Increasingly, engineers are specifying polyethylene pipe in new or replacement networks for the transport of water or gas.

Once the material and installation technique have been selected, engineers apply industry standard formulas to design the diameter and wall thickness of the PE pipe that will be suitable for the flow and pressure required for the network.

Risk factors are then applied to account for any potential risks that may be encountered by the pipe during installation or in use.

Often, pipe engineers use generic, base-line data to apply risk factors that “re-date” the pipe – adding to the wall thickness and material costs.