Abstract
This paper describes the theoretical aspect of rapid crack propagation in gas-pressurized plastic pipes. The rapid crack propagation shows brittle fracture and has about the same velocity as decompression. The method applied here is to compare two characteristic curves, i.e., the crack velocity and the gas decompression curve. This method has been proposed by Mimura and adopted for analysis of shear crack propagation in steel pipelines. The behavior of crack propagation and arrest is well explained by this analysis. Finally, drop weight tear test (DWTT) is proposed as a simple test method to evaluate the brittle fracture of plastic pipes.
