Abstract
Residential and commercial piping systems often experience complex failures from freeze events. In this paper the freezing failures are studied by replicating pipe freezing conditions in a laboratory setting. Testing was performed on half inch PVC and CPVC pipes. Pressure and temperature during the freeze event were monitored and the fracture modes of failed pipes were examined. Freeze events result in excessively high pressures. It has been shown that during a freeze event, the properties of plastic pipes are advantageous over other more rigid piping systems. In this study, it was observed that PVC and CPVC pipes were able to sustain over 30 times the typical household water pressure before bursting occurred.
