PCA (Pipeline Condition Assessment) Group began, as a business unit within Tubemakers Water, in 1996 to provide expert consultancy services to Australian Water Industry. Initially, the group extensively utilised intelligent pig technology from Canada, and successfully assessed approximately 25km of cast and ductile iron water and sewer mains. Later the group expanded its technology offerings, based on experience prior to the formation of the group.
Since then the group has specialised in the condition assessment of pressurised water and wastewater mains, with a particular emphasis on buried ferrous metal mains, and has operated as a separate profit centre within major international businesses including Tyco Flow Control and Earth Tech Engineering. Today it is a Division of ADE Consulting Group Pty Ltd.
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PCA’s experience in this field has remained unmatched by any other service provider in Australia and has conducted genuine condition assessment (not leak detection on reticulation pipes) on thousands of kilometres of water mains in Australia and overseas. It is unique in operating as both a Consultant and Contractor.
Since its formation, PCA has trialed a number of techniques for assessing the condition of water mains and has during that time continued to develop and refine its approach. PCA has arguably grown be one of the leading world experts in the condition assessment of pressurised water mains.
Phone 1300-796-922 I Email: info@ade.group
FAILURE INVESTIGATION
PCA and its Consultants have been involved in Failure Investigations for more then 25 years.
Principal Consultant, Philip Ferguson, is an experienced Metallurgist (Graduate of UNSW) and has provided expert opinions in several court cases involving steel, grey cast iron and ductile iron pipelines.
Failure Sequence
Interference
Dead
Live
Failure
Corrosion
Fatigue
Degradation
Mechanical damage
Inherent flaws
Weakening of pipes
Operational pressures
Cyclic
Surge
Static
Mechanical overload
External loading
From Ferguson and Nicholas AWA Conference
Ductile Iron/Steel
Cast Iron/Asbestos Cement
Plastic/Glass-Reinforced Plastic
Legend
Failure in Bellevue Hill, NSW, 2009
Photo courtesy SMH
Failure of Ryde Suction Main, NSW, 2009
Photo courtesy SMH
