Page 54 - Plastics News August 2024
P. 54
FEATURE NEWS
New Meta-Study Findings Are Evidence Plastic
Pipe Lifetimes Are in Excess of 100 Years
A new meta-study on the ser-
vice lifetimes of plastic pipes
for pressure and non-pressure
applications has confirmed
through independent findings
that safe service lifetimes can
be expected to be well above
100 years.
he meta-study, called ‘100 years lifetime and the use of non-virgin materials.
of plastic pipes,’ was commissioned by
TTEPPFA, the European Plastic Pipes and Based on a number of references, including sci-
Fittings Association, and carried out by the entific publications in peer-reviewed journals,
Austrian Polymer Competence Centre. It is a protocols, reports, standards and conference
statistical analysis based upon significant and presentations - most with dig-out studies of
independently verified research and findings pipes operating for up to 50 years - the study
from existing literature on the expected service also included 23 references (13 for pressure ap-
lifetime of plastic pipes, and is detailed at Me- plications, 10 for non-pressure applications) with
ta-study 100 years of lifetime of plastic pipes - a clear statement of 100 years and more, using
TEPPFA a variety of evaluation approaches.
The study looked at pressure and non-pressure Tests included the main lifetime estimation meth-
polyethylene, polypropylene and unplasticized od for pressure pipes, which is the hydrostatic
polyvinyl chloride pipes, including both smooth pressure test performed at different tempera-
and structured-wall pipes for the transporta- tures combining Arrhenius type extrapolations
tion of potable water, natural gas, sewerage to application temperatures. For non-pressure
and drainage waters. The analysis accounted pipes, stress relaxation tests at constant pipe
for operational temperatures around the pipes deflections were featured, along with the Rate
of a maximum of 20 C, and assumed adherence Process Method (based on junction stress tests
o
to contemporary standards (EN, ISO and ASTM to failure at various load and temperature condi-
mainly) throughout the production, trenching tions for corrugated pipes). Other tests are de-
and operational phases. The study excluded tailed in the meta-study report.
industrial pipe systems employed for convey- Reports of failures (in general) of either pressure
ing aggressive media, floor heating applications,
or non-pressure plastic pipes were hardly found
56 PLASTICS NEWS August 2024
