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The main approach to piping a building to accommodate seismic activity is to use a rigid piping system that will minimize overall piping movement. Too much swing could affect other pipe and equipment, despite being within the capability of the grooved coupling.

Typically, more than 95 percent of the grooved couplings used in a system will be rigid, while the remainder will be flexible couplings, which allow for linear, angular and rotational movement in areas as needed.

The Test

Victaulic couplings were tested at the ATLSS center, a member of the nationally recognized NEES (Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulations) testing group, to prove the reliability of Victaulic grooved system components when exposed to seismic movements. Victaulic couplings ranging in size from 4"-16" (100 - 400mm) were exposed to accelerations up to 50% greater than the Northridge, California earthquake. http://www.nees.lehigh.edu/

The Results

The water-filled assemblies were pressurized to 200psi/1375 kPa for the duration of each test and no pressure loss or leakage was noted during any of the tests.

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