Arena Information

Arena Name: Competitive Arena for Hot Fusion Joint of Large-Wall-Thickness Nuclear Power Polyethylene Pipe

Arena Type: Competitive Arena

Arena Host

Nickname: Master Guo

Organization: Zhejiang Academy of Special Equipment Science

Specimen Parameters

Material: PE100

Specification and Dimension: Length × Width × Thickness 365mm × 135mm × 85/79mm (See Appendix)

Surface Condition: With weld beads

Restrictions and Conditions

Testing Method: No restrictions

Testing Instrument: No restrictions

Testing Technology: No restrictions

Maximum Number of Participants: ≤ 2 persons

Testing Surface: Outer surface of the pipe

Time Limit: ≤ 1h

Evaluation Rules

Challengers shall submit complete testing images which can clearly display internal defects of polyethylene pipe hot fusion joints. The evaluation is conducted based on five indicators: absence of missed defects, absence of misjudgment, defect qualitative accuracy, defect positioning & sizing accuracy, and testing time.

The evaluation follows the principle of progressive selection. Priority is given to full defect detection. For participants with identical performance in the first indicator, comparison proceeds in sequence of misjudgment-free capability, qualitative accuracy, positioning & sizing accuracy. The one with shorter testing time wins if all above indicators are equal.

Technical Difficulty Description

Polyethylene pipes used in nuclear power plants are generally featured with large diameter and large wall thickness. Due to complex on-site service conditions, various defects tend to generate in hot fusion butt welds. Nondestructive testing is required for quality assessment and safety evaluation of the joints.

The thick-wall structure and viscoelastic property of polyethylene material cause acoustic attenuation and dispersion during ultrasonic wave propagation. Meanwhile, the internal and external weld beads of hot fusion joints limit the effective layout area of probes, and misalignment of joints further brings great challenges to ultrasonic testing of polyethylene pipe joints.

Radiographic testing has high sensitivity for volumetric defects inside hot fusion butt joints of polyethylene pipes, but shows limited identification capability and low sensitivity for planar defects such as cracks and incomplete fusion, making it difficult to detect all types of defects effectively.

In view of the structural and material characteristics of large-size hot fusion joints for nuclear power polyethylene pipes, it is urgent to develop highly adaptable, stable and reliable nondestructive testing technologies and evaluation methods.

Participation Notice

Challenge registration opens on May 20. Please contact the Competition Secretariat.

All challengers must complete the official registration of the 2026 Far East NDT New Technology Forum to obtain the challenge qualification.

Contact Information

Contact Person: Zheng Shanpu

Mobile: 13905382089

E-mail: zhengshanpu_zjtj@163.com

You may contact Zheng Shanpu to join the WeChat group: 2026 Far East NDT New Competition Arena for registration, technical consultation and relevant event information.