Natural and accelerated weathering of PVC and polypropylene waste-water pipes
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Plastic pipes and plumbing accessories for waste water are gaining popularity and replace the more conventional metal and asbestos-cement products. The main disadvantage of these pipes is their relative poor durability when exposed to external weathering conditions, particularly to the UV solar radiation. The work presented deals with the weathering behaviour of polyvinylchloride (PVC) and polypropylene (PP) pipes. Commerical pipes were exposed to natural and artificial-accelerated conditions and their mechanical properties tested after various periods of exposure. The results show that both the PVC and PP pipes are damaged by the accelerated and natural weathering within a short time, resulting in a rapid deterioration in the ultimate elongation. The drop in the extensibility of the PVC pipe is more gradual than that of the PP. The tensile strength, in both cases, is hardly affected—as expected—proving that the deterioration is mainly a surface phenomenon and depends on the cracking of the exposed surface.
KeywordsWeathering Natural Weathering Ultimate Elongation Accelerate Weathering Artificial Weathering
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