HYMAX Case Study: Dundee, Florida

March 2015 KC - case study, Dundee, FLThe Client
The Water Department for the City of Haines City, Florida serves 20,000 customers, and oversees and maintains:

  • 89 miles of water mains ranging from 2 to 30 inches
  • 7 miles of reclaimed water
  • 40 miles of force mains, and
  • 51 miles of gravity sewer mains with 850 manholes

Haines City utility foreman James Coker has worked for the City of Haines City since 2001. He and his team provide 24-hour support for repairs, and also support surrounding municipalities when required.

The Situation
In March 2014, a gas company bore into the ground within a residential area in Dundee, a neighboring community south of Haines City. The boring went right through a 10-inch asbestos cement (AC) pipe, completely shattering it. The gas company called in the break to the municipality as approximately 4,000 residents were cut off from water supply.

When Coker and his team arrived, they started by contracting out the excavation of the pipe which was three feet deep. The break was significant enough that the damaged pipe had to be cut out and replaced with polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe joined to the AC pipe with couplings at each end.

The Challenge
To repair the pipe quickly, restore water supply to thousands of residents and minimize damage to surrounding streets and properties.

March 2015 KC - case study, 2 HYMAX couplings with PVC pipingThe Solution
Coker used two HYMAX couplings to connect the PVC pipe on each end to the AC pipe.

There were three fundamental advantages that the HYMAX presented for this repair.

1. Ease of installation
Given the urgency, ease of installation was a key benefit. The HYMAX features a two-bolt top-facing design that is easy to secure and eliminated the need for extensive under-pipe digging and work.

2. Wide OD range
The HYMAX easily allowed for a tight seal to be achieved in spite of the differing materials of the connecting pipes (PVC and AC) and the OD difference between the two kinds of piping. The HYMAX’s two gaskets made it possible for a tight fit to be made despite these differences.

3. Durability
The HYMAX allows for each connecting pipe end to flex four degrees, enabling continuous dynamic angular deflection. Any shifts in the ground due to extreme weather changes or heavy traffic could be absorbed while still maintaining a strong connection.

The HYMAX also features a two-stage sealing with both a mechanical closing that seals and grips the pipe, and hydraulic sealing for increased sealing force. This hydraulic seal increases in strength as water flow pressure increases within the pipe meaning that the connection tightens exactly when it is needed the most.

Once the damaged AC pipe was removed, a piece of PVC piping was measured and cut to size. Coker’s crew loosened the HYMAX’s 2-bolt enclosures and slid the two HYMAX couplings onto each end of the pipe. Once the couplings were attached, the pipe was lowered into the ground where the repair was made.

Once in place, the HYMAX’s was slid into place to connect the PVC pipe with the AC pipe in the ground. Space was measured between the PVC and the AC pipe within the coupling as the deflection abilities of the coupling be limited if they touched within the HYMAX. At this point, the crew tightened the two top-facing bolts on each HYMAX coupling to complete the repair.

Conclusions
The HYMAX offered three advantages in repairing the Dundee water pipe.

1. Ease of installation
The two-bolt top facing nature of the HYMAX closure made installation quick and simple.

2. Strong and secure
The HYMAX provided a strong connection featuring a mechanical closure and hydraulic sealing, and deflection capabilities to absorb shifts in the ground.

3. Accommodate a wide range of ODs and piping materials
The HYMAX allowed for a wide range of ODs and pipes of differing materials, making it possible to use within a wide range of circumstances.

In this issue of HYMAX Connected
March 2015 Hymax Connect | Hymax in the News | HYMAX Case Study: Dundee, Florida | Video | Product Feature: HYMAX VERSA | Doug's Tips & Tricks