Figure 4. Six-inch-long glass pipe test assemblies made up with 1-, 2-, 3-, 

 4-, and 6-inch-ID pipes. 



The assembly process was accomplished by first applying room 

 temperature vulcanizing (RTV) silicone rubber paste to the glass pipe flange 

 (Figure 7) then inverting it and placing it on the end closure (Figure 8) using 

 the bolts as alignment pins to center the pipe on the end closure. Figure 9 

 shows the finished seal just before the bolts were torqued. The bolts were 

 torqued to a uniform load as shown in Figure 1 0. After about 24 hours, 

 the glass pipe was partially (85% to 90%) filled with water (to reduce the 

 force of the implosion) and the top end closure was assembled in a similar 

 manner. The assembly was then allowed to stand for a minimum of 

 24 hours before testing. 



The standard procedure for testing specimens which would fit into 

 the laboratory pressure vessels was to suspend them from the pressure vessel 

 head (Figure 1 1 ) and then place them in the vessel. The vessel was filled with 

 water and then pressurized by means of air-operated piston pumps at a rate 

 of 100 psi per minute. Pressurization was continued at a constant rate until 

 the test assembly imploded, leaked, or the pressure reached 20,000 psi. 

 Pressure was then relieved, the specimen removed from the vessel, and a 

 detailed examination made of the remains. 



