Trenchless rehabilitation of water mains with a Kevlar reinforced composite lining system

Utility providers around the world are challenged with aging water infrastructure. Although trenchless technologies are well-established in the sewer industry, the trenchless rehabilitation of pressurized assets is steadily emerging. The paper presents existing trenchless solutions in the potable water industry and focuses in particular on a Kevlar® reinforced composite lining system that is widely deployed in Europe. The paper will show the make-up of the liner as well as functionality of the corresponding termination fittings. Furthermore, the paper will demonstrate that the Kevlar® fabric does offer both material strength as well as flexibility. The paper will present several case studies on the trenchless rehabilitation of water mains using the Kevlar® reinforced composite lining system. The case studies will demonstrate that long installation lengths are feasible and the Kevlar® reinforced liner is capable of traversing bends. The paper will conclude with the advantages and limitations of this lining system.