Large-Scale Pipe Bursting in the Brazilian City of Campinas
Campinas, also known as the Brazilian Silicon Valley, is one of the largest cities in Brazil with more than 1 million inhabitants in its metropolitan area. In some districts the city’s water authority SANASA was facing ongoing drinking water loss in caused by leaks in the 30 year old pipeline network.
For economic, ecologic and time reasons, it was decided to completely renew the damaged drinking water pipelines instead of repeatedly repairing them. For this reason Sanasa purchased a GRUNDOBURST 400 G3 from Tracto-Technik GmbH & Co. KG, Germany, as the first water authority in Brazil to do so.
The actual replacement work was carried out by SANASA, having started in the district of Sousas with about 2.4 km of defective drinking water pipes to be exchanged using trenchless technology. On June 16, 2009, a Grundoburst 400 G3, equipped with Ø 35 mm Quick Lock bursting rods, started to replace the old asbestos cement pipes ID 50 mm with PE pipes OD 63 mm in the calm residential area “Colinas do Ermitage.” The total replacement length of 400 m was burst in sections of 50 m to 100 m due to several sewer, gas and telecommunicattion lines along the bursting path and a large drain pipe running parallel to the old drinking water pipeline.
As the exact position of this existing underground service line was not known, this was the perfect task for applying the static pipe bursting technique. Despite many repair clamps fixing the old asbestos cement drinking water pipeline, the complete replacement project in Sousas was completed within 20 days, including disassembly of the construction and intermediate pits and re-establishing of the water supply, which had to be by-passed during the bursting process.
SANASA will extend its pipe rehabilitation programme using the pipe bursting technique to further districts of Campinas. In the near future, 1,600 m of the old asbestos cement pipeline will be replaced with new PE pipes OD 63 mm and 400 m with new PE pipes ND 90 mm.
Article was submitted by Tracto-Technik GmbH & Co. KG, which is headquartered in Lennestadt, Germany.
