CORROSION AND SERVICE LIFE OF CORRUGATED METAL PIPE IN KANSAS

NEARLY 2,000 CORRUGATED METAL PIPES AS OLD AS 43 YEARS WERE INSPECTED IN A RESEARCH STUDY IN KANSAS DURING A PERIOD OF 6 YEARS. BITUMINOUS COATINGS APPLIED TO PIPES SELDOM REMAINED INTACT IN EXPOSED AREAS FOR MORE THAN 3 OR 4 YEARS; SOMETIMES THEY WERE INTACT FOR ONLY A FEW MONTHS. CONSEQUENTLY, THEY ARE NOT OF SUFFICIENT VALUE TO JUSTIFY THEIR USE IN KANSAS. PLAIN GALVANIZED CORRUGATED METAL PIPES WITHOUT BITUMINOUS COATINGS HAVE SERVED WELL IN KANSAS FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS. A FEW PIPES IN LOCALIZED STRIP PIT COAL MINING AREAS HAVE CORRODED EXCESSIVELY, BUT NONE HAS FAILED STRUCTURALLY. ALUMINUM PIPES ARE IN GOOD CONDITION, BUT THEY HAVE BEEN USED IN KANSAS FOR ONLY 7 YEARS AT THE TIME OF THIS STUDY, AND NONE WERE INSTALLED NEAR COAL MINES.