Analysis of a gasketed polyvinyl chloride pipe joint

Poor performance of pipe joints can contribute significantly to reduction of the overall performance of pipe systems. The most common problems attributed to joint defects are infiltration, exfiltration, and erosion of the soil surrounding the pipe, which can ultimately produce pipe failure. Thus, modeling of joints in pipelines is a critical issue influencing both the short- and long-term performance of these systems. Although joints may often be the weakest points along the pipe and can have a significant influence on pipe performance, little research has been conducted with regard to joint design. Even joint response to simple loading conditions is largely unknown because of the complexity of interactions between the pipes and the gasket. A three-dimensional, finite element analysis of a Rieber-type rubber-gasketed polyvinyl chloride (PVC) water pipe joint was carried out to investigate the influence of gasket modulus, rubber-PVC friction, insertion length, and joint rotation on the overall performance of the pipe joint system. The numerical analyses were performed with ABAQUS.