Corrosion of concrete pipes in a sewer environment – two case studies

Abstract The deterioration and cost‐effective maintenance of infrastructure has for many years been an area of social and financial importance. The deterioration of the wastewater infrastructure is particularly important because of its key role in the maintenance of public health for urban conglomerations. This paper describes two case studies that are taken from an ongoing study of the sewerage network in the Municipality of Rennes, France. Both studies concern spun concrete pipes laid approximately 55 years ago. The first case is that of a sewer in good order because of its location within the network and its design. The second case describes a sewer that has been oversized and the conditions within the reach of the sewer have led to sulphide attack. It is concluded that two important considerations that must be taken into account is the design detailing and appropriate selection of materials.