Page 3187 - Week 11 - Wednesday, 12 September 1990
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MINISTER FOR FINANCE AND URBAN SERVICES
LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY QUESTION
Aluminium Stormwater Pipes
QUESTION NO. 234
Ms Follett - asked the Minister for Finance and Urban Services -
(1) What results have been achieved with the trial installation of aluminium stormwater pipes?
(2) What cost benefits are likely with future use of the material?
Mr Duby - the answer to the Members question is as follows:
(1) As the aluminium pipes on trial were laid in
December 1988 it is too early to determine the long term
suitability of this material for stormwater pipes. The
pipes are located in an established area which, unlike
new subdivisions, does not have large quantities of
debris and silt in the stormwater system. This trial
will not therefore allow an accurate indication of the
pipes suitability for general use.
No major maintenance of the pipes has been required. However, despite the lack of a clear result to date, certain unsatisfactory features of aluminium pipes have been observed:
the pipe joints leave an internal gap which could cause blockages and difficulties in cleaning;
the thin walled pipes can become deformed during construction loading and require careful embedding and backfilling;
the ability to make connections with materials other than aluminium is not certain; and
the extent, if any, of surface corrosion due to soil content has not been ascertained.
(2) Although the initial cost of aluminium pipes is less than concrete ones, thin walled aluminium pipes require greater care in bedding and backfilling and consequently the total construction cost of the aluminium pipe project is similar to an equivalent concrete pipe job. It is unlikely that cost benefits could be obtained by the use of aluminium pipes and in fact the total life cycle cost of these pipes may be greater than for concrete pipes because of possibly higher maintenance costs.
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