THE MECHANICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF COMPOSITE MATERIALS USED FOR THE REHABILITATION OF CANALS BY MEANS OF LINING

Abstract

The innovative and fast method of rehabilitation of old canals is the “NO DIG” technology. It consists in the insertion of a hose of composite material (liner) in the body of the old tube, a procedure called lining. In order to make the correct choice of liner, we need to know the extent of the damage and the defects of the old tube. These defects are due to the loads and the stress under which the tube has been during its operation and can be categorized into three fundamental state of static damage. For each state it is nec-essary to perform a static calculation, based on which the technical and structural characteristics of the liner which will be used for lining will be established. The mechanical stress to which the old canal tube is being exposed consists of: soil pressure, traffic pressure, pressure of ground water, water in the tube; for these sorts of stress there will also be made a static calculation of the future composite material (liner), with the specification that this liner will be exposed in the laboratory to additional mechanical stress: tearing, compression, torsion and traction.