Effect of Past Delivery Practices on Current Conditions of Cast-Iron Water Pipes

Abstract

Cast-iron pipes installed between 1850 and the early 1960s in North America, United Kingdom, and European countries were produced in foundries located near growing urban centers. Their considerable weight, size (especially larger-diameter pipes), and limited transportation facilities made their handling and delivery to the installation site difficult. Historical anecdotal evidence exists to suggest that some cast-iron pipes may have been damaged during delivery. This paper examines different mechanical models to examine what specific conditions may have led to pipe damage during delivery and installation. Analyses show that if pipes did incur damage, then cracks were likely to have occurred on the inside of the pipe bell or spigot ends. Furthermore, it appears that the spigot ends of smaller-diameter pipes had higher risk of damage during delivery, whereas both bell and spigot ends faced increased risk of damage in larger-diameter pipes. Monte Carlo simulations were conducted to account for uncertainties in the parameters that were used in the different models.