- Author
-
Toner, S. D.
- Title
- Failure Analysis of a Poly(Vinyl Chloride) (PVC) Plastic Natural Gas Transmission Pipe from Las Vegas, Nevada (NBS Failure Analysis No. 106). Final Report.
- Coporate
- National Bureau of Standards, Gaithersburg, MD
- Sponsor
- Department of Transportation, Washington, DC
- Report
-
NBSIR 74-493
May 1974
11 p.
- Distribution
- Available from National Technical Information Services Limited Distribution
- Keywords
-
natural gas; pipes; plastics; polyvinyl chloride
- Abstract
- A natural gas leak from a poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) gas transmission line was the reported cause of a fatal explosion in a motel complex in Las Vegas, Nevada. An analysis of the pipe was conducted to determine the cause of failure. The results indicated that the pipe compound had not been properly fused during the extrusion process. In connecting the plastic pipe to a metal pipe, a solvent-based primer had been used to activate the adhesive on a pipe wrap tape, applied over the plastic pipe and a compression fitting. The solvent apparently caused gross swelling of the pipe, beneath the tape, negating the effect of a metal insert stiffener. Subsequent creep deformation of an adjacent section of the plastic pipe apparently exerted sufficient tensile stress on the swollen portion of the plastic pipe to induce the formation of a stress crack.