By: Pacific Corrugated Pipe Co.
On January 7th of 2015, PCP was approached by Lockheed Martin for some information regarding their culvert capabilities and the potential to start a new, very exciting project. After multiple phone calls and emails a product design was approved that would allow the transport of robotic submarines through the Antarctic Ice Shelf!
PCP designed a
nd fabricated 2 caisson sleeves – one measuring 48” in diameter and the other 54” in diameter. Each sleeve was 15’ long and made from 10 gauge polymer coated corrugated steel pipe. Each piece had to be 15 lineal feet long to provide a sufficient sleeve within the Antarctic ice shelf.
Once fabricated, the products were transported in a C-17 aircraft (along with members of the scientific team) from Southern California to McMurdo station research center, which is operated by the National Science Foundation. Once installed vertically through the ice shelf, these sleeves allowed the ARTEMIS submarine to go into and be retrieved from waters underneath the ice for purposes of collecting both research samples and data to generate maps based upon sonar technology.
The product was a complete success for launching and retrieving the ARTEMIS robotic submarine. The crew acquired the samples and data and has departed the location for the winter.
While this was considered a small project for Pacific Corrugated, the application was INCOMPARABLE! Although the product was not utilized for a storm drain, it just goes to show there are many more applications for CSP – some of which you would never think of!
For more information on this project visit PCP at their website here.