Permanent PE slab protection

Increasing occurrences are being identified of longer lengths of pipeline e.g. 50m+ in field situations where the pipeline has a shallow depth of cover (DOC) e.g. 0.9m or less. In some cases the DOC has been found to be 0.5-0.6m in fields where ploughing can take place up to 0.45m deep. The number of solutions available to National Grid, to mitigate these risks are limited to; legal agreements to limit agricultural activity / buying land / relaying the pipeline / importing additional soil. All have significant costs or /and difficulties and frequently result in the loss of prime agricultural land.

As a result of an earlier innovation project the use of PE slabs has successfully been implemented as an impact protection measure for NTS pipelines which cross ditches at a shallow depth. The idea has emerged of manufacturing the lightweight PE sheets in a pre-formed ‘upside down U shape’ at a diameter of e.g. 100mm larger than the pipeline, which could be installed over the pipeline where DOC is a problem. The field trials would need to examine the worst case scenario of deep ploughing hitting the PE sheet with a view to deflecting the ploughshare such that it rides over the slab. Ploughs riding over obstructions is a relatively ‘normal’ occurrence when hitting stone slabs etc. that ploughs sometimes encounter in fields.

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An approved method accepted for use by National Grid in clearly defined and appropriate circumstances.

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