Performance and Selection of Rigid and Flexible Pipes

Abstract

The increasing number of pipe breaks and resulting contamination, the aging of existing underground pipelines, and the economics and engineering involved in procuring and installing new underground pipelines have led to the introduction of several new pipe products. Among the available products, the selection of the most suitable product is often based on a comparative evaluation of literature and the data provided by the manufacturers and vendors. This practice has led to poor performance of several underground pipelines and unnecessary maintenance costs. This paper presents a detailed account of the existing design procedures for rigid and flexible pipelines and standards. In addition, the warranties provided by various manufacturers are examined with the backfill requirements. Clear guidelines for proper pipe selection are presented for the benefit of city and municipal engineers and other design engineers.