The Industrial Corridor of Livonia, Michigan is attractive to developers and manufacturers alike for its strategic location and convenient access to M-14, I-96 & I-275 freeways. The six-square mile corridor includes over 30 million square feet of industrial and warehouse space and is comprised of industry leaders in manufacturing, technology, automotive, aerospace, logistics and retail.
Beginning in 2017, 3 million square feet of industrial space was added to the corridor. Local commercial real estate developer, Ashley Capital, redeveloped three major sites in Livonia; the Livonia Distribution Center, Livonia Corporate Center and the Livonia West Commerce Center.
The Livonia West Commerce Center was the former site of the old GM Livonia Spring and Bumper Plant, which had sat empty since the late 1990s and was leveled in 2001. The facility had a variety of environmental hazards associated with the site. Over the years, groundwater infiltrated into the storm sewer which was a point of potential environmental concern for the redevelopment of the site. The storm sewer system also had several elbows within the original design that would need to be addressed in any reline solution. Ashley Capital looked at various options to reline the existing 72-inch and 66-inch concrete storm sewer line.
The original solution included new access pits for placement of the new pipe was deemed “not feasible” based on the fact that groundwater dewatering would be required and would add significant expense to the relining of the existing storm sewer pipe.
An alternative solution was also considered and then discarded given the excessive cost, increased installation time necessary, and the uncertainty that it would add any structural enhancement to the host pipes. This solution incorporated cleaning the original pipeline and then relining using a chemical epoxy coating. The ability to use small sections of pipe and reline from one end seemed the most efficient way to implement the best solution.
Ashely Capital first considered utilizing Contech Engineered Solutions in a design-build approach when they realized that the manufacturer was able to offer a solution with DuroMaxx® SRPE liner pipe. By manufacturing 7-foot pipe segments that would allow access from an existing 9-foot diameter, concrete catch basin on the east end of the storm sewer line, they were able to eliminate the need for any access pits within the existing storm sewer line. This change added three times the original number of pipe joints to complete the project but was deemed to be the most cost-effective solution to a difficult relining project. This solution saved significant engineering time and total installation costs and allowed the project to move forward.
Contech provided a detailed plan for the installation, grouting and testing activities. Contech also outlined the required elbows which consisted of flanged pieces that were lowered into the existing storm sewer system and bolted together underground thus allowing for 54 degree and 36 degree elbows to be placed without expensive excavation activities.
Installation of the liner system occurred entirely from the east end of the storm sewer run where the 7-foot lengths of DuroMaxx SRPE liner pipe were lowered into the existing storm system. Each piece was moved and blocked along the required 1000-foot length with each corresponding piece of pipe joined together using a pulley and blocking system to pull each pipe piece together. Once the entire length of pipe was set, the system was grouted in stages and tested to project specifications.
To facilitate testing the pipe, Contech and the project contractor, National Reline Services, LLC, created a unique testing protocol that would show water infiltration was minimized into the new pipe without conducting a difficult and dangerous air test of the new pipe system.
Ed Mickel from National Reline Services, LLC stated, “We are pleased with the efforts from Contech on this project as the design team required some innovative techniques to create elbows that could be placed in-situ. The support we received during installation and testing of the DuroMaxx SRPE liner pipe was excellent."