Understanding how the deterioration of cast iron pipes evolves into leakage
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Sheffield
Department Name: Civil and Structural Engineering
Abstract
This study will initially assess cast iron pipes in water distribution systems in order to correctly determine the required experimental boundary conditions by making the most of the available technical literature and in-field experimental data. This preliminary investigation will be carried out to calibrate the testing apparatus that will specifically be designed and manufactured to implement the present PhD project.
Planned Impact
Graduates from the WRIC programme will produce new knowledge across the disciplinary landscape and graduate to occupy professional roles of influence and authority which require a thorough understanding of the pathways by which knowledge and technology are adopted and put to socially significant use. The people and knowledge delivered through the CDT will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the nation's >£5bn annual spend on water and water related infrastructure (OFWAT, 2017), improving its resilience and securing its value for society for generations to come. With ambitions to nurture domain experts who can flourish at the interfaces of scientific disciplines and economic/industry sectors, the impact imperative is a significant but stimulating challenge for the WRIC CDT. Our impact strategy seeks to; (i) ensure rapid dissemination of scientific insights, (ii) maximise awareness and uptake of research sponsored through the CDT, and (iii) improve professional and lay understandings of the water infrastructure challenges facing society and the science behind candidate solutions. This strategy has been developed with project and Centre stakeholders so as to leverage additional resources, and maximise impact.
Improving the resilience of water infrastructure systems will be of benefit to a wide range of stakeholders. Given the CDT's bold intention to tackle knowledge gaps at the interfaces between disciplines and problems, new scientific understandings generated through WRIC will be of value to the knowledge users in the public sector (local authorities, regulators) and private sector (utilities, consultancies, technology providers), ultimately benefiting both lives and livelihoods across the UK and beyond. The UK economy will benefit from robust and resilient water infrastructure, in-line with the UK Government's Industrial Strategy for cleaner economic growth, the efficient use of resources, and building a regenerative circular economy. In the next Price Review PR19 (2020-25), water companies will be financially rewarded for implementing enhanced system resilience and innovation. Research outputs from WRIC will enable water companies to be able to meet these demands, alongside ambitious industry targets for zero water and wastewater quality failures, demand reduction and chemical recycling (OFWAT, 2017; UKWIR, 2017). These developments will facilitate inward international investment, development of new technology providers and supply chains, and opportunities for exporting intellectual property and know-how worldwide, further benefiting the UK economy. Project partners, including Thames Water, Severn Trent Water, Atkins, Stantec, Datatecnics also benefit from access to high quality graduates and facilities. Furthermore, regulatory agencies (Environment Agency, Drinking Water Inspectorate) and the European Commission will see benefits from improved compliance to regulations and sustainability agendas (Water Framework Directive 2008/32/EC and Drinking Water Directive 2017/0332(COD)).
The CDT programme will benefit the UK Collaboratorium for Research on Infrastructure and Cities (UKCRIC) government investments (£138M). Sheffield, Cranfield and Newcastle Universities have all received capital grants through UKCRIC to fund industrial scale test facility and observatory facilities to form an Urban Water Hub. The CDT will supply the resources to use and maximise the benefits and outputs from these facilities. Cooperation with other UKCRIC CDTs will help students better understand contemporary challenges for infrastructure and cities will catalyse horizontal innovation transfer and elevate the transformative potential of WRIC graduates.
Improving the resilience of water infrastructure systems will be of benefit to a wide range of stakeholders. Given the CDT's bold intention to tackle knowledge gaps at the interfaces between disciplines and problems, new scientific understandings generated through WRIC will be of value to the knowledge users in the public sector (local authorities, regulators) and private sector (utilities, consultancies, technology providers), ultimately benefiting both lives and livelihoods across the UK and beyond. The UK economy will benefit from robust and resilient water infrastructure, in-line with the UK Government's Industrial Strategy for cleaner economic growth, the efficient use of resources, and building a regenerative circular economy. In the next Price Review PR19 (2020-25), water companies will be financially rewarded for implementing enhanced system resilience and innovation. Research outputs from WRIC will enable water companies to be able to meet these demands, alongside ambitious industry targets for zero water and wastewater quality failures, demand reduction and chemical recycling (OFWAT, 2017; UKWIR, 2017). These developments will facilitate inward international investment, development of new technology providers and supply chains, and opportunities for exporting intellectual property and know-how worldwide, further benefiting the UK economy. Project partners, including Thames Water, Severn Trent Water, Atkins, Stantec, Datatecnics also benefit from access to high quality graduates and facilities. Furthermore, regulatory agencies (Environment Agency, Drinking Water Inspectorate) and the European Commission will see benefits from improved compliance to regulations and sustainability agendas (Water Framework Directive 2008/32/EC and Drinking Water Directive 2017/0332(COD)).
The CDT programme will benefit the UK Collaboratorium for Research on Infrastructure and Cities (UKCRIC) government investments (£138M). Sheffield, Cranfield and Newcastle Universities have all received capital grants through UKCRIC to fund industrial scale test facility and observatory facilities to form an Urban Water Hub. The CDT will supply the resources to use and maximise the benefits and outputs from these facilities. Cooperation with other UKCRIC CDTs will help students better understand contemporary challenges for infrastructure and cities will catalyse horizontal innovation transfer and elevate the transformative potential of WRIC graduates.
People |
ORCID iD |
| Luca Susmel (Primary Supervisor) | |
| Edward John (Student) |
Studentship Projects
| Project Reference | Relationship | Related To | Start | End | Student Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP/S023666/1 | 01/04/2019 | 30/09/2027 | |||
| 2453419 | Studentship | EP/S023666/1 | 28/09/2020 | 27/09/2024 | Edward John |
| Description | This work aims to improve understanding of the mechanisms that cause grey cast iron water pipes to develop leaks. This will help enable water pipe managers to identify pipes that are at risk of leaking and take measures to slow the processes that cause leaks to form. The specific focus of this work is leaks that form when pipes crack because of repeated loading (fatigue cracking), such as water pressure fluctuations. To investigate this cracking process many destructive tests were required, preferably using very similar material for each test. However, grey cast iron water pipes have not been manufactured since the 1960s. For this work, cast iron soil pipes (BS 416-2) were investigated as a novel, readily available alternative to exhumed water pipes. Comparison of the pipes' microstructure and tensile properties revealed a high similarity. Subsequent testing for this work has used these cast iron soil pipes to represent water pipes. One unknown in the cracking process was how grey cast iron pipe material responds to fluctuating loads acting in different directions (multiaxial fatigue), making it difficult to predict how damaging complex, realistic loading conditions are. Through extensive destructive testing, this work has investigated how the material responds to this loading. Preliminary analysis indicates a model has been found which can predict the experimental results successfully. Once finalised, this finding will make it possible to assess how damaging different load combinations are, such as water pressure fluctuations combined with vehicle loading. Another unknown was how corrosion pitting of water pipes affects the fatigue cracking process. Corrosion pits act as notches and concentrate stress, which would be expected to accelerate the fatigue cracking process. Pointed pits cause the highest stresses while large, blunt pits cause lower stresses. However, initial experimental results from this work indicate that for grey cast iron pipes the sharpness of a notch has a very limited effect on the cracking process and only the pit depth is important. This means that when assessing the condition of a grey cast iron water pipes, only the maximum corrosion pit depth must be known. Techniques already exist to measure corrosion pit depth in buried pipes, but not pit sharpness, so this finding means new methods will not be required to perform effective condition assessment of grey cast iron water pipes. In summary, the three key preliminary findings of this work are: a novel alternative to exhumed water pipes for experimental work; a multiaxial fatigue model for grey cast iron water pipes; and grey cast iron water pipes are unexpectedly insensitive to notch sharpness. |
| Exploitation Route | The issue of sourcing grey cast iron pipes for experiments has been faced by other researchers. As a result of this work several other researchers have expressed interest in using the same type of pipes for their work. This work has therefore unlocked or facilitated other aspects of research relating to cast iron water pipes. The other findings of this work will be transferred to the water industry with the help of the project sponsor, UK Water Industry Research (UKWIR), and will help build a clearer picture of the condition of the UK's grey cast iron water pipes. Specifically, using the findings of this work asset managers will be able to compare the damaging effects of different loading conditions on grey cast iron pipes and assess the significance of different levels of corrosion when coupled with repeating loads. This work also opens other avenues for research, such as the importance of being able to predict the stresses acting on buried pipes along different directions within the material. |
| Sectors | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Construction,Environment |
| Description | Poster presentation at UK Water Industry Research (UKWIR) Annual Conference 2022 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Presented a poster giving an overview of the project at the sponsor's (UKWIR) annual conference. The purpose of this activity was to increase awareness of the research project in the wider water industry, for example amongst water companies and consultancies. Several representatives of water industry consultancies expressed interest in the project and asked to take photos of the poster to share with colleagues. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://ukwir.org/ukwir-2022-annual-conference-highlights |