Assessment of Soil Conditions and Their Impact on Concrete Watermain Performance

Concrete watermains are vulnerable to deterioration influenced by the surrounding soil environment. Factors such as pH, moisture content, chloride levels from road salts, and sulfate concentrations can accelerate the breakdown of concrete pipe materials and reduce service life. Currently, geotechnical data across the Region is captured through a variety of reports and formats, making it difficult to consistently evaluate soil aggressiveness. This project will involve standardizing geotechnical information, mapping soil parameters, and analyzing potential impacts on buried concrete watermains. This work will help identify high-risk areas, improve asset management planning, and support proactive rehabilitation and replacement strategies.

 Host Department: Works

 Type of Collaboration: A paid co-op internship hosted at the Region

 Anticipated Outcome: 

The desired outcomes of this project are to build a standardized dataset of soil conditions across the Region and establish clear correlations between soil aggressiveness and the performance of concrete watermains. By mapping factors such as pH, chloride levels, and sulfate concentrations in relation to buried infrastructure, the project aims to identify areas at higher risk of deterioration. The results will provide data-driven insights to guide rehabilitation and replacement planning, reduce uncertainty in asset management decisions, and create a framework for incorporating geotechnical information into future condition assessment programs.

 Deliverables: Data analysis, Prototyping, Trends Analysis

 Timeline: More than 12 months

 Desired Start Date: Winter Semester 2026

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