The University of Texas at Austin: A Case Study
The Problem
The University of Texas at Austin completed a beautiful 5 story atrium in 1997. Unfortunately they had water problems nearly immediately. Heavy rainfall would result in basement level flooding – leading to costly water damage.
Over the years a number of different attempts to remedy the problem had been made – without success. Until UTA contacted Trenchless Replacement Specialists.
The Cause
Trenchless Replacement Specialists was able to visually inspect the pipes that were suspected of causing the problem. While many had previously offered opinions of what the problem was, Trenchless Replacement Specialists was able to precisely identify it. Remote camera inspection revealed a missing drain cleanout cover. During heavy rainfall, the large amounts of water coming from the roof drain would generate head pressure causing water to overflow out of the pipe where the cleanout cover was missing.
The Catch
Just replace the clean out cover, right? Wrong. The missing cleanout cover was located beneath a custom terrazzo floor and behind a 12″ structural retaining wall.
The Solution
Using advanced trenchless technology Trenchless Replacement Specialists was able to replace the existing “T” with a 90 degree “L” (see illustration) – thus completely bypassing the missing cleanout cover and immediately solving the problem.
Conclusion
Trenchless Replacement Specialists’ experience and specialized tools allowed them to quickly identify the problem, develop a workable solution, and successfully implement it – all without disturbing the custom flooring or structural elements of the building.