By: Metal Culverts, Inc
How appropriate that it was in February 2015 that Metal Culverts, Inc. supplied Union Pacific Railroad with 390’ of 60” diameter, 12 gauge (3”X1”) riveted corrugated steel pipe with High Build Epoxy Coating (HBE-95) for their Valentine Project –MP 742.37 located near Sierra Blanca, Texas.
The specification for this “sweetheart deal” called for corrugated steel pipe having all surfaces coated with an abrasive resistant epoxy coating from one of the three approved vendors complying with “AWWA C210-07, Liquid Epoxy Coating for Exterior and Interior of Steel Pipe and Fittings”.
The coating material is a two component, fast set, type v high build epoxy meeting ASTM D 16. This material has a high temperature resistance up to 203° F. When applied to the steel it can be applied up to 50 mils in one coat.
This additional protection to the corrugated steel pipe has excellent proven adhesion characteristics as well as being environmentally friendly.
Metal Culverts, Inc. contracted with Denso North American to apply the epoxy coating to their galvanized corrugated steel pipe. Upon receiving the galvanized CSP from Metal Culverts, Inc. at their Houston Texas location, Denso North American sandblasted off the layer of galvanizing. Per specification the coating was spray applied in their CPS factory to a 20 mil minimum.
After they were properly cured, the pipes were then shipped to the jobsite near Sierra Blanca, TX, which is approximately 70 miles southeast of El Paso on I-10. They were installed to create a multiple run drainage structure under the railroad. The HBE-95 coating was chosen for this site because the soil conditions were determined to be high in alkali and very acidic.
This is just another example of the versatility of corrugated steel pipe.