Open AccessA comparison of surface roughness of pipes as measured by two profilometers and atomic force microscopy
Author(s) -
Farshad Fred F.,
Pesacreta Thomas C.,
Garber James D.,
Bikki S. R.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
scanning
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.359
H-Index - 47
eISSN - 1932-8745
pISSN - 0161-0457
DOI - 10.1002/sca.4950230404
Subject(s) - profilometer , atomic force microscopy , surface roughness , surface finish , root mean square , materials science , surface (topology) , flow (mathematics) , optics , square (algebra) , dimension (graph theory) , composite material , geometry , mathematics , physics , nanotechnology , quantum mechanics , pure mathematics
The objective of this study was to develop a reliable method for the measurement of pipe surface roughness. Roughness of coated pipe was measured with two linear surface profilers, a Dektak 3 ST® and a Hommel T 1000, and a Dimension 3000® atomic force microscope (AFM). Arithmetic roughness ( R a ), root mean square roughness ( R q ), and mean peak‐to‐valley height ( R ZD ) were statistically analyzed. Each instrument yielded reliable results, but there were significant differences between the AFM and the other two instruments. The ability of R ZD to ignore intermediate height data while focusing on extreme height data made it a useful parameter for detecting differences in height that would be the most likely to affect fluid flow in pipes.