Underground Construction - October 2020 - 46

BUSINESS LATEST INDUSTRY NEWS
PPI
plasticpipe.org

The Plastics Pipe Institute Inc. (PPI) released a new,
free, software tool that aids in determining the
most appropriate wall thickness of high-density
polyethylene (HDPE) conduit to be installed using
horizontal directional drilling (HDD) techniques.
Published on PPI's website, plasticpipe.org, or
conduitcalc.com, the Conduit Design Calculator
(CDC) offers an easy-to-use online application that
automates the mini-HDD calculations pioneered
by Dr. Larry Slavin and described in PPI TR-46.
Using inputs, such as directional changes in the
underground bore path, drill rod diameter, bore
depth and length, the CDC determines the calculated tensile load on the selected HDPE conduit, as
compared to its allowable safe pull strength.
CDC users have the options of HDPE conduit
manufactured from standard- or higher-strength
HDPE resin. Users then select the conduit diameter
and wall thickness type from a menu with three,
pre-loaded sizing systems: IPS, SIDR, and True-Size.
All conduit dimensions and properties are in accor-

dance with industry standards, such as ASTM F2160,
NEMA TC 7, and UL 651A.
After the details are entered, calculations take
two-to-three minutes in most cases, to show the
Safety Factor for the selected wall type and potential
alternatives. A Safety Factor greater than 1.0
indicates tensile strength is sufficient to meet the
calculated tensile forces for the given installation.
HDPE conduit, also known as PE conduit, is the
preferred material to house and protect power,
telecommunications and other underground
utilities, and is widely installed via trenching,
horizontal directional drilling (HDD) and plowing
installation methods.

Aclara
aclara.com
Austin Water selected Aclara, a leading supplier of
smart infrastructure solutions to utilities around
the world, to provide and implement a landmark,
advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) program.
Aclara's fully integrated, end-to-end AMI solution
will replace Austin Water's current meters and
manual meter-reading system across three counties
in the greater Austin area, comprising 265,000
residential and commercial meters.
The AMI infrastructure will be built on the
Aclara RF network technology, which provides
redundant, reliable and high-performance, twoway communications between data collectors
and endpoints. In addition, Austin Water elected
to deploy the Aclara Owned Network managed
service solution, to design, install and operate the
city's communication network.

Hobas Pipe USA Celebrates Safety Milestone
Hobas Pipe USA achieved an impressive milestone: 1,000 days without a lost-time accident (LTA).
Officially marked on April 30, the accomplishment is even more significant not only for occurring
during a time of high production and shipments, but with the COVID-19 pandemic, as well.
The company celebrated its record - and continuing no-LTA trend - in-spirit, at the end of June,
with an in-person event planned for the future.
"We are very proud of our Hobas Pipe USA team for their dedication to preserving a safe and
healthy work environment," said Juan Gutierrez, manager-Health, Safety and Environmental.
As team effort, credit goes to an emphasis and desire to work together safely each and every
day. Tools that support this include frequent safety meetings and pre-task planning to help ensure
clear understanding and care around the potential hazards on the job.
"This is a huge accomplishment for our family here at Hobas," Gutierrez added. "Thank you
to the entire Hobas team. Their commitment to maintaining a safe and healthy work environment
is why we are proud to say, 'Safely Made in the USA.' "
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Hobas Pipe USA, (800) 856-7473, hobaspipe.com

OCTOBER 2020 | UCONonline.com

CASE Construction Equipment
casece.com

CASE Construction Equipment donated a skid steer
to Wichita Habitat for Humanity, expanding the
manufacturer's relationship with the international
non-profit organization dedicated to improving
lives through affordable home ownership.
"This incredibly versatile machine will add
efficiency and safety and help meet many of the
special challenges we face when working on
urban infill lots in Wichita," said Ann Fox, executive
director, Wichita Habitat for Humanity.
"In the past, large groups of volunteers would
be assembled to do this work, or equipment
was loaned or rented - adding complexity to
scheduling," she added
That changed in the COVID-19 era, however.
Teams are limited to 10 people, slowing down the
construction cycle.
The donated CASE skid steer was a great
solution. By taking "some of the heavy lifting off
the shoulders of volunteers," explained Leandro
Lecheta, head of construction equipment-North
America, at CASE, they got "more done in a day,
and put even more families back on the path of
home ownership."

ASCE
asce.org/pubs
Pipe Ramming, MOP 115, Second Edition, by
American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), details
the latest and best practices for designing and
constructing road and railroad crossings using pipe
ramming technologies.
Divided into seven sections, the book is based
on case studies, workshops, project reviews,
technical papers, and other information contributed
by industry experts. Part 1 includes an introduction,
history, recent innovations, applicable documents,
typical applications, and a glossary of terms.
Parts 2 through 5 cover the planning and design,
preconstruction, materials, and construction
phases. Part 6 presents several case studies, and
Part 7 contains a list of references.
MOP 115, Second Edition, will be valuable to
both new and experienced engineers, as well as

http://www.plasticpipe.org http://www.casece.com http://www.aclara.com http://www.plasticpipe.org http://www.conduitcalc.com http://www.asce.org/pubs http://www.hobaspipe.com http://www.UCONonline.com

Underground Construction - October 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Underground Construction - October 2020