🧿 1. Main Causes of Water Pipe Bursts Due to Heavy Rain

Surgical Fluctuations in Water Pressure and Water Hammer Effects

Unstable power supply during heavy rain can cause pumping stations to trip. When the system restarts, water instantly impacts the pipes, creating a high-pressure "water hammer." In the water plant pipe burst incident, the restart of the circuit after a trip triggered water hammer, directly rupturing an 800 mm diameter muddy water pipe.

Soil Erosion and Foundation Cavities

Stormwater pipes, operating at full capacity for extended periods during heavy rain, are susceptible to damage and water seepage at their joints, eroding surrounding sand and soil, forming underground cavities. Road collapses are caused by soil being carried away by leakage from rainwater pipes, ultimately leading to collapse. If water supply and sewage pipes intersect, sewage leakage can accelerate erosion of the water pipe foundation, causing the pipe to become suspended, settle unevenly, and eventually rupture.

Differential Pipe Settlement and Joint Stress

After soil becomes saturated with water, it settles unevenly, generating shear forces on rigid pipes (such as concrete and cast iron pipes). A pipe burst occurs when poor drainage causes soil displacement, cracking the DN600 water supply pipe connection.

Increased External Load

Rainwater soaks and softens the soil, weakening the pipe's support. If the road surface also bears vehicle loads, the pipe may collapse under external pressure.

Accelerated Material Aging

Heavy rain increases the pressure differential between the inside and outside of the pipe, making corroded spots and welds in older pipes (especially metal pipes) more susceptible to rupture.

🧿 2. Pipeline Repair Methods: From Emergency to Cure

(1) Emergency treatment: Loss control

- Immediately close the valve: Cut off the water source to prevent continuous flushing (households need to close the main valve, municipalities need to close the section valve, or when there is no need to close the valve, use Baoshuo pipe repair clamps and repair the pipes with water pressure).

- Temporary sealing:

- Small cracks: Wrap with waterproof tape, epoxy resin or fiberglass cloth.

- Large cracks: Cover with a towel and drain into a bucket to reduce splashing.

- Drainage and protection: Use a water pump to empty the work pit and set up a fence warning.

(2) Professional repair: Technical classification

Select technology according to the degree of damage and scenario:

🧿 III. Recommended Preventive Measures

Regular Inspection: Use ground-penetrating radar to scan underground cavities before the flood season and categorize risk.
Pipeline Network Upgrade: Replace old pipes, prioritizing the use of flexible pipe joints to reduce settlement damage.
Soil Reinforcement: Grouting solidifies the soil at pipeline intersections to prevent leakage and erosion.
Smart Monitoring: Deploy pressure sensors to provide real-time warning of sudden water pressure changes.

💎 Summary

Water pipe bursts caused by heavy rain are the result of a combination of water-soil interaction and pipe aging. Emergency repairs require "fast, accurate, and stable" measures—rapid water closure, precise excavation, and stable backfill. Long-term measures require the establishment of a tiered monitoring system (such as regular radar scanning and increased coverage of key sections during flood season) and the retrofitting of flexible pipe networks to enhance the resilience of the city's "blood vessels" to disasters.