With pressure determined, the wall thickness is found by using
Eq. (4.2):
t
where t minimum specified wall thickness, in
P
i
internal pressure, lb/in
2
D outside diameter of pipe steel cylinder (not including
coatings), in
max
allowable stress, lb/in
2
For steel pipe, a design stress equal to 50 percent of the specified
minimum yield strength is often accepted for steel water pipe. This
design (working) stress is determined with relation to the steel’s yield
strength rather than its ultimate strength. For some applications, other
safety factors may apply. For example, the Bureau of Reclamation in its
design criteria for penstocks have adopted a safety factor of 3 based on
ultimate tensile strength or a safety factor 1.33 based on the minimum
yield strength.
Table 6.6 is reprinted from AWWA M11. It lists grades of steel ref-
erenced in AWWA C200, Standard for Steel Water Pipe 6 Inches and
P
i
D
2
max
Steel and Ductile Iron Flexible Pipe Products 331
TABLE 6.6 Grades of Steel Used in AWWA C200
Design stress Minimum Minimum ultimate
Specifications for 50% of yield point, yield point, tensile strength,
fabricated pipe lb/in
2
lb/in
2
lb/in
2
ASTM A 36 18,000 36,000 58,000
ASTM A 283 GR C 15,000 30,000 55,000
GR D 16,500 33,000 60,000
ASTM A 570 GR 30 15,000 30,000 49,000
GR 33 16,500 33,000 52,000
GR 36 18,000 36,000 53,000
GR 40 20,000 40,000 55,000
GR 45 22,500 45,000 60,000
GR 50 25,000 50,000 65,000
ASTM A 572 GR 42 21,000 42,000 60,000
GR 50 25,000 50,000 65,000
GR 60 30,000 60,000 75,000
Design stress Minimum Minimum ultimate
Specifications for 50% of yield point, yield point, tensile strength,
manufactured pipe lb/in
2
lb/in
2
lb/in
2
ASTM A 53,
A 135,
and A 139 GR A 15,000 30,000 48,000
GR B 17,500 35,000 60,000
ASTM A 139 GR C 21,000 42,000 60,000
GR D 23,000 46,000 60,000
GR E 26,000 52,000 66,000