Solid under loads

In underground conditions, the ductile iron pipe has a semi-rigid behaviour: it offers an excellent compromise between mechanical stress in the wall (small DN) and ovality (large DN). It can be laid in high and low height of cover, and easily in soil of low rigidity. The ”ground/semi-rigid pipe” system offers optimum mechanical stability over time, without risk of buckling in large DN.

 Pressure resistance

The PAM pipelines are designed to withstand pressures much greater than the values usually encountered on the networks. The wall thickness is calculated with a safety factor of 3 with respect to the maximum operating pressure. This additional safety margin is very useful to the impacts during installation, accidental overpressure and mechanical operating fatigue. 

Insensitive impacts

The ductile cast iron structure has a high elastic deformability and a high resistance to crack initiation: it results in excellent impact resistance. The cast iron pipes are perfectly suited to transport conditions over long distances (truck, train or ship), handling conditions on sites and to different types of backfilling. The ductile cast iron pipelines may be laid in very difficult areas: rocky mountain slopes for hydroelectric plants, crossings for cantilever bridges, rockfill for submarine outlets. 

Push-in joint system

Quick and self-sealing, the watertightness of the push-in joint results from radial compression of the sealing ring (1), by simply inserting the spigot ends into the socket. It does not require any tightening of bolts or a welding process. PAM offer two types of gaskets. It’s owned designed PAM Standard joint for EN/ISO dimensions pipes and TYT for AS/NZs dimension pipes and fittings.

Excellent hydraulicity

The centrifugation process ensures a perfectly smooth and even cement surface. The Colebrook roughness coefficient of an isolated pipe is k = 0.03 mm. PAM recommends the use of an average value of k = 0.1 mm for sizing networks in order to take into account all the different load losses caused by singular points (tee fittings, elbows, valves, etc.)