Pre-stressed Concrete Cylinder Pipe (PCCP) is a cornerstone of large-diameter water transmission systems across North America. However, as these aging pipelines approach or surpass their design life, utilities are under increasing pressure to manage risk, extend asset life, and prioritize maintenance without breaking the bank. In this detailed case study, you’ll learn how Tarrant Regional Water District (TRWD) partnered with PICA Corp to apply Remote Field Testing (RFT) as a non-destructive, high-value inspection method for PCCP condition assessment.

About the Article
The article—“PCCP Inspection: A Prioritization Method Using Remote Field Technology”— showcases how RFT can accurately identify loss of prestress, wire breaks, and other defects that precede catastrophic pipeline failures. By combining electromagnetic data with acoustic monitoring and structural analysis, TRWD was able to rank pipe sections by condition and optimize rehabilitation budgets—proactively avoiding costly service disruptions.

What You’ll Learn

• How RFT technology provides a minimally invasive solution for assessing large-diameter PCCP lines.

• Why traditional inspection methods alone aren’t enough to catch early-stage deterioration.

• The prioritization methodology used by TRWD to create actionable maintenance plans.

• How wire break detection and preload loss can guide critical repair decisions.

Key Takeaways

• TRWD and PICA used RFT to inspect PCCP pipe segments in a cost-effective and non-intrusive manner.

• The inspection identified high-risk segments based on wire break counts and preload analysis.

• Combined data sets were used to prioritize pipeline rehabilitation with a risk-based approach.

• The strategy helped avoid emergency repairs, reduced capital expenditure, and extended asset lifespan.