Technical Note 2.

160
Re:
Installation of ADS N-12 Pipe in Flowable Fill
Date: February 21, 2002

Introduction
Controlled Low Strength Material (CLSM), soil
cement slurry are both names for flowable fill. It
generally consists of portland cement, sand,
water, and fly ash with no coarse aggregate used.
In addition there are other flowable fill mixes
available by various trade names. The use of
CLSM is an alternative to conventional soil or
stone backfill and has been used for special
applications and installations of pipe for some
time. Flowable fill has the advantage of providing
excellent strength quickly while having an easy
and efficient placement system. It has proven to
be a viable alternative when stone, sand, or other
backfills have limited availability or cost prohibits
their use. Even with these advantages it is
necessary that the fill be controlled and care taken to provide for the proper installation. The increased interest
and use of CLSM has generated the need for this document.

Buoyancy:
The primary concern in the placement of CLSM with Corrugated HDPE pipe is the potential of flotation during the
placement process. The uplift due to CLSM forces during placement can be calculated in Equation 1. Although
the weight of the pipe would help resist flotation, it is fairly small in comparison to the uplift force and has not been
considered in the calculations.
U=
where

Adisp ?CLSM
1728

Adisp = area of pipe displaced by CLSM, in

3
?CLSM = 150 lb/ft
U is in lb/in.

(1)
2

Because of the difference in unit weights between CLSM and water the uplift force of CLSM can be greater than
two times the hydrostatic uplift. When backfilling with CLSM, the absence of soil overburden will cause the pipe
to float since the pipe weight does not offset the CLSM uplift. Therefore, the pipe must be anchored to keep it on
its original grade. There are a number of acceptable methods for anchoring the pipe in the trench. Common
methods include the use of dry CLSM placed at intervals along the pipe to hold it down, use of native material at
intervals along the pipe to hold it down, or rebars placed in an X pattern above the pipe and anchored into the
trench sidewall. Additional methods may include a precast concrete swamp weight, or a commercially available
screw anchor assembly.

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Some examples of possible assemblies to hold the pipe down are shown in Figure 1.

(a)
Figure 1:

(b)

(c)

Pipe stabilization options using (a) Geotextile Wrap, (b) Concrete Swamp Weights
and (c) Screw Anchors

There are also many other alternatives available which

have proven very successful in the field. Figure 2
illustrates the worst-case uplift scenario, which produces
the greatest upward vertical deflection between supports.
Equation 2 calculates maximum deflection experienced
by the pipe at a distance of 0.479L from point A or B.

Figure 2: Free-body diagram of the worst-case CLSM uplift on a

length of ADS pipe.

?
where

L
E
I
0.450UL & 0.550UL

=
=
=
=

max

UL4
? 0.01
EI

(2)

length of pipe between anchors, in.

5
2
Modulus of Elasticity of HDPE pipe = 1.1 x 10 lb/in
4
Moment of Inertia of pipe, in
restraining forces due to anchors

For this analysis, we have selected a maximum vertical deflection (? max) of 1/8 for all pipe diameters.
Therefore, solving for L yields Equation 3:
1/ 4

EI ?
??
L ? ? max
?
? 0 .01U ?

(3)

Figure 3 graphs anchor spacing versus height of CLSM fill for N-12 pipe sizes 12-60. The maximum spacing
between pipe supports for all diameters of N-12 pipe generally should not exceed 10. In this way, pipe can be
supported at each joint and at the midpoint of each length of pipe to ensure adequate stabilization.

30
12"
15"
18"
24"
30"
36"
42"
48"
60"

25

SPACING (FEET)

20

15

10

0
0

10

20

30

40

50

60

HEIGHT OF CLSM FILL (IN)

Figure 3: Spacing Between Anchors Versus Height of CLSM Fill For Annular IB Pipe Only
After determining the spacing between pipe anchors, an anchor type must be chosen based on the required
restraining forces that are given from the reactions in the free-body diagram in Figure 2. Minimum required
restraining force (0.550UL) versus pipe diameter is illustrated in Figure 4.

RESTRAINING FORCE/ANCHOR (LB)

35000

12"
15"
18"
24"
30"
36"
42"
48"
60"

28000

21000

14000

7000

0
0

10

20

30

40

50

60

HEIGHT OF CLSM FILL (IN)

Figure 4: Restraining Force Per Anchor For CLSM Backfill Applications For Annular IB Pipe Only

CLSM Mix Design:

The mix design of CLSM for flowable fill is beyond
the scope of this document. However, care should
be taken to make sure that the mix is designed to
provide adequate strength, but also have the ability
to be excavated should it be necessary to do so. A
suggested range is between 50 psi and 100 psi 28
day strength. The mix design should be laboratory
tested prior to using a field mix to ensure that the
proper results are obtained during field batching.
The field mix may also require monitoring and
adjustments to maintain the proper mix and
properties. These variations in the field mix can be
due to many factors, including temperature and
humidity during placement.

Placement of HDPE Pipe with Flowable Fill:

Trenc h excavation should follow normal procedures and meet all OSHA regulations for trench safety. Trench
width will be dictated by the native material strength. When good in situ material exists in the trench it is possible
that the trench widths may be much less than for a standard soil backfill. Figure 5 depicts typical trench widths for
a flowable fill installation. In soft materials a wider trench width may be necessary. Once the trench is excavated
to the proper line and grade, placement of pipe
can begin. The pipe should be laid in the trench
and joined in accordance with Advanced
Drainage Systems Technical Note 3.115 N-12
Installation. It will be necessary to place
anchors as determined from the flotation
calculations discussed earlier. The anchors will
also help to prevent pipe rolling in wide
trenches. Flowable fill slurry should be of
uniform consistency and appearance before
placement. The consistency should be fluid
enough to allow the material to easily flow
between the pipe and the bedding or trench wall
and fill all intended voids. Flowable fill should
not be placed on frozen ground, during weather
where the ambient temperature is below 40
degrees Fahrenheit, or in trenches where frozen material is present. When properly anchored, fill may be placed
in one lift unless otherwise dictated by local guidelines. Should multiple lifts be used, the amount of anchors
necessary and the force exerted on the pipe during placement will be reduced. If additional backfill is to be
placed over the flowable fill to reach final grade it should not be placed until the flowable fill has reached an initial
set. Because moisture is beneficial to curing it may be desirable to place a thin layer of soil (6 inches) on top of
the CLSM section to provide for enhanced curing.

Inspection:
The placement of flowable fill is a popular choice in many applications because of the speed of installation, the
elimination of concern with soil compaction, and the reduced amount of inspection and testing required.
However, as with any construction method, appropriate inspection and testing of the material is necessary to
ensure that the material is adequate for the intended purpose. Flowable fill should be monitored during the
construction process to determine if the parameters set forth for the material are being met and the placement of
the material will gain the desired performance.

Figure 5: Typical Trench Cross Section for CLSM Installations

During placement, the CLSM should be monitored to make sure that the slurry is completely filling the gap
between the pipe and the in situ soil. In addition, the space between corrugations should be completely filled.
Shrinkage of the CLSM away from the pipe or the trench wall is detrimental to the strength of the installation and
must be avoided. In large installations or in very long trenches it may desirable for a portion of the trench to be
excavated and the CLSM mixture checked to assure that the hardened mixture is uniform and material is evenly
distributed.
Samples of the flowable fill should be taken
during construction for appropriate testing. At a
minimum, the material should be tested for
compressive strength, flowability, yield and unit
weight, and set. Compressive strength testing
will involve determining the 7 day and 28 day
strength of the material. Preparation and testing
of the soil-cement slurry cylinders should be in
accordance with ASTM D 4832 Standard Test
Method for Preparation and Testing of SoilCement Slurry Test Cylinders. The testing
frequency should be set by the engineer but
should be more frequent in the initial stages of
the project until repeatable consistent results are
derived. Testing of CLSM cylinders is somewhat
different from traditional concrete cylinder testing
due to the lower strength limits, therefore a testing lab capable of testing low strength material should be selected
for testing the specimens.
Consistency of the CLSM mix is one of the more difficult items to control in the field. Most construction with
concrete dictates that the water content must be controlled so that the slump is kept to a reasonable level.
Personnel involved with the placement of concrete are therefore trained to keep the water to a minimum. In the
case of flowable fill, a high water content is necessary to allow for the material to properly fill voids during

placement. Consistency must be maintained and should be checked in accordance with ASTM D 6103 Standard
Test Method for Flow Consistency of Controlled Low Strength Material.
Prior to placement of soil or pavement over the fill area it is necessary for the material to have adequate strength.
Should a short set time be required it will be necessary for the material to be tested prior to placement of the
final fill material. Testing should be in accordance with ASTM D 6024 Standard Method for Ball Drop on
Controlled Low Strength Material to Determine Suitability for Load Application.
The Yield and Unit Weight of the material should also be checked to help in the control of the mix and subsequent
properties of the fill. ASTM D 6023 Standard Test Method for Unit Weight, Cement Content, and Air Content of
Controlled Low Strength Material can be used to assist in quality control of the mix and to determine compliance
with specifications.

Multiple Lift Fills:

Should it be required by local guidelines for a two lift procedure to be used in placement of the pipe the distance
between anchors and the forces per anchor can be easily calculated for each diameter of pipe. The first lift
should be placed up to the springline of the pipe being installed. By substituting the Adisp in equation 1 with the
Apipe of each pipe diameter and dividing by two equation 1 becomes equation 4.
USpringline =
Where

1 Apipe ?CLSM

? 2 ? ? 1728

(4)

Apipe = Area displaced by outer diameter of pipe full section, in

3
?CLSM = 150 lb/ft
Uspringline = Uplift force of CLSM fill up to springline in lb/in

This reduces by half the entire area of the pipe displaced by CLSM, giving an uplift force equal to a fill up to the
springline. By running through the calculations for each ADS diameter pipe Figure 6 is obtained.

Diameter
(in.)

Max. Force
per Anchor (lbs)

Min. Anchor
Spacing (ft.)

12
15
18
24
36
42
48

900
1454
2315
4497
8116
12374
17273

5
6
6
7
8
9
9

60

22537

10

Figure 6: Anchor Spacing and Force for Springline CLSM Fill

Conclusion
Flowable fill provides an excellent alternative to traditional backfill materials for use where quick, efficient
placement is needed. It is necessary for proper steps and procedures to be taken in the placement of pipe with
flowable fill. The installation must address flotation during construction, mix design, testing, and inspection to
ensure a quality construction product is produced.