Design of Spirolite Pipe for

Subsurface Applications

Todays Outline
ASTM F894
Engineering Properties of HDPE
pressure-rated Resin
Introduction to Profile Pipe
Construction and Engineering
Properties
Design Methodology
Soil/Pipe Interaction
Performance Limits
Safety Factor

ASTM F894, HDPE Large Diameter

Profile Wall Sewer and Drain Pipe
Pressure rated resin, PE 3408

Profile Efficiency
5.60

1.92

0.27

1.143

Profile Geometric Properties for 42 Class 40 (Bulletin 910 Table 5)

I = 0.095 in4/in
Z = 0.44 in
A = 0.361 in2/in

0.44

ASTM F894: Requires D3212 Joint

Joint Testing, D3212

Testing Per D3212

Long-term Testing

Field Reliability for Spirolite Joint

Engineering Properties of HDPE

Pressure Rated Resin, PE 3408
Morphology
Crystalline Regions
Amorphous Regions

Viscoelasticity
HDPE behaves as both an
elastic material and as a viscous
material.

Relaxation Modulus (psi)

Apparent Elastic Modulus

140000
120000
100000
80000
60000
40000
20000
0
1

100

10000
Time (min)

1000000 100000000

Ring Stiffness Constant, RSC

Instron Testing

Flexibility Factor and RSC

Ring Stiffness Constant (RSC) is defined in
ASTM F894. Inverse of FF

6.44 EI
RSC
2
D

Flexibility Factor and RSC

Ring Stiffness Constant (RSC) is defined in
ASTM F894. Inverse of FF

6.44 EI
RSC
2
D

Regardless of Diam. Same load = Same % Defl.

Flexibility Factor and RSC

Ring Stiffness Constant (RSC) is defined in
ASTM F894. Inverse of FF

6.44 EI
RSC
2
D
Standard Ring Stiffness Constant Classes are
40, 63, 100, and 160

Installation and Handling Forces

Horizontal force due to compaction is

about the same regardless of diameter.
Studies have shown that a RSC of 40
is more than adequate for installation
forces.

Design of Buried Spirolite Pipe

Texas A&M modeled LT
deflection using FEM.
Demonstrated soil stiffness
and not pipe stiffness
controlled deflection.
Papers published at TRB,
ASCE, and others.

How does the pipe interact with soil?

Earth Pressure

Mobilized
Passive
Resistance

Reaction

Design Procedure
Calculate Load on Pipe
Find Performance Limit
Determine Safety Factor
SF

Load
Performance Limit

Pipe Deflection Calculation Load

Prism Load (Engr. Mn. Eq. 7-1)
P = wH
P = Vertical Soil Pressure (psf)
w = Unit Weight of Soil (pcf)
H = Height of Cover (ft)
Use Prism Load in any equation
that uses Bureau of Reclamation
E values.

SOIL
PRISM

Calculating Earth Load and Arching

<wsH

Flexible Pipe

>wsH

Rigid Pipe
Load on pipe depends on relative stiffness
between pipe and soil.

AISI Vehicle Load Table

Bulletin 910, Figure 11
Cover
(ft)
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
.

AISI Load
(psf)
800
600
400
250
200
170
100

AISI Load (assumes H20 wheel load and 12 rigid pavement). Heavier vehicles
require additional calculations.

Earth Load Calculations per

Spirolite Bulletin 910
Given: 42 Class 40 pipe with H = 16 ft cover
Prism Load (Bulletin 910, Eq. 8, F = 1):

PE wH 120 pcf (16 ft ) 1920 psf

Spirolite Arched Load (Figure 10, Bulletin 910):

PA FPE 0.85 PE 1632 psf

Calculation of Performance
Limits and Safety Factors
Determine the performance limit
for 42 Class 40 pipe for each
mode.
Wall Crushing
Wall Buckling
Ring Deflection

Divide the performance limit

load by the applied load for 16 ft
of cover to find safety factor.

How does the pipe react to buried external

loads? Performance Limits
Wall
Buckling

Dense
Soils

Flexible
Pipe

Wall
Crushing

Stiff
Pipe

Wall
Cracking

Ring
Deflection
Loose
Soils

Performance Limit: Wall Crush

PE
Crush Load (Bul. 910, Eq. 2)

DO

288 ASC
PC
DO
t
1. A equals t for solid wall pipe
2. Sc = Hydrostatic tensile stress

Safety Factor against Crushing

Given: 42 Class 40 pipe with H = 16 ft cover

288 ASC 288(0.361 in)1600 psi

PC

3629 psf
DO
(42 in 2(1.92 in))
PC 3629
N

2.22
PA 1632
1. Arched load with crushing.
2. Crush stress decreases with time.
3. Not one case of Spirolite crushing.

Bulletin 910, Equation 2

Performance Limit:
Constrained Buckling
PCR

EI
5.65 RB' E '
3
DM

PWC = Critical Constrained Buckling Pressure (psi)

R = Buoyancy Reduction Factor = 1-0.33(Gw Hgt/Cover Hgt.)
E = Soil Modulus (psi)
E = Pipe Modulus (psi)
DR = Dimension Ratio
B = Soil Support Factor

1
B'
0.065 H
1 4e

SF against Constrained Buckling

Given: 42 Class 40 pipe with 16 ft cover, 6 ft gw

28,250 psi (0.095in 4 / in)

PCR 5.65 0.88(0.41)2000 psi
(42in 2(0.44in))3
Use prism load for calculating SF since equation uses E.

PCR 4032 psf

N

2.1
PE 1920 psf

*Shallow Cover requires concrete cap, encasement,etc.

Bulletin 910, Eq. 3

Spangler/Watkins
Modified Iowa Formula

X PL
KL

DI 144 1.24 RSC 0.061E '

D
I

DX = Horizontal Deflection (in)

DI = Outside Diameter (in)
P = Vertical Pressure (lb/ft2)
K = Bedding Factor (Typ 0.1)
L = Deflection Lag Factor (1 - 1.5)
RSC = Ring Stiffness Constant
E = Soil Reaction Modulus (psi)

Bureau of Reclamation Table of E Values

Ring Deflection is controlled by

the soil stiffness not the PS

How much does PS help control

installation imperfections?

Deflection vs E and PS
DEPTH OF
PIPE
SOIL EQUIVALENT
PERCENT
COVER
STIFFNESS
E
E
DEFLECTION
(ft)
(psi)
(psi)
(psi)
(%)
25
46
1000
1112
3.1
25

1000

1012

3.4

25

46

200

312

11.0

25

200

212

16.2

PS is not a cost effective way to control deflection.

Must use a rigid pipe to gain significant improvement.
46 psi pipe has the equivalent stiffness of a soil with an E of 112,
good for about 3 ft of cover.

Better to increase compaction and inspection

requirements.

Spanglers Equation for 42 Pipe

X PL
KL

DI 144 1.24 RSC 0.061E '

DI

Lag Factor, with prism use 1.5

Reduce E by 25% for variability

X 1920 psf
0.1(1.5)

DI
144 1.24( 40 lb / ft ) 0.061(0.75)(2000 psi )

42
in

X
2.2%
DI

Predicted deflection (16 ft of cover)

HDPE Safe Design Deflection Limits

ASTM F894 --- PE sewer piping designed for 7.5% deflection

can be expected to perform satisfactorily when installed in
accordance with D2321 and deflection is measured in not
less than 30 days following installation.

Installation per Spirolite Bulletin 914

Conclusions
HDPE Profile Wall Pipe is a safe and
reliable product when manufactured in
accordance with ASTM F894.
RSC Class 40 pipe can be used safely to the
depths of cover given in Spirolite TB 910,
Table 1 & 2 when the installation
recommendations in Bulletin 914 are
followed.

QUESTIONS?

AASHTO Flexibility Factor (FF)

2

D
FF
EI

FF is used by AASHTO to
characterize the stiffness
of corrugated metal pipes.

FF= flexibility factor

D = diameter
E = modulus of elasticity
I = Wall section moment of
inertia