Pipe Bursting Pressure Calculator

Barlows formula is commonly used in the industry to approximate or predict the bursting pressures of ductile thin wall tubular [(Wall/ID) 0.1] or cylindrical materials due to ID pressurization and generally yields conservative results or predictions.

Other calculations are appropriate to heavy wall and brittle materials.

Working pressures or allowable pressures are arrived at using a safety factor (SF) to reduce the pressure from a level where bursting failure is very likely to where an acceptable level of risk is achieved.

This is a complex matter where many issues must be considered such as: personnel hazard assessment, and general safety; corrosion; fatigue; fabrication changes (bends, flares); codes and insurance;seismic stability; and temperatures, to name a few.

Barlows formula is merely a tool for burst estimation or prediction under ideal conditions at room temperature. Note that actual values may vary from these theoretical calculations for a number reasons.

Boardmans formula offers similar results to Barlow's formula.

To use this calculator, enter your known values and select your units as required.

Minimum safety factor considered safe is 6 but can be greater or smaller.