Rubber Expansion Joint Failure

Below is an except from the white paper discussing failure analysis of rubber expansion joints and what it can tell you about the overall health of your piping system.

Rubber expansion joint failure.

Common signs of rubber expansion joint fatigue. Neoprene rubber expansion joint read more. Typical causes of pipe expansion joint failure. Added on wed jun 29 2011.

Improper handling during transport storage or assembly. It will also discuss failure analysis of rubber expansion joints and some of the leading causes of joint failure. Failures of course have occurred which are of concern both to users and to reputable pipe expansion joint manufacturers. Unlike metal expansion joints the majority of failures related to rubber expansion joints are not catastrophic in nature.

1 prior to start up. During routine inspections signs of fatigue and or premature failure can be easily detected in rubber expansion joints long before the actual failure occurs. Bellows pipe expansion joints which have been properly designed and manufactured for specified piping system conditions have given many years of satisfactory service. What are the failures of expansion joints.

An expansion joint or movement joint is an assembly designed to hold parts together while safely absorbing temperature induced expansion and contraction of building materials and vibration or to allow movement due to ground settlement or seismic activity. We have divided the list of some of the most common causes of expansion joint failure into three groups based upon the actions that can be attributed to them. Rubber bellows can crack if they are over pressurized or placed in a harsh environment.