Stormwater systems protect communities from severe weather events that bring heavy rains and potential flooding.
Two major considerations when designing a stormwater system to handle severe weather events are hydraulic performance and resistance to flotation. These two factors can impact a stormwater system’s ability to handle major rain events without backing up, causing flooding, or getting washed away.
Hydraulic performance refers to a pipe’s flow capacity and flow velocity. The diameter of the pipes used in a stormwater system, as well as the steepness of the grade at which they are installed, both impact its hydraulic performance.
The rigid structure of reinforced concrete pipe allows it to be manufactured in larger diameters than other materials, providing greater flow capacity and superior liquid mass conveyance. Concrete pipe’s greater mass also resists lateral forces, helping it maintain the necessary grade to move liquids and sediments down the line.
Stormwater systems can be susceptible to flotation when heavy rains raise the groundwater table and wash away ground cover. When the upward, buoyant force of the groundwater exceeds the weight of a stormwater pipe and the ground covering it, the pipe can float to the surface, or even collapse. Floating or collapsed pipes are a safety hazard that threaten the stability of the infrastructure they are meant to protect.
Because of its density, concrete pipe resists flotation and stays in place even if ground cover over the pipe is washed away.
Concrete pipe offers proven resilience. As the strongest pipe material available, it protects stormwater systems from collapse. With a service life that can exceed 100 years, it reduces the life cycle cost of stormwater management systems. And when washouts occur, concrete pipe remains in place and can often be salvaged for reuse in the new infrastructure.
Learn more about the engineered strength and unmatched performance of concrete pipe by browsing the ACPA’s resources on the advantages of concrete pipe.
Use concrete pipe for your next project by contacting our Customer Service Team at (800) 242-7733.
