Two Common Materials Used For Tunneling Accessories
Tunneling accessories are essential tools used in various tunneling and excavation projects. That is why you should only choose the accessories made by the most reputable fabrication companies. These accessories include sockets, grommets, pipes, couplers and rock bolts. Due to advancements in technology, manufacturers can now make these accessories using different materials. However, there remain two materials that never go out of significance. These are steel and PVC.
The Benefits Of PVC Tunneling Accessories
One common material used in tunneling and water systems around the world is Polyvinyl chloride (PVC). From your home plumbing system to huge underground municipal sewage systems, you can find PVC. It is used to transport hazardous fluids such as waste water from both residential and industrial settings. Since it was introduced in the 1970s, PVC has replaced steel and iron as the material of choice for different piping needs and tunneling systems.
PVC is lightweight, so you do not have to create a complex support structure to carry its weight. PVC does not conduct electricity and does not react to chemicals. It can be used outdoors because it is not affected by natural elements. It can be used underground even if the soil is polluted with harsh chemicals. It can also withstand heat, which makes it ideal for use in research. And since it neither rusts nor reacts to chemicals, it can be used to supply clean drinking water.
The Benefits Of Steel Tunneling Accessories
Despite the popularity of PVC pipes and accessories, steel remains a popular material for other tunneling applications. To reinforce the credibility of steel, it is often mixed with other materials. Examples of these materials are zinc and carbon. Zinc makes steel more resistant to corrosion while carbon makes it harder. Because of these properties, steel pipes and accessories are used in marine engineering. And because steel is malleable, it can withstand extreme pressure. No wonder why steel is the material of choice in petrochemical and gas industries.
It is clear that each material has its own advantages and disadvantages. It is up to you which material to use for your tunneling accessories. If you find it difficult to decide, you can get in touch with a fabrication company who will enlighten you about this important matter.