge Structures.

CAN/CSA-S6, The Canadian HighwayBridge Design Code, supports a national trans-portation system with uniform minimum stan-dards and design loads for bridges on inter-provincial highways. This consistency makesit easier and more cost-effective to design, con-struct and maintain interprovincial highways,and to transport goods between jurisdictions.

The new standard includes requirementsfor engineered soil and for the selection ofthe structural properties and dimensions ofburied structural systems, including precastconcrete circular and ellipticalpipe, boxes and segmentalstructures including arches andthree-sided boxes. The newstandard also specifies the con-struction procedures, the prop-erties and dimensions of the en-gineered soil components, andthe requirements for construc-tion supervision.

One significant revision tothe standards is the inclusionof Standard Installations to cal-culate induced soil-pressure

and internal force components on precast con-crete pipe. The Standard Installations are aresult of a long range research program bythe ACPA on the interaction of buried con-crete pipe and soil. The four Standard Instal-lations are defined by the types and densitiesof the bedding and embedment soils requiredfor each installation type. The procedure re-places the historical B, C and D beddings withthe four new Standard Installations.

The four Standard Installations provide anoptimum range of soil-pipe interaction char-acteristics. For the relatively high quality ma-terials and high compaction effort of a Type 1Installation, a lower strength pipe is required.Conversely, a Type 4 Installation requires ahigher strength pipe, because it was devel-oped for conditions of little or no control overmaterials or compaction. Much of the designphilosophy developed for concrete pipe us-ing Standard Installations has also been incor-porated into precast concrete box culvert de-sign in the new Canadian Standard.

The design of the pipe wall structure inthe new CSA Standard follows the standardprinciples of reinforced concrete design. Con-crete pipe designs are controlled by the limit

states of flexure, shear or di-agonal tension, as well as thecombined effect of shear andradial tension. The standardalso includes provisions forcrack control.

The code is available in anumber of convenient formatsin both English and French. Itcan be purchased as a hardcopy, or as a down-loadablePDF from the CSA online storeat www.csa.ca or call 1-800-463-6727.

Paul Smeltzer, P. Eng.,Ontario Concrete Pipe Association, andMatt Childs, P.E.,American Concrete Pipe Association

CSA Publishes New CanadianBridge Design Standards

CSA Publishes New CanadianBridge Design Standards

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Precast concrete box culverts do more than chan-nel runoff to provide safe crossing of waterways anddrainage systems. They are used as structures forpeople and animals to pass safely under railways andmajor roadways. They also serve as storage structuresfor storm water to prevent flooding, and tunnels fortraffic. Availability, durability, and speed of installa-tion, factor significantly into the specification of pre-cast box units.

Now, precast concrete box culverts have beenused as water deflectors (known as groynes), with avalue-added ecological feature. This application in-troduces a 21st century way of thinking to solve acomplex problem involving industrial requirements,local tourism/recreation trade, and safe use of water-front amenities in a major city.

The Dalhousie Yacht Club, founded in 1935, is awell-developed destination on the south shore of LakeOntario, in the province of Ontario, a few miles westof the Welland Canal. In 1988, St. Catharines’ Hydro-Electric Commission built the Heywood GeneratingStation upstream of the yacht club. There were strongcurrent and water surges in the yacht dockage area of

the club that raised safety and mooring issues.The yacht club financed a study in 1997, which

showed that a series of groynes would redirect cur-rents away from the boat moorings and solve the club’sproblem with rushing water. A partnership followedbetween the City of St. Catharines, Dalhousie YachtClub, and Hydro-Electric Commission to fund the en-gineering required to construct the groynes.

When the engineering firm, SHAL Consulting En-gineers undertook the pre-design study, it recom-mended construction of two groynes made with pre-cast concrete box units, after considering rubblemound groynes, and a steel sheet-piling deflector thatwould protrude above the water. Since the box cul-vert alternative would be more attractive and bettersuited for incorporating into the mooring basin, it wasrecommended as the preferred solution. Constructionwas scheduled for the spring of 2000, but the chal-lenges were not yet over.

The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR)issued an absolute requirement to complete construc-tion with minimal in-water work by the end of March,or first week of April, to avoid the spawning seasonof certain fish species. The Canadian Coast Guardissued a permit that required completion of construc-tion by the second week of April, or another permitapplication would need to be filed. Approval was alsorequired from the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Au-thority. The contract for the construction of the groynesaccommodated all approval requirements, and calledfor the project to be completed between March 13and April 30, before the 2000 boating season.

The precast concrete box culvert option was thepreferred solution because:

• It promised little in-water work to avoid dis-turbing fish habitat;

• It could be constructed quickly within verytight permitting periods;

• It would function fully as a groyne to deflectwater flows;

• It could be removed, if necessary;• It would resist pressures from ice due to its

mass; and,• It would last for the full term of the design

life of the project.

By Paul Martin, Centennial Concrete Pipe & ProductsInc., Cambridge, Ontario,Cindy Toth, City of St. Catharines, Ontario andBrian Rankin, Stephens and Rankin Inc.,St. Catharines, Ontario888-888-3222

PRECAST CONCRETE BOX CULVERTSUsed as Groynes and Aquatic Habitat

Loose bundles of tree branches were placed in the lowerprecast concrete box units to provide an enhanced aquatichabitat.

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Centennial Concrete Pipe & Products is Canada’s larg-est producer of precast concrete drainage system com-ponents. With three plants strategically located inWindsor, Cambridge and Ottawa, Ontario, the companyserves all major market areas. The company’s commit-ment to product quality is reflected in its ISO 9002 reg-istration, and participation in the Canadian concrete pipeindustry’s Plant Prequalification Program. Centennialprovides a complete range of concrete drainage prod-ucts including all sizes of precast reinforced concretepipe, box units, microtunneling pipe, manholes, valvechambers, catch basin/ditch inlets and appurtenances,plus Stormceptor® containment/separation systems.

Project: Dalhousie Yacht Club Groynes

Owners: City of St. Catharines,Cindy Toth, Dalhousie Yacht Club,St. Catharines’ Hydro-ElectricCommission

Designer/ConsultingEngineer: SHAL Consulting Engineers

Toronto, Ontario

Contractor: Stephens and Rankin Inc.,St. Catharines, OntarioBrian RankinJerry Hayes

Quantities: Six 2400-mm x 1800-mm x 2500-mm(8-foot x 6-foot x 8.2-foot) reinforcedconcrete box unitsSix 1800-mm x 1200-mm x 2500-mm(6-foot x 4-foot x 8.2-foot) reinforcedconcrete box units

Producer: Centennial Concrete Pipe & ProductsCambridge, Ontario

But the box units also had another advantage thatthe designers recognized. Submerged units could serveas fish habitat to enhance the ecology of the fisheryin the harbour.

Both groynes were designed to accommodate atwo-tier box culvert system at right angles from theexisting concrete shoreline. Each culvert was com-prised of three box units, and each groyne had oneculvert placed on top of the other, for a total of sixbox units.

One groyne, located outside of the mooring ba-sin, was 2400-mm wide x 1800-mm high x 2500-mmlong (8-foot x 6-foot x 8.2-foot). The second, con-structed inside the mooring basin, was 1800-mm widex 1200-mm high x 2500-mm long (6-foot x 4-foot x8.2-foot). The six units of each groyne had rip-rapboulders placed inside the units for ballast. The threesubmerged lower units were filled with loose bundlesof pruned tree branches to provide a habitat for fishand aquatic animals. The end unit of the top culvert

on each groyne was capped to prevent the entry ofice and debris. Wooden bumper strips were placedalong the sides of each upper unit for mooring water-craft. The end unit of the submerged culvert was notcapped, so that fish could access the habitat of boul-ders and branches.

Stephens and Rankin staff has years of experi-ence in the Welland Canal and Port Dalhousie area,and knew that the harbor bottom consisted of verysoft material, that would not support the weight of

the precast concrete box units. SHAL engineers hadalso considered the bottom material of the basin, andworked with Stephens and Rankin to design rockmattresses to support each of the groynes.

During the summer of 2000, boaters visiting theharbour and members of the yacht club enjoyed safeharbour of their crafts; and anglers were observedcatching fish near the publicly accessible groyne lo-cated outside of the yacht club’s mooring basin. Manymembers of the club have reported that mooring inthe harbour has improved. With the use of precastconcrete box culverts for groynes and the associatedpossibilities of enhancing aquatic habitat, a new ap-plication has been established for precast concreteproducts.

The installation of 2400-mm wide x 1800-mm high x2500-mm long (8-foot x 6-foot x 8.2-foot) precast concretebox units helped divert strong currents and water surgesand provide a safer docking area for boaters.

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The South Dakota Department of Transporta-tion made history with an emergency culvert pipereplacement project on Highway 34 in BuffaloCounty, South Dakota, east of Fort Thompson. Thiswas the first time that the DOT designed reinforcedconcrete pipe (RCP) energy dissipator sections foruse under a main roadway and used the new Stan-dard Installation specification for installing the pipe.

South Dakota DOT engineers met the chal-lenge of replacing two failed corrugated metal pipe

(CMP) culverts, located 200 feet apart, that hadreached the end of their service lives. They speci-fied RCP that could accommodate an internal en-ergy dissipator design. The local concrete pipeproducer, South Dakota Concrete Products, ofPierre, SD, used the concrete pipe industry’sPipePac 2000 software to determine a pipe designthat could be manufactured in the shortest amountof time. The DOT engineers accepted the PipePac

design, and the project commenced immediatelyto avoid any further deterioration of the roadwayand disruption to traffic.

In early September of 1999, the outlet ends ofthe existing CMP culverts had partially collapsedand separated during a storm, eroding a 25-footembankment up to the edge of the asphalt pave-ment. On September 13, the DOT contacted SouthDakota Concrete Products to check on the avail-ability of RCP for this emergency repair. The exist-ing culverts were buried under approximately 26feet of fill at the centerline of the roadway. Usingthe normal DOT bedding specifications, shear steelwould have been required in the RCP, which wouldhave added several weeks to the required produc-tion time while waiting for delivery of the shearsteel.

South Dakota Concrete Products staff usedPipePac to come up with a pipe bedding designthat eliminated the need for shear steel. By usingthe Standard Installation Type 2 bedding, the useof shear steel was eliminated in both the 72-inch

diameter and 84-inch diameter concrete pipe. Thisdesign allowed the pipe producer to go into pro-duction very quickly, after receiving approved shopplans on September 19, 1999. The first shipmentof pipe arrived on site on October 18, 1999; thelast on November 2, 1999.

Having met the challenge of delivery of therequired quantities, sizes, and strengths of rein-forced concrete pipe, the DOT took advantage of

South Dakota DOTBreaks New Ground withReinforced Concrete PipeBy Dan Painter, P.E.South Dakota Concrete Products, Pierre, S.D.605-224-8641

Precast concretedissipator ring sections

were used under themain highway.

Geotextile fabric was used on the jointsof the 84-inch diameter RCP line.

Flared end with cut-off walls anddissipator ring visible at the end of the

pipe run.

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South Dakota Concrete Products Company, a long timeAmerican Concrete Pipe Association member, has beenmanufacturing precast drainage products for the trans-portation industry for over 80 years. The company ispart of the Cretex family of companies, which has itsheadquarters in Elk River, Minnesota. South DakotaConcrete Products manufactures round pipe, arch pipeand elliptical pipe in a variety of sizes from 12-inch di-ameter through 120-inch diameter, single cell box unitsfrom 6 foot x 3 foot to 14 foot x 14 foot, double cell boxculverts from 2-7 foot x 3 foot to 2-14 foot x 14 foot,pre-stressed bridge beams up to 130 foot long, and avariety of manholes, inlets and miscellaneous precastitems. More information can be found about South Da-kota Concrete Products at www.cretexinc.com.

Project: Highway 34 Pipe ReplacementBuffalo County, South Dakota

Owner: South Dakota Department ofTransportationDave Coley, P.E., Project Engineer,Bridge Design OfficeKevin Goeden, P.E., EngineeringSupervisor, Bridge Design OfficeWayne Cramer, P.E., Huron AreaEngineerRichard Philips, P.E., HydraulicsEngineer

Contractor: Schwiegert Construction

Quantities: 60 linear feet: 72-inch diameter Class II,C wall RCP184 linear feet: 72-inch diameter ClassIV, C wall RCP72 linear feet: 72-inch diameter Class V,C wall RCP120 linear feet: 84-inch diameter ClassIII, B wall RCPTwo: 72-inch diameter RCP flared endswith precast cut-off wallsTwo: 72-inch to 84-inch diameterincreaser bushingsTen: 84-inch diameter dissipator ringsTwo: 84-inch diameter RCP flared endswith precast cut-off walls

Producer: South Dakota Concrete Products,Pierre, S.D.Dan Painter, P.E.

a grading project being completed nearby bySchwiegert Construction. Through traffic on High-way 34 was already detoured one-half mile awaybecause of the grading project, making the requiredroad closure easier. The culvert pipe replacementproject was change-ordered onto the existing grad-ing project, thereby bypassing the normal contracttendering process. The change-order allowed theproject to be completed prior to the end of the1999 construction season. This is not common prac-tice by the DOT, but circumstances called for abold plan of action, and Schwiegert Constructionhad the experience to complete the job.

Each of the 72-inch diameter concrete culvertswere sized the same as the culverts being replaced.However, the difference in the new concrete pipeinstallation was the inclusion of the energydissipators between lengths of 84-inch RCP run-ning up to the outfalls. The use of the precastdissipator rings between lengths of 84-inch diam-eter RCP solved significant outlet velocity prob-lems. The rings were selected after review of en-ergy dissipator options in the Federal HighwayAdministration’s HY8 Hydraulics Program. One ofthe culverts had a 100-year flow of 344 cubic feetper second (cfs), and an outlet velocity of 29.6feet per second (fps). The 84-inch dissipators re-duced the outlet velocity to 11.2 fps. The secondculvert had a 100-year flow of 328 cfs, and an out-let velocity of 25.3 fps. With the 84-inch dissipatorpipe, the outlet velocity was reduced to 11.2 fps.This resulted in substantial savings in the size ofthe stilling basin needed for outlet protection.

All the pipe joints for the RCP culvert anddissipator sections were tied with specially de-signed tie-bolt assemblies. The 84-inch dissipatorshad joint seal around the entire joint, while the72-inch pipe were installed with joint seal in thebottom third of the pipe. All joints were wrappedon the outside in geotextile fabric to prevent anypossibility of migration of fines.

The Highway 34 culvert replacement projectwas completed successfully within a very shortconstruction period because of the close coopera-tion between the South Dakota DOT engineers,the concrete pipe producer, and contractor. It isyet another example where reinforced concretepipe was used in an innovative way by peoplewilling to accept new age pipe design tools andbedding standards. The South Dakota DOT recog-nized the opportunity to develop a long-term so-lution using the latest in concrete pipe design andtechnology.

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President's Messagecontinued from page 3

Global Growthcontinued from page 7

New Plant Producescontinued from page 8

ducing the best pipe in the Middle East. Paul Kraussof Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, certified theplant under the Q-Cast Program, and describes histravels to the plant and certification in an accom-panying article.

In Ontario, Centennial Concrete Pipe & Prod-ucts Inc., supplied box units to a waterfront projectthat used them as submerged culverts to act asgroynes, or current deflectors, and aquatic habitatat a prestigious yacht club on Lake Ontario.

Our third story deals with the use of speciallydesigned concrete pipe culverts that also serve asenergy dissipaters. South Dakota Concrete Pipe ofPierre, SD supplied the products for the culverts,and its staff used the Association's PipePac 2000software to assist in the pipe design.

The contents of this issue reflect the globalinfluence of the North American concrete pipeindustry on local projects, and quality assuranceof plants and products. Information moves quicklynowadays, and the new ideas and programs high-lighted in Concrete Pipe News, makes this worldjust a little smaller when it comes to concrete pipeperformance.

With headquarters in Northbrook, Illinois, Wiss, Janney,Elstner Associates, Inc. (WJE), is a professional firm provid-ing practical, innovative, and technically sound solutions tostructural, architectural, and materials problems. Since 1956,WJE has completed more than 40,000 projects around theworld for building owners, property managers, corporations,lawyers, universities, and governmental agencies. WJE em-ploys more than 200 engineers, architects, and material sci-entists in seventeen offices located regionally throughout theUnited States. In 1997, ACPA selected WJE to provide audit-ing services for the Association’s “Q-Cast” plant certificationprogram. Paul Krauss, P.E., is a principal auditor and the pri-mary coordinator of the program.

installed properly, the project was success-fully completed in the beginning of year 2000.

Awards Attest to Product andPlant Quality

During the year 2000, APACC added twolocal and one more international benchmarkto the standards against which it measuresitself. In the spring, a Gold Award in theSheikh Khalifa Award for Industry was fol-lowed by an outright win in its class in theSheikh Khalifa Award for Excellence.

The toughest challenge, however, camein December 2000, when the company wassubject to a very stringent quality audit aspart of the American Concrete PipeAssociation’s “Q-Cast” Plant Certification Pro-gram. Paul Krauss of Wiss, Janney, ElstnerAssociates, of Northbrook, Illinois led thequality audit. APACC became the first com-pany outside the North American Continentto achieve the right to use the “Q-Cast” sym-bol on its pipes, and is believed to be thefirst in any field in Abu Dhabi to have itsplant certified.

Advanced Pipes and Cast Company W.L.L.does not rest on its laurels. On the produc-tion side, research and development is con-tinuing to produce jacking pipes for a projectwith a unique specification. Administratively,a completely new ‘triangular’ managementsystem is being developed and autumn of2001 is the target to have a single certificatewhich will encompass ISO 9001:2000, ISO14001 and OHSAS 18001.

APACC has taken giant strides in the lastfour years by establishing itself in the mar-ketplace, and achieving global recognitionfor its quality programs and precast concreteproducts. The firm is looking forward to evengreater challenges, with confidence.

metric equivalents. Updating the manual to include foreign standardswill allow easier acceptance overseas and show that the ACPA is a glo-bal partner.

I would like to express my sincere appreciation to all the employ-ees of Advanced Pipes and Cast Company (W.L.L.) for their wonderfulhospitality and assistance during the audit. Their efforts in preparationfor the ACPA certification audit and commitment to produce high qual-ity concrete pipe is truly commendable. On behalf of ACPA’s plant certi-fication program and Wiss, Janney, Elstner, we welcome our new friendsfrom the other side of the world.

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Don H. Schmidgallcontinued from page 4

“Quality Cast” Certified Plants

Storm Sewer and Culvert Pipe• Cayuga Concrete Pipe Company (Oldcastle, Inc.), Croydon, PA -

George Stoffa• Cayuga Concrete Pipe Company (Oldcastle, Inc.), New Britain, PA -

Edward Pentecost• Elk River Concrete Products (Cretex), Billings, MT - Milton

Tollefsrud• Kerr Concrete Pipe Company (Oldcastle, Inc.), Hammonton, NJ -

Bob Berger• South Dakota Concrete Products (Cretex), Rapid City, SD• Riverton Concrete Products Company (Cretex), Riverton, WY -

Butch Miller• Sherman-Dixie Concrete Industries, Inc., Chattanooga, TN -

Earl Knox• Sherman-Dixie Concrete Industries, Inc., Franklin, TN - Roy Webb• Americast-Pipe Division, Charleston, SC - Bill Gary• Amcor-White Company (Oldcastle, Inc.), Hurricane, UT - Brent Field• Carder Concrete Products, Littleton, CO - Bob Crusanth

Sanitary Sewer, Storm Sewer and Culvert Pipe• Advanced Pipes & Cast Company, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

- Poul Jacobsen• Amcor Precast (Oldcastle, Inc.), Nampa, ID - Mike Burke• Amcor Precast (Oldcastle, Inc.) Ogden, UT - Tim Wayment• Atlantic Concrete Pipe, San Juan, PR - Miguel Ruiz• CSR Hydro Conduit Corporation, Tulsa, OK - Jeff Bassett• Elk River Concrete Products (Cretex), Elk River, MN - Bryan Olson• Geneva Pipe Company, Orem, UT - Fred Klug• Kansas City Concrete Pipe Co. (Cretex), Shawnee, KS - Rich Allison• N C Products (Oldcastle, Inc.), Fayetteville, NC - Preston McIntosh• N C Products (Oldcastle, Inc.), Raleigh, NC - Mark Sawyer• Ocean Construction Supplies Limited (Inland Pipe), Vancouver, BC,

Canada - Rod Boyes• Amcor-White Company (Oldcastle, Inc.), Ogden, UT - J. P. Conn• CSR Hydro Conduit, Denver, CO - Ed Anderson

In an effort to improve the overall quality ofall concrete pipe products, the AmericanConcrete Pipe Association offers an on-goingquality assurance program to member andnon-member companies. Called the“Quality Cast” Plant Certification Program,the 124-point audit-inspection programcovers the inspection of materials,finished products and handling/storageprocedures, as well as performancetesting and quality controldocumentation. Plants are certified toprovide storm sewer and culvert pipe or under acombined sanitary sewer, storm sewer and culvert pipeprogram. The following plants are currently certified underACPA’s Quality Cast Certification Program:

Schmidgall: When we meet withsomeone to talk about upgrading, wefirst talk about marketplace, diver-sity of products, and output to de-termine the appropriate level of au-tomation for their plant. It is clearthat several trends are driving theneed for automation, and I see ahigher level of automation beingmore and more appropriate for mostpipe producers.

One of the major trends is ourmore competitive workplace envi-ronment — the challenge in hiringpeople to operate equipment, andthen keeping them long-term. Weneed to provide pleasant, healthy,and safe workplaces to attract andretain employees.

When robotics and automationis used, unskilled jobs are eliminated.Typically, these kinds of duties arethe most difficult to fill and results ina high level of employee turnoverwhich makes it very difficult to op-erate efficiently, and consistently pro-duce a quality product. Additionally,there is less damage to equipmentcaused by rough handling, fewerworker compensation claims, andoverall, fewer man-hours per ton ofoutput.

I believe that we’ll continue tosee automation play an increasingrole in helping us produce more con-sistent quality, suppressing our unitcosts, and providing an attractiveworkplace for our employees.

Q: How will buyers and specifiersof precast concrete pipe benefit fromproduction, or testing equipment, inthe future?

Schmidgall: Buyers and specifierswill benefit most with delivery of aproduct known for its consistent highquality, at a reasonable cost. This isthe result of new in-plant technol-ogy and rigorous inspection of equip-ment and testing of products.

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American Concrete Pipe Association222 W. Las Colinas Blvd., Suite 641

Irving, TX 75039-5423

www.concrete-pipe.org

PRESORTEDSTANDARD

US POSTAGE PAIDDALLAS, TX

PERMIT NO 1883

The American Concrete Pipe Association recently releasedits new interactive software for the hydraulic design of con-crete pipe detention systems, storm drainage and sanitary sew-ers. Called DASH (Detention And SewerHydraulics) software, the inter-active PC-based software wasdeveloped in conjunction withthe Illinois Concrete Pipe Asso-ciation (ICPA), Earthtec andGiffels Associates Limited.

DASH software provides de-sign engineers and other userswith a complete set of design toolsto prepare, calculate and evaluatecomprehensive storm water deten-tion systems using concrete pipe.Using Microsoft’s Windows format,the software program consists of four modules: Storm WaterDetention Volume Calculation, Storm Water Detention SystemDesign, Storm Sewer Design Calculation, and Sanitary Sewer

DETENTION AND SEWER HYDRAULICS DESIGN NOW A FLASH WITH DASH!Design Calculation.

In addition to the powerful design modules included withDASH, the program includes ACPA’s popular PipePac 2000software. The DASH software allows designers to selectthe pipe size and type to use for detention, drainage and

sanitary systems, and perform a costanalysis of the system.

To order the DASH soft-ware, contact the ACPA Re-source Center at (800) 290-2272, fax (972) 291-0622and request Resource Item

#15-500. The cost is $10.00(ACPA member) and $45.00

(non-member), plus shippingand handling charges. All orders

must be prepaid. Visa, MasterCard andAmerican Express are accepted. For further information, con-tact the American Concrete Pipe Association, (972) 506-7216,or e-mail: [email protected].

Documents

Precast Concrete Box Culverts Serve Dual Purpose in Lake ... · Most recently, the Q-Cast quality assurance pro-gram of the ACPA is making an impact, globally. The “Quality Cast”