scope:

Description of Driving Event:

On January 7, 2001, a large washout was discovered in the vicinity of Facility K7-1205F at the Kennedy Space Center Press Site. Water was flowing from the open end of a failed 4" potable water main. The washout undermined portions of the concrete foundation and driveway apron for a garage canopy at K7-1205F and damaged the sewer and electric services to the facility.

The dominant root cause of this mishap was the removal of a concrete thrust block from the end of the 4" water main during installation of a power conduit by a KSC support contractor. The thrust block was mistaken for waste concrete material. With the removal of the thrust block, used as the primary constraint for the direct buried slip joint piping system, there was insufficient contact area with the soil to prevent the water main from separating at the joints.