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Premature Failure of CPVC Drainpipes

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Abstract

Water leaks were noticed from a chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC) drainpipe system used in a cafeteria only 3 months after the commissioning of the building. The drainpipe was used to recover food waste using various systems installed directly in the kitchen. The leak was caused by the presence of numerous cracks in some of the elbows from the drainpipe system. Scanning electron microscopy showed the presence of mud cracking, which is generally associated with environmental stress cracking. Chemical analyses revealed the presence of incompatible products with the CPVC, coming from the chemical transformations in the composting process and from excess cement used to assemble the various sections of the drainpipe system.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Montreal, Canada

    Jane Gagné & Marina Banuta

Authors
  1. Jane Gagné
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  2. Marina Banuta
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Correspondence to Jane Gagné.

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Gagné, J., Banuta, M. Premature Failure of CPVC Drainpipes. J Fail. Anal. and Preven. 20, 1479–1484 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11668-020-00997-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11668-020-00997-5

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