Investigation of factors affecting the strength of concrete pipes

Abstract

In a developing country like Sri Lanka, it is very important to develop infrastructure facilities to provide facilities to the investors. In this context special emphasis should be drawn towards the road development sector since highway road projects play a major role in infrastructure development. In the construction of highways, number of water streams have to be crossed and the surface runoffs along the highways are also to be properly directed. In Irrigation projects also the water conveyors are to be provided from the water sources to the desired crop fields. For these requirements in road sector as well as in irrigation schemes, concrete pipes are widely used as a cheap option. In highway projects, for the storm water lines, high strength concrete pipes are used. Those pipes should be able to carry heavy traffic loads as well as embankment loads while providing non interrupted water drainage path. Mainly in urban areas with limited space, high strength concrete pipes are being widely used as water paths diverting surface runoff to the drainage canals. As an example, in the recent past within Colombo urban area, major road development projects were carried out. The surface runoff and water from either side of road had to be diverted to the open channels through concrete pipes. Therefore it is very important to provide durable and strong concrete pipes. When the pipe manufacturing industry IS considered, it is found that manufacturing process is not developed systematically for concrete pipe production. Still the process in. Sri Lanka is in primitive level compared to the techniques used in other countries. There are