Abstract: Two kinds of common failure modes of plastic pipes, slow crack growth (SCG) and rapid crack propagation (RCP), were reviewed. The failure mechanisms and lifetime prediction methods of plastic pipes, such as the linear elastic fracture mechanics, the standard extrapolation method, the elastic plastic fracture mechanics and the craze mechanics theory, were elaborated. The limitations of those methods were analyzed. At present, the theory of lifetime prediction of plastic pipes is not mature and the methods are not perfect. Further study is needed in this field.

Key words: plastics pipe, failure mode, failure mechanism, lifetime prediction, research progress