Distribution Piping Practice Flashcards

A set of 100 vocabulary flashcards covering distribution piping joints, standards, material properties, and specific pipe types.

Ball-and-Socket Joints

Special purpose joints primarily used for river crossings and at intake structures.

Ball-and-Socket Joints Deflection

These joints allow for up to $15\text{ degrees}$ of deflection.

Ball-and-Socket Connection Design

These are positively connected by either a bolted or boltless design.

Flanged Joints

Two machined surfaces that are tightly bolted together with a gasket in between the two surfaces.

Flanged Joints Rigidity

These are used where rigidity is required.

Flanged Joints Installation Location

Installed in exposed locations; not normally buried since they cannot compensate for ground expansion.

Grooved and Shouldered Joints

Utilizes a segmented coupling that is bolted together and compresses a gasket into grooves on the end of the pipe.

Victaulic joint

A specific type of grooved joint.

Mechanical Joints

Made by bolting a movable follower ring on a spigot to a flange on the bell.

Mechanical Joint Seal

The follower ring compresses a gasket to create the seal.

Push-on Joints

The pipe is manufactured so one end has a bell with a recess for a rubber ring gasket and the other has a beveled spigot.

Push-on Joint Assembly

The beveled spigot end of the pipe is pushed into the bell end of the next pipe.

Restrained Joint

A joint that has been restrained by mechanical means to ensure the pipe does not separate.

C Value (C Factor)

The measure of the roughness of a pipe's interior surface that retards flow due to friction.

C Value and Friction

The higher the value, the smoother the surface, which results in less friction.

Dresser Coupling

A mechanical pipe joint consisting of one cylindrical middle ring, two follower rings, two resilient gaskets, and steel track head bolts.

Dresser Coupling Gaskets

Made up of a special Dresser compound.

Victaulic Joint Components

Utilizes grooves in the pipe ends, a gasket, and a coupling housing to join pipe together.

ANSI/AWWA Pipe Standards Categories

Major categories include Pipe and Accessories, Pipe Installation, Service Lines, and Plastic Pipe.

ANSI/NSF Standard 61

The standard that all pipe material must meet to be used in potable water systems.

NSF 61 Purpose

Standards established to prevent leaching of contaminants into drinking water.

Tensile strength

A measure of how much resistance the material has to longitudinal pull.

Flexural strength

A measure of the pipe's ability to bend or flex without breaking.

Maximum Pressure Rating Rule

New pipe pressure rating must meet or exceed that of the pipe being replaced. 2.5 to 4 times the normal operating pressure of the system

Operating Pressure Safety Factor

Pipe should sustain $2.5$ to $4$ times the normal operating pressure of the system.

Pipe Durability

The ability to provide many years of trouble-free service and maintain water-tight integrity at the joints.

Corrosion Resistance Types

Selection considerations include both internal and external resistance.

Inner Surface Smoothness Performance

A high C value reduces friction loss and improves hydraulic performance.

Ease of Tapping

The pipe should be easily tapped for new service connections and durable at the point of the tap.

Water Quality Maintenance

The pipe should not add taste, odor, or chemicals to the water.

Installation Cost Components

Includes pipe and fitting cost as well as installation labor cost.

Four General Pipe System Types

Transmission Lines, In-plant Systems, Distribution Mains, and Service Lines.

Transmission Lines

Large diameter pipe used to transport water over long distances with minimal side connections.

In-plant Systems

Systems where pipes, valves, and fittings are generally exposed.

Distribution Mains

Pipes connected to the transmission line that distribute water to the customer.

Service Lines

Small diameter pipe connecting the distribution main to the customer's location.

Asbestos-Cement Pipe (A-C Pipe) Materials

Made from asbestos fibers, silica sand, and Portland cement.

A-C Pipe Advantage: Weight

Light weight makes it easy to handle.

A-C Pipe Advantage: Flow

Features good flow characteristics.

A-C Pipe Disadvantage: Fragility

The pipe is easily damaged.

A-C Pipe Disadvantage: Detection

Difficult to locate when buried.

A-C Pipe Disadvantage: Care

Requires special care when tapping.

A-C Pipe Installation Status

No longer being installed in drinking water systems due to asbestos fibers.

A-C Pipe Soft Water Compatibility

Not good for carrying soft water.

A-C Pipe Working Lengths

$$\text{10 ft} - \text{13 ft}$$

A-C Pipe Diameter Range

$$\text{4 in} - \text{42 in}$$

Ductile-Iron Advantage: Durability

Durable and strong with flexural strength to resist breaking when bent.

Ductile-Iron Advantage: Wall Thickness

Has a thinner wall than concrete or PVC.

Ductile-Iron Advantage: Corrosion

Good interior pipe corrosion resistance.

Ductile-Iron Disadvantage: Weight

Very heavy and hard to handle.

Ductile-Iron Disadvantage: Protection

Requires plastic wrap or cathodic protection.

Ductile-Iron Manufacturing Additive

Magnesium is added, allowing the pipe to bend slightly without breaking.

Ductile-Iron Beam Breakage

Not subject to beam breakage like cast-iron pipe.

Ductile-Iron Working Lengths

$$\text{18 ft} - \text{20 ft}$$

Ductile-Iron Diameter Range

$$\text{3 in} - \text{64 in}$$

Ductile-Iron Normal Max Pressure

$$\text{350 psi}$$

Reinforced Concrete Pipe Advantage: Maintenance

Durable and requires little maintenance.

Reinforced Concrete Pipe Advantage: Corrosion

Good internal and external corrosion resistance.

Reinforced Concrete Pipe Advantage: Installation

Minimal bedding and backfilling requirements.

Reinforced Concrete Pipe External Capacity

High external load capacity.

Reinforced Concrete Pipe Disadvantage: Weight

Very heavy, requiring large handling equipment.

Reinforced Concrete Pipe Disadvantage: Soil

Requires external protection if soil contains chlorides.

Reinforced Concrete Pipe Composition

Steel pipe is lined with concrete and coated with concrete.

Reinforced Concrete Pipe Working Lengths

$$\text{12 ft} - \text{40 ft}$$

Reinforced Concrete Pipe Diameter Range

$$\text{12 in} - \text{168 in}$$

Reinforced Concrete Pipe Normal Max Pressure

$$\text{250 psi}$$

Pre-stressed Concrete Pipe Structure

A steel cylinder is cast within a concrete core.

Pre-stressed Concrete Pipe Wire Wrapping

Steel wire is wrapped around the steel cylinder.

Pre-stressed Concrete Pipe External Control

Coated with a cement slurry for external corrosion control.

Pre-stressed Concrete Pipe Working Lengths

$$\text{12 ft} - \text{40 ft}$$

Pre-stressed Concrete Pipe Diameter Range

$$\text{16 in} - \text{144 in}$$

Pre-stressed Concrete Pipe Normal Max Pressure

$$\text{350 psi}$$

Steel Pipe Advantage: Installation

Light weight makes installation easy.

Steel Pipe Advantage: Strength

High tensile strength.

Steel Pipe Advantage: Flexibility

Very flexible.

Steel Pipe Disadvantage: Corrosion

Poor corrosion resistance both inside and out.

Steel Pipe Disadvantage: Vacuum

Susceptible to collapse under vacuum conditions.

Steel Pipe Common Applications

High pressure applications and large diameter applications.

Steel Pipe Internal Coatings

Commonly cement or epoxy lined for corrosion resistance.

Steel Pipe Exterior Coatings

Exterior coated with plastic or bituminous materials.

Cathodic Protection for Steel

Provides the highest degree of corrosion protection for steel pipe.

Steel Pipe Working Lengths

$$\text{20 ft} - \text{45 ft}$$

Steel Pipe Diameter Range

$$\text{4 in} - \text{120 in}$$

Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Advantage: Installation

Lightweight and easy to install.

Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Advantage: Impact

High impact strength.

Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Disadvantage: Detection

Difficult to locate when buried.

Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Disadvantage: Tapping

Special care required during tapping.

Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Disadvantage: Degradation

Damaged if exposed to sunlight.

Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Disadvantage: Permeation

Petroleum and organic compounds may permeate the pipe.

PVC Compatibility

Pipe sizes between $4\text{ and }12\text{ inches}$ are compatible with ductile-iron fitting sizes.

PVC Diameter Range

$$\text{4 in} - \text{36 in}$$

PVC Normal Max Pressure

$$\text{200 psi}$$

High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) Advantage: Flexibility

Flexible; moves with ground movements.

HDPE Diameter Range

$$\text{4 in} - \text{63 in}$$

HDPE Normal Max Pressure

$$\text{250 psi}$$

Ductile Iron Flexible Ball Joint Application

River crossings or in very rugged terrain.

Ductile Iron Restrained Joint Application

Installed in unstable soil to resist thrust forces.

Plastic Heat Fusion Joint

Used specifically for polyolefin pipe.

Plastic Solvent Weld Joint

Used for small diameter lines.

Steel Welded Joints Application

Used for high pressure applications.