LMK first partnered with Schwalm in 2009, becoming the North American distributor of the Schwalm TalpaPipe Rehabilitation robots. Since then, LMK and Schwalm have worked together to develop the best of both world – utilising Schwalm’s robust high-end robots for positioning LMK’s T-Liner, an exclusive one-piece main and lateral cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) liner that incorporates swelling compression gaskets for a positive pipe seal at the main and lateral junction.

The T-Liner renews the full-circumference of the main pipe and extends the lateral pipe to nearly indefinite lengths as a single piece liner. The liner system is the closest thing to the new direct burry pipe, utilising gasket-sealed pipe joints made from high temperature chemically- resistant neoprene rubber.

The seal is compatible with all lining materials including CIPP, folded pipe and spirally wound pipe. With some of these linings it is difficult, or nearly impossible, to achieve a long-term bond with the lateral connection liner due to incompatible coatings such as polypropylene (PP) and the fact that all inverted CIPP liners are lubricated with a surfactantor oil, like mineral oil or vegetable oil, which by design resists adhesion.

The T-Liner system is a structural component that is compatible with all types of pipe and its success to seal comes from the compression seal, which has been tested up to 21.3 m, or 30 psi, of external hydrostatic head – a short-term leak test designed to test the sealing properties of the connection seal and liner. A paper discussing this testing program and protocol was given at the NASTT No-Dig 2011 recently held in Washington DC.

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Live demonstration

Schwalm and LMK will present and demonstrate these systems to municipal agencies and contractors, to extend and exchange knowledge between the German and US-based companies.

One of the presentations will discuss the ASTM International F2561–06 Standard Practice for Rehabilitation of a Sewer Service Lateral and Its Connection to the Main Using a One Piece Main and Lateral Cured-in-Place Liner.

A lateral 10–30 m in length can be structurally renewed and sealed in less than two hours. LMK’s T-Liner system is being specified all over North America, and has rehabilitated more than 60,000 laterals using the one-piece CIPP main and lateral liner.

The robot is able to disconnect from the air-inverting lateral launcher positioned in the main, which allows a second liner to be installed within minutes after the first. This simple improvement alone has nearly doubled daily liner installs.

LMK’s liner uses a low profile glass reinforced full-wrap, covering 45 cm in the mainline, and incorporates an engineered tapered transition at both the upstream and downstream ends.

In addition to LMK’s lateral lining products, the following will be demonstrated at the Trenchless Technology event:

  • End seals at manhole penetrations
  • Inverted CIPP mainline sectional repairs
  • Trenchless cleanout installations
  • CIPP manhole lining.

For more information on the live demonstration contact info@schwalm-robotic.de or info@lmkenterprises.com