Contracting company Jonishan recently utilised kwik-ZIP HDXT-103 spacers to facilitate the slip-lining of a 914mm Sintakote® mild steel cement lined carrier pipe into a 1200mm reinforced concrete jacking pipe casing. The work was conducted for the Upper South Creek treated water main.
This installation was part of the larger Upper South Creek (USC) project, which was implemented to improve environmental flows by transferring treated water from the new advanced water recycling centre (AWRC) to local waterways.
The AWRC and USC project are Sydney Water’s largest infrastructure investment in Western Sydney.
Whilst this installation was fully grouted, the HDXT spacers adequately supported the pipe and water for the life of the installation. This is no small task, as the pipe weight is a significant 292kg/m when empty and 880kg/m when full.
But the HDXT’s unique load-sharing design maximises the load bearing capacity of each runner and reduces point loading, helping it safely and reliably bear the weight of piping.
Efficient installation
In the world of civil infrastructure, delays are extremely costly. Fortunately, kwik-ZIP spacers can be efficiently installed without the use of any special tools, setup equipment, or the requirement to pre-wrap pipe.
“The kwik-Zip spacers were very simple and easy to install,” Jonishan Project Engineer Malvin Malicdem said.
In addition to being simple to use, kwik-ZIP spacers have no metal parts and are made from kwik-ZIP’s engineered thermoplastic blend that is flexible, extremely tough and has a low co-efficient of friction.
The kwik-ZIP HDXT series offers non-corroding, non-metallic, heavy-duty bow spring casing spacers for horizontal pipe-in-pipe and open bore applications, which can help extend the life of pipelines.
“Although spacers are usually a small part of the overall pipe installation process, correctly designed and fitted spacers can significantly increase the life expectancy of the carrier pipe by assisting to keep them free from corrosion as well as remove the potential for damage during installation,” kwik-ZIP Managing Director Jason Linaker said.
In the case of the USC project, the fusion-bonded coating on Sintakote® piping was crucial for corrosion prevention and must stay undamaged to work effectively.
Here, kwik-ZIP spacers not only provided protection but also featured integrated rubber grip pads, preventing slippage and preserving the coating’s integrity.
Success
In Australia, kwik-ZIP’s HD, HDXT and HDX series of spacers have been successfully appraised by the Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA) against the requirements of WSAA product specification number PS-324 (casing spacers).
The WSA PS-324 product specification prescribes casings spacer requirements for correct protection of carrier pipes when installed inside casings.
Meeting this rigorous standard means that all of kwik-ZIP’s spacer series meet specification requirements and quality assurances demanded by the utilities market.
kwik-ZIP’s large range of spacers can cater to a wide range of carrier and casing pipe size combinations as well as providing flexibility to deal with project alterations.
For more information, visit kwikzip.com or email sales@kwikzip.com
This article featured in the October edition of Trenchless Australasia.
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