On Sat, 18 Jun 2005 09:46:45 GMT, "BigWallop"
wrote:


"Colin" wrote in message
...

"Mike" wrote in message
...

"Colin" wrote in message
...
Hi, - more problems!

The main drain pipe from our house seems to have broken in 4 places in
the
field adjacent our house. Some large vehicle must have driven over it
at
some stage.

If I was to replace this section of pipe, is there any regulation as to
how
deep it should be buried?

There is if you were replacing the whole lot but as a repair you can
replace
like for like.

But as it's been broken once, I'd look at adding some protection.

Replacing like-for-like sounds like a good idea.

Any idea what guideline depth I ought to be aiming for?

Cheers, Colin

The same depth it is now, if you're replacing like for like, but make some
sort of protection which is going to take more weight. Encasing the pipe in
a concrete sheath will make it slightly more robust for heavy vehicle
traffic.

Dig out the old pipe, exposing the whole thing all around it for about a 500
mm or so. Replace the pipe and make good. Pour in a couple of tonnes of
pre-mix concrete all around it to make up the 500 mm below and above the
pipe.

Make sure it left exposed for a couple of days, to allow the wet mix to cure
properly, then back fill it. Should give the pipe a lot more strength for
vehicle traffic passing over it. And it's not that expensive to buy a load
of pre-mix concrete.


If you are going to burry it in concrete (60 quid a cube round my way,
assuming you buy 6 cubes), you might be better to consider replacing
the whole pipe, an excavator can do 100m a day (a long day) for 15
quid an hour including driver round my way.

Modern plastic pipe will have a bit more give than the old clay ones,
but price the pipe up first. There are special stronger pipes for
putting under roads, which will mean no concrete.

I replaced my whole water pipe, 200m, becase it leaked twice, and I
wanted to not have it leak again.

To save attaching to the main sewer, you attach your new pipe a foot
or two back from the main sewer.

Rick