Polyolefi n developments | materials feature Separate testing procedures have found that polyolefi n pipes are
likely to last beyond 100 years – in both pressure and non-pressure applications. Lou Reade reports
Reaching a century: polyolefi n developments
An independent project, commissioned by The European Plastic Pipes and Fittings Association (Teppfa), has concluded that polyolefi n sewer pipes have a service lifetime expectancy of at least 100 years. The results of the two-year project were scrutinised by Heinz Dragaun from the Technical School for Higher Education (TGM) in Vienna. The starting point for the project was that predicting
life expectancy of pressure pipes is well documented, but this is not the case for non-pressure applications in sewage and drainage. The project studied pipes made from PE and PP-B by investigating thermo-oxidative degradation, maximum allowed stress, long-term behaviour under constant strain and the effect of sewer conditions (such as chemicals) and temperature. The project involved the excavation of many samples
from in-service pipe networks, which were then tested and assessed in the laboratory. The fi ndings are
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expected to favourably infl uence sewer operators that are faced with major capital investment in new or replacement networks, said Teppfa. “Designers, owners and operators of sewer net-
works can be confi dent that these sewer systems will have an in-service life of at least 100 years when materials, products and installation practices meet the appropriate requirements,” said Tony Calton, Teppfa general manager. “It will lend further appeal and allow polyolefi n sewer pipes to be specifi ed with increased confi dence as they perform consistently throughout their very long asset life.” Many European countries have old sewer networks that need to be modernised or replaced. Life expectancy is a critical factor in any investment decision. Polyolefi n pipe systems have been widely used for over 40 years and compared to non-plastic pipe materials, they have consistently offered a longer term solution. However,
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March 2015 | PIPE & PROFILE EXTRUSION 11
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