Balancing the High Wire: A Review of Prestressing Wire in Great Lakes Water Authority's Transmission System

This paper discusses prestressed concrete cylinder pipe (PCCP) prestressing wire testing results from 2017 to 2021 and the correlation between dynamic strain aging (DSA) and hydrogen embrittlement. It provides a case study on how this information affected GLWA's pipeline management approach. Additionally, in August 2022, Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA) experienced a main break on a 120-in. PCCP water main that caused disruptions to more than 1,000,000 customers. A forensic investigation was also performed on this water main, and lengths of prestressing wire were submitted for the laboratory testing. The results of this testing are also included as a case study.