Laying 90 km of pipe through abrasive soil beside a working highway takes more than good product. It takes a plan for the people installing it. For the Eyre Peninsula pipeline, South Australian Water Corporation (SA Water) needed a trunk water main from Iron Knob to Kimba on the upper Eyre Peninsula. Viadux supplied all 90 km of TYTON DN375 ductile iron cement lined pipe and also trained the contractors who installed it. By January 2007 the entire pipeline had been hydrostatically pressure tested.
Project at a glance
• Client: South Australian Water Corporation (SA Water)
• Location: Upper Eyre Peninsula, South Australia
• Scope: 90 km pipeline from Iron Knob to Kimba
• Pipe supplied: 90 km of TYTON DN375 ductile iron cement lined pipe
• Trench: 750 mm wide by 1,400 mm deep
• Contractors: BJ Jarrad Pty Ltd and Leed Engineering Pty Ltd
• Completed: January 2007
Table of Contents
• The Challenge: Abrasive Soil and a Busy Highway
• The Solution: Reliable Pipe and Trained Crews
• How the Project Came Together
• The Outcome: A Tested Pipeline Supplying SA Water Customers
• What This Means for Other Long-Distance Pipelines
• Questions About This Project
The Challenge: Abrasive Soil and a Busy Highway
The pipeline route followed the Eyre Peninsula highway. That simplified site access, but it also created traffic management issues for the crews working alongside the road.
The bigger problem was the ground. The soils along the route were extremely abrasive and significantly slowed excavation. One particularly difficult 300 metre stretch took a full week of excavator work to open up for the 750 mm wide, 1,400 mm deep trench.
The Solution: Reliable Pipe and Trained Crews
Viadux supplied all of the piping for the project: TYTON DN375 ductile iron cement lined pipe. Ductile iron pressure pipe for Australian water networks is manufactured to AS/NZS 2280. You can see the range on the Viadux ductile iron pipe pages.
Viadux also provided the contractors, BJ Jarrad Pty Ltd and Leed Engineering Pty Ltd, with a comprehensive training course on correct installation procedures. Training was delivered through the Century Plus II course. Installing pipe correctly in difficult ground is one of the most direct ways to protect a long pipeline once it is in service.
Supply Only versus Supply Plus Training
• Supply Only: Pipe delivered to site. Installation guidance left to the contractor.
• Supply Plus Training (Eyre Peninsula): TYTON DN375 DICL pipe delivered to site. Course covering correct installation procedures delivered to contractors BJ Jarrad Pty Ltd and Leed Engineering Pty Ltd.
How the Project Came Together
1. Route and access: The pipeline followed the Eyre Peninsula highway, which simplified access but required traffic management.
2. Supply: Viadux supplied 90 km of TYTON DN375 DICL pipe.
3. Training: Contractors completed the Century Plus II installation training course.
4. Excavation and laying: Crews worked a 750 mm by 1,400 mm trench through abrasive soil, including a 300 metre stretch that took a week to excavate.
5. Testing: By January 2007 the entire pipeline had been hydrostatically pressure tested.
Planning a long-distance trunk main?Speak with the Viadux team about TYTON ductile iron pipe supply and installation training for your project.
The Outcome: A Tested Pipeline Supplying SA Water Customers
The Eyre Peninsula pipeline passed hydrostatic pressure testing along its entire length by January 2007. It supplies SA Water customers between Kimba and Lock.
For a similar ductile iron project with a different route, see the Viadux Goldenfields Water County Council case study in New South Wales. More civil, industrial and irrigation projects are listed on the Viadux case studies page.
What This Means for Other Long-Distance Pipelines
The Eyre Peninsula project shows how three practical issues shape a long trunk main: the route, the ground, and the people doing the work. Each one can be planned for before the first length of pipe goes in.
• Route and access: A route beside a highway makes access easier, but crews then need a traffic management plan for the whole length of the works.
• Ground conditions: Abrasive soils slowed excavation, and a single 300 metre stretch took a week. Allowing for slow sections in the program helps avoid surprises.
• Installer knowledge: Training for contractors on correct installation procedures gives every crew the same guidance, which matters on a pipeline of this length.
Together, these points explain why Viadux paired product supply with a training course on this project, rather than supplying pipe alone.
Questions About This Project
What pipe was used on the Eyre Peninsula pipeline?
Viadux supplied 90 km of TYTON DN375 ductile iron cement lined pipe for the pipeline between Iron Knob and Kimba.
Who installed the pipeline?
The contractors were BJ Jarrad Pty Ltd and Leed Engineering Pty Ltd. Viadux trained them in correct installation procedures through a comprehensive training course.
What made the construction difficult?
The soils along the route were extremely abrasive, and one 300 metre stretch took a full week of excavator work. The route also followed the Eyre Peninsula highway, which required traffic management.
Was the pipeline pressure tested?
Yes. By January 2007 the entire pipeline had been hydrostatically pressure tested.
Talk to Viadux about your next trunk main
If you are specifying pipe for a long regional pipeline, Viadux can supply TYTON ductile iron pipe and support your contractors with installation training. Contact your nearest branch through thelocations page to discuss your project.