Recently, I had the opportunity to participate in a webinar covering multiple states and 300 participants.  The topic was PVC pipe applications and design considerations.  Over 20 questions and requests were submitted and I decided to respond to one on the Pipe Blog – knowing that many of you may also have had a similar question. Hopefully, this

Hello all… how about a quick blog on PVC pipe and UV protection? I am often asked about the effects of UV exposure caused by sunlight on PVC sewer pipes and how to provide protection. Many people in the civil engineering industry have concerns with UV exposure and polymeric-based sewer materials (e.g. thermoplastic, PVC, HDPE, other plastic pipe)

 I’ve recently been seeing engineers choosing what I feel are inappropriate Manning’s “n” coefficients for sewer design.  Some choose too conservative values, while others don’t understand that long term creep within the pipe wall may adversely affect the hydraulic performance of certain pipe types.  A few things to consider are as follows: 

There are a whole lot of different types of pipes and pipe joints used in the civil engineering industry.  This blog will focus on those associated with sanitary sewer, storm sewer and drainage applications.  What are the different ratings?  How are they defined?  How are they quantified or tested?  All good questions.  I will be referencing mostly

Dear Tech Abby,What does 46 psi pipe stiffness really mean?  Do all pipes meet or need 46 psi?  Can you help?-          John Q. CivilJ.Q., you are not alone.  Where do I start?It all came about during the 1960’s when solid-wall PVC thermoplastic pipe was becoming more widely used for small diameter sanitary sewers (e.g. laterals and collectors).