Reza Jahedi - PH.D., Department of Mechanical Engineering, Shiraz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shiraz, Iran
Ghasem Shahsavari - Department of Mechanical Engineering, Shiraz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shiraz, Iran

In recent years, the urge for new materials which can replace the old ones has emerged in almost all fields. The reason partly is the advent of technology and the emergence of new applications in industry, etc. Composite materials are one of such replacements, since one can take advantage of a variety of materials’ specifications, combine them and get the best based on what is required in any setting. The advantage of composite materials over conventional engineering materials stem largely from their high specific strength, stiffness and fatigue characteristics. In piping applications also, composite materials over the years have emerged as a strong contender for replacing steel and other more traditionally used stuff. In this exploratory paper, three of the most commonly used materials in piping, namely, Glass-Reinforced Plastic (GRP), Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) and High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) are introduced. The aim is to introduce and compare them with regard to several specific criteria. After a brief introduction, their manufacturing processes are presented and some of their main mechanical features are investigated along with their main applications. Finally, based on these presented information and some other features, these three types of composite pipes are compared and contrasted.

Composite materials pipe, GRP Pipes, PVC Pipes, HDPE Pipes