Welcome to John’s Blog. Answers to frequently asked questions are periodically posted here. The objective is to share information about PVC pipe with readers as well as with utilities, design engineers and pipe installers. The blog provides the latest information on PVC pipe design, installation, and application for water and wastewater infrastructure projects.
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John Houle: Senior Technical Consultant, PVC Pipe Industry
John Houle holds a Master’s Degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Missouri and an MBA from the University of Oregon. He has more than 25 years of experience in the plastic pipe industry in applications engineering, market development, forensic analysis, technical writing, and standards development.
Internal pressure causes longitudinal thrust forces in pipe systems. These forces are developed at changes in flow direction or pipe size, as well as at dead ends. To keep pipe joints from pulling apart, either joint restraint or concrete thrust blocking is required.
In the past, concrete thrust blocks were the most commonly used method to prevent movement. Recently, thrust blocking has largely given way to joint restraint. There are several methods for restraining PVC pipe joints. In addition to the traditional external joint restraint devices, several integral internal devices have been developed. The technical brief provides background on this topic. Click here to read.
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