Cleveland Water Main Annular Space Grouting
The Job
The City of Cleveland Department of Public Utilities faced a critical infrastructure challenge. An 1100 linear foot section of a 42-inch lock bar water main required immediate attention. This vital pipeline runs up to 90 feet below the Cuyahoga River. The project aimed to rehabilitate this aging asset without disrupting water service to the area. The project team chose a sliplining contractor to install a new carrier pipe inside the existing main.
Batching and pumping the ground down the shaft.
The Challenge
The existing 42-inch water main had deteriorated over time. Its location, deep beneath the Cuyahoga River, made traditional repair methods exceptionally difficult and costly. A failure of this pipe would have caused significant service disruptions. The primary challenge was to slipline the deteriorated pipe and ensure the long-term stability of the new carrier pipe. This required filling the annular space between the old and new pipes with a specialized grout.
The Solution
The sliplining contractor excavated a secant shaft on each side of the river. They then successfully installed a new 31.875-inch welded steel pipe inside the existing main. To complete the project, CJGeo provided the annular space grouting. We needed to fill the space between the new steel pipe and the old 42-inch pipe. The grout had to meet two key specifications. It needed a compressive strength of 250 psi at 28 days. It also required a density between 45 and 60 pounds per cubic foot.
Using our dry batch mixing process, we formulated a cellular grout mix that exceeded the requirements. Our grout mix achieves approximately 400 psi at a density of 45 pounds per cubic foot. This allowed for an economical and effective placement. A single CJGeo crew pumped the grout for the entire 1100-foot crossing in less than two hours. Uniform grout venting at the far end confirmed a complete fill of the annular space.
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