PipePac Software

PipePac® Software helps you select the right material for buried infrastructure systems and lets you determine the real cost of materials over the design life of the project. Integrated analysis is offered using three independent programs: 3EB (3 Edge Bearing) Analysis to select pipe class, CAPE (Cost Analysis of Pipe Envelope) and LCA (Life Cycle Analysis).

UPDATE

PipePac has recently been updated to incorporate the latest changes in the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association (AREMA) live load designs for buried concrete pipe. The user can input a highway or railroad load and allow the program to appropriately spread the load down through the soil to the pipe when completing a reinforced concrete pipe design.

THE FEATURES

• Integrated analysis using three independent programs (3EB, CAPE and LCA)
• Easy comparison of flexible and rigid systems
• Calculates earth loads and pipe classes for concrete pipe
• Option of standards to follow – ASTM or CSA
• Choice of analysis in imperial or metric units

THE BENEFITS

• Evaluates costs associated with each alternate pipe material, based on design components and project requirements
• Performs multiple economic analyses to compare different pipe materials based on total costs over the life of the project
• Incorporates project design life, material service life, economic factors, traffic costs and other project related items
• Estimates the material costs of embedment zones for both rigid and flexible pipe, and allows for the comparison of different embedment scenarios
• For each depth of fill, computes resultant earth, live, and surcharge loads; the earth arching factor; the bedding factor; and the required pipe strength based
  on 0.01″ (0.3 mm) crack strength, or ultimate strength in the Three-Edge Bearing test for reinforced and non-reinforced pipe.

EASE OF USE

PipePac is an online program freely available for use, and can be found at pipe.concretepipe.org. With this software you can:

• Analyze data in imperial or metric units.
• Select data from default tables or enter data manually.

STRUCTURAL CALCULATION (3EB)

The vast majority of the time, concrete pipe is specified by Class of pipe per ASTM C76/AASHTO M170 based on the D-load (lbs/foot of diameter/foot of length) that it must support. Required pipe classes can often be found in agency fill height tables. However, for special design considerations, the 3 Edge Bearing (3EB) Analysis module of PipePac is a quick and easy tool to use.

3EB computes earth loads on concrete pipe in accordance with the methods presented in the Concrete Pipe Design Manuals of the American Concrete Pipe Association, the Ontario Concrete Pipe Association and Tubecon. 3EB analyzes underground pipelines for standard installation conditions, trenches, embankments, and jacked and tunneled pipe. Loads are derived using the indirect design method that relates the supporting strength of the buried pipe to the strength obtained in a three-edge bearing (3EB) test through the use of bedding factors. The program analyzes all standard live loads such as aircraft and railroad loadings, as well as AASHTO and Canadian truck loads.

COST ANALYSIS OF PIPE ENVELOPE (CAPE)

Reduce cost and eliminate waste with CAPE. With a CAPE analysis, you get a more realistic picture of the bottom line. CAPE aids in estimating the material costs of the embedment zones for both rigid and flexible pipe, and allows for the comparison of different embedment scenarios.

LIFE CYCLE ANALYSIS (LCA)

What is the real cost of the materials you are specifying over the design life of the project? Total cost are calculated using present value, annualized costs, or future value methods. LCA’s ease of use decreases the time and costs of conducting economic analyses, and promotes more cost effective project designs.

LEGAL INFORMATION

PipePac® Software is developed and presented by ACPA in cooperation with the Ontario Concrete Pipe Association (OCPA), Canadian Concrete Pipe Association (CCPA), Tubecon and Giffels Associates Limited.

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