Factors affecting the performance of cast iron pipelines: A review of US observation and research investigations

The purpose of this report is to summarise observations and measurements of cast iron pipeline performance, emphasising the experience of such pipelines in the United States. The report is divided into nine sections, of which the first provides introductory and background information. The second section provides an overview of pipeline system characteristics and summarises the factors affecting cast iron pipeline performance. The third section deals with repair statistics as a basis for understanding the system-wide characteristics of breaks and leaks typical of several large american distribution networks. The fourth section presents information about temperature effects on the pipelines. The fifth and sixth sections provide a discussion of the influence of adjacent excavations and corrosion, respectively. The influence of traffic is discussed in the seventh section. Pipeline performance during several prominant earthquakes is summarised in the eighth section, and conclusions and recommendations are made in the ninth section.