MANHOLES

INTRODUCTION
Top opening to an underground utility vault.

Used to house an access point for making connections or

performing maintenance on underground and buried public
utility and other services
including sewers, telephone, electricity, storm drains and gas.

Protected by a manhole cover (biscuit).

Should be so situated as to allow every length of drain to be

accessible for maintenance inspection and removal of debris.

sewer manhole exposed during construction

PURPOSE
Inspection and maintenance of drains or sewers
Ventilation of drains or sewers
Flow conditions change of a medium (change of direction, change of pressure,
change of water flow rate)
Cleaning and flushing of drains or sewers
Maintenance of water meters and fittings
Housing of pumping stations
Inlet drain pits

TYPES
1. Precast concrete manholes :
. Minimum manhole diameter is 48inch and maximum manhole diameter
is 96-inch

. Concrete strengthens with time, while

other materials can deteriorate.

ADVANTAGES OF PRECAST CONCRETE

Watertight structures easily achieved
Resists buoyant forces
Superior strength
Readily available
modular flexible design
May be designed to accommodate existing utilities
Produced in a quality controlled plant environment.
Internal and external corrosion resistance
One-piece wall structure
Restricts infiltration
Avoids exfiltration

2. Brick manholes
The brick are corbelled inward toward the top
to form a clear opening of at least 20 inches.

Empirical design requires an 8-inch-thick wall

for depths of 12 feet or less.

If thinner walls are desirable,the structure must

be designed as reinforced brick masonry.

SEPTIC TANKS

A tank, typically underground, in which sewage is collected and allowed to

decompose through bacterial activity before draining by means.

 The term SEPTIC refers to the ANAEROBICAL BACTERIAL environment that

develops in the tank which decomposes or mineralizes the waste discharged into the
tank.
Periodic preventive maintenance is required to remove the irreducible solids that
settle and gradually fill the tank, reducing its efficiency.
It should generally be pumped every 3-5 years.

Generally its size varies between 4000 to 7500 liters.

W
O
R
KI
N
G

The tank normally consists of two chambers :

first chamber
allows heavier solids to settle while second chamber allows finer solids to settle to the
bottom.
A layer of Scum present consists of Oils, Grease, Fats and Soaps.
A Septic tank is always full upto a certain level (just below the outlet pipe) and it
should remain constant.
Every time water enters the tank, the same amount will exit it.
Organic materials which are in the tank will be broken down by Anaerobic bacteria.

TYPES OF SEPTIC TANKS

Concrete Septic Tanks
Steel Septic Tanks
Fibreglass/Plastic Septic Tanks
Aerobic Septic Tanks

Concrete Septic Tanks

Concrete septic tanks are susceptible to cracking or even separation. Cracks may
allow waste to seep out or ground water to seep in.
Usually quite durable for several decades.
Blockage can cause the system to backup.
Any problem may not be detected unless it is manually inspected until serious
problems have arisen.

Steel Septic Tanks

Steel Septic tanks are least durable and least popular tank option.
Last not more than 20-25 years.
They can be susceptible to rust even before that. Steel top covers can rust through
and cause an unsuspecting person to fall into the tank.
These covers can be replaced without replacing the entire tank.

Fibreglass/Plastic Septic Tanks

Plastic septic tanks are largely impervious to the rusting and cracking of Steel and
Concrete septic tanks.
More resistant to the natural chemical processes of a septic system.
More susceptible to structural damage due to their light weight.
Careful installation is needed to ensure the tank isnt damaged.
Driving over the tank must be avoided as it can result in shifting during periods of wet
soil.

Aerobic Septic Tanks

Aerobic septic tanks use the aid of oxygen to increase the decomposition of the effluent.
They also require electricity.
They typically cost two or three times as much but their high efficiency can save money
from a prolonged life.
They require more frequent and more extensive maintenance.
It has a more complex system of decomposition .
But if the system is maintained its efficiency will keep effluent in check indefinitely.

Group Member

Samiullah Chand
Samiya Mahwish
Yusra Yasmeen
Zahra Zabeen
Tazeem Ahmad