TY - JOUR

T1 - Effect of recycled material on failure by slow crack growth in multi-layer polyethylene pipes

AU - Trávníček, Lukáš

AU - Poduška, Jan

AU - Messiha, Mario

AU - Arbeiter, Florian

AU - Pinter, Gerald Gerhard

AU - Náhlík, Luboš

AU - Hutař, Pavel

N1 - Funding Information: This work was supported by University Specific Research, project CEITEC VUT/FSI-J-23-8289 and by Polymer Competence Center Leoben GmbH (PCCL, Austria) within the framework of the K1 COMET-program, which is funded by the Federal Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology (Austria) and Federal Ministry for Economy. Publisher Copyright: © 2023 Elsevier Ltd

PY - 2023/6/14

Y1 - 2023/6/14

N2 - Among polymer materials, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) is one of the most demanded polymers for packaging as well as in sectors with higher material requirements, such as the plastic pipe industry. The extensive use of HDPE means it is often present in municipal waste. Therefore, there is a high potential for reprocessing and exploring new applications for recycled HDPE, aiming for a circular economy. In the plastic pipe industry, recyclates have found practical use in non-pressure applications. However, the high structural and loading requirements do not allow using it for pressurized pipes yet. The presented study is focused on the possible utilization of recycled HDPE in pressurized pipes in the form of a layer in a multi-layer pipe with two protective layers made of virgin HDPE. The performance of the pipes is assessed based on numerical simulations, coupled with lifetime estimations. The lifetime assessment is based on linear elastic fracture mechanics using experimentally measured slow crack growth (SCG) rates in the virgin and recycled HDPE grades. Thanks to the numerical models, it was possible to describe damage by SCG of the multi-layer pipe as well as to find the dependency of the pipe performance on the thickness ratio and material properties of the layers.

AB - Among polymer materials, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) is one of the most demanded polymers for packaging as well as in sectors with higher material requirements, such as the plastic pipe industry. The extensive use of HDPE means it is often present in municipal waste. Therefore, there is a high potential for reprocessing and exploring new applications for recycled HDPE, aiming for a circular economy. In the plastic pipe industry, recyclates have found practical use in non-pressure applications. However, the high structural and loading requirements do not allow using it for pressurized pipes yet. The presented study is focused on the possible utilization of recycled HDPE in pressurized pipes in the form of a layer in a multi-layer pipe with two protective layers made of virgin HDPE. The performance of the pipes is assessed based on numerical simulations, coupled with lifetime estimations. The lifetime assessment is based on linear elastic fracture mechanics using experimentally measured slow crack growth (SCG) rates in the virgin and recycled HDPE grades. Thanks to the numerical models, it was possible to describe damage by SCG of the multi-layer pipe as well as to find the dependency of the pipe performance on the thickness ratio and material properties of the layers.

KW - High-density polyethylene (HDPE)

KW - Lifetime estimation

KW - Multi-layer pipe

KW - PE100 grade

KW - Recycled polyethylene

KW - Slow crack growth (SCG)

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85162917239&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.engfracmech.2023.109423

DO - 10.1016/j.engfracmech.2023.109423

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85162917239

VL - 289.2023

JO - Engineering Fracture Mechanics

JF - Engineering Fracture Mechanics

SN - 0013-7944

IS - 1 September

M1 - 109423

ER -