Structural Condition Models for Sewer Pipeline

Proper management of sewer pipeline networks involves fulfillment of many technical requirements under economic constraints. Therefore, cost effective solutions are required to assist municipal engineers in prioritizing maintenance and rehabilitation needs. This demands a systematic approach to condition assessment of rapidly deteriorating sewers. Performance evaluation of sewers through random inspections is expensive. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a proactive sewer pipeline condition prediction methodology. This paper presents a method for assessing a sewer's structural condition by utilizing general pipeline inventory data. Based on historic condition assessment data, condition prediction models for sewers are developed using multiple regression technique. The final outcome of these models produces most likely condition rating of pipes, which will assist municipal agencies in prioritizing pipe inspection and rehabilitation to critical sewers.