February 1, 2017
Ms. Myra Dyer and Dr. Eric Guyer recently published, "Plumbing Hardware Failure Analyses," in the Journal of Failure Analysis and Prevention.
The hardware used for plumbing assemblies play an important role in modern home, business, and industrial systems. Engineered plumbing hardware made from metals allow for an extensive network of plumbing assemblies accommodating complex designs which facilitate product and installation effectiveness, in addition to maintaining cost efficiency. Examples of plumbing hardware include fittings, valves, drains, fixtures, pipes, and so on.
These materials are often subjected to a range of environments dependent on local water chemistry as well as varying service environments and installation techniques. Given the vast number of components in use failures do occur, often as a result of extreme service conditions or inappropriate installation techniques. Understanding the failure mechanisms associated with plumbing hardware and their assemblies is an important step in material and design optimization for future development. In view of that, this paper provides a range of plumbing component failure case studies for potable and non-potable water systems.
Click here to view the article.