A pipe bridge carrying sewage across a stream in Lancashire undergoes leak repair and reinforcement

Pipe Bridges Lifespan Extension Through Leak Repair & Reinforcement

A utilities company in the United Kingdom repair numerous leaks from corroded joints on two 20m gravity-fed pipe bridges carrying sewage across a stream, followed by the reinforcement of both bridges to extend their lifespans and ensure a maximum return on investment.

Case Study Overview

Site Pipe bridges
Location Lancashire, UK
Pipe Type 1.5 x 20m pipe bridge and 1.8m x 20m pripe bridge
Repair Type Leak repair and pipeline reinforcement
Products Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape, SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage


Pipe Defect

The two pipe bridges were constructed of steel riveted plates which had become corroded over time and were now leaking in several places, allowing foul wastewater to fall into a stream below.

Both pipe bridges had been due for replacement in the near future, but the escape of sewage water required an immediate solution. An initial repair attempt made using ratchet straps and a rubber pad had failed.

Repairing the leaking pipe bridges was a complex and costly process, which included constructing scaffolding on the riverbed.

To justify the investment required to carry out the repair and gain maximum benefit from it, the utilities company wanted to extend the lifespan of the bridges through reinforcement once all leaks had been attended to.

A 20 metre long pipe bridge in Lancashire which was leaking wastewater into a stream below
Yellow tape from a previous failed repair attempt
Pipe bridge prior to repair

SylWrap Solution

Multiple Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tapes were applied around the numerous leak points. Wrap & Seal is a self-amalgamating silicone repair tape which stretches by 300% and fuses to form a solid rubber band over holes, cracks and leaking joints.

After attending to the leaks, both pipe bridges were reinforced with four layers of SYL1266HD (300mm x 20m) SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage along their entire 20 metre lengths.

SylWrap HD is a composite wrap with a water activated resin which sets rock hard in minutes. It provided a substantial impact-resistant sleeve over the pipe bridges, completing the repair and guarding against future leakage and corrosion.

A pipe bridge leaking from corroded joints is repaired and reinforced using SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage
Contractor working underneath the bridge
20 metre long pipe bridge in Lancashire repaired with SylWrap HD
Repair seen from underneath pipe bridge
Pipe bridge repair and reinforcement carried out with SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage
Completed repair from scaffold
SylWrap HD used for the repair and reinforcement of a pipe bridge leaking sewage water in Lancashire
Completed pipe bridge repair

Outcome

Once the repair was completed, it was estimated that a saving of approximately £250,000 had been made compared with the quoted cost of bringing forward the planned replacement of both bridges.

Reinforcing the two pipe bridges with SylWrap HD provided additional strength which will last for 20 years, more than justifying the decision to repair the structures and surpassing the utilities company’s requirements for a temporary repair.


Follow Up

The success of the repair and reinforcement of the two pipe bridges has shown the utilities company that SylWrap HD can be used to successfully strengthen such structures, offering a cost-effective alternative to immediate replacement.


Products Used

Wrap & Seal Pipe Burst Tape
Self-fusing silicone repair tape which seals live leaks in pipework

SylWrap HD Bandage
Water-activated wrap sets rock hard to reinforce, protect and strengthen pipework


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