PCA (Pipeline Condition Assessment) Group began, as a business unit within Tubemakers Water, in 1996 to provide expert consultancy services to Australian Water Industry. Initially, the group extensively utilised intelligent pig technology from Canada, and successfully assessed approximately 25km of cast and ductile iron water and sewer mains. Later the group expanded its technology offerings, based on experience prior to the formation of the group.
Since then the group has specialised in the condition assessment of pressurised water and wastewater mains, with a particular emphasis on buried ferrous metal mains, and has operated as a separate profit centre within major international businesses including Tyco Flow Control and Earth Tech Engineering. Today it is a Division of ADE Consulting Group Pty Ltd.
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PCA’s experience in this field has remained unmatched by any other service provider in Australia and has conducted genuine condition assessment (not leak detection on reticulation pipes) on thousands of kilometres of water mains in Australia and overseas. It is unique in operating as both a Consultant and Contractor.
Since its formation, PCA has trialed a number of techniques for assessing the condition of water mains and has during that time continued to develop and refine its approach. PCA has arguably grown be one of the leading world experts in the condition assessment of pressurised water mains.
Phone 1300-796-922 I Email: info@ade.group
GREY CAST IRON PIPES
The manufacture of cast iron pipes began as an offshoot of cannon founding in western Europe. Early iron pipes were cast horizontally, and pipes conveying water in Palace of Versailles survived for more than 400 years. Metallurgically, the pipes consist of carbide, phosphides and carbon, offering very good corrosion resistance – hence the reason for their longevity.
A significant technological development occurred in late 1800’s when vertical casting replaced horizontal casting. These pipes also contained large amounts of phosphorus to enable fluidity in casting, and also exhibit good corrosion resistance. A socket, or bell, was formed during the casting, enabling the spigot-socket jointing method. Other features of this pipe are eccentric and relatively thick pipe walls, and typically, lead jointed.
Further development occurred in the early 20th Century, whereby iron was cast into spun water-cooled steel moulds, which produced thinner walled “whited” cast iron, which subsequently required heat treatment to form grey cast iron. The socket was formed using a disposable sand core. Annealing produced a predominantly ferritic matrix with flake graphite of varying morphologies. Corrosion resistance of these pipes appears to be less than the older statically cast pipes.
Spun grey cast iron pipes are usually cement lined. Jointing can vary from lead to rubber ring, depending upon age. Coatings can also vary, from essentially thin tar or bitumen, to coal tar epoxy, and loose polyethylene sleeving.
Grey cast iron pipes exhibit little or no ductility, and can undergo “catastrophic” failures, with little or no corrosion. They undergo a phenomenon referred to as “graphitisation”, whereby the ferritic matrix “dissolves” and leaves a graphite-cementite remnant, which retains the exact shape and size of the parent metal, and although structurally weaker than uncorroded iron, can withstand modest levels of hydrostatic loading.
Ultimately this material was replaced by spheroidal graphite cast iron, commonly referred to as Ductile Iron.
1962
Spun Grey Cast Iron Tubemakers Yennora.
1846
Vertical casting
1664
Installation in Versailles, France
1922
Delavaud centrifugal casting
1840s
Cast Iron pipes used in Sydney to supply water from local swamps
Horizontal casting
1929
Factory cement lining.
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Spun Cast Iron AIS Port Kembla.
Cast Iron Microstructure
