Comparison of material properties in butt welds of used and unused polyethylene pipes for natural gas distribution
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Fatima Zohra Talhi
,
Mohamed Tahar Benaniba
Abstract
The main purpose of this work was to evaluate the long term performance of butt welded polyethylene (PE) pipes in comparison to non-welded counterparts. Therefore, old welded PE pipes with different ages that had been used in Algerian gas distribution systems for up to 30 years were investigated. Samples prepared by butt welding of unaged pipes were used as reference. Crystallinity, melt rheology and thermal stability of pipes materials were examined at the weld zone and at the pipe wall. In order to assess the mechanical strength of welds, tensile test was conducted on both welded and unwelded specimens and the results of the strain to failure were considered for the determination of the weld factor. Compared to the reference, the results revealed that the crystallinity of PE materials at the weld zone was not affected by ageing as at the pipe wall. However, a slight decrease of the melt viscosity was observed for both welded and non-welded samples. The welds were found to be more sensitive to thermal and oxidative degradation than the parent pipes while the remaining amount of antioxidants was sufficient for service continuation. The tensile results indicate that welds strength were almost unaffected by ageing.
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Articles in the same Issue
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- Effect of the matrix plasticization behavior on mechanical properties of PVC/ABS blends
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- Comparison of material properties in butt welds of used and unused polyethylene pipes for natural gas distribution
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Articles in the same Issue
- Frontmatter
- Original articles
- Pulverization of end-of-life tires by ultra-high pressure water jet process
- Tribological behavior and morphology of PTFE particulate-reinforced POM matrix composites
- Effect of the matrix plasticization behavior on mechanical properties of PVC/ABS blends
- Bulk cure study of nanoclay filled epoxy glass fiber reinforced composite material
- Improvement of interlaminar shear strength of 2.5D fabric laminated composites with short-cut web interlayer
- Optimizing of vented injection molding on mechanical performance and miscibility of recycled poly(ethylene terephthalate) and polycarbonate blends
- Comparison of material properties in butt welds of used and unused polyethylene pipes for natural gas distribution
- Enhancing the potential of employing thermosetting powder recyclates as filler in LLDPE by structural modifications
- Micro-roughening of polyamide fabric using protease enzyme for improving adhesion strength of rubber-polyamide composite
- The real time optical transmittance of swollen heterogeneous natural rubber/poly (ethylene-co-vinyl acetate) blends
- Preparation and characterization of anti-fouling PVDF membrane modified by chitin
