tunnel's - Trenchless International

Working the night shift –
pipe lining in Brussels
In sewer rehabilitation projects, the available window of time for rehabilitation is often the deciding
factor for which method or service provider is chosen. This was demonstrated by a project that
was undertaken in January 2012 in Brussels, Belgium, by KMG Pipe Technologies, the construction
company of SEKISUI Pipe Rehabilitation Europe.
For the overnight rehabilitation of
a 169 m long oval profile of 600/900 mm
a Uniliner system synthetic fibre liner was
employed.
VIVAQUA, the environmental service
provider undertaking the project, is one
of Belgium’s largest suppliers of drinking
water and responsible for operating,
managing and maintaining the southern
sewage disposal system in Brussels’
metropolis. This includes holding
responsibility for undertaking rehabilitation
works on damaged sewers and sewage
systems.
VIVAQUA had to renew one of the
main sections of the Brussels drainage
system, which is located in the district of
Saint-Agatha-Berchem. The concrete oval
profile, running along the Gentsesteenweg
road, had damages requiring rehabilitation
along approximately 600 m of its length.
Due to the state of deterioration of the
pipe, cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) lining was
chosen as the method of pipe renewal.
winding tower. Once the liner was installed
close-fit into the sewer, it was cured by
means of steam injected into the liner by
a truck-mounted generator. Thus, the liner
could actually be cured in the calculated
wall thickness during the Brussels nightshift
– an impressive technical and organisational
feat, which succeeded thanks to close
consultation and smooth co-operation with
the client and the Brussels traffic police.
The police had one special task shortly
before the liner was installed: they ordered
the removal of a 7.5 t lorry, which was parked
above the target shaft for the rehabilitation
work, and supervised the towing away of
the vehicle by the recovery service.
Despite the unforeseen additional step
which caused extra time pressure, the
KMG PT Team was able to successfully
conclude the project for all involved within
the given time frame.
For more news, information and
projects involving CIPP, visit:
CIPP
www.trenchlessinternational.com/resource
‘Brussels steamed sausage’: Employees put the finishing touches to the hermetically sealed end of
the Uniliner that projects from the shaft, before it is subjected to steam and cured within hours.
For more information visit www.sekisui-spr.com
CIPP
October 2012 - Trenchless International
A change in plans
Due to the on-site constraints that
were discovered in the initial phases of
the project, the originally planned method
had to be changed. The drain lay directly
beneath the main traffic artery of the
Belgian capital. Additionally, immediately
above the sewer runs tram tracks,
which are used from early morning until
late evening.
Because of the tramline, the initial idea
of rehabilitating the sewer with a synthetic
fibre liner, using hot water curing, would
not be feasible. The longest individual
section of the 600/900 mm oval profile was
169 m; attempting to cure a pipe of this
length and width using hot water would
have considerably exceeded the permitted
time frame.
Additionally, there were problems with
the construction site facilities. The access
shafts lay underneath the overhead tram
line, so the heavy liner could not be
lifted into the open shaft using a truckmounted
crane.
The 169 m long liner is drawn in via a mobile conveyor.
The drain lay directly beneath the main traffic artery of the
Belgian capital. Additionally, immediately above the sewer
runs tram tracks, which are used from early morning until
late evening.
Another pressing restriction was the time
frame, which was decided by the Brussels
urban transport providers. Construction
site equipment could only be in position
on the route between the last tram of the
day, at 10 pm and the first of the morning,
after 5 am. As a precaution, the current in
the overhead line was switched off during
this time.
A steaming idea
In mid-January 2012 KMG PT in
Belgium suggested the inversion SPR
Europes Uniliner for the project. The liner
is comprised of a synthetic fibre, with an
interior wall thickness of 13.5 mm, and is
cured with steam.
With this technology, the installation team
inverted the liner using a 3.5 m high, mobile
CIPP
October 2012 - Trenchless International
30
31