The Steel Advantage : Features
Nothing beats steel pipe for conveying large volumes of water, petroleum or natural gas from one point to another. Whether it's a 144" water transmission main, or a 2" service line, steel is up to the task 24 hours a day, year after year. Steel's unique combination of properties and characteristics enables it to achieve performance levels required in today's pipeline systems:
- Strength. Steel delivers tensile strength of 60,000 psi and higher; operating pressures of 850 psi and higher; and bursting strength equal to three times design working pressure.
- Manufacturability. A key advantage to steel is its ability to be rolled, formed and welded, which allows it to be engineered and manufactured into various sizes, shapes and configurations.
- Durability. American Water Works Association (AWWA)-approved linings protect steel pipe from corrosion and ensure its ability to maintain initial high flow capacity over the long life of a pipeline.
- Economical Installation and Maintenance. Steel pipe is lightweight, requiring less labor to transport and install. Longer lengths enable faster, more economical installations. Dielectric coatings and cathodic protection lead to long life and low maintenance.
- Permanent, bottle-tight joints. Steel pipe joints do not depend on perfect trench grading or soil stability to maintain their watertight integrity. Resilient steel pipe absorbs soil stresses without affecting joint soundness.
- Flexibility/Ductility. Steel Pipe has an elongation factor of at least 22 percent. This allows it to withstand stresses and strains without breaking under shocks from surge, water hammer, and a host of other natural and man-made disturbances.
- High carrying capacity. Steel Pipe provides exceptionally high working pressure capability.
- Improved lifecycle costs. Steel is easy to transport and install because of its low weight and flexibility. These characteristics reduce transportation and handling costs, and lower excavation and backfill expenses.