As seen in the Dec. 16, 2019 issue of Engineering News-Record, Snap Rings© speed up installation time. Read the complete story below. Click here to see it on page 52 of the magazine.
One Bolt Tightening System Aids Pipe Installation
The Sabine River Authority of Texas (SRA-TX) was created by the Texas Legislature as a conservation and reclamation district with a mandate to control, store, preserve and distribute water from the Sabine River and its tributary system. The watershed area encompasses 21 South Texas counties.
The region faces continued challenges in terms of flooding and pooling, receiving 44 to 56 in. of rainfall annually. “Soil conditions are often unfavorable leaving the ground consistently wet,” says Darren W. Dunker, PE; National Engineering Manager with Thompson Pipe Group Pressure. “This rainwater leaves trenches wet and sloppy, and under these conditions, welding joints is less than ideal.”
Earlier this year Thompson Pipe Group began manufacturing more than 36,000 ft of pipe for the Sabine River Authority. Thompson’s Texas facility is manufacturing the 66-in. AWWA C301 Prestressed Concrete Cylinder Pipe with support from the firm’s Illinois location. Each piece is 16-ft long.
Thrust restraint on the project is accomplished using Thompson Pipe Group’s Snap Ring© restrained joint system. “The Snap Ring joint is a proven installation method,” says Dunker. “In the 1970s, Price Brothers Company began manufacturing pipe with this mechanically restrained joint. Pre-assembled at the plant, the joint arrives at the trench self-contained and ready to lay. There are no separate pieces to be maneuvered into place.” The Snap Ring requires one 3/8-in. bolt to be tightened. Snap Rings have been used predominately on the East Coast and in the Midwest. “Use West of the Mississippi is increasing with raised awareness of both the joint’s benefits and ease of installation,” Dunker says.
