Compressive Strength of HDPE Pipes

The compressive strength (external pressure resistance) of HDPE pipes mainly depends on their material grade, wall thickness design (SDR value), and installation conditions. Below are the detailed technical specifications:

Compressive Strength of the Material Itself

Property

Typical Range

Test Standard

Short-term compressive strength

20-30 MPa

ISO 6259

Long-term compressive strength

8-12 MPa

ISO 9080

Elastic modulus (20°C)

800-1000 MPa

ASTM D638

Note: Performance varies among different HDPE grades (e.g., PE80, PE100, PE100-RC).

Pipe Ring Stiffness (External Pressure Resistance)

HDPE pipes are primarily characterized by ring stiffness (SN) to indicate their external pressure resistance:

Ring Stiffness Grade

Standard Value (kN/m²)

Suitable Burial Depth

Typical Pipe Diameter Range

SN4

4

≤1.2m (shallow burial)

DN110-DN400

SN8

8

1.2-3m (standard burial)

DN200-DN800

SN16

16

3-6m (deep burial)

DN400-DN1200

Calculation Formula:
Ring Stiffness = (EI)/(D³)
Where:

E = Elastic modulus

I = Moment of inertia

D = Pipe diameter

 

Pressure Rating (Internal Pressure Resistance)

According to ISO 4427 standards, HDPE pipe pressure ratings are classified as:

SDR Value

Nominal Pressure (PN)

Maximum Working Pressure (20°C)

SDR11

PN10

1.0 MPa

SDR17

PN6

0.6 MPa

SDR26

PN4

0.4 MPa

Burst pressure is typically 2.5-4 times the PN value.

Compressive Performance in Practical Engineering Applications

Mining pipelines: Typically require SN8-SN16 grade, capable of withstanding ≥0.8 MPa internal pressure.

Buried pipelines: Under 3m burial depth, a DN500 HDPE pipe exhibits <3% deformation rate.

Extreme cases: Reinforced HDPE pipes for deep-sea mining can withstand 6 MPa external pressure.

Key Factors Affecting Compressive Strength

Temperature: Strength decreases by ~10% per 10°C increase.

Medium: Increased wall thickness is required when transporting abrasive slurries.

Installation quality: Backfill compaction ≥95% is necessary.

Service life: >70% strength retention after 50 years.

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