Long-Term Hydrostatic Strength and Design of Thermoplastic Piping Compounds

There has been tremendous growth in the use of thermoplastic piping systems since their introduction more than 50 years ago. They bring a host of benefits in the form of long-term performance and reliability, ease of installation, and not being prone to corrosion and tuberculation. It was clear early on that thermoplastics could not be evaluated in the same way metallic components would be in similar applications. However, over time the understanding of these materials has matured, and as this understanding continues to develop we must not lose sight of the evaluation methodologies used for establishing the long-term hydrostatic strength of these compounds, and how that strength has been successfully used in designing these systems. This paper will give an overview of the basic methodology used to establish the long-term hydrostatic strength of thermoplastic compounds, and how that strength is used for engineering design in a safe and reliable manner.