The Concrete Pipe Association of Michigan (CPAM) and the American Concrete Pipe Association (ACPA) want to clarify a very important point on the Fraser Sinkhole.

This sinkhole was caused by problems with a CAST–IN-PLACE CONCRETE TUNNEL not with PRECAST CONCRETE PIPE.

News agencies, articles, and government officials incorrectly and continually refer to this sinkhole as being caused by CONCRETE PIPE.  The term concrete pipe implies Precast Concrete Pipe.  This implication gives our high quality products an undeservedly tarnished image. In fact, precast concrete pipe has been used twice in the past to repair other sink holes on the same sewer system, and those repairs using precast concrete pipe are performing well.  PRECAST CONCRETE PIPE was even specified as an option to repair this current sinkhole.

If you could clarify this on any future comments or articles about the sink hole and call it a concrete tunnel – (also highlighting it was NOT concrete pipe), that would be greatly appreciated. We hope you understand our need to clarify that the sink hole was not caused by a precast concrete pipe line.

If you would like to schedule a plant tour and see how precast concrete pipe is manufactured, please contact me to schedule.

For more information about our products please contact CPAM’s Director Jeff Girard.

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Understand the differences between Direct and Indirect design for Reinforced Concrete Pipe. This video will walk you through the design considerations and instructions for using the ACPA Fill Height Tables. The downloadable Fill Height Tables document is just below the video. https://www.concretepipe.org/wp-content/uploads/FillHeightTables-1.pdf

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