Design of Concrete Pressure Pipelines for Thrust Restraint Using AWWA Manual M9

This paper details the procedure for pressure-induced thrust restraint design of concrete pressure pipelines with tied joints at elbows, tees, and end-caps through several examples following the current AWWA manual of practice M9. The paper discusses the problems that led to the development of the procedure, the design philosophy, and the development of a simplified approach for thrust restraint design. It discusses the assumptions embedded in the simplified approach. It presents the calculation flow diagram and describes the steps in the calculation for three different examples. These examples are selected for discussion in the order of their complexity: an end cap, a simple bend with welded joints, and a bend with mechanically harnessed joints. Through the use of examples, the paper shows how the calculation for each step is performed. Applicability of the procedure developed in the current AWWA Manual of Practice M9 to thrust restraint design of other pipes is briefly discussed.