StormTech Performance Backed by Decades of Engineering Insight

Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (ADS) is a leader in the stormwater management industry, providing high-quality, durable, and efficient solutions for managing water runoff. Among its product offerings, StormTech® Stormwater Chamber Systems stand out as a premier choice for stormwater detention and retention.

To ensure that these products meet the highest standards of performance and reliability, ADS employs one of the most robust approaches to design and testing in the industry. Through live load efforts, load cell testing, and extensive research at the Engineering and Technology Center, ADS continually refines and enhances StormTech products to withstand various environmental and structural demands.

This post explores how ADS qualifies StormTech products through rigorous engineering methodologies, industry-leading testing protocols, and continuous innovation. 

Engineering Excellence: The Foundation of ADS Qualification 

At the core of ADS’s qualification process is its commitment to engineering excellence. ADS integrates advanced computer modeling, material science, and structural analysis to ensure that every StormTech chamber meets stringent performance criteria. The design process begins with computational simulations using Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to predict how products will perform under different load conditions. This analysis allows engineers to optimize the design before prototyping and physical testing even begins. 

Moreover, ADS follows rigorous industry standards, including those set by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), ASTM International, and various state Departments of Transportation (DOTs). These standards dictate requirements for structural integrity, durability, and hydraulic efficiency, forming the basis for ADS’s comprehensive testing and qualification framework. 

Live Load Testing: Ensuring Structural Integrity Under Real-World Conditions 

StormTech chambers are installed beneath roads, parking lots, and other load-bearing surfaces, making it essential to verify their ability to withstand vehicular loads, construction equipment, and environmental pressures. Therefore, one of the most critical aspects of ADS’s qualification process is live load testing. 

ADS conducts full-scale live load testing by subjecting installed StormTech chambers to realistic construction traffic and wheel loads up to a fully factored AASHTO Design Truck (i.e. H20). This involves applying repeated and varying loads, with different wheel paths across the chambers, to evaluate how the chambers react over time. By analyzing the response of the chambers and comparing the actual behavior to the computer simulations ADS ensures that StormTech products can endure real-world conditions without compromising their structural integrity. 

Additionally, ADS collaborates with 3rd party engineering consultants and independent testing laboratories to validate these findings, reinforcing the credibility and reliability of its qualification methodologies. This exhaustive approach ensures that StormTech products meet and often exceed the industry’s most stringent load-bearing requirements. 

Load Frame Testing: A Data-Driven Approach to Performance Validation 

In addition to live load testing, ADS leverages small and large-scale load frames to quantify and analyze the performance of StormTech chambers under various conditions. Load frames are instruments used for applying dynamic and sustained loads at various magnitudes, rates and frequencies in a controlled manner.  When used in conjunction with load cells and other instrumentation, load frame testing provides real-time data on how StormTech chambers respond to different loading scenarios. 

The application of load frame testing enables ADS engineers to gain detailed insights into factors such as: 

• Material Stress and Strain: Load frame testing allows for measurement of how the chambers deform under pressure, helping ADS engineers optimize material formulations and structural design. 

• Load Distribution: Ensuring that the load applied to a chamber is distributed evenly across its structure to prevent localized failures. 

• Long-Term Durability: By conducting long-term tests in engineered load frames, ADS simulates deep burials under controlled conditions to better understand long-term reliability of StormTech chambers 

By integrating load frame test data with advanced computational modeling, ADS continuously refines StormTech designs to enhance their load-bearing capacity and resilience under extreme conditions. 

The ADS Engineering and Technology Center: A Hub for Innovation and Continuous Improvement 

The ADS Engineering and Technology Center serves as the central hub for research, development, and testing of StormTech products. Here, technicians, engineers and scientists collaborate to push the boundaries of stormwater management technology through ongoing experimentation and refinement. 

At the Engineering and Technology Center, ADS conducts: 

• Material Research: Exploring new polymer formulations and reinforcement techniques to improve the strength and longevity of StormTech chambers. 

• Hydraulic Testing: Ensuring that StormTech chambers provide optimal water flow rates and retention capabilities, preventing flooding and improving water quality. 

• Environmental Stress Testing: Exposing StormTech products to extreme temperature variations to simulate long-term environmental conditions. 

By leveraging state-of-the-art equipment and methodologies, the ADS Engineering and Technology Center enables continuous material science and product design enhancements, ensuring that StormTech chambers remain at the forefront of stormwater management solutions.

The recently released SC-800 Chamber is perfect example where the ADS Team used 20+ years of experience to improve profile design, weight performance and arch stiffness performance. The SC-800 chamber was designed to get the right amount polypropylene material in the optimum locations to manufacture a best-in-class mid-size chamber.  

Meeting and Exceeding Industry Standards 

ADS is committed to not only meeting but exceeding industry standards in its qualification of StormTech products. Aligning with organizations such as AASHTO and ASTM ADS ensures that its products comply with the highest regulatory requirements. 

Additionally, ADS actively partners with Universities and 3rd party engineering consultants on chamber design research and contributes to the development of new ASTM and ISO standards and best practices that benefit the industry. This proactive engagement demonstrates ADS’s leadership in the field and its commitment to advancing stormwater management technology. 

Real-World Applications: Case Studies Demonstrating StormTech’s Reliability 

The rigorous qualification process employed by ADS translates into real-world success stories where StormTech chambers have proven their durability and performance. Case studies from municipal projects, commercial developments, and transportation infrastructure illustrate how ADS’s testing methodologies result in products that withstand heavy traffic, severe weather events, and long-term usage without failure. 

For example, StormTech chambers have been installed at major distribution centers and beneath airport taxiways, where they effectively manage stormwater runoff while supporting the weight of continuous traffic. These successful applications validate the reliability of ADS’s qualification processes and reinforce the confidence that engineers, contractors, and municipalities place in StormTech products. 

Conclusion: The ADS Commitment to Excellence in Stormwater Management 

ADS employs the most robust approach to qualifying underground detention systems in the industry. Through a combination of advanced engineering design, live load testing, load cell analysis, and rigorous research at the Engineering Center, ADS ensures that StormTech chambers exceed industry standards for strength, durability, and hydraulic performance. 

By continuously innovating and refining its testing methodologies, ADS demonstrates an unwavering commitment to quality and reliability. The result is a product line that not only meets the demands of modern stormwater management but also contributes to sustainable and resilient infrastructure solutions for communities worldwide. As ADS continues to lead the industry, its dedication to excellence ensures that StormTech products will remain the gold standard for stormwater management for years to come.