CT-Scans: Game-Changer in the Maintenance of PVC Drinking-Water Mains

CT-scans were successfully used to—for the first time—detect inclusions of foreign material in the pipe walls of PVC pipes. This is of interest because these formerly undetectable inclusions dominate the main failure mechanism of PVC: crack growth. The technique unlocks a step forward in the condition assessment of PVC pipes in several ways: it provides researchers with a new way to investigate crack growth in PVC pipes; it provides drinking-water utilities with a method for destructive condition assessment; and CT provides the industry with the reference knowledge needed to develop relevant in-line inspection techniques for PVC mains.