PERFORMANCE
Concrete Pipe: Unmatched Performance.
Concrete pipe is a rigid system where approximately 85% of its installed strength comes from the pipe itself. This strength is verified through plant testing and certification. Due to its rigidity, the hydraulic properties used in design—such as size and shape, Mannings coefficient, joint dimensions, and inlet configuration—remain reliable throughout both the design and the structure’s lifespan. Engineers can confidently calculate and design for the project hydraulic performance. The structure’s mass and rigidity make concrete pipe resistant to large hydraulic forces that can move, dislodge, misshape, or float alternative products. This resilience makes concrete pipe the preferred choice for flood control and stormwater management projects. The dependable performance of concrete pipe in stormwater applications over hundreds of years has established it as the preferred choice.
In a low laying or marshy environment, the buoyancy of buried pipelines depends on the mass of the pipe material, the weight of the volume of water displaced by the pipe, the weight of the liquid load carried by the pipe, and the weight of the backfill material. Whenever the water table level is above the invert of the pipeline, the potential for flotation or buoyancy exists. Although the trench for a pipe installation in a marshy area is dewatered, the trench area downstream (after initial backfill) may become saturated. This would lead to a buoyant effect on the pipe. The mass of the concrete pipe typically counteracts this buoyant force. Alternate materials such as thermoplastic pipe and corrugated metal pipe may heave vertically or snake horizontally in wetland conditions. During the backfill operation, the fill may accumulate more on one side of the pipe than the other. The mass of the concrete pipe resists lateral forces, and the structure remains true to line and grade.
Concrete pipe also offers a variety of joints from soil-tight to pressure. They are not affected by the type of backfill used for the installation. Joint performance must be demonstrated in the plant prior to pipe installation, and joint integrity can be field tested in a variety of ways. With concrete pipe, deflection will not compromise field joint test capability. The cross-sectional rigidity of concrete pipe makes joint assembly a simple operation. Rigid joint integrity will minimize the likelihood of embedment intrusion and subsidence of overfill, often referenced as infiltration.
Gasketed leak-resistant RCP joints withstand a minimum hydrostatic internal head of 13 psi equal to 30 feet of water. (ASTM C 443 or C 1628).
Types of concrete pipe joints include:
- O-Ring Gaskets - used on all sanitary and some storm RCP where leak-resistant joints are required. These gaskets may be used in joints following ASTM designations, C 443, C 1628, or C 361 for low-head pressure applications.
- Profile Gaskets - used on stormwater culverts and RCP storm and sanitary sewers. Pipe is produced with a single offset spigot joint according to ASTM designation C 443 or C 1628.
- Mortar and Mastic Joints - used for storm sewers, culverts, and horizontal elliptical reinforced concrete pipe. Mortar or mastic is applied to the bottom half of the bell end and to the top half of the adjoining spigot.
Mastic and Butyl sealants are applied in accordance with ASTM designation C 990-96.
In some applications, a quality joint may be a wrap applied to the external surface of the joint. These may be specified in accordance with ASTM C 877.

Rigidity
Concrete pipe in service will not flex, bend, or deflect because it is a rigid structure. With approximately 85% of its installed strength from the pipe itself, its rigid nature requires only a minimal amount of installation support from the surrounding soils. Hydraulic properties used in design such as size and shape, Mannings coefficient, joint dimensions, and inlet configuration can be counted on during the life of the structure ensuring confidence in the designed hydraulic performance of the system.
Dependable
Performance is consistent throughout the system and from one project to the next, delivering dependable output and performance of the systems.
Proven
The extensive use of concrete pipe in stormwater applications over hundreds of years have proven the performance so engineers and designers know what to expect with a system and can rely on its performance.
Disaster Resilience
Its structure, mass and rigidity make concrete pipe resistant to significant hydraulic forces that can move, float, dislodge, and/or change the shape of alternative products. Where there is a higher risk these impactful instances, concrete pipe is preferred choice for flood control and storm water management as it can maintain its intended performance in the face of adversity.
Legacy
The enduring nature and historical performance of concrete pipe gives confidence to designers and owners that performance of the system does not diminish over its lifetime.