Grantee Research Project Results
Trenchless Water Main Point Repairs with SuperLaminate
EPA Contract Number: 68HERD19C0018Title: Trenchless Water Main Point Repairs with SuperLaminate
Investigators: Sever, Veysel F
Small Business: QuakeWrap, Inc.
EPA Contact: Richards, April
Phase: I
Project Period: May 1, 2019 through October 31, 2019
Project Amount: $100,000
RFA: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) - Phase I (2019) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) , SBIR - Water Infrastructure Rehabilitation , Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR): Phase 1 (2019)
Description:
Aging infrastructure is a major challenge faced by the water utilities in the USA and across the globe, and with an overall rating of D by the ASCE, water distribution systems are no exception. Approximately 240,000 water main breaks occur in US systems every year with a cost of at least $3.6 billion. As such innovative, economical, and sustainable solutions are needed in renewing the water transmission and distribution pipes as well as repairing water main breaks. QuakeWrap, Inc's founder, Dr. Mo Ehsani, PE, SE developed a trenchless point repair technology using carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) laminates. The SuperLaminate system can span gaps and structures along a pipe and has been installed in many gas main repairs, since 2010 mainly due to its ability to get across drip pots. Now QuakeWrap's goal is to adapt this technology to water main point repairs with the support from USEPA's Small Business Innovation and Research (SBIR) program. The SuperLaminate system will substantially reduce the water main repair costs with minimal distribution to traffic and impact to surface conditions. The system is a green solution with a carbon footprint that is as low as 30 percent of the conventional, open-cut repairs.
Progress and Final Reports:
The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.