October 2012, Vol. 67 No. 10

It wasn’t that long ago that those involved in the fiber communications realm were considered dreamers. Shortly after the fiber back-bone build-out bust of 2000-2001, fiber trunk lines were everywhere but rarely utilized. The U.S. was awash in dark fiber systems, waiting for not just business, but individuals as well, to embrace fiber to the premises – at a high cost. Most consider that cost to connect fiber to homes and business as just too high and the return too low to make a working business model. It would take decades for fiber to become in vogue enough to justify lighting up the dark fiber, justify build-out costs and truly provide fiber to the premise.

Advertisers from the print edition of <em>Underground Construction</em>, October 2012, Vol. 67 No. 10.

WennSoft, a leading provider of operational solutions, has been named to the 2012 Microsoft Dynamics President’s Club. This status was awarded to WennSoft based on its outstanding commitment to customer satisfaction.

Sam A. Arnaout, P.E., senior vice president of engineering with Hanson Engineered Products, was among the four experts selected to lead University of Texas at Arlington’s new course on concrete pipe design.

Greg Gapinski has joined Snelson Companies Inc. as president. He has over 20 years of experience in the pipeline and energy industry.

The Clean Water America Alliance announced a name change to the U.S. Water Alliance and the formation of a One Water Management network, both reflecting the organization’s core mission. “We’re changing our name but not our game,” explains Alliance President Ben Grumbles.

The Water Environment Federation (WEF) applauds the Democratic and Republican National Committees for including support for water infrastructure in their party platforms.

CH2M HILL, a global full-service consulting, design, construction and operations firm, has announcee that Jay Witherspoon, CH2M HILL International Technology Leader based in New Zealand, and Dr. Glen Daigger, International Water Association President and CH2M HILL Chief Technology Officer based in Colorado, have been recognized as 2012 Water Environment Federation (WEF) Fellows for their distinguished accomplishments in and contributions to the global water environment. Witherspoon and Dr. Daigger were recognized during WEFTEC 2012.

Along Interstate 35, between Austin and San Antonio, the Texas Economic Miracle is thirsting for water. Tight restrictions on the Edwards Aquifer and the high costs of pipelines are choking off the potential growth of homes and businesses.

Aging infrastructure, population growth, legislative and legal developments have all contributed to an ongoing need to consider dynamic water management strategies and solutions while concurrently facing economic challenges.

Growing Blue announced that IBM, Xylem Inc. and the International City/County Management Association (ICMA), represented by its Center for Sustainable Communities, have joined as new members of the Growing Blue network. The organizations will become part of Growing Blue's executive committee and will support its mission of raising awareness about water resource challenges and the need for thoughtful solutions.

Hanson Pressure Pipe has expanded the manufacturing capabilities at its Palatka, FL, plant, enabling increased production of larger-diameter, longer-laying lengths of B-303 Bar-Wrapped Concrete Cylinder Pipe (B-303). The first B-303 installation project since the enhancement is taking place in Portsmouth, VA, utilizing 36-inch diameter, 32-feet long pipes.

Aegion Corporation announced that Thomas E. Vossman has accepted the position of Senior Vice President-International. Based out of Houston, Vossman will be responsible for the overall growth and profitability of Aegion’s Water and Wastewater platform (Insituform Technologies Inc.) in Asia, Australia and Europe, as well as the company’s Asian Commercial and Structural platform (Fyfe Asia).

Jerry Davis, vice president of operations for North American Composites Company, a division of Interplastic Corporation, announced they have achieved ISO 9001:2008 certification for their 27 distribution facilities.

Insituform Technologies, a subsidiary of Aegion Corporation, has been awarded a $5 million contract from the city of Beverly Hills, CA, for the rehabilitation of over 135,000 feet of small-diameter sewer pipelines.

Pipeline Renewal Technologies (PRT) announced Sean Lipscomb will assume the role of Field Operations Manager.

Following a lengthy illness, Clovis Hester, 83, passed away on July 27 in Drumright, OK.

In August, the Obama Administration announced it was launching a new institute, the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute (NAMII), to be housed in renovated industrial space in Youngstown, OH, to help lead a renaissance in U.S. manufacturing. Academic scientists involved in the institute hope it will also send a message to students that, in the words of one researcher, "manufacturing is as cool as working for Google."

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has renewed its alliance with the National Safety Council (NSC) to continue enhancing worker safety and health by addressing construction hazards, injury and illness prevention programs and motor vehicle safety.

CG/LA Infrastructure Inc., a global leader in infrastructure project identification, development and advisory, has released the Top 100 North American Strategic Infrastructure Projects for 2012. The total estimated value of the projects identified is over $470 billion, across 12 infrastructure categories.

The Association of Equipment Management Professionals (AEMP) will take on three important issues in the future of asset management during its Asset Management Symposium: telematics, finance and Tier 4. The annual two-day symposium kicks off in Louisville, KY, on Oct. 30-31. General information and details on seminars and speakers are available at www.aemp.org/symposium.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued a direct final rule that applies the requirements of the August 2010 cranes and derricks in construction standard to demolition work and underground construction, the agency revealed in mid-August.

Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, L.P., has announced it has completed its previously announced acquisition of 100 percent of Tennessee Gas Pipeline (TGP) and a 50 percent interest in El Paso Natural Gas (EPNG) pipeline from Kinder Morgan Inc.

After this summer’s severe storms, Washington, D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray is hoping to prevent even more widespread electricity outages by forming a task force that will recommend whether the city should bury its power lines.

According to a report by HIS Global Insight, in the next three years, natural gas production from shale, coal bed methane and tight sands is expected to generate significant job creation, economic growth and revenue for federal, state and local treasuries throughout the U.S. in gas producing states, as well as non-producing states. The study states unconventional gas production that supported more than one million jobs in 2010 is projected to support almost 1.5 million jobs by 2015.

New Jersey American Water typically spends about $150 million every year on capital projects. Approximately $40 million of that is spent updating the pipes, pumps and valves that make up its nearly 9,000 miles of underground infrastructure.

In the latest installment of the Keystone XL pipeline saga, TransCanada received a go-ahead for the Gulf Coast section of its project.

Lucid Energy, a provider of renewable energy systems and pioneer in the development of in-pipe hydropower, announced that San Antonio Water System (SAWS) will be the site of the first LucidPipe Power System installation in Texas.

The American Society of Civil Engineers Pipelines Division held its annual conference in Miami Beach, FL, in August with record attendance of more than 650.

Ultraliner PVC Alloy Pipeliner is the perfect pipeline rehabilitation solution for gravity and low pressure wastewater or storm sewers and culverts.

SIP Flow-Liner is another alternative to pipe replacement and does not require excavation or drilling. Different types of pressure rated and non-pressure rated brands of SIP Flow-Liner are available including NSF61 certified brands for potable well piping.

The new Marc One acoustic pipeline leak detection and location technology is ideal for long pipeline segments. Utilizing fiber optic cable along the right-of-way eliminates the requirement for numerous field processing units. The Marc One follows the same principles of the acoustic system (SLDS), with the same performance and accuracy, but with a very attractive cost benefit.

The X55 Cross/Over Dump trailer is ideal for hauling materials such as rip rap, clay, demolition and a multitude of other materials that current bottom dumps cannot haul.

RIDGID announces the versatile new VF-99 Folding Pipe Stand, a functional, lightweight (24 pounds) and high-capacity option for joining applications involving pipes up to 12-inch diameter and weighing 2,500 pounds.

PCT’s new range of coiling machines is capable of packaging 8-inch HDPE pipe into road transportable coils.

Looking for an abrasive disc to deburr, grind and blend using a right angle air die grinder?

The Bor-It REI (Remote Elevation Indicator) is an accurate and inexpensive method of monitoring when your casing deviates from the boring grade.

It’s not hard to find a way to show pride in your school. You can buy almost anything in the school colors and sporting the school logo – hats, shirts, coffee mugs, flags and decals. But Dennis Smith found a unique way to demonstrate his school spirit.

Vanair's innovative Air N Arc I300 is the first system to offer six forms of power in a single 48-inch unit. Based on the technology of the Air N Arc 300 diesel system, it provides an integrated 40 cfm rotary screw compressor, 7kW AC generator, 300 amp welder, a battery booster and battery charger, with the newly added power of a 10.5 gpm hydraulic pump – all driven by a single engine.

Attaching in seconds to the ROVVER X inspection crawler, the new RedLine laser accessory is all you need to geometrically profile the inside of buried pipelines.

Compact track loaders from Case, Bobcat, New Holland, John Deere, Kubota Tractor Corp. and Caterpillar.

Trenchless pipe replacement methods from HammerHead, TT Technologies, TRIC Tools, Tenbusch and Nowak Pipe Reaming.

Piercing tools from TT Technolgies, HammerHead Trenchless Equipment, Footage Tools, Hudco Mfg. and Allied Construction Products.

The Center for Innovative Grouting Materials and Technology (CIGMAT) is currently working on projects related to composite coatings to protect reinforced concrete and repair methods for corroded steel piles. Over the years, CIGMAT researchers have developed unique testing facilities and developed test protocols approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to test grouts and coatings for infrastructure rehabilitation. A Life Cycle Cost model (CIGMAT-LCC) for wastewater systems has been developed and may be viewed on the CIGMAT website.

Pipe bursting is a trenchless replacement method in which an existing pipe is broken either by brittle fracture or by splitting, using an internal, mechanically applied force by a bursting tool. At the same time, a new pipe of the same or larger diameter is pulled in, replacing the existing pipe.

Anthony F. Caruana, supervisor, Town of Tonawanda, NY, is very proud of his community. “Our Town slogan, ‘A Great Place to Live, Work and Play’ is the guiding principle of our administration. Tonawanda is home to over 74,000 residents who take pride in our community, boast of the successes and achievements of our children, and believe we must be caretakers of our elders and stewards of our resources and environment,” he explained.

The Charter Township of Brownstown, MI, has undertaken an ambitious water-system improvement program that includes installing nearly eight miles of new water mains. Most of the project involves installation of pre-chlorinated HDPE pipe by the trenchless pipe bursting process.

Following catastrophic failures encountered by the original owner of the Oakland Macomb Interceptor System -- the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) -- the need for condition-based asset management was identified. At DWSD’s request, NTH Consultants, Ltd. (NTH) performed a condition assessment of the entire Oakland Macomb Interceptor System primarily through the use of closed circuit television.

Vincent Rice has considerable experience planning underground installation jobs and is proud of his company’s successful pre-planning project track record. Rice, founder and president of Aaron Enterprises, York, PA, is extremely knowledgeable in the various disciplines of trenchless technology, and has been providing personalized trenchless installation services since 1976. The company focuses on auger boring, tunneling and directional drilling, and is known within their south central Pennsylvania trade territory as “rock specialists.”

The largest solar farm of its kind in North America elected to locate power and control cables in underground conduit made from high-density polyethylene (HDPE) as a way to increase the life of the facility. The 2.2 MW solar farm covers 25 acres and includes 382 solar trackers.

ConocoPhillips Alaska, among the most active companies exploring for oil and gas in northern Alaska, found a lot not to like in the Obama administration decision in mid-August with regard to development of the 22.8 million acre National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska.