We all love a little R&R! But rest and relaxation has a whole different meaning to a burster! If you’ve never heard about the relaxation period….. well the cliff notes version is this…. the time that the pipe takes for the HDPE pipe to either contract or expand at the new constant temperature after being installed under ground. This may also include the release of stresses in the pipe from being yanked, pulled, and stretched from the installation process.
There are different requirements ranging from zero hours up to 24 hour relaxation depending on the designer of the project. At first glance these requirements seem absurd as in the contractors eyes the work must get done and waiting for the pipe to shrink does not seem like a productive idea. However if all parties can work together there are many solutions to keep the ball rolling. For instance, when welding your last connecting piece of pipe inserted into the manhole, possibly a few extra inches in case the pipe retracts, You could get the whole segment fused in place. Getting all the pipe and Couplers fused while the pipe is dry is a huge advantage, so try not to let the relaxation period ruin your opportunity for dry fusion conditions.
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To take this a step further, The repair work to the manhole channel could be accomplished up to the HDPE pipe without actually grouting the whole opening. This can give you flow through the pipe and manhole while giving the pipe the flexibility to move and adjust during the relaxation period. Once the relaxation period has expired the manhole wall can then be reconstructed. The same concept can also be used when reconnecting the house connections. The connection can be fused in place and reconnected temporarily with flexible piping or flexible fittings to accommodate any movement in the pipe. The main point would be that the connection point would not be backfilled until The relaxation period had expired.
