Fast fracture of plastic water pipes and the measurement of dynamic

Author(s) : Patrick Leevers, Christos Argyrakis 2010 Vancouver

There is renewed interest in the correlation between critical pressures from lab-scale (S4) and full-scale RCP tests. The standard, supposedly material-independent correlation factor does provide a lower bound for data from many PE grades, but for some grades it is overconservative and for PA12 its applicability has...

Author(s) : P.Leevers 2010 Vancouver

This paper outlines a PE100 design methodology which gives central importance to the separate modelling and measurement of plane-strain and plane-stress dynamic fracture resistance. The former is difficult to measure but can be estimated from weight-average molecular weight; the latter is related to high-rate...

Author(s) : Krishnaswamy, Leevers, Lamborn, Sukhadia, Register, Maeger 2006 Washington DC

The influence of molecular architecture on the rapid crack propagation (RCP) resistance of a wide variety of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipes was investigated. It was concluded that high molecular weight, high crystallinity and a relatively narrow molecular weight distribution are important architectural...

Author(s) : Leevers, Henderson, Pereira 2006 Washington DC

Laboratory-scale S4 tests have been used to determine whether it would be possible, at any realistic working pressure, for a loosely-fitted PE liner within a rigid host pipe to fail by Rapid Crack Propagation (RCP). The standard ISO 13477 S4 method was modified by replacement of the containment ring cage by a rigid,...

Author(s) : Maeger, Vanspeybroeck, Lamborn, Mamoun, Leevers, Oliphant 2006 Washington DC

As polyethylene pressure pipes enter the global marketplace under an ever-wider range of operating conditions, there is increasing emphasis on their rapid crack propagation performance. It is important that both producers and end-users are able to rely on the robustness of the rapid crack propagation test results and...

Author(s) : Patrick Leevers 2004 Milan

International Standard ISO 13477 defines the ‘S4’ RCP test itself, and specifies two procedures which use it. The first procedure, already well embedded in referring standards, evaluates a critical pressure at constant temperature (usually 0°C) below which RCP arrests. The second procedure evaluates, at constant...

Author(s) : Ivankovic, Tropsa, Jasak, Leevers 2001 Munich

This work presents a 3D coupled solid-fluid model for predicting fast failures in pressurised plastic pipes. It is developed within a unified computational procedure where both solid pipe and pressurising media are discretised using the Finite Volume method. The coupling is achieved across the pipe-fluid interface...

Author(s) : Leevers, Moreno, Paizis 2001 Munich

The resistance of PE pipes to rapid crack propagation depends strongly on temperature. The critical pressure measured using ISO 13477 ‘S4’ tests increases abruptly above a transition temperature Tc. For PE100 grades Tc has become a primary index of quality : it must remain below 0°C despite a tendency to...

Author(s) : Hillmansen, Davis, Leevers 1998 Gothenburg

Rapid Crack Propagation in PE-100 gas pipes is governed primarily by a brittle-tough transition temperature TBT,above which ductile deformation will absorb energy and promptly arrest a fast-running brittle crack. Even at low temperatures, a layer of plastically deformed material is formed at the pipe bore during...

Author(s) : Venizelos, Greenshields, Ivankovic 1998 Gothenburg

Over 30 years ago, fast brittle fracture was identified as an inherently catastrophic failure mode in pressurised plastic gas pipelines. Although fast cracks seemed difficult to initiate, subsequent rapid crack propagation (RCP) was thought to be possible at pressures lower than the rated pressure, imposed by design...