Long-term Performance Predictions for Pe Pipes

In Europe, Polyethylene (PE) pipes have been used for water transportation since the 1950s and In Australia since the late 1970s, with low failure rates. In North America, PE has been used for water supply since the late 1980s and only on a small scale. To assess the current field performance of PE water pipes, historical failure data was requested from a total of 87 water utilities from the Australia, the UK and the US. While actual failure data was supplied in some cases, the majority of information supplied was anecdotal. Details of this study are reported and discussed. Several areas are identified for future development of the Monte Carlo simulation model: Inherent Defect Size, Loading Conditions, and Generic Failure Rate vs. Age Curves.