Basis for Rejecting Pitted Pipe
Basis for Rejecting Pitted Pipe
(OP)
During construction of a new power plant it was observed that a section of "new" pipe was extremely pitted (after being welded in, only the outside surface has been inspected). We understand that it was at the mill for three years and then shipped to the construction site. The AE is claiming that the pipe meets the "code". Someone in construction management is reviewing our spec as a basis to reject this pipe as not being in new condition.
Does B31.1 state that piping materials must be new? I have not found such a statement.
Would the A106B ASTM spec provide the means to reject this pipe based on the amount of pitting (pit depth, pit density, etc)?
Thanks in advance for your comments.
Does B31.1 state that piping materials must be new? I have not found such a statement.
Would the A106B ASTM spec provide the means to reject this pipe based on the amount of pitting (pit depth, pit density, etc)?
Thanks in advance for your comments.





RE: Basis for Rejecting Pitted Pipe
RE: Basis for Rejecting Pitted Pipe
New has nothing to do with this. You obviously have pipe that was either manufactured with poor workmanship or was not stored properly. Just because new material is shipped does not necessarily mean it is free of defects. Shame on the site QC personnel for not performing a proper receipt inspection of items.
Your only way out is to review the ASTM/ASME materials specification for some type of workmanship clause. However, you may have a tough time enforcing this because your organization accepted the pipe for installation.
RE: Basis for Rejecting Pitted Pipe
If it was an electronic device that passed shipping & receiving's inspection and even precommissioning examination, but had an internal part that blew up when it was started on full load, would you still say, "you accepted it, so its yours"?
Check the substandard box, and reject it. You don't have to prove its not acceptable. Its the AE that has the burden of proof that it is.
**********************
"Pumping accounts for 20% of the world's energy used by electric motors and 25-50% of the total electrical energy usage in certain industrial facilities."-DOE statistic (Note: Make that 99% for pipeline companies) http://virtualpipeline.spaces.live.com/
RE: Basis for Rejecting Pitted Pipe
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If we learn from our mistakes I'm getting a great education!
RE: Basis for Rejecting Pitted Pipe
Steve Jones
Materials & Corrosion Engineer
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/8/83b/b04
RE: Basis for Rejecting Pitted Pipe
you may need to better define "extremely pitted". does it infringe on minimum wall thickness requirements?
is it worth it to your project schedule to just replace that section of pipe and argue about the suspect section at a later date?
do you share any responsibility for the incoming inspection failure to reject the pipe, or your CWI for not suspecting sub-standard pipe when it was in the fit-up stage?
sorry for having only questions and no answers but I think you will hear these same questions again from management (yours, the AE's) and litigators.
Steven C
Senior Member
ThirdPartyInspections.com
RE: Basis for Rejecting Pitted Pipe
RE: Basis for Rejecting Pitted Pipe
RE: Basis for Rejecting Pitted Pipe
Regards,
SNORGY.
RE: Basis for Rejecting Pitted Pipe
Regards,
athomas236
RE: Basis for Rejecting Pitted Pipe
However, even such a contractual clause would need to be worded very specifically, because (paraphrasing) "...new and of first quality..." would legally invoke the "as new" acceptance criteria and tolerances published in the governing material specifications and standards. The supplier and fabricator could make arguments - backed up by these specifications and standards - that (again paraphrasing) "...just because they don't look as good as what you normally see or have become accustomed to seeing, they are within acceptance criteria...". Eventually, you end up having to refer back to a quantifiable yardstick. The Purchaser's discomfort and uncertainty - however well-founded they might be (and probably are) - provide no legal substance towards forcing a supplier to accept the rejection of the pipe or fittings to his / her account.
Regards,
SNORGY.
RE: Basis for Rejecting Pitted Pipe
I'm sure its in there. Well.. at least its in every contract I ever wrote.
**********************
"Pumping accounts for 20% of the world's energy used by electric motors and 25-50% of the total electrical energy usage in certain industrial facilities."-DOE statistic (Note: Make that 99% for pipeline companies) http://virtualpipeline.spaces.live.com/
RE: Basis for Rejecting Pitted Pipe
Get a boroscope, camera, and a recorder inside the pipe. Pitting inside the pipe will only increase the speed of corrosion through the pipe. Deep rust (outside) almost certainly means standing water, snow, salt, dirt, rust, dead mice, rats, and sleeping QA inspectors inside the pipe.
RE: Basis for Rejecting Pitted Pipe
Steve Jones
Materials & Corrosion Engineer
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/8/83b/b04