Clay Pipe at Hampton

[stiltzkin]

I recently noticed this exposed clay pipe alongside a big ditch in the road at Hampton - would this be the same pipe mentioned here and then again here in this thread from 2011?

Is this basically part of a storm drain installation then, to keep the road dry? Or maybe it has feeders from the foundations of the houses in the field? Is this from the Goodrich era, or earlier? Would like to know more.

Was doing some reading on vitrified clay pipe. It's amazing how long the service lifetime can be, if it's not disturbed. It can last 200 years.

 

[bobpbx]

It's interesting that it tapers at both ends. Perhaps the fatter center sections are tees leading into the field (if I'm seeing it correctly, perhaps not).

PS: do you mean the Hampton Furnace area?

 

[Teegate]

I can't get your links to go to the proper page. In any event, portions of that pipe was dug up during the police activity a few years back. And portions of it were showing a while back in the road. Bog Mermaid told me two weeks ago it was starting to show again.

 

[Teegate]

All, to go to an exact post, copy the link to the number at the top right of each post. EDIT: For some reason that thread is not working properly when you do just that.

 

[stiltzkin]

All, to go to an exact post, copy the link to the number at the top right of each post. EDIT: For some reason that thread is not working properly when you do just that.

Hmm, yes that's exactly what I've done here, not sure why it doesn't work. I was referring to your posts #4 and #16 in that thread.

PS: do you mean the Hampton Furnace area?

Yes, Hampton Furnace, sorry for any confusion. The pipe is here.

 

[Teegate]

Yes, they are the same pipes.

That thread is really not working well. Frustrating you can't link to a specific post.

 

[stiltzkin]

It's interesting that it tapers at both ends. Perhaps the fatter center sections are tees leading into the field (if I'm seeing it correctly, perhaps not).

I think any tapering you're seeing is an optical illusion, maybe from the angle I've taken the photo. The sections all looked to be the same size to me.

 

[Boyd]

For some reason that thread is not working properly when you do just that.

I have seen this problem before, it happens when there are a lot of pictures in a thread. The Xenforo software apparently does not correctly allow enough space for the images when it scrolls to the linked post.

 

[smoke_jumper]

It’s was less exposed a couple of weeks ago.

 

[smoke_jumper]

It looks like it was prescribe burned since I was last there too.

 

[stiltzkin]

Yes, indeed it has - the burn has everything fully exposed right now; almost all of the tall grass is gone. If you want to check out the ruins in the clearest conditions possible, now is a great time.

 

[RednekF350]

I recently noticed this exposed clay pipe alongside a big ditch in the road at Hampton - would this be the same pipe mentioned here and then again here in this thread from 2011?
View attachment 19322
Is this basically part of a storm drain installation then, to keep the road dry? Or maybe it has feeders from the foundations of the houses in the field? Is this from the Goodrich era, or earlier? Would like to know more.

Was doing some reading on vitrified clay pipe. It's amazing how long the service lifetime can be, if it's not disturbed. It can last 200 years.

I work for a civil engineering firm and I have always been amazed at the service life of terra cotta. We have removed 100 year old pieces that looked like new, especially the interior.

However, the photos you posted vividly illustrate the biggest problem with terra cotta pipe and that is, the industry standard 3 foot lengths. Every three feet you have the potential for misalignment, differential settlement and root intrusion. Modern SDR-35 PVC sewer pipe comes in 13 lengths with watertight, gasketed push-on joints that last a long time and have almost no issues with root intrusion or misalignment. When we have to video terra cotta it is almost always necessary to run a root cutter and then a jet through the mains before they can be videoed.

 

[stiltzkin]

Fascinating, thank you. Is terra cotta not really made in longer sections because it's too expensive or difficult to produce? Or too structurally fragile if made too long? Or for some other reason?

 

[imkms]

I work for a civil engineering firm and I have always been amazed at the service life of terra cotta. We have removed 100 year old pieces that looked like new, especially the interior.

However, the photos you posted vividly illustrate the biggest problem with terra cotta pipe and that is, the industry standard 3 foot lengths. Every three feet you have the potential for misalignment, differential settlement and root intrusion. Modern SDR-35 PVC sewer pipe comes in 13 lengths with watertight, gasketed push-on joints that last a long time and have almost no issues with root intrusion or misalignment. When we have to video terra cotta it is almost always necessary to run a root cutter and then a jet through the mains before they can be videoed.

I worked on many terra cotta sewers as a plumber in the 70s and in addition to the alignment issue is the joint material. The standard was mortar which would allow hair roots to get in and then thrive in the steady water supply, which led to stoppages and could even pop the joints. Cutting out the roots only bought some time as they would just continue to grow. In some rare cases, hot tar was used in the joints instead of cement and this combination was a real winner. I know of some still in use today at nearly 100 years old and never had a problem.