Mandrel & Air Testing
Mandrel and air testing catches sewer installation problems before the street is paved, before the development is accepted, and before the liability lands on someone else.
What is Mandrel & Air Testing?
Mandrel testing pulls a rigid cylindrical device through a newly installed flexible PVC sewer pipe to verify the pipe hasn’t been over-deflected during installation or backfill. If the mandrel passes through cleanly, the pipe meets the ovality requirements for long-term performance. If it doesn’t, you know before the city does.
Low-pressure air testing pressurizes a section of pipe and measures how quickly it loses pressure. A pipe that holds pressure has no significant leaks, joints, or defects. A pipe that doesn’t tells you exactly where to look before acceptance.
Together, mandrel and air testing give engineers, contractors, and municipalities a documented, defensible record that the installed pipe meets design specifications and is ready for acceptance.
When mandrel & air testing is the right call:
- New sewer installation pre-acceptance testing for residential developments
- New sewer installation pre-acceptance testing for commercial developments
- Municipal sewer acceptance requirements for contractor work
- Confirming pipe condition before final grade and paving
- Engineer of record sign-off documentation
- Contractor quality control before submitting for city acceptance
- Verifying rehabilitation or repair work meets spec before backfill