Dear Circular in Centerville,
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Well, there really is no wrong or singular correct answer to that question! According to many industry standards, alloy steel chains are the preferred choice for lifting heavy loads, including iron pipes and fittings. Yet the real answer is in proper use of either, not that one is better than the other in all circumstances. Here’s what I mean:
Alloy steel chains are tough, abrasion-resistant and can withstand a wide range of temperatures, making them ideal for rugged job site conditions. They handle sharp-edged loads with ease. You just must ensure the chain’s rated capacity exceeds the load and inspect it regularly for wear or damage.
While nylon slings are lightweight and gentle on surfaces, they are prone to cuts and abrasions from sharp edges or repeated frictional stresses. Extreme temperatures can also weaken them, so the regular inspection demands for safe operations with nylon slings should be performed more often than those with metal chains.
Whichever lifting mechanism you choose to use, stay aware and responsible for its proper use, storage and inspection. And with either, never lift a pipe or fitting by running the chain or sling through the pipe or fitting or "hooking it" into the bell or spigot. Doing so will likely cause undesired damage to the barrel or the lining of the pipe or fitting. And, of course, regular and careful inspection of all lifting gear is a must because a snapped chain or frayed sling isn’t just inconvenient — it’s a major safety hazard. And don't be the guy in this picture, ever. Lifting while the film is in place can damage the protective capability of the film. Unbonded coatings or other protections placed between the chain or sling and the pipe can lead to an unexpected sudden slippage and loss of the load — and maybe a life. Stay safe and LIFT SMART!
Sincerely,
The Ditch Doctor
Dear Stopped,
Well Stopped, I must tell you, it sounds so unnecessary because it is ... at least when using Ductile iron pipe! The innate properties of DI make most if not all the "additional concerns" encountered during HDD with alternate pipeline materials, especially plastic pipes (PVC or HDPE) a "nonissue." A true "nothing burger" as some like to say these days.
Most commonly, these additional needs or practices with plastic pipes involve supportive rollers underneath the entirety of the plastic pipeline to protect it from disqualifying scratches or scrapes in their pipe wall contact with the ground and then a period of "rest" post-pull to allow the plastic pipeline to "relax" back to its original length before connecting to other pipeline portions or structures, as plastic pipes are known to "stretch" during the pulling portion of HDD installations. This rest period is commonly three to five days at a minimum. And, like in all of construction, TIME is MONEY, and doesn’t that sound like a waste of both?
No "extras" are needed when using strong yet flexible and resilient Ductile iron pipe. DI pipe is not prone to scratching from what it rides against and requires no rest after work! Connect it to other sections or structures immediately after pulling it into place if you want to. It won’t ever "shrink." If anything, perhaps the Inspector is concerned that the iron-strong durable DI pipe might damage the curbs or asphalt of a parking lot or roadway that you might be dragging along or across while installing it. I mean, you did say you were doing this next to a golf course, and they tend to like their grounds perfect! Check the pictures on this page to see the differences I am talking about. I hope this helps you get going again! Happy HDD’ing!
Sincerely,
The Ditch Doctor
DEAR FAILING,
First, let me reassure you that you're not the only one being "bucked" by this misunderstanding. Some other contractors have contacted me about not being allowed to even drop a single PSI in pressure during their hydrotest! Yup, you heard that right — held to a "zero pressure drop" requirement, which is not in line with nor supported by the actual industry standard being incorrectly imposed upon you. But I've got good news for you! For most people, at any time in their lives, "losing 6 pounds or more" is generally considered a good thing, especially if it is based upon advice from your actual doctor. But not so in a pipeline hydrotest.
As held in the governing standards, the original rules used a combination of pressure drop and recovery volume as a two-pronged gauge of a pipeline's fitness for service. Of course, if the line falls to 0-psi, you have a leak somewhere, the test has failed and corrective action is needed. The 5-psi pressure loss restriction was introduced and used as a guide to indicate that your filling and flushing process has removed all the "meaningful" air out of the pipeline. Air compresses, but water does not. That's a critical difference to keep in mind. When you turn the pump off during a pressure test, any trapped air, no matter how small or large the bubble, will expand and reflect on the gauge as a pressure loss. Stay within 5-psi of the target pressure for your test, and obviously, most, if not all, of the air has been exhausted prior. A loss of more than 5-psi IS AN INDICATOR but not a ruler or decider. In some pipelines, a small amount of trapped air, no bigger than a football in total size, can cost you 25 or 30-psi on a gauge. But is it only trapped air causing this loss? That's the question ultimately answered by the recovery volume, in ounces or gallons, used to regain the lost pressure.
So, here's the good news — in realized recognition of the ongoing confusion often caused by "trapped air" — in , the AWWA standard addressing hydrotesting was revised to read, "Test pressure shall be maintained within this tolerance [+/- 5 psi] by adding makeup water through the pressure test pump into the pipeline. The amount of makeup water added shall be accurately measured (in gallons or liters per hour) using suitable methods. It shall not exceed the applicable testing allowance as specified." So yes, you can flick the pump on and off as many times as needed during the time frame of your test to stay within 5-psi of the target pressure, keeping track of the total water used, and use that total volume as the ULTIMATE JUDGE of your pipeline. The point is that no pipeline of any size or length will stay within its computed recovery volume limit if it has an active leak. Plain and simple.
The hydrotest accounts for the water tightness of an assembled pipeline, and the recovery volume incorporates things that happen to a newly pressurized pipeline, like pipeline growth at the joints under pressure and water absorbing into the concrete lining, to name two considerations. And don't panic if you get a 30 or 40-psi drop in your first pressurization; just an inch or two of total growth in length due to pressure forces can easily cause such a drop. Only worry if your pipeline drops to zero. And then call someone for assistance. As a contractor, you should NOT BE good at finding or fixing leaks. If you are, that's a whole 'nother concern for me to write about. And that one would not be "good news!" And "zero pressure drop" test requirements? Don't get me started!!
Sincerely,
The Ditch Doctor
Dear Zinced,
The factory-applied zinc coating on the barrel exterior of Ductile iron pipe is applied by vaporizing zinc wire with a significant electric arc inside special machinery, so it becomes a permanently affixed portion of the non-flyable metal surface. There is no potential nor fear to be had of fluids or other corrosives migrating under the zinc at a cut end, as can be the case with most paints or some epoxies. The zinc coating itself is not a stand-alone corrosion prevention mechanism on DI pipe. It works best with appropriate polyethylene pipe encasement, like antibacterial ointment under a Band-Aid on your skin! There is no need to "re-zinc" or otherwise coat the vertical surface of the cut end as it becomes an "interior surface" in the joint, not subject to the corrosive mechanisms that might want to attack the outside of the pipe. So that you know, the inside surfaces of the bell section on DI pipes are not zinc-coated. Doing so could affect the dimensional needs of the joint, and there truly is no purpose to it, as, again, inside surfaces are coated with other special linings if a corrosive fluid service is anticipated. That's a whole different discussion we could have at another time. So, for your question here … cut and move on. No worries. But I must also tell you, in all sincerity and experience, the time to question or amend project specifications is BEFORE you begin installation, not DURING. Most authorities avoid discussing changes during the construction, and it is difficult to change their minds at that point. Talk first, cut second. Always a good plan.
Sincerely,
The Ditch Doctor
Dear Annoyed,
Tiger stripes, zebra stripes, roadway stripes, candy stripes and even barcode stripes … all have a purpose, and each is different. The same goes for the stripes at the end of a Ductile iron pipe spigot. Tyton® joint pipe has two stripes around the barrel near the beveled spigot end as received from the factory. These indicate the portion of that pipe end that will be homed (inserted to the stripes) of the bell section of another DI pipe of the same diameter. They are circumferentially parallel to each other and approximately ½ inch apart. When the spigot is homed correctly, you'll hear the "thump" during assembly. The second stripe, the one furthest from the bell being inserted into, finishes in a position flush or thereabouts with the entry lip of the bell. Anything near that is fine. When you deflect a joint in any direction post-assembly, a portion of this same second stripe — and often the first stripe — will be exposed to the outside radius of the offset joint. Again, common by design. So, seeing at least one of the stripes when set straight in is like knowing a tiger by its stripe, which is perfectly normal. Truthfully, these spigot stripes are most useful as an "alignment gauge" BEFORE you push the pipe home. Simply compare the spigot stripes to the face of the bell it is entering as you set the spigot gently on the bell lip, and if they look like train tracks, parallel to each other from any direction you view them, PUSH the pipe home and get you your traditional THUMP of completion. "Over-homing" is NOT a concern with DI pipe. So yes, it is not a problem. It's a Ductile iron pipe design feature! And much less dangerous than encountering the stripes of a tiger in person!
Sincerely,
Are you interested in learning more about di pipe fittings? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!
The Ditch Doctor
Dear Inquisitive,
What you can expect from Ductile iron pipe is STABLE SUCCESS FOR CENTURIES! Seriously. Regardless of variant temperatures bearing upon it, of all the common utility piping materials available today, Ductile iron is the least affected by temperature, inside or out. It remains strong from -40o F to 212o F and beyond. In terms of thermal expansion and contraction, the entirety of a 1,000-foot string of Ductile iron pipe exposed to a 10o F temperature change would shrink or grow only 0.75 inches overall. As-cast longitudinal restrained joints are usually required for aerial installations, and each joint can typically provide approximately 0.50 inches of expansion/contraction. With 50 to 55 such joints in a 1,000-foot DI pipe string, that equates to 25 inches of "play" available. Simply put, DI pipelines breathe along comfortably with most, if not all, ambient conditions. Another beautiful truth of Ductile iron pipe, given its superior strength, the "desire" to shrink or grow is generally muted by the pipes' physical strengths in that — let's say — it has already fully expanded (from internal pressure or other means prior). The material wants to expand slightly more due to the thermal effects described above … it just won't. The same goes for contraction. Trust me, that's just the nature of our beautiful beast known as DI. Let me know if this clears it up for you. If not, reach out at any time and be sure to cut out and save the helpful Bridge Crossing Checklist found on the reverse side of this page. Be sure to check out this helpful tip sheet about bridge installation:
Sincerely,
The Ditch Doctor
Dear Worried,
What you describe is not uncommon. Nothing to worry about … yet. You see, buried pipelines can routinely expand slightly in length when first pressurized as they settle into their home within the trench. With some basic math, you can "see" where "all that water" went. The answer is NOWHERE. You simply created more (overall) pipe length with the initial pressurization. Each lineal foot of 24-inch DI pipe contains 25 gallons of water. Even with fittings in your 3,000-foot pipeline, at least 150 pushon joints are likely involved. If each of these push-on joints were to expand just one-eighth of an inch, which can occur even in consolidated trenches, that equates to (0.125 x 150) 18.75 inches (1.56 feet) of "new pipe volume" created by the push of the initial pressurization, which equals 39 gallons of "space." This minor "setting into its surrounds" and minor growth of the pipeline occurs slower than pumping to a designated pressure, which is why it seems to you above ground that something adverse is happening to the pipe. If the pipeline drops below adjacent static pressure or near 0-psi, we could now say, "Yup, you've got a leak." Pump to desired pressure again, or even a third time, to gauge whether the recovery volume decreases or worsens. That will be a better read of what is going on below ground. If it persists, contact your pipe supplier immediately for support and guidance. Oh, by the way, I haven't even mentioned that on the initial fill, the standard cement lining slowly absorbs some of the water volume you used to fill it. That's another thing that can cause questions on the first fill, just so you know. Be sure to check out this helpful tip sheet on preparing for a hydrostatic pressure test:
Sincerely,
The Ditch Doctor
Dear Lost Without Lube,
I feel ya, bro. I can't wait for some Saturday afternoon football myself. I've been working hard all week and will be ready to relax! To address your first issue, which isn't the point of your inquiry but should be noted, the person who received and signed for the materials at your job site should have verified that ALL materials were received and properly staged for the project. That would have eliminated the root cause of your lack of lube. In response to your three suggestions, none of which are exceptionally good, here's what the Ditch Doctor would recommend: If considering using older lube, you must determine the brand, the age of the lube and how well it has been stored. Is it the brand recommended by the pipe supplier? If you can’t verify this, don’t use it. Does the lube look separated, oily, puttied, or hard from old age or poor storage? If so, chuck it! Purchasing lube from a local distributor is a better option than using old lube, but a word of caution: There are pipe lubes out there that work very well with the product it was intended for, but not for others — and cooking oil? Seriously? This is definitely a bad idea as seemingly safe, slippery stuff such as Crisco, Vaseline and common greases often contain ingredients harmful to rubber, such as petrolatums. So, what does this boil down to? Using the pipe lube the pipe supplier provides is always the best option. Who wants to have difficulty passing a hydrostatic test due to using unproven accessories? McWane Ductile ships pipe lubricant with every load of pipe. Currently, lubricants approved by McWane Ductile include Phoenix XL-27 and Black Swan. These products have been thoroughly tested for their effectiveness in our Universal Test Facility located in Ohio. If you are in dire need, contact your local McWane Ductile representative, and let’s work together to expedite the resolution of your situation. Then we'll all go watch some football!
Sincerely,
The Ditch Docter
Ductile iron pipes and fittings will not bend at high temperatures, nor will they produce gases that are unfavorable to people. It has high hardness and good shock resistance. There are many ductile iron pipes used in construction now, which are very corrosive and have a long service life. It is also possible to use ductile iron pipes in the deep sea, and the price of ductile iron pipes is very affordable. Because it is compressive, does not penetrate water, and has good sealing. Due to the above reasons, ductile iron pipes are basically maintenance-free and easy to construct, so they are very popular with everyone. Let's follow WESDOM technician to briefly understand the advantages and scope of use of ductile iron pipes.
1. Scalability, high strength and pressure function and corrosion resistance of ductile iron pipes;
2. The elongation rate can reach more than 10%, the tensile strength of the ductile iron pipe is more than 420 MPa, and the pressure value is more than 4 MPa;
3. High deformation resistance in high-pressure water supply and gas pipeline systems;
4. Anti-corrosion measures for ductile iron pipe paint, such as intrusion resistance and corrosion resistance and a service life of 100 years;
5. The installation and construction are convenient, and the project cost is economical;
6. Reliability: The ductile iron pipe has a high bearing capacity and a certain elongation, and adopts a flexible interface, the axial deviation of 3 to 5 degrees will not produce medium seepage and leakage, and has strong resistance to earthquake and Subsidence of foundations.
1. Urban domestic water. The domestic water supply in cities is becoming more and more tense, so in addition to drinking water, reclaimed water can be used for watering, car washing, etc.;
2, the diversion pipe. In the city, in order to avoid the depletion of groundwater, iron cast pipes can be used to transfer the water from the lake to the city for everyone's daily use;
3. Agricultural irrigation. Because the iron cast pipe has good corrosion resistance and strong compression resistance. In agricultural irrigation, iron cast pipes can be used regardless of the nature of the soil;
In industrial production. Cast iron pipes have good rigidity and toughness, which play a great role in use. It can withstand both load and pressure, and transport industrial materials safely.
WESDOM now having wide range products for ductile iron pipes and fittings: like Flange adaptors, Flexible Couplings, Universal Couplings, Dismantling Joints, Saddle clamps, etc. Welcome to send us a inquiry if you have needs or interests.
What are the advantages and application scope of ductile iron pipes and fittings?
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