S.No.

Parameter Suitability toSuitability 1 to Transport up to Field

HDPE Pipes Pipes & Fittings Material being Tough but Flexible there is no possibility of damages during Transport of Pipe to the field from Manufacturer

In-field Movement

Pipes are Flexible & Tough and hence no possibility of damages during infield Movement and Handling

3 4

Handling Feasibility to Repair

Easy to Handle. Do not break in handling. Pipes can be easily Repair on the site itself. The damaged portion can be easily cut off and Welded together with the help of a simple butt-fusion machine. There is no need for a highly skilled operator for repairing.

Installation and Operation

Jointing is done by Fully Automatic / SemiAutomatic Butt-Welding / Electro-Fusion machines, whereby eliminating any scope for human errors

Jointing Types

Very Wide Range of Jointing to suit almost all other types of pipe materials.

2 6

Earthquake effect

Zero Maintenance piping system. Unbreakable under Seismic Zones or Unstable soil areas. Pipes are made of Homogeneous Single material. Further, because of strong UV Protection, Aging process is very Slow and Pipelines may work even upto 100 years.

Aging

Inside Surface

Inside Surface is very Smooth.

10

Nature of Pipe

Visco-Elastic Nature. Can be laid along the Contour. Very good for Hilly / Mountainous difficult Terrain also. Trenching Cost Highly Reduced.

Flexibility

The Pipe allows a Bending Radius of 25 times the Diameter of Pipe. Reduces the number of Bends and thus Reduce Loss of Head due to Friction.

12

Pumping Energy

Lower Pumping Cost due to Lower Frictional Losses. PE pipe has Better Flow characteristics

13

Shut-down Wave Velocity

The shut-down Wave Velocity is half of what is in GRP piping system. Safe Leak-Proof Joints. Negligible Maintenance Cost.

14

Shut-down Pressure Change

The Shut-down pressure change is also half of what is in GRP Piping System. Safe Leak-proof joints. Negligible maintenance cost.

15

Water Hammer & Surge

Because of its Visco-Elastic Nature, absorbs most of the effect of Water Hammer & Surge and Survives without any damage

16

Thermal Resistance

PE has good Thermal Resistance and can sustain a wide range of Temperature variations between -40 C to +45 C High Impact Resistance. Can survive Accidental Impacts. Highly Compatible with other Piping Materials. Very High ESCR, hence can be used over ground also.

17

Impact Resistance

18 19

Compatibility Environmental Stress Crack Resistance, (ESCR )

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Abrasion Resistance

Very good Abrasion Resistance. Gives Very Long Trouble-Free life to Pipeline, particularly when water is pumped from Rivers, which may contain Silt / Sand Particles.

21

Strainability

Strainability of PE pipe material is 3 times of GRP. This enables : - Easy Installation - Less Number of Fittings - Reduced Frictional Loss - Trouble Free Operation - Very Low Maintenance Cost - Sustains Soil-Settlements & Prism Loads very well - Sustains through Earthquakes. Kobe, Japan is very good example. The report is officially available.

22

Environmental Effect

HDPE is a Thermoplastic Plastic Material which can be recycled and hence is Environmentally friendlier. Polyethylene pipes manufactured by extrusion have a Smooth Internal & External Surface.

23

Inside Outside Smoothness

24

Water Absorption

HDPE pipe have a negligible value of water absorption of 0.03 % and no impact on strength of pipe.

GRP Pipes Pipes & Fittings are Light, Delicate and Rigid. Damages due to Impacts during Transportation are Very High.

Pipes being Light, Delicate and Rigid the pipes get damaged / Broken quite Frequently during the Infield Movement. Careful Handling is necessary. The pipes get broken easily. For Repairing the damaged pipes skilled personnel are needed.

Jointing involves Skill & Experience of the operator. Human error is evident depending upon the person to person.

I. Restrained Joints: Pipe joints capable of withstanding internal pressure and axial load due to internal pressure. 1. Flanged Joint (i) Fixed flange (ii) Stub end with loose flange 2. Butt & Wrap Joint 3. Adhesive Bonded Joint(Bell & Spigot with Adhesive) 4. Rubber Seal Lock Joint (Bell & Spigot with Rubber Sealing Rings and a Locking Key) II. Unrestrained Joints: Pipe joints capable of withstanding only hoop loading due to internal pressure. In this type, the axial forces in the system have to be taken by external provisions on the pipeline. 1. Coupler with Rubber Sealing Rings 2. Bell & Spigot with Rubber Sealing Rings

Pipeline breaks under Seismic Zones or Unstable soil areas. Because of Compounded Material, Fast Aging of pipe material takes place, Restricting Life of pipe-line to below 30 years.

Inside Surface is not as Smooth as that of HDPE. Rigid. Need Flat-Bed trenches. Not Suitable for difficult Terrain. Trenching Cost Increases Highly.

Pipes are Rigid and use of Bends is must. Increased Loss of Head due to Friction.

Higher Pumping Cost due to Higher Frictional Losses. This is easily computed as the C value of GRP pipe is much less (16% less) than PE pipe. This leads to more Frictional Loss in GRP Pipe and more energy exerted for Pumping Per Kilo-Litre of Water. This is a recurring drain in the users pocket.

The Shut-Down Wave Velocity is Double that of what is in HDPE Piping System. More Joint Failures and Increased Maintenance Cost. The Shut-Down pressure change is double that of what is in HDPE Piping System. More Joint Failures and Increased Maintenance Cost. Rigid. Breaks under Water Hammer & Surge or needs Specials, Valves / Fittings to absorb the effect. GRP becomes Brittle at Low Temperatures and thus prone to breakage.

Comparatively Low Resistance to Impacts. The pipes get damaged easily. Not easily Compatible with other Piping Materials. Low ESCR. Not suitable for On ground and Over ground applications.

Prone to Abrasion. Pipes gets Damaged Faster due to Poor Abrasion and need Replacement, particularly when water is pumped from Rivers, which may contain Silt / Sand Particles.

Strainability of GRP pipe material is 1/3rd of PE Pipes. - Installation troublesome - More number of fittings required - Higher frictional loss - Breakage trouble - Higher maintenance cost - Succumb to soil-settlements & Prism Loads. - Pipe-lines break due to earthquakes.

GRP is a Thermoset Material which cannot be recycled hence Environmentally Hazardous.

GRP piping based on Thermoset Systems will have either a True Inside Surface or a True Outside Surface but not both surfaces. Pipings made by Filament Winding have a good finish on the Inside while those made by Centrifugal Casting have a Smooth Outside Surface.

Water absorption of GRP pipes ranges from 0.2 % to 0.8 %. Permeation of this water into the polymer matrix could weaken the glass to resin bond.

S.No.

Parameter ease to work

HDPE Pipes Jointing is done by Fully Automatic / SemiAutomatic Butt-Welding / Electro-Fusion machines, whereby eliminating any scope for human errors

Jointing Types

Very Wide Range of Jointing to suit almost all other types of pipe materials.

2 6

Earthquake effect

Zero Maintenance piping system. Unbreakable under Seismic Zones or Unstable soil areas. Pipes are made of Homogeneous Single material. Further, because of strong UV Protection, Aging process is very Slow and Pipelines may work even upto 100 years.

Aging

Inside Surface

Inside Surface is very Smooth.

Flexibility

The Pipe allows a Bending Radius of 25 times the Diameter of Pipe. Reduces the number of Bends and thus Reduce Loss of Head due to Friction.

21

Strainability

Strainability of PE pipe material is 3 times of GRP. This enables : - Easy Installation - Less Number of Fittings - Reduced Frictional Loss - Trouble Free Operation - Very Low Maintenance Cost - Sustains Soil-Settlements & Prism Loads very well - Sustains through Earthquakes. Kobe, Japan is very good example. The report is officially available.

GRP Pipes Jointing involves Skill & Experience of the operator. Human error is evident depending upon the person to person.

1. Flanged Joint (i) Fixed flange (ii) Stub end with loose flange 2. Butt & Wrap Joint 3. Adhesive Bonded Joint(Bell & Spigot with Adhesive) 4. Rubber Seal Lock Joint (Bell & Spigot with Rubber Sealing Rings and a Locking Key) 5. Coupler with Rubber Sealing Rings 6. Bell & Spigot with Rubber Sealing Rings

Pipeline breaks under Seismic Zones or Unstable soil areas. Because of Compounded Material, Fast Aging of pipe material takes place, Restricting Life of pipe-line to below 30 years.

Inside Surface is not as Smooth as that of HDPE. Pipes are Rigid and use of Bends is must. Increased Loss of Head due to Friction.

Strainability of GRP pipe material is 1/3rd of PE Pipes. - Installation troublesome - More number of fittings required - Higher frictional loss - Breakage trouble - Higher maintenance cost - Succumb to soil-settlements & Prism Loads. - Pipe-lines break due to earthquakes.