wrote in message
...

On Dec 15, 8:34 am, Larry Jaques
wrote:


I dunno, but it feels like an apple/orange comparison here.

I can see that 400psi would blow out a lot of earth, but it doesn't
seem strong enough to lift a long, heavy, rigid pipe + earth unless it
had found a flame and exploded.

LJ--

Well let's see. A 30 inch dia pipe would have 30 times 12 square
inches or 360 sq inches per foot of length. That times 400 psi would
be 144,000 lb of force per foot of length or 72 tons of force per foot
of length trying to rupture the pipe. That might be strong enough to
lift one foot of pipe and the earth above it.

Dan


Reply:
After seeing a steam line rupture in Oakland about 40 years ago, where it
blew some of the street 15' from the hole, I would estimate that the high
pressure gas carved a rather large hole in the ground on it's way to the
surface. Then with the addition of surface O2 now mixing with the gas, you
have the makings of a large FAE A large fuel air explosive. Also known as a
big bomb. All it took was a spark to happen and we know that did occur
because of the fire. The PG&E records thought it was a seamless pipe, but
the pipe was vintage 1955 I think I read. So a bad weld, and some corrosion
and 8 dead.