John C. Matthews

Fully Automated Decision Support System for Assessing the Suitability of Trenchless Technologies

AbstractDecisions related to the rehabilitation of wastewater and water infrastructure are increasingly more complicated as the number and complexity of technologies in the marketplace increases. Established methods, such as cured-in-place pipe (CIPP), are constantly evolving, and new techniques continue to be developed in North America and abroad. The need to assess the suitability of these constantly changing technologies creates the need for a resource capable of evaluation and selection of appropriate methods through a Web-based source that can be kept up to date. To meet that need, the Trenchless Technology Center (TTC), in collaboration with the National Utility Contractors Association (NUCA), Australasian Society of Trenchless Technology (ASTT), and National Association of Sewer Service Companies (NASSCO), through multiple research initiatives, has developed a comprehensive and interactive software for the evaluation of more than 70 technologies that can be employed in the installation, replacement...

Analysis of Wastewater and Water System Renewal Decision-Making Tools and Approaches

AbstractIn regards to the development of software for decision support for pipeline renewal, most of the attention to date has been paid to the development of asset management models, which help an owner decide on which portions of a system to prioritize for needed actions. There has not been much work in terms of providing guidance on whether to rehabilitate or replace the pipeline asset and choosing the most appropriate methods for that work. These decisions involve the evaluation of many criteria, which must be considered thoroughly to determine the optimal way of rehabilitating or replacing these systems efficiently and cost effectively. As part of the U.S. EPA Aging Water Infrastructure (AWI) Research Program, one key area of research, conducted in collaboration with wastewater and water utilities, was a study of the current approaches available for making rehabilitation versus replacement decisions. The purpose of this study was to (1)xa0identify the current methodologies and decision support systems ...

Large-Diameter Sewer Rehabilitation Using a Fiber-Reinforced Cured-in-Place Pipe

AbstractDespite the use of trenchless methods in sewer rehabilitation for over 40 years, a lack of knowledge on the performance of emerging technologies is still a critical need in the sewer infrastructure industry. This has led to aging water infrastructure research organizations to develop rehabilitation technology demonstration programs. The results from these programs are intended to enhance the industry’s awareness of available technologies and their capabilities. One specific scenario of interest is the rehabilitation of large-diameter sewer mains. This paper describes the demonstration of an innovative fiber-reinforced composite cured-in-place pipe technology used to rehabilitate 5,243 m (17,200 ft) of 2,400-mm (96-in.) RC pipe in Irving, Texas. This technology met the utility owner’s requirements and mechanical testing showed that the liner exceeded the minimum design requirements. A key take away from the project was the importance of proper planning. Careful attention is required to ensure prope...

Demonstration and Evaluation of State-of-the-Art Wastewater Collection Systems Condition Assessment Technologies

AbstractCondition assessment of wastewater collection systems is a vital part of a utility’s asset management program. Reliable information on pipe condition is needed to prioritize rehabilitation and replacement projects, given the current state of our nation’s infrastructure. Although inspections with conventional closed-circuit television (CCTV) have been the mainstay of pipeline condition assessment for decades, other technologies are now commercially available. Five of these innovative technologies were selected for field trials under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) demonstration program: zoom camera, electroscanning, digital scanning, laser profiling, and sonar. The goal of the field demonstration was to evaluate the technical performance and cost of these technologies. The field demonstration was conducted in August 2010 and was hosted by the Kansas City, Missouri Water Services Department. The innovative technologies were compared to CCTV inspection. Each technology identified mai...

Current and Emerging Water Main Renewal Technologies

AbstractThe funding needed to address aging water infrastructure ranges in the hundreds of billions of dollars over the next 25xa0years, and at current replacement rates, pipes are being expected to last for 200xa0years, although pipes are designed for 100xa0years or less. In addition to funding needs, utility congestion is making water main replacement more difficult, as is the lack of public tolerance for the disruption from construction. The increased availability of pipe-renewal technologies provides solutions that minimize these problems while providing cost-effective alternatives to traditional replacement. The primary contribution of this paper is the state-of-the-art review of current and emerging renewal technologies used for the repair, rehabilitation, and replacement of water mains. This paper also discusses the data and capability gaps in terms of needs that are unmet by the current renewal technologies. To overcome these gaps, recommendations include conducting renewal technology demonstrations in ...

Large-Diameter Sewer Rehabilitation Using a Spray-Applied Fiber-Reinforced Geopolymer Mortar

AbstractTo assist utilities in making well-informed maintenance decisions, the EPA has developed an innovative technology demonstration program to evaluate technologies that have the potential to reduce costs and increase the effectiveness of the operation, maintenance, and renewal of aging water distribution and wastewater collection systems. Under this initiative, the performance of a new corrosion-resistant fiber-reinforced geopolymer mortar was evaluated. The fiber-reinforced geopolymer mortar was spray-applied to rehabilitate a preselected 49-m-long, 1,500-mm (160-ft-long, 60-in.) RC pipe (RCP) sewer main in Houston, Texas. Costing approximately

Critical Data Needs Associated with Asbestos Cement Pipe Renewal Methods

1,300–

Optimal selection of acosutic leak detection techniques for water pipelines using multi-criteria decision analysis

2,000 per linear meter (

Productivity Analysis of Lateral CIPP Rehabilitation Process Using Simphony Simulation Modeling

400–

Evaluation of testing methods for tracking CIPP liners’ life-cycle performance

600 per linear foot), a 84-mm-thick (3.3-in.) layer was sprayed uniformly onto the pipe’s interior, surpassing the minimum design thickness value of 48 mm (1.9 in.). The average 28-day compressive strength results of the coating were measured to be approximately 59 MPa (8,635 psi), which is above the manufacturer-stated c...