Services Utility Pipeline Failures

Underground water distribution system is as old as the development of cities and towns, some more than 100 years. A sudden water pipe line failure raises questions as to the reason of pipe line failure; condition of rest of the pipe line; and whether it needs external coating/ cement lining/ cathodic protection; or complete replacement. AEIS personnel analyze Utility pipes in cases where the failures have already occurred and also for providing realistic “remaining life” on the pipes.

Corrosion on water pipelines has a direct relation with condition of the soil, water quality, the materials of manufacturing and the quality of these materials. Buried pipelines are subject to a greater risk of corrosion because of the continuous presence of corrosive environment and the increased possibility of an electrochemical corrosion reaction. The specific chemical composition, resistivity and redox potential of the soil/water table will determine the relative corrosivity or risk of corrosion leading to water pipe failures.

Some recent examples for pipe line failure analysis include

  • A forty-eight inch diameter under ground water pipe that failed by overload
  • A twenty-four inch underground water main that failed because of inherent metallurgical weakness
  • An 8 inch pipe line that failed because excessive graphitization
  • A pipe line failure analysis of transition piece of domestic gas distribution pipes for a large network.
  • New York
  • New Jersey
  • New Delhi