The Impact of CIPP on Pipe Strength

If you know anything about CIPP solutions, you’ll know that this form of trenchless technology is nothing new. While innovative methods are regularly being discussed and released, it’s the foolproof stability and strength of CIPP liners that engineers keep coming back to – and for good reason.

You need only look at Insituform’s track record to recognise the long lasting benefits of an effective and efficient solution. The first pipe to ever be repaired using this technology is still in full and active service today, more than 50 years down the line. What’s more, CIPP liners have become so easy to use that local engineers can and often do install the solution themselves with minimal training – cutting costs and enabling an even more proactive and efficient reaction to pipe damage.

But how is it that CIPP liners facilitate such a long-lasting increase in a pipe’s strength – and can a rehabilitated pipe ever be as good or even better than a new one?

How Do CIPP Liners Work?

CIPP liners are installed from the surface. A specially designed felt is fed into the damaged stretch of pipe and then activated via a flow of hot water or steam. By activating the felt, a resin is released which fixes to the inside wall of the pipe, creating a new layer within minutes.

This new layer, once dry and fixed in place, not only holds the pipe firmly together but creates a smooth and seamless interior layer which facilitates the efficient movement of water and/or waste.

The Benefits of CIPP From a Structural Perspective

The benefits of CIPP liners are wide-ranging. And while this article is focussed on structural integrity and the strength of the pipe, it’s important to note that all of this can be exceptionally costly and time consuming if you don’t make informed and proactive decisions.

To consider first the alternative to CIPP liners, we need to look at the installation process of a brand new pipe. Traditional pipe removal and replacement methods require extensive excavation work, digging up the ground surrounding the pipe to expose, remove, and then fit the new pipe in place of the damaged one. The demand on time, resources, and budget is huge – and that’s before we think about the impact on local economy, transport, and community spirit.

Conversely, CIPP liners are fitted from the surface without breaking ground. Rather than removing the old pipe and needing to source and fit a new one, CIPP liners are fed into the damaged pipe and activated to create a new layer inside the pipe.

This new layer not only restores the pipe to full use but holds out external weight and pressure from debris, tree roots, and more – and can withstand the high pressure of water or waste flowing through the pipe.

All that, in a solution which can be fed into a pipe and activated without breaking ground.

Is CIPP Lining the Best Solution for a Public Project?

Suffice to say, there are plenty of reasons why more and more councils, local governments, and engineering firms are looking to upskill and invest in training for local teams and workers to be able to effectively install CIPP liners.

By minimising the need for machinery and large equipment, and by rehabilitating rather than replacing vast lengths of pipe, the cost and time saving benefits are unrivalled – making CIPP a viable and valuable solution for public and private projects alike.

This is because CIPP liners don’t just offer an efficient solution – the results are also effective and long lasting, especially from a strength and structural perspective. With pipes lasting decades following the installation of CIPP felt liners and resin, project managers can rest assured that any pipe restored via this technique will last the test of time.

Provided the material is handled effectively and installed correctly, pipes that are repaired via this method can prove just as successful as replacement pipes (and at a much lower cost and time commitment).

For more information on CIPP liners and to discuss training or an installation project, get in touch with us.