Development of a Slow Crack Growth Resistance (Strain Hardening) Test for Assessment of Ageing PE Pipeline Materials

Author(s) : Thomas R. Kratochvilla, Raimund Eremiasch, Christoph Bruckner

In the last years effort has been made to develop and standardise new accelerated test methods to evaluate PE 100-RC materials in short times in form of test bars. The two most important developments, the cracked round bar test (CRB test) and the strain hardening test (SH test) were published as final ISO standards in...

Author(s) : Markus Gall, Reinhold W. Lang, Joerg Fischer, Ansgar Niehoff, Steven Schmidt

Despite recent efforts in promoting the utilization of recycled polymeric materials for more diverse and more advanced applications, there are still significant knowledge gaps with regards to the applicability of certain recyclate types for specific “re-use” purposes. When it comes to pipe applications, for instance,...

Author(s) : Mario Messiha, Andreas Frank, Isabelle J. Berger, Jan Heimink, Hermann van Laak, Florian Arbeiter, Gerald Pinter

Since the last decade polyamide 12 (PA12) has been successfully introduced as material for SDR 11 gas piping systems up to 18 bar, representing itself as an attractive alternative to steel pipes for high-pressure applications. Practical experience has confirmed that beside the higher strength, PA12 pipe grades also...

Author(s) : Joerg Fischer, Paul J. Freudenthaler, Patrick R. Bradler, Reinhold W. Lang, Susan C. Mantell

This research addresses the effect of nucleation on the global aging behavior and the fatigue crack growth (FCG) resistance of commercial alpha- and beta-nucleated polypropylene random copolymer pipe grades (PP-R) when exposed to chlorinated water (5 mg/l free chlorine) at an elevated temperature of 60°C. Comparing...

Author(s) : Suleyman Deveci, Birkan Eryigit, Senthil K. Kaliappan

The effect of eccentricity on the failure time of pipes under hydrostatic pressure test has a significant magnitude that it can easily mislead the evaluation of pipes according to requirement of ISO 4427-2. Therefore, authors propose a maximum relative eccentricity limit of 0.015, even lower, for pipes being tested...

Author(s) : Carlos Domínguez, Álvaro Pérez, Nuria Robledo, Cristina González, Beatriz Paredes, Rafael A. García-Muñoz

Last methodologies for fast evaluation of the SCG resistance on polyethylene pipe materials are analyzed in this work and compared with traditional PENT and FNCT tests. Strain Hardening (SH), Crack Round Bar (CRB) and Accelerated Creep Test (ACT) will be good alternatives for evaluating PE100RC resins. Moreover, SH...

Author(s) : Joerg Fischer, Patrick R. Bradler, Reinhold W. Lang

In the present paper, a novel test system for conducting fatigue crack growth (FCG) experiments under superimposed mechanical-environmental conditions is presented. FCG experiments were performed on a polypropylene (PP) grade and a short-glass fiber reinforced polyamide 66 (PA-GF) grade as model materials. The...

Author(s) : Isabelle J. Berger, Andreas Frank, Gerald Pinter, David Nitsche, Dirk Petry

Electrofusion (EF) sockets constitute a well-established and practically proven technology for the joining of polyethylene (PE) pressure pipes. As for the pipes, the potential lifetime of such welding connections is beside other properties also depending on the resistance against slow crack growth (SCG). The current...

Author(s) : Pavel Hutar, Jan Poduska, Pavol Dlhy, Andreas Frank, Jaroslav Kucera, Jiri Sadilek, Gerald Pinter, Lubos Nahlik

This paper investigates possible use of recycled material as a part of a multilayer polyethylene pressure pipe system. Crack propagation in different configurations is simulated. Lifetimes of pipes containing recycled material are calculated. Results are compared with lifetimes of pipes made of virgin...

Author(s) : Peter Verlaan

Ten years ago, The European Plastic Pipes and Fittings Association (TEPPFA) has taken the initiative to prepare a draft 'Standard for Infiltration units' based on existing national specifications, at that time (in particular) available in France, Germany, United Kingdom and the Netherlands. This draft 'Standard for...

Author(s) : Dr. Love Pallon, Dr. Karin Jacobsson, Daniel Ejdeholm, Marie Allvar, Rikard Kärrbrant

This work presents the development of the Full Length Tensile Test (FLTT), a method that enables an objective judgement of welding quality of electrofusion welds by measuring the energy to break (J/mm2 ). In this way a brittle, ductile and transitional mode failure can be differentiated without subjective visual...

Author(s) : Suleyman Deveci, Senthil K. Kaliappan, Joel Fawaz, Umesh Gadgoli

A series of non-commercial bimodal high density ethylene-α-olefin copolymers with systematically controlled molecular parameters over a wide range that would result in extremely low and high strain hardening modulus were prepared and tested Strain hardening modulus has been published as a standard test method (ISO...

Author(s) : Andreas Frank, Isabelle J. Berger, Mario Messiha, Carl-Gustaf Ek, Norbert Schuler, Jens-Martin Storheil, Erwin Mayrbäurl, Steve Heeley, Frank Krause, Lodewijk Niemöller, Philippe Gabriëls, Yogesh S. Deshmukh, Florian Arbeiter, Thomas Koch, Gerald Pinter

In order to improve the circular economy of polymers in terms of sustainability and reduced carbon footprint, the increased use of recyclates has become a topic of major importance. Due to their long design lifetimes, pipe applications represent an excellent opportunity to create added value to non-virgin polymers. In...

Author(s) : Hirofumi Kyutoku, Kazuhisa Igawa, Hidekazu Honma, Sakiko Fukunishi, Hiroyuki Nishimura

There are mainly two grades of polyethylene pipes for hot water supply and heating. The excellent molecular structure polyethylene resins having resistance to stress crack growth are used because hot water is flowed for a long time in both polyethylene pipes. Furthermore, various additives are mixed to prevent the...

Author(s) : Zhang Wei, Wei Ruoqi, Zhou Minghong, Zhou Mingwei,

This article gives a brief introduction of plastic inspection chambers in China. It focuses on the formulation of China's national standard for plastic inspection chambers and conducts the theoretical analysis and data validation of the key technical metrics in the standard for the following three tests: the...

Author(s) : E.J.W. van der Stok

The effect of eleven different test parameters on the strain hardening modulus was investigated using the Design of Experiments statistical method. The changes in strain hardening modulus due to temperature, tensile drawing speed and the cooling rate after annealing were assessed. The importance of taking account of...

Author(s) : Julian West

Until the late 1950’s, water and sewerage pipe lines used predominantly rigid joints. These were often made from tarred rope and cement mortar. The introduction of ‘flexible’ elastomeric joints allowed angular deflection, transverse shear load and localized pipe deformation without leakage or failure of the joint....

Author(s) : Cliff Mure, Siddharth Athreya, Dane Chang, Rujul Mehta

New generations of PE100 and PE4710 pressure pipe materials exhibit a superior balance of mechanical properties. The slow crack growth performance of these materials measured by traditional tests such as PENT and FNCT can exceed one year. Accelerated test methods, including strain hardening modulus, accelerated FNCT,...

Author(s) : Xiaoying Lu, Yujie Wang, Qiang Huang, Chunyan Xu, Guangyu Zhu, Aimin Xiang, Linmei Wu, Yanfang Wang

The determination method of metal elements for polyethylene pipes was reported in this paper, the difference in metal elements content between raw materials and recycled materials was analyzed. The results showed that raw and recycled materials in polyethylene pipes were effectively distinguished via metal element...

Author(s) : Takehiro Fujii, Kazuhisa Igawa, Hidekazu Honma, Kazushi Yamada, Hiroyuki Nishimura

The hydrostatic stress rupture test has been conventionally conducted as a good method of the lifetime evaluation. The hot water circulation test which is reflected to the actual operating condition is also useful method. The correlations and differences between the two tests were examined. Compared with the...