SVCW’s contractor partner, Barnard-Bessac Joint Venture (BBJV), is proceeding with the installation of Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) pipe in the tunnel completed during Salus’ second drive. The FRP pipe will carry raw wastewater from the member agencies’ collection systems to the SFS shaft at the SVCW WWTP. FRP pipe installation in the second-drive tunnel is proving to be more challenging compared to the first-drive tunnel due to the longer distance and the curvature in the final alignment. The pipe transporter/installer must navigate the curves with a 20,000 lb, 20-ft long section of FRP pipe supported on the transporter beam, moving the pipe segment into position to form a tight joint seal with the adjacent sections of pipe. As pipes get installed, quality assurance and quality checks are ongoing daily to ensure that the installed pipe sections meet specifications. Once BBJV has installed the FRP pipe sections in the tunnel, they will be performing a grouting activity to seal the annular space, which is the space in between the outside wall of the FRP pipe and the inner surface of the concrete segments of the completed tunnel.
Within the Surge and Flow Splitter (SFS) shaft, BBJV has installed the section of FRP pipe where the tunnel discharges into the SFS shaft. In coordination with SPJV, BBJV has cut this section of pipe to follow the curvature of the inside of the SFS shaft wall. A 3D model template of how the pipe was to be cut was developed to ensure that the pipe was cut to shape to be flush with the inner surface of the SFS shaft wall. With this activity completed, BBJV has excavated fill material that BBJV added temporarily in the SFS shaft to support receiving Salus at the conclusion of the second tunneling drive. BBJV is complete with its other miscellaneous activities within the SFS shaft that will allow SPJV to re-occupy the SFS shaft to complete work related to the Front of Plant project.
