🧿 1. The main reason for water pipe bursts caused by heavy rain

1. 1. Sudden Water Pressure Fluctuations and Water Hammer Effects

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

   2. Soil Erosion and Foundation Cavities

   Stormwater pipes, operating at full capacity for extended periods during heavy rainstorms, are susceptible to damage and water seepage at their joints, eroding surrounding sand and soil, creating underground cavities. Road collapses occur when subgrade sand is carried away by leaking rainwater pipes, ultimately causing collapse. If water supply and sewage pipes intersect, sewage leaks can accelerate erosion of the water supply pipe foundation, causing the pipe to become suspended and unevenly settle, leading to ruptures.

   3. 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 soil displacement due to poor drainage causes cracks in the joints of a DN600 water supply pipe.

   4. Increased External Loads

   Rainwater soaks and softens the soil, weakening the support for pipes. If the road surface also bears the load of vehicles, the pipes may collapse under the external pressure.

   5. Accelerated Material Aging

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

🧿 2. Pipeline maintenance methods: from emergency to radical treatment

(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 use Baoshuo pipe repair with water hose pressure repair without closing the valve).

- 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 maintenance: 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 is performed at pipeline intersections to solidify the soil and 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.