The growing populations and economies of the Asia-Pacific region place more and more constraints on the maintenance and operation of urban infrastructure.

In particular it is becoming increasingly difficult to efficiently manage the many thousands of kilometres of pipelines that are buried beneath cities and towns. This infrastructure represents many billions of dollars of investment by governments and companies over many years.

The continuing expansion of urban environments makes accessing these pipes difficult when repairs are necessary. Maintaining the structural integrity of pipelines—both the coatings and linings—is essential for safety of the asset and the surrounding environment.

Large ruptures of pipes requires the damaged sections to be dug up and replaced. However, according to Rhino Linings Australia managing director Peter Morgan, there are now methods available to repair breeches that can be carried out without the expense of disrupting roads, railways and other public or private property.

Cast-in-Place Pipe (CIPP) involves relining a damaged pipe with an epoxy resin. A mesh sleeve is soaked in the resin and then pulled through a length of pipe. The sleeve is inflated with air or steam to conform to the contours of the pipe and allowed to cure, forming a new, smooth inner surface. The system can even contend with pipes that have bends up to 90-degrees in them.

“CIPP is ideal for both the structural and lateral water pipes in our cities,” says Peter.

“Structural are the main pipes usually found under roads, while lateral are those that run from the street to a property.”

The resin and hardener system provided by Rhino Linings for use in pipe repair is designed to have a life span of a minimum of 50 years. This life span is dependent on using the system in accordance with Rhino Linings Product Data Sheet and following the methods of the relevant Standards. Morgan said

“Depending on the constraints and requirements of the project, there are a range of hardeners that essentially provide fast, medium or slow curing times,” Peter says.

While initially known for its spray-applied ute tub liner, over the years RLA has expanded its product capabilities to provide a wide range of industrial spray-applied protective coatings for mining, military, infrastructure, water and waste water applications.

All products RLA manufactures in Australia are regularly tested to ensure continued compliance with appropriate Australian Standards and international guidelines.

“A large part of the CIPP market is in water and wastewater so we made sure that the material we supply to our customers meets the highest standards.

“It has been challenging to overcome the reticence of some in the industry to use our Australian-made product. RLA’s parent company in the USA became a major part of the epoxy lining market when it was the only manufacturer that met the specifications of the massive transport infrastructure project in the US city of Boston known as “The Big Dig”. The company supplied the epoxies that were sprayed by massive spray machine to seal and protect the inner surfaces of the kilometres of tunnels that were dug beneath Boston’s CBD, Charles River and bay area,” Peter concluded.

From its Queensland facilities, RLA is able to provide a streamlined inventory model and prompt shipments to all locations across the Australasian region, regardless of quantities required.  Clients therefore enjoy confidence in the uninterrupted material supply.