Rust to Wealth: Rehabilitation of Steel Pipes Using Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer Method

This paper focuses on the rehabilitation of steel stormwater discharge pipelines from a levee sump pump station. Irving Flood Control District Section III (IFCD-3) maintains 5.5 mi of waterways in Irving, Texas. The station’s six welded steel pipelines, constructed in 1979, exhibit significant corrosion, requiring repair or replacement. IFCD-3 contracted with Halff to develop a rehabilitation plan, exploring options like conventional replacement or internal rehabilitation using carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP). The recommendation to apply internal CFRP rehabilitation considered factors, such as shutdown needs, internal pressure capacity, corrosion rate, and costs. Since CFRP involves manual application, the pipelines will be rehabilitated in two segments with access points for man-entry and ventilation. Competitive sealed bidding ensued with two contractors submitting bids. The recommended solution aims to maintain the integrity of the pipelines, supporting IFCD-3 in its regional flood protection efforts.