4 " sewer and drain PVC collapse?

Users who are viewing this thread

Molo

Member
Messages
922
Reaction score
2
Points
18
Location
Cold New York
I am doing some drainage work, and noticed that the 4" PVC sdr (sewer drain) was fairly flexible, and some was deformed at the yard. Will this collapse under the pressure of 3-4 feet of gravel?

TIA,
Molo
 

Toolaholic

General Contractor Carpenter
Messages
894
Reaction score
6
Points
18
Location
Marin Co. Ca.
Who Knows

Question is why did You take that garbage? I always pick, don't have delivered ,[for this reason]
 

Molo

Member
Messages
922
Reaction score
2
Points
18
Location
Cold New York
toolaholic said:
Question is why did You take that garbage? I always pick, don't have delivered ,[for this reason]

I didn't take it, and that's not the question..
 

Dunbar Plumbing

Master Plumber
Messages
2,920
Reaction score
10
Points
0
Location
Northern Kentucky/Greater Cincinnati Area
Website
www.KoldBreeze.com
molo said:
I am doing some drainage work, and noticed that the 4" PVC sdr (sewer drain) was fairly flexible, and some was deformed at the yard. Will this collapse under the pressure of 3-4 feet of gravel?

TIA,
Molo

Absolutely. Any pipe that you change the inner dimension of the piping by distorting the pipe itself, it will prove a faulty over time. SCH40 is all I'd use outside and underground. Most often when a sewer line is replaced and having to be dug up again, SCh35 was most likely the piping used.

It's cheaper by far against SCH40 and most times thet's the reason for it's application.

Plastic when distorted/strained will weaken the pipe quicker over time. I couldn't begin to tell how many times I've removed SCH30 or 35 with the entire top of the pipe broke down into the bottom. No way for a cable to pass through it.
 

Molo

Member
Messages
922
Reaction score
2
Points
18
Location
Cold New York
I should clarify, I didn't take the distorted pipe. I noticed the soft qualities, and wondered if it would distort underground. Thanks for the reply rugged, I wonder if the method of filling around the pipe has something to do with the pipe keeping or losing it's shape. Like the large culvert material, if they are not backfilled properly they will collapse
 

Dunbar Plumbing

Master Plumber
Messages
2,920
Reaction score
10
Points
0
Location
Northern Kentucky/Greater Cincinnati Area
Website
www.KoldBreeze.com
Compaction either by grillage or loose aggregate, soft/loamy/sandy soil doesn't prevent its demise.......it just prolongs the eventual failure of that piping system.

It's no different than that cheap black corrugated drain tile. I see fools buying that stuff every day thinking they are smart. You could bury that **** in styrofoam peanuts and it will still collapse over time. Can't drain clean it and most times when the property owner puts even minimal dirt cover over it...it fails.

Once again, 100' roll of 4" drain tile for $18 ? That's a bargain for the DIY'r. Not one foot of that piping exists on my property OR any job I've done in my career in relation to my customers.

I say ban all piping less than SCH40, everywhere. I'm also running for president in 08.
 

hj

Master Plumber
Messages
33,603
Reaction score
1,042
Points
113
Location
Cave Creek, Arizona
Website
www.terrylove.com
sdr

If the weight of the coverage distorts the pipe, and it very well may, then failure will happen fairly quickly. SDR is only slightly better than Orangeburg when it comes to crush resistance.
 

Nate R

Member
Messages
473
Reaction score
0
Points
16
Location
Milwaukee, WI
RUGGED:

What do you use then? I have some rain gutters that need to go underground into a dry well. Also want to run some drainage pipe on a slope that faces my house to catch and divert water a few inches underground.
 

Toolaholic

General Contractor Carpenter
Messages
894
Reaction score
6
Points
18
Location
Marin Co. Ca.
We do a lot of drainage

elephant trunk is against code most towns here . It's garbage. On drainage we use pvc 4 and 6" glued. Much of this is on plans from a soils engineer
 

Dunbar Plumbing

Master Plumber
Messages
2,920
Reaction score
10
Points
0
Location
Northern Kentucky/Greater Cincinnati Area
Website
www.KoldBreeze.com
Nate R said:
RUGGED:

What do you use then? I have some rain gutters that need to go underground into a dry well. Also want to run some drainage pipe on a slope that faces my house to catch and divert water a few inches underground.


SCH40 PVC.....always 4" once it is outside the building wall. Doesn't matter what or how much is flowing through the drain.....it's always 4".


Never bend/pull plastic piping of any type in the ditch. That becomes a hard spot in the piping over the years and can cause stress at fittings.....with fittings breaking if strained hard enough. I "prefer" the use of 4 banded ferncos underground against SCH40 glued couplings for the sole reason of how unstable the ground might be, especially when the operator overcut the ditch too deep.

You can install tons of fill but there is always settlement.....the rubber fernco allows a little flex, unlike a glued coupling. I'd still use couplings overall, just a fernco where I feel there would be unavoidable movement in the line.
 

Molo

Member
Messages
922
Reaction score
2
Points
18
Location
Cold New York
RUGGED said:
SCH40 PVC.....always 4" once it is outside the building wall. Doesn't matter what or how much is flowing through the drain.....it's always 4".


Never bend/pull plastic piping of any type in the ditch. That becomes a hard spot in the piping over the years and can cause stress at fittings.....with fittings breaking if strained hard enough. I "prefer" the use of 4 banded ferncos underground against SCH40 glued couplings for the sole reason of how unstable the ground might be, especially when the operator overcut the ditch too deep.

You can install tons of fill but there is always settlement.....the rubber fernco allows a little flex, unlike a glued coupling. I'd still use couplings overall, just a fernco where I feel there would be unavoidable movement in the line.

I agree rugged the sdr is flimsy, but some that I just dug up that was 2 feet under heavy rock and clay was fine. It had been there for 30 years. Perhaps the way it is fbackfilled effects it's lifespan.
 

Cwhyu2

Consultant
Messages
1,615
Reaction score
22
Points
38
Location
Cincinnati OH
Astm 3034 is the only pipe we are allowed 3ft out of the foundation wall.
Schd 40 to inside.Astm 3034 is sewer pipe and green tested to withstand
all sorts of backfill.
 

Bob NH

In the Trades
Messages
3,310
Reaction score
9
Points
0
Location
New Hampshire
http://apiplastics.com/pvc_pipe_dimensions.html

It isn't the fact that it is SDR dimension pipe that is a problem; it is the SDR value of the pipe. The SDR is the ratio of outside diameter to wall thickness; smaller SDR is thicker pipe. All sizes of the same SDR have the same presssure rating, which is not the case for Schedule 40 or Schedule 80.

Schedule 40 4" pipe is between SDR 21 and SDR 17.
 
Top
Hey, wait a minute.

This is awkward, but...

It looks like you're using an ad blocker. We get it, but (1) terrylove.com can't live without ads, and (2) ad blockers can cause issues with videos and comments. If you'd like to support the site, please allow ads.

If any particular ad is your REASON for blocking ads, please let us know. We might be able to do something about it. Thanks.
I've Disabled AdBlock    No Thanks