TY - GEN
T1 - Leak-before-break (LBB) analysis and failure processes for small-diameter cast iron pipes
AU - Jiang, R.
AU - Weerasinghe, D.
AU - Zhang, C.
AU - Zhao, Xiao Lin
AU - Kodikara, J.
AU - Hutchinson, C. R.
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported by the Smart Water Fund (SWF) project, City West Water, Yarra Valley Water, Melbourne Water and South East Water.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 Taylor & Francis Group, London.
PY - 2018
Y1 - 2018
N2 - Cast iron water pipes have high failure rates in Australia, and these pipes were generally buried in reactive soils without effective coatings. As the majority of the water network consists of small-diameter (< 150 mm) pipes, circumferential fractures are the predominant failure mode, and the failure was considered as brittle fracture without warning. However, recent failure analyses indicate that multiple failure processes occur and leaks are frequently observed before breaks. Liner Elastic Fracture Mechanics (LEFM) is used to evaluate the remaining strength of cracked pipes. Leaks are normally caused by soil bending stress in deep corrosion patches. The cracks can stably grow through 20–60% of the entire perimeter, which allows the installation of tightened clamps to stop leakages. Cracks may propagate over a long period until the leak becomes detectable. Therefore, it is argued that the leak-before-break concept developed for large-diameter pipes may be applicable to small-diameter pipes.
AB - Cast iron water pipes have high failure rates in Australia, and these pipes were generally buried in reactive soils without effective coatings. As the majority of the water network consists of small-diameter (< 150 mm) pipes, circumferential fractures are the predominant failure mode, and the failure was considered as brittle fracture without warning. However, recent failure analyses indicate that multiple failure processes occur and leaks are frequently observed before breaks. Liner Elastic Fracture Mechanics (LEFM) is used to evaluate the remaining strength of cracked pipes. Leaks are normally caused by soil bending stress in deep corrosion patches. The cracks can stably grow through 20–60% of the entire perimeter, which allows the installation of tightened clamps to stop leakages. Cracks may propagate over a long period until the leak becomes detectable. Therefore, it is argued that the leak-before-break concept developed for large-diameter pipes may be applicable to small-diameter pipes.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85061244557&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1201/9781351210843-77
DO - 10.1201/9781351210843-77
M3 - Conference article published in proceeding or book
AN - SCOPUS:85061244557
SN - 9780815381341
T3 - Tubular Structures XVI - Proceedings of the 16th International Symposium on Tubular Structures, ISTS 2017
SP - 625
EP - 630
BT - Tubular Structures XVI - Proceedings of the 16th International Symposium on Tubular Structures, ISTS 2017
A2 - Heidarpour, Amin
A2 - Zhao, Xiao-Ling
PB - CRC Press/Balkema
T2 - 16th International Symposium on Tubular Structures, ISTS 2017
Y2 - 4 December 2017 through 6 December 2017
ER -