Papers
Plastic Pipes Conference Association # 2016 Berlin
Nick Mark, Eric Bridgstock, David Carey
An insight into a unique approach to the management of electrofusion and butt fusion joint quality on polyethylene pipelines. The presentation will reference experience and learnings from a system that has already been used in the field to great effect (see Abstract) and a new approach to butt fusion (see enclosed paper on Bead Diagnostic Instrument (BDI))
New analysis methods for data are significantly improving the way polyethylene pipelines are being installed on pipelines worldwide. The quality of fusion jointing taking place onsite is a critical blind spot for the pipeline industry. The new approach is helping utilities and contractors to eliminate poor installation techniques and ensure that operators fuse to industry standards, thus improving the long term performance of the utility’s asset.
The key to this success is a unique combination of onsite data collection, remote live inspection, quality analysis and onsite expertise and, more critically, the way it processes live data to change behaviours and installation quality. By using this new analysis method, one of the UK’s largest water utilities has increased the quality of their polyethylene pipeline installation from 37% to 83%, and that percentage continues to rise steadily.
The efficacy of the technology and services can be demonstrated through the live data streaming in from sites across the globe in what could be considered one of the largest, most dynamic research projects in pipe installation worldwide. The numbers regarding this data are impressive:
- Over 500 active operators sending through live data
- Over 1000 joints uploaded from water, gas and multi-utility sites every day
- Over 1 million joints inspected in real time
- Over 200 supervisors receiving alerts to issues identified onsite
This live joint data uploaded by clients to analyse fusion trends, installation issues and emerging techniques and to change the way operators fuse onsite. Ultimately, this intelligence gives utilities and contractors the evidence to manage their quality control and continually track improvement. Joint data isn’t just collected from utilities and contractors – it is used intelligently to inspect, inform and improve.
Related papers
Author(s) : Mike Troughton, Amir Khamsehnezhad, Changyi Yu
When butt fusion welding polyethylene (PE) pipes in the field, it is often specified that the pipes must undergo fusibility testing in all combinations of suppliers, diameters and thicknesses before being fused in production. This is a very onerous and expensive task, but must be carried out to ensure that the PE...
Author(s) : Greg Scoby, PE
This paper will detail the steps taken during adoption of HDPE for potable water systems improvements including material justification, creation of related specifications, investigation of available piping components, qualification of contractors and the construction/inspection of related systems. The City of...
Author(s) : M. Eckes & Dr. B. Baudrit, Dr. M. Troughton & D. Wylie, H. van Laak & J. Fritz
Unplasticized polyamide 12 (PA-U12) is increasingly being used in pipe applications, especially in the gas sector. However, the material behavior in the usual quality tests for pipe welds has not yet been thoroughly investigated. For this reason, two research institutes, worked in cooperation with a manufacturer of...
Author(s) : Suleyman Deveci, Nisha Preschilla, Sulistiyanto Nugroho, Birkan Eryigit
Carbon black (CB) has been used as a perfect and the cheapest solution to prevent photo degradation of polyethylene against UV light exposure. The effect of carbon black on the mechanical properties of polyethylene pipes was studied extensively, but only on well dispersed and distributed carbon black...
Author(s) : Ulrich Schulte, Dr. -Ing. Joachim Hessel
In order to protect the Austrian lakes effectively against the discharge of effluent, a 13 km long pressure pipeline made of high density polyethylene was laid on the bottom of Lake Ossiach back in 1971. The DN355 to DN200 pipes were produced from a first generation HDPE-compound. The classification would have been...
Author(s) : Guido Quesada
An important breakthrough for belled PVC pipe was made around 2006, when the first versions an integral joint restraint were released, after about two years in development. This type of restraint comprises a casing, usually made of metal such as ductile iron or stainless steel, a rubber seal, and a “C” grip ring,...
Author(s) : Jörg Wermelinger, Sunwoong Choi
In the development of an international standard on non-destructive test for polyethylene electrofusion socket (EF) joints, the inspection capability of the phased array ultrasonic test (PAUT) in assessing flaws in the joints was needed to establish procedure qualification of the test method. For this, a worldwide...
Author(s) : Fengliang Jiang, Nian Wu
This article discusses the development of the technique in producing large-diameter, medium-and-lowpressure water-delivery pipes. The continuous fiber-reinforced thermoplastic tapes perfectlyimpregnated with thermoplastic resin are wound layer by layer to form three-layer fibre reinforced polyethylene(PE) composite...
Author(s) : John Kurdziel, Michael Pluimer
Corrugated HDPE pipes have been successfully used for decades for sewers, culverts and land drainage applications and are advantageous due to their durability and service life in a variety of installation conditions. Pipes used for highway and storm sewer applications typically require stricter material standards...
Author(s) : Michael Pluimer, Richard Thomas
Over the past decade, there have been several key research projects to evaluate the performance of corrugated HDPE pipes manufactured with post-consumer and postindustrial recycled materials for highway and railroad drainage applications. Three of these projects were recently completed and published (NCHRP Project...
Author(s) : Ali Al Hammadi, Shane R. Schuessler, Mohamed Ali Awadh Jaber
This paper presents the advancements of HDPE piping materials , design and installation for use in ASME Class 3 piping systems at nuclear power plants. The paper will specifically introduce details of the first ever ASME Class III nuclear new build use of Class 3 HDPE pipe and fittings at the Emirates Nuclear Energy...
Author(s) : Ludo Debever, Peter Sejersen, Carolin Spirinckx
Until today there are various ways of demonstrating the Environmental Performance of products, such as Life Cycle Assessments (LCA), Life Cycle Impact Assessments (LCIA), Environmental Performance Declarations (EPDs). The methods to obtain the result, however, can vary from country to country and can be interpreted...
Author(s) : Zhang Wei, Wei Ruoqi, Zhou Minghong, Zhou Mingwei,
This article gives a brief introduction of plastic inspection chambers in China. It focuses on the formulation of China's national standard for plastic inspection chambers and conducts the theoretical analysis and data validation of the key technical metrics in the standard for the following three tests: the...
Author(s) : Katsutaka Nakagami, Takahiro Kasatani
Osaka Gas improves various approaches to the improvement of polyethylene piping construction quality and executes the approaches. As a result of that, polyethylene pipes in Osaka Gas maintain high-quality and withstand the earthquakes. This paper shows these methods and performance against earthquakes in Japan. In...
Author(s) : Robert LeHunt
Nationally moderated and approved competency training Units and Qualifications have been established in Australia for plastics pipes within an overall Plastics Industry Training Package. Delivery of such Units over a 21 year period has contributed to a greater understanding of various plastics pipes materials,...
Author(s) : Peter Postma
On request of the Dutch DSO’s and in cooperation with all important Dutch stakeholders (producers, suppliers, contractors and the regulator), Kiwa Technology investigated the relevancy of defects found with Phased Array Ultrasonic Testing (PAUT) and if it was possible to determine acceptance criteria. The project...
Author(s) : Fu Zhimin, He Guoshan, Wang Wanjuan
Our research shows that in a torque rheometer test the greater the fusion degree of PVC-U is, the higher the minimum torque of the torque curve is, and the smaller the difference between the maximum torque and the minimum torque of the torque curve. According to the relationship, the method of evaluating the fusion...
Author(s) : Carolin Spirinckx, Peter Sejersen, Zoran Davidovski, Karolien Peeters
For the European Plastic Pipes and Fittings Association (TEPPFA) it is important to have an insight into the environmental aspects during the life-span of plastic pipe systems all the way from the cradle to the grave. The result of the studies allows TEPPFA and its member companies to distinct (for the pipe systems...
Author(s) : Mats Bergman, Karin Jacobson
The Swedish Water & Wastewater Association (SWWA) has funded a R&D project to investigate different methods suitable for installation inspection of PE joints in field. Methods like phased array ultrasonic testing (PAUT), microwave technology and digital radiography were studied. Digital radiography shows promising...
Author(s) : GREG SCOBY
The Plastic Pipe Institute Municipal Advisory Board recently completed the publishing of the “Generic Electro Fusion Procedure” covering 12 inch and smaller sizes. This publishing effort was conducted with a collaboration of water system operators and electro fusion fitting manufacturers specifically addressing...
Members of the Association
