Pipe project copes with extreme climate conditions

Crew members bury HDPE pipe in King Salmon, Alaska.

Alaska is not the easiest place for construction, especially underground projects. It is far off the beaten path and weather conditions are extreme, with temperatures ranging from the 90°s F to lower than -60°F.

Bristol Environmental and Engineering, based in Anchorage, Alaska, is often hired by the US Department of Defense to repair damage done to the environment by fuel spills, landfills and hazardous waste dumps. This usually means laying several different sizes and types of corrugated high density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe.

Rick Green, Project Coordinator of Bristol Environmental, says: "HDPE pipe is easy to handle and easy to work with. The shift in the ground here during the freeze/thaw cycle is so extreme, our projects need a pipe that can handle it."

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