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Note On PVC Pipe Laying
Note On PVC Pipe Laying
NOTE ON TRENCHING, BEDDING, SIDEFILL/HAUNCH AND BACKFILLING FOR UPVC PIPES
1. References:
a. IS 7634 (Part 3) : 2003 PLASTICS PIPES SELECTION, HANDLING, STORAGE AND
INSTALLATION FOR POTABLE WATER SUPPLIES ‐ CODE OF PRACTICE, PART 3 LAYING AND
JOINTING OF UPVC PIPES.
b. 4985‐2000 Unplasticized PVC Pipes for Potable Water Supplies – Specification
2. TRENCHING:
a. Refer clause 6.2.2 of IS 7634‐Part‐3‐2003. The relevant text is reproduced below.
i. Trenches should be of adequate width to allow the burial of pipes, while being as
narrow as practical. If expansion and contraction are not problems and snaking of
pipe is not required, minimum trench widths may be obtained by joining the pipe
outside the trench and then lowering the piping into the trench after the testing.
b. Being a buried pipeline with 1m clear cover over crown of pipe expansion and
contraction are not problems hence it is desirable to have minimum feasible trench
width.
c. In view of the above trench width should be kept at the minimum as per table‐1
reproduced below.
3. BEDDING :
a. Refer clause 6.2.7 of IS 7634‐Part‐3‐2003. The relevant text is reproduced below.
i. Bedding and backfill material may be available by selection from 'as dug' excavated
material. Such soils as free draining coarse sand, gravel and soils of a friable
nature, that is soils which 'crumble easily’, are considered suitable.
ii. Prepare the bedding by laying on soft soil and alternatively compacting and
watering sparingly until an effective thickness of 100 to 150 mm is achieved.
4. SIDEFILL/HAUNCH AND BACKFILLING
a. Refer clause 6.5 and its sub‐clauses 6.5.1, 6.5.3, 6.5.4 and 6.5.6 of IS 7634‐Part‐3‐2003.
The relevant text is reproduced below.
6.5.1 The first sidefill or haunching layer should be placed by hand and compacted in
layers under the lower quadrants of the pipe upto the spring level (half the vertical
diameter) of the pipe. Compaction can be done by careful trampling with the feet or
with tamping tools.
6.5.3 Successive layers of backfill of 75mm thickness may then be placed over and
compacted to a height above the crown of not less than 150 mm. Light vibrating
machinery may be used, but not directly above the pipe.
6.5.4 If imported granular, free‐flowing material is used, this should be able to flow
around the pipe and can easily be raked into position to form a complete, self‐
compacting surround. With carefully controlled pouring, the whole surround upto 150
mm above the crown may be placed in one pass.
6.5.6 On completion of the surround to the pipe, suitable excavated material may be
then replaced as backfill in 250 nun compacted layers upto the top of the trench . No
heavy compaction equipment may be employed until there is at least 300 mm of fill
above the crown of the pipe.
5. CORRECT PRACTICE AS PER ABOVE PROVISIONS
a. Please refer clause 8.1 of IS 783‐1985. For the same trench depth the pressure on pipe
shell, due to backfill material, increases with trench width. Thus the pipe trench should
be as narrow as possible with minimum trench width as per Table‐1 reproduced above.
b. Sidefill/Haunch should from suitable backfill material available from excavation. In case
imported material is to be used the same shall be granular free flowing material.
Examples of granular free flowing material are granular murrum and well graded sand.
i. Sand bulks in volume when wet and shrinks in volume when dried. Dry sand is
filled and compacted around the pipe. When the sand becomes wet during
monsoon the bulking of sand puts the PVC pipe wall under extra shell compression.
High compression tends to buckle the pipe shell.
ii. Granular murrum does not bulk or shrink and hence offers complete support to
the pipe under all conditions.
iii. Hence a PVC pipe should be sidefilled with granular murrum and not with sand.
FOR PRATHAMESH
NITIN S JOG
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