Reaching new heights

The Lacheabre hydroelectric plant is owned by Alcan Primary Metal and used to power the company's aluminium smelting works. Details are given of the methods used to strengthen three ductile iron scour pipes after the failure of a similar pipe due to corrosion and erosion. Collaboration between Furmanite International and DML provided a solution that combined advanced composites technology with bespoke clamps. The pipes were wrapped using layers of carbon fibre hand-impregnated with epoxy resin. Clamps were used to ensure that there could be no future breakage at the intersection between the composites wrap and the rock.