Pipeline Integrity

XMech, How did you format the bullets?? I've tried with typical [ul] and [li] html tags but, I just couldn't do it!

I didn't do any formating - just simply clicked on the little button in the task bar (seven over from the smiley ) above and proceeded.

• Yep
• it
• still
• works
• 

I thought that I was losing it; I didn't see the smiley nor any other buttons. Until, that is, I switched to MS Internet Exploder. Opera (a much quicker and less bloat-some browser) doesn't display the formating bar :-(

ahhhhhhhhhh (I was wondering). I use Firefox.

Expanding from XMech's bullet on "assembly", let's not forget the tie-ins and:

proper gasket type

proper gasket material

proper bolt material

and, proper assembly method and QA leading to...

proper residual bolt load

Good lists, all! Maybe could even add a few more (it appears the last couple are unfortunately increasingly prevalent in our post-9/11 world)

Pre-existing conditions (handling damage/defects

Flotation

"Expansive" soils

Seismic events

Landslides

Sinkholes

Freeze/Frost loadings

Malevolent Sabotage

Theft

Good list so far, keep it going.

- The Design Code

- The Material

- The experience of the Engineers and Designers

- The QA/QC (Inspection, Examination and Testing)

- The Start-up Procedure

- The Operation

- The Maintenance

Oops (left out at least one,

Abrasion (at least with very hgih velocity flow, and perhaps additionally when angular soids/slurries are involved)

Don't forget the weld in the pipe itself, ERW or DSAW or SAW dependant on diameter and application, as well as the heat affected zone. Parent material can also play havoc if there are any laminar defects. You did not mention what was actually flowing thru the pipe.

Fracture Toughness (Low and High Temperature)

We've touched on at least a sampling of the physical factors.

Perhaps of even greater importance are the human factors, though:

The integrity of the installing contractor's management: was graft or fraud involved anywhere in the contracting process? Problems in this area can lead to premature failures do to delivery and installation of substandard materials, for example.

The integrity of the documents prepared to guide the installation project. Is it clear what is to be delivered?

The ability of the people responsible for installation of the pipeline to function as an effective team. What is the likelihood for a disgruntled employee to intentionally damage the installation?

The ability of the people responsible for maintenance of the pipeline to function as an effective team. Do ineffective team dynamics lead to sloppy workmanship?

Are the people involved in installation and maintenance adequately trained and certified?

There are many other human factors to consider, but I wonder if we might be missing whole categories of factors. For example, we know that tides are controlled by the relationship between earth and moon. We also know that some pipelines are affected by tides, and must traverse the area between water and land. Therefore, might it make sense to consider astronomical influences on the pipeline?

Perhaps a little more information in the question might narrow the list of factors to something more easily manageable. To the credit of all here, no one has answered your question literally. That answer would, of course, be simple: "Yes. Someone can tell you at least some of those factors."

The only category I think missed is the unlikely but formidable seismic activity, both direct fissure and quake actions along with the collection of indirect actions like lava flow, avalanche, and undermining from sink holes.

Apparently for a whole lot of folks in some areas of the USA (e.g. as now shown in the documents at http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=1914 and http://itmattersareyouprepared.org/images/HAZHEARTLND.pdf ) the possiblity of "Seismic" events (incidentally as I mentioned in my reply of yesterday morning) at least per some authorities may not be as "unlikely" as they would like!

Arc Marks

Dear Mr. Nayek,

You have to specify what material is flowing in side the pump. For Example, STEAM PIPING requires a totally different criterion such as THERMAL EXPANSION which depends upon the Temp., Length etc. and the Forces and BEDIG MOMENTS generated is to be properly designed.

Other purposes, in general. pipe flange parallality is one important factor, gasket , correct bolt size and torque, and support is desrves due consideration.

For water pipes, temp. below Zero Degree Celsius, the Ice is Formed whose volume is more than the water volume and may crack and fail.

DHAYANANDHAN.S