PLUMBING ENGINEERING
DESIGN & ESTIMATE
CIVIL ENGINEERING
APPLICATION
ENGR. RICHARD U. LAO, CE, MP
Instructor
Course Objective
• To be able to understand the Plumbing terms.
• To be able to design and estimate simple plumbing plans.
• To be able to identify common plumbing materials and
perform simple plumbing installations.
Course Grading System
Midterm Exam (Written)------------------- 25 %
Group Reporting / Presentation -------- 25%
Written Exercises /
& Hands On Exercises ---------------------- 15%
Attendance (Complete) -------------------- 10%
Project ------------------------------------------ 25%
100%
Passing Grade -------------- 75% (3.0)
Book References: Plumbing Design & Estimate (2nd Edition)
by : Max B. Fajardo
Ebook: -Plumbing Engineering Design Handbook
Vol. 1 & 2
-A Complete guide to Plumbing (4th Edition)
PLUMBING
• Defined as the art and
science of installing pipes,
fixtures and other apparatus
to convey and supply water
in buildings and to dispose
and discharge waste water
and other liquids, gases and
other substances out of
buildings in a safe, orderly,
healthy and sanitary way to
ensure the health and
sanitation of life and
property.
ENGINEERING
History
• In prehistoric times of a
thousand years ago, man left
traces of plumbing works.
These primitive water supply
and waste disposal methods,
offered proof that even early
man realizes the importance
of plumbing. Indeed, these
crude devices were
considered as the forerunners
of modern day plumbing.
The demand of clean water
• The concept and importance of
plumbing however, became more
defined and appreciated only
during the Greco-Roman
civilization. The Romans who
considered daily bathing as a
must, elevated bathing to the
level of a daily ritual. Their
almost fanatical demand for a
constant supply of clean water,
found its expression in the
ingenuity of the now famous
Roman Aqueduct, a water system
that continuously challenge the
skill of the present crops of
Engineers.
Who are considered as a Plumber?
• The title Plumber is given to a person
who is skilled in the field of sanitation.
• It was derived from the ancient Roman
word Plumbarius which was taken
from the Latin word Plumbum.
• Plumbarius refers to an individual who
worked in the sanitary field of ancient
Rome. Plumbum on the other hand,
meant lead. A metal used as plumbing
material by the Romans, preferred for
its twin properties of malleability and
resistant to acid.
The Revival of Ancient Plumbing
• In the 17th century, the
English parliament passed
the first plumbing
apprentice law. France
followed suit in 18th century
when it embarked in the
building of water service
facilities. The United States
however, was little slow to
adopt the plumbing
movement that was then
sweeping the European
continent because the US
government concentrated
its efforts in agricultural
pursuit.
Plumbing in the Philippines
• Before the decades of the 40’s, household
plumbing installation was considered as a
luxury item available only to the upper crust
of the society. Majority of the population,
aside from not being able to afford plumbing
installation in their homes, where still
unaware of the importance of sanitation
facilities in the form of an efficient water
supply and waste disposal system. Most of
the households, particularly in the rural
areas, were adopting the indigenous and
ingenious methods of water supply and waste
disposal, unmindful of the ill effects brought
about by poor sanitation.
Water Supply
• In the absence of an efficient
water supply and distribution
system, water was provided
through abundant rainfall, springs,
wells, rivers, or creeks, conveyed
either by man himself, or through
animal drawn carts, or sleds and
were stored in an earthen jars,
wooden or bamboo containers
and the like.
Waste Disposal
• Majority of the households
who cannot afford plumbing
installation in their homes,
availed of any possible
means of convenience for
their waste disposal. Some
excreted in the rivers,
seashores, creeks or any
waterways, behind trees,
bushes or any secluded
place as long as during the
time they excreted, their
private parts were not seen
in public.
Early Toilets
• Early attempts of promoting plumbing
and sanitary waste disposals were
accepted by few who could afford. In
the rural areas however, constructed
toilets were merely excavated pits
covered with coconut trunks, bamboos
or any suitable material provided with a
slot where the user shoot his excretion.
And some others were constructed
along riverside where one would see his
excretion splashing on the water below.
Effects of improper waste disposal
• Those early sewage disposal practices
were not only harmful to human
health, but also to the environment
particularly to the more populated
areas. Indeed, it did not take long for
a burgeoning urban population, to
realize the importance of sanitation
facilities in the form of an efficient
water supply, and sewage disposal
system. In the rural areas however, it
took another decade and more
government prodding to encourage
the population to adopt the sanitary
water supply and waste disposal
system.
Implementation of proper sanitation
• Due to the eminent outbreak of epidemics
brought about by the worsening unsanitary
condition prevailing, certain sector of the
society and the government, introduced
programs to address the situation. Massive
education on proper sanitation was
initiated. Water supply systems were
constructed in some urban areas. Model
toilets were built. Low cost concrete water
seal closet was introduced to the rural
residents backed up by local ordinances,
requiring every residence to have sanitary
comfort room with proper sewage disposal
system known as, Septic Tank.
Objectives of Plumbing
• Plumbing has Two Main Objectives
– To supply water to different parts of the building.
– To remove and discharge human wastes and other
substances out of building into the public sewer or septic
tank.
Conditions for an Effective Water Supply in Building
1. To provide sufficient amount of water to supply each
fixture.
2. To prevent back flow of used water into the water supply
system.
The Drainage System should Accomplished the following:
1. Fast removal of the waste with a minimum probability of
leakage and stoppage of drains.
2. To prevent the entry of house vermin and obnoxious gases
into the house from the piping system.
Mandatory Requirements for the a
Drainage System
All plumbing design and installation are governed
by a set of rules and limitations prescribed by the
National Plumbing Code, which provides that:
“All drainage systems must conform with a set of requirements
enumerated as follows”:
1. That, all pipe joints must be fitted and tightly connected with each
other to prevent leakage of gas and liquid.
2. That, the drainage pipe should be graded or inclined properly for a
downward gravity flow of water towards the main sewer line or to
the septic tank.
3. That, the drainage pipe should be provided with adequate
cleanout, accessible for repair in case of stoppage.
4. The drainage system must be provided with ventilation pipe that
will convey gases to the atmosphere where it can do no harm to
human health.
5. That, except for water closet, each fixture shall be provided with
suitable trap that will prevent back flow of gases.
6. That, the drainage system must be vented, to avoid siphonage or
back flow of the water seal.
Plumbing Design Unlimited
• The design and layout of a plumbing system is
governed by set of rules promulgated by the National
Plumbing Code. The Code however, does not impose a
fixed standard design of the piping layout, more
particularly, the placing and location of the various
plumbing fixtures. And to think of the unlimited design
of these fixtures, goes with it the different types of
plumbing system design.
• While we subscribed to the health and safety
requirements prescribed by the National Plumbing
Code, unlimited designs are to be expected from
various designers. The routing of the entire plumbing,
the location of the outlets and cleanouts plus other
related installations are subject to considerable
freedom of choice and design.
The Drainage System
To anyone, the word plumbing connotes fixtures and
piping installations that will supply water and dispose
waste in various forms. Waste is classified into two
types:
1. Solid Waste that is being discharge by water closet
and
2. Liquid Waste that are coming from various fixtures.
These types of wastes are also conveyed and disposed
of by two types of drainage piping:
A. The Soil Pipe and
B. The Waste pipe
Waste Pipe that conveys waste from various fixtures
other than water closet.
Soil Pipe that conveys waste coming from water closet.
The DWV system
• This system of Drainage installation means:
D – For DRAINAGE of Solid Waste.
W – For WASTE coming from various fixtures
other than water closet.
V – For VENTILATION of the piping system.
Plumbing considerations
• The study of drainage system as a whole
consisting of various forms of waste and vent
correlations forming One Unit System, is
somewhat difficult to comprehend, because of
strange terminologies used, plus the many
complex considerations brought about by the
effect of nature.
• Indeed, plumbing terminologies even if
defined, would be difficult to understand
unless visualized in actual pipeline
installations.
Definition of Terms
• Air Gap – An air gap in a water supply system, is the unobstructed
vertical distance through the free atmosphere between the lowest
opening from any pipe or faucet supplying water to a tank, plumbing
fixture, or other device and the flood level rim of the receptacle.
• Back flow – Is the flow of water, or other liquid mixture or substances
into the distributing pipes of a potable supply of water from any source,
other than its intended source.
• Back Siphonage – refers to the back flow of used contaminated or
polluted water from a plumbing fixture or vessel into a water supply
pipe due to a negative pressure in such a pipe.
• Battery of fixture – Refers to any group of two or more similar adjacent
fixtures which discharges into a common horizontal waste pipe or soil
branch.
• Bib – Is synonymous with faucet, cock, tap, plug, etc. the word faucet is
preferred.
• Blind Flange – A flange that closes the end of a pipe. There is no
opening for the passage of water.
• Blow off – A controlled outlet on a pipeline used to discharge water.
• Branch – Is any part of piping system other than the main riser or stack.
Definition of Terms
• Branch Interval – Is the length of a soil or waste stack corresponding in
general to a storey height, but in no case less than 2.40 meters within which
the horizontal branches from one floor or storey of a building are connected
to the stack.
• Calking – Is plugging an opening with oakum, lead or other materials, that
are pounded into the place or opening.
• Circuit vent – Is a branch vent that serves two or more traps, and extends
from the front of the last fixture connection of a horizontal branch to the
vent stack.
• Continuous Vent – Is a vertical vent that is a continuation of the drain to
which the vent connects.
• Combination Fixtures – Is a fixture combining one sink and tray or a two or
three compartment sink or tray in one vent.
• Combination Waste and Vent System – Is a specially designed system of
waste piping embodying the horizontal wet venting of one or more sinks or
floor drains by means of a common waste and vent pipe adequately sized to
provide free movement of air above the flow line of the drain.
• Common Vent – Is a drain from two or three fixture connected to a single
trap. It is also called a dual vent.
Definition of Terms
• Cross Connection – Is any physical connection between two otherwise
separate piping system, one contains potable water, and the other from
unknown or questionable safety, whereby, water may flow from one system
to the other direction of flow depending on the pressure differential
between the two system.
• Dead End – Is the extended portion of a pipe that is closed at one end
permitting the stagnation of water or air therein.
• Developed Length – The length along the center of the pipe and fitting.
• Diameter – Diameter of a pipe or tube refers to the nominal internal
diameter (ID) of such pipe, except brass and copper tube where the term
refers to the outside diameter (OD) of the pipe.
• Drainage System – Drainage system includes, all piping within the public or
private premises that conveys sewage, rainwater, or other liquid waste, to a
legal point of disposal. It does not include the mains of public sewer system
private or public sewerage treatment or disposal plant.
• Dry Vent – A vent that does not carry water or water borne wastes.
• Effective Opening – Is the minimum cross sectional area at the point of
water supply discharge, measured or expressed in terms of diameter of a
circle. If the opening is not a circle, the diameter of a circle that is
equivalent to the cross sectional area. (This is applicable to air gap)
Definition of Terms
• Existing Work – Shall apply to that portion of a plumbing
system that has been installed and approved prior to the
contemplated addition, alteration or correction.
• Fixture Branch – Is a pipe connecting several fixtures.
• Fixture Drain – Is the drain from the trap of a fixture to the
junction of that drain with any other drain pipe.
• Fixture Supply – Is a water supply pipe connecting the fixture
with the fixture branch.
• Fixture Units – Is a quantity in terms of which the load
producing effects on the plumbing system of different kinds
of plumbing fixtures are expressed on some arbitrarily chosen
scale.
• Fixture Unit Flow Rate – Is the total discharge flow in gallons
per minute of a simple fixture divided by 7.5 gallons that
provides the flow rate of that particular plumbing fixture as a
unit of flow. Fixtures are rated as multiple of this unit of flow.
