FLEXIBILITY FACTOR OR PIPE STIFFNESS: SIGNIFICANT STIFFNESS CONSIDERATIONS

Stiffness requirements for metal and other flexible pipes are often misunderstood and misused. Stiffness, which often is confused with strength, is defined in several ways that do not directly compare. The stiffness of metal pipes is traditionally limited by a calculated flexibility factor. Alternatively, plastic pipes are usually rated in terms of laboratory-measured pipe stiffness. However, the AASHTO design method uses a calculated flexibility factor for plastic pipe design that appears to relate to metals. Laboratory-measured "stiffness" is used here to investigate the geometry, material, and environmental factors that must be considered to evaluate functional stiffness and compare pipe performance.

• Record URL:
  • https://doi.org/10.3141/1656-06
• Summary URL:
  • http://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=FLEXIBILITY+FACTOR+OR+PIPE+STIFFNESS%3a+SIGNIFICANT+STIFFNESS+CONSIDERATIONS&author=J.+Schluter&author=J.+Shade&publication_year=1999
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0309070546
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper appears in Transportation Research Record No. 1656, Underground and Other Structural Design Issues.
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Schluter, J C
  • Shade, J W
• Publication Date: 1999

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 45-50
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 1656
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Flexibility; Geometry; Laboratory tests; Materials; Metal pipe; Performance; Plastic pipe; Stiffness; Temperature
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Highways; Materials; I20: Design and Planning of Transport Infrastructure;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00769366
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309070546
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Sep 3 1999 12:00AM