ABSTRACT
The provision of an adequate quantity and quality of water is a constant concern. In order to assess the overall state of deterioration of the City of Toronto’s water main network, to identify problem areas and to evaluate the governing failure causes, an extensive sampling and testing programme was performed by the University of Toronto in collaboration with the City of Toronto between 1998 and 2000. In total, 100 pipe samples, nearly all cast iron, were exhumed from the ground and sent to the University laboratories for testing and analysis. The tests aimed to ascertain the mechanical properties of the pipe material, the material loss due to corrosion and the mode of failure. This investigation, complemented by further research, should lead to a thorough understanding of the water main failure phenomena and contribute to the efforts of many cities to minimise the number of break occurrences and prioritise their maintenance and rehabilitation schedules.
