Practical assessments and tests confirm >100Year expected lifetime for PE Pipes
Practical experiences gathered and technical assessments carried out support that polyethylene (PE) buried pipes have an expected service lifetime of over 100 years, comfortably exceeding the predicted design point of the common extrapolation methods for plastic pipes (ISO9080 and ISO12162).
PE water & gas pipes
The design basis for PE pressure buried pipe systems for water and gas has been secured through the established standards ISO 9080 and ISO 12162, with classifications for PE80 and PE100 material, designated by their minimum required strength (MRS). PE pipes were first installed in 1953 and many are still in successful operation 66 years later.
In studies from Japan, Europe, Russia, the Middle East, Africa and South America PE buried pipe have been investigated and proven to have a real expected service life in excess of 100 years, due to lower real pressure levels (stress) over the pipe’s lifetime, lower real temperatures in the ground, consistent zero-to-plus range tolerances for wall thicknesses and safety factors applied in the design stages.
All these cumulative studies have shown that PE pipes continue to provide a safe and long-lasting service life across the world, based on the experience when ready made compounds are used as pre-described in the PE pipe application standards EN1555 and ISO4437 gas series, EN12201 and ISO4427 water and sewage series.
On PE100+ homepage under PE Technical guidance >>PE Pipe Manual>>Design>>Lifetime you can find the statement prepared by TEPPFA (The European Plastic Pipes and Fitting Association) and the PE100+Association.
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