History - NCPI

NCPI Through the Years.

While NCPI wasn’t formed until 1917, it is critical in understanding the organization to know a little of the history of clay sewers in the U.S. leading up to that time.

NCPI History

1803

Clay pipe sewers are installed in Washington DC, just blocks from the White House.

1836

Ohio Manufacturing opens the first clay sewer pipe manufacturing plant in the U.S.

1860

The first mechanical steam driven press began extruding pipe

1877

The first telephone installed in the Whitehouse

1900’s

ASTM Committee L was formed and eventually renamed Committee C04 on Clay Pipe. First hydro-mechanical sewer cleaning tool was introduced.

1903

Wright Brothers first flight

1910’s

Anson Marston joins Committee C04 on Clay Pipe and leads the development of the first C04 document (Memoranda of Recommendations for the Laying of Sewer Pipe).

ASTM accepts the recommendations as a tentative specification designated C12.

1929

Metcalf & Eddy publish American Sewerage Practice – 99.3% of the population in cities of 100,000 or more use dilution as the only “treatment” of sewage. The remaining 0.7% of the population uses irrigation.

1930’s

Organizations around the country represent clay pipe manufacturers regionally

1940's

Regional organizations coalesce to form the National Clay Pipe Institute

1941

Pearl Harbor

NCPI begins a research partnership with The Ohio State University Research Foundation (Ohio State) with research into the Improvement of Clay Pipe and Pipe Joints, Behavior of Sewer Pipe Under Load, Rotary Drying & Firing and Small Pipe Die Design

1950's

Wastewater treatment begins & infiltration (once seen as a benefit) is suddenly a liability.

ASTM C301 (Standard Test Methods for Vitrified Clay Pipe) is published.

The research partnership with Ohio State continues with further projects on joint performance and Performance of Test Bearing, Properties of Clay Flue Liners Tamping Process for Clay Pipe Forming, The Effects of Rate of Loading on the Supporting Strength of VCP, Study of the Effects of Trench Conditions & Arch Encasement on the Load Bearing Capacity of VCP.

ASTM C425 (Specification for Vitrified Clay Pipe Joints Using Materials Having Resilient Properties) is issued. The standard is later renamed Specification for Compression Joints for Vitrified Clay Pipe Joints and Fittings.

1960’s

Factory applied joints become the standard

1961

Alan Shepard becomes the first American in space

Study of Manning’s “n” Factor conducted

New jointing materials are developed in partnership with the Ohio State University

Massive bedding study established using load cells

NCPI conducts proprietary research that results in significant changes to ASTM C301 Standard Test Methods for Vitrified Clay Pipe based on dramatic improvements in pipe strength.

1970’s

The NCPI Hydraulic Calculator is developed and quickly becomes a very popular tool.

With the advent of the energy crisis, NCPI studies the energy usage in the production of various pipe materials.

U.S. EPA passes the Clean Water Act and the VCP industry changes ASTM standards to require “leak-free” joints.

NCPI sponsored a project led by California consultants Ramseier and Riek. The committee formed during this project would later be known as the Bay Area Committee on Air Testing. This work led to the first ASTM Low-Pressure Air Test standard for sewer lines.

NCPI develops and tests the Low-Pressure Air Test. The new standard, ASTM C828, Recommended Practice for Low-Pressure Air Test of Vitrified Clay Pipe Sewer Lines (4 – 12 in.) is published.

1980’s

NCPI conducts research into the use of optimal mix design for CLSM (Controlled Low-Strength Material) as a bedding material.

EPA study conducted at the University of Houston confirms that modern VCP joints do not leak – in straight alignment, with angular deflection and shear load.

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