New application of rigid polyvinyl chloride pipes in subsurface stormwater storage-infiltration system

Polyvinyl chloride commonly abbreviated PVC is thermoplastic that is a polymer of vinyl chloride. Resins of polyvinyl chloride are hard, but with the addition of plasticizers a flexible plastic can be made. The good performance and low cost of rigid polyvinyl chloride commonly abbreviated PVC-U products make this polymer very suitable for many applications. Pipelines in water and sewer systems are the most common applications of PVC-U. Using PVC-U pipes in this study is a new and different from the common applications. The pipes will be used here to sustain axial loads for sub-surface stormwater storage and infiltration purposes. This study was conducted to investigate theoretically and experimentally the behavior and the capability of PVC-U pipes with and without existing of radial holes (orifices) in its wall to sustain the axial loads. Behavior of PVC-U pipes was investigated theoretically by modeling the pipe system using ANSYS Release 9.0 finite element code. The pipe was modeled using Solid 3-D brick element available in the element library of the ANSYS commercial package called SOLID45. The stress concentration around different orifice diameters at different locations from the pipe bottom subjected to an axial compression load of 3.4 kN are calculated. Furthermore, the behavior of PVC-U pipes specimens subjected to short-term uniaxial compression loads were experimentally investigated. Results of the load-displacement tests on pipes of different orifice locations were recorded. The experimental test results show that the PVC-U pipes have a tremendous capability of supporting the axial loads. Existing of radial orifices in the pipe wall will reduce its strength of supporting axial loads by approximately of 14%.. The pipe strength will be reduced also when the radial orifices becomes closer to the loaded pipe end.

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