Development of die drawing design factor prediction models for trenchless rehabilitation of water pipes: a case study

ABSTRACT Maintenance and replacement of aging water pipes are critical for urban development. To this end, trenchless rehabilitation methods that do not require excavation offer an efficient replacement for aging water pipes. Thus, this study developed a trenchless method using die drawing, which continuously inserts polyethylene (PE) liners into the reach point while maintaining traction in the host aging pipe. If the traction is removed after a certain period, the initially contracted liner pipe undergoes expansion under natural restoration and tightly adheres to the inner wall of the host pipe to achieve structural regeneration of the aging pipe. This study aimed to determine the factors influencing the die drawing process using a rehabilitation design. Accordingly, we experimented with the die drawing method to achieve structural reinforcement using high elasticity PE liners. Thereafter, based on the experimental data, we developed prediction models to estimate traction, pipe restoration rate after traction release, and pipe restoration period. The developed models estimated the minimum required restoration period and provided deeper insights into the restoration behavior of the die drawing method employed in pre-equipment maintenance before on-site construction.