Pressure: Prestressed Concrete Pressure Pipe, Steel-cylinder Type (AWWA C301)

Lined-cylinder Pipe (LCP).

First used in North America in 1942, LCP consists of a welded steel cylinder with steel joint rings at each end, an internal concrete lining, high-tensile strength steel wire wrapped directly on the steel cylinder and an external coating of Portland cement mortar.

Embedded-cylinder Pipe (ECP).

First installed in North America in 1953, ECP consists of a welded steel cylinder with steel joint rings at each end and embedded in a concrete core, high-tensile strength steel wire wrapped on the exterior concrete core surface and an external coating of Portland cement mortar.

Advantages

• Resistant to physical damage
• Rapidly and economically installed
• Excellent corrosion resistance
• Can resist high internal pressure and external loading
• Wide range of pipe diameters available (up to 144 inches)
• Typically more economical than most lined and coated ferrous pipes

Prestressed concrete cylinder pipe (PCCP; lined) brings together concrete’s high compressive strength and steel’s high tensile strength to form a durable structure that can stand up to any project’s requirements. It is ideal for all municipal water and wastewater applications, as well as industrial piping. PCCP is manufactured in accordance with the AWWA C301 Standard and is designed in accordance with the AWWA C304 standard.

Many major benefits can be realized by using PCCP. The source of all these benefits is the pipe’s unique design concept, featuring a steel cylinder for water-tightness and a rugged, high-strength concrete structural core circumferentially prestressed with high strength steel wire. The Portland cement-rich mortar coating provides a passivating alkaline environment for the steel cylinder, joint rings and prestressing wire to protect against corrosion. Since concrete continues to gain strength while underground, the PCCP will continue to provide superior service for years to come.

C301 Features

• Ease of Installation & Economical – PCCP is installed in less time on-site. Because it is a rigid conduit, PCCP needs no special bedding or backfilling under normal ground conditions. Installing any other pipe material often requires bracing, highly compacted bedding, trucking in aggregate, unshrinkable fill and/or welding — each adds cost, time and potential problems.
• High Pressure Capacity – PCCP has the high strength to withstand internal and external loads. The pipe’s concrete and steel wall is prestressed with steel wire to provide more-than-sufficient strength to withstand the pressure requirements. The rigid wall fully supports the external forces of the surrounding earth. Prestressed concrete pressure pipe is the only piping material that is designed for the simultaneous application of internal pressure and external load.
• Corrosion Protection – PCCP provides built-in corrosion protection. The high pH, alkaline environment provided by the Portland cement concrete and mortar provides electrochemical protection against corrosion for the encased steel components. This is far superior to barrier-type protection offered by polyethylene encasements, tape wraps and paint.
• Designed for project requirements – PCCP is custom-designed for each application; thus, the customer does not pay for unnecessary strength. Each section of pipe, along with the fittings, are designed and fabricated to meet project-specific internal pressure and external loadings.