Protection of polyethylene pipesagainst rodents [PE]

The natural gas pipeline network of Iran is estimated to be 30000 Kilometer. In this network polyethylene pipes of various sizes and dimensions are widely used. It is reported that polyethylene pipes with diameter of 25 mm are attacked and damaged by rodents in most cases. In this survey the protection of gas pipes against rodents is examined. After identification of the rodents’ species, a risk map was drawn and different methods from the application of physical barriers to using repellents were tested. Results showed that meshes, stones and a couple of different natural based repellents such as capsaicin could reduce the damage. Keywords : rodents; polyethylene pipes; repellent; physical barriers