Trelleborg pipe seals shown to have 800-year performance lifetime

An leading independent stress relaxation test has shown Trelleborg’s key pipe sealing compounds have a performance lifetime of over 800 years.

Elastocon AB, a global leader in testing stress relaxation in elastomers, found that Trelleborg’s elastomeric compounds remain within the acceptable 50 per cent relaxation threshold significantly longer than rival solutions, in some cases up to 700 years.

Trelleborg’s compounds recorded an estimated performance lifetime of between 789 and 928 years, and with an average estimated service lifetime of 841 years, Trelleborg far outranks the mean lifetime of the four other systems tested, which was just 97 years.

Use ASTM and ISO methodology, Elastocon set up a testing programme involving a selection of eight sealing systems currently on the market, including Trelleborg’s compounds used for the F-601 Power-Lock for plastic sewage and portable water pipes, and the F-165 integrated seal for concrete pipes.

The Elastocon testers exposed the elastomer in the seals to a series of elevated temperatures, which enabled them to deduce the effects of temperature on the stress relaxation level of the seals.

As per the ISO guidelines, a maximum relaxation level of 50 per cent was then set, and testers were able to calculate the service life of each system, based on the number of years the elastic in the seal will take to reach the 50 per cent threshold.

Julian West, Product Manager for Trelleborg’s Pipe Seal Operations, said: “A minimum estimated pipe lifetime of 120 years remains the industry norn. However, amid changing climates and increased scrutiny of water usage, the current rate of replacement will require pipeline systems to last in excess of 800 years in some countries. Choosing seals manufactured from high performance compounds designed to last 500 years or more may well become a necessity for network owners in years to come.”