PCCP risk management—State of the art and strategy optimization

During the past 70 years, prestressed‐concrete cylinder pipe (PCCP) has been used to construct approximately 19,000 mi of US water transmission mains. Numerous unanticipated performance shortfalls, caused largely by the actions of one manufacturer during the 1970s, resulted in concerns among utilities related to the use of PCCP that continue to this day. An emerging PCCP risk management strategy is to use the combination of electromagnetic inspection to gauge the current extent of deterioration, finite‐element‐based structural analysis to gauge the significance of deterioration relative to risk of failure, and acoustic monitoring to gauge the rate of deterioration. This article examines the state of the art as it relates to PCCP risk assessment and provides constructive input related to the limitations associated with the various technologies currently being used. Additionally, suggestions for improvements and ways to get the most out of a risk assessment are given.