1

Introduction

The process of calculation for drain and sewers pipes involves the
determination of fixture units, and the developed length of piping, using
specific tables. Paying attention to details is an important element in
designing any type of system, and this certainly holds true when sizing
drains and sewers. Moving too quickly and using the wrong sizing table can
cause you a lot of error. If you read the tables carefully and apply them
properly, sizing is not difficult. Some engineers get so accustomed to using
sizing tables that they fail to think of code requirements that may make
the tables inaccurate if all notes are not observed and followed.
Accuracy in sizing pipes is essential to a job in more than one way. First,
you have to draw riser diagrams and size the pipes for code approval. On
the other hand all types of drains and sewers can be calculated with a
method that depends on the ratings of drainage fixture units. Fixture-unit
ratings are established by local codes. A probability factor is built into the
system. While a direct flow rate or discharge rate cannot be determined
from the rating of fixture units, the fixture units are accurate enough to
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allow a sensible system to be designed, in compliance with the plumbing
code.
DRAINAGE AND SEWERAGE SYSTEM
a- Safe Drainage System
All sanitary drainage systems should be connected to the public
sewer system (wherever available) at the nearest possible
point. In case the public sewer system is not available, a safe
and non-polluting drainage system must be ensured. The
drainage system should be so designed as to guard against
fouling, deposit of solids and clogging.
b- Vent Pipes
The drainage system should be designed to allow for adequate
circulation of air within the system, thereby preventing the
danger of siphonage or unsealing of trap seals under normal
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working conditions. The system should have access to
atmospheric pressure and venting of foul gases by vent pipes.

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c- Exclusion of Foreign Substances from the System
d- Ground and Surface Water Protection
e- Prevention of Contamination
f- Prevention of Sewage Flooding

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 Vent Pipe
Junction Box
Floor drain

W.C. drain Lavatory

drain

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Sanitary
Drainage

Vent drain

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 W.C. Pipe Vent pipe
Bidet drain Sanitary
pipe

Floor
drain

Bath tube
drain Lavatory
drain
8
 Ac drain Lavatory
WC drain
Drain

Bidet
Drain

F.D.1 F.D.2

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 DWV Systems
D = drain tubs & sinks
W = waste from water closets
V = vent air into / out of the system.

Flow 1/4 to 1/2 Full

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Chap-1

Sanitary Drainage Fixture-Unit Tables

Fixture-unit tables are often used when sizing drains and

sewers. The suggested values of DFU (tables 1 & 2) were
designed for application in conjunction with the probability of
simultaneous use of fixtures so as to establish maximum
permissible drainage loads, in terms of fixture units rather
than in numbers of specific types of fixtures or gallons per
minute of drainage flow, for each of the various parts of
sanitary drainage systems.

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 Fixture Unit Tables
The information in Table 1[a-b & c] representative of what you might
find in your local code book. This is the type of table that assigns
specific ratings for fixture units on given fixtures. In cases where a
known fixture is not listed, another type of table, like the one in figure
[1-d] is used to assign ratings for fixture units.

Before we get too many tables in front of us, let's go over the three
tables that you've just been introduced to.
Dont make mistakes by not paying attention to footnotes and exclusions when
10 you use sizing table
Table 1-a

11
Table 1-b

For example, a private Water closet flash

tank is assigned a fixture-unit rating of four.
A typical lavatory has a rating of one
fixture unit. Domestic shower stalls are
rated for two fixture units. If you add this
up, you find that the three normal bathroom
fixtures total a rating of seven fixture units.
However, if you look at the top of the list
(1-a) , you will see that a bathroom group
that consists of a toilet, lavatory, and
bathtub or shower has a rating of six fixture
units. That's one fixture unit less than the
individual ratings for the same fixtures.
Why? Because it is assumed that not all of
the fixtures will be being used
simultaneously if they are confined to a
single bathroom.

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Ref [2]
Table 1-c

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Ref [2]
Is used for fixture not listed in the previous table. For example the
Table 1-d
By Size of trap

floor drain with 2 pipe diameter, the corresponding DFU is 3 14Ref [1]
15
 Number Fixtures DFU Diameter
1 Lavatory 1 1.1/2- 2
1 Bidet 1 1.1/2- 2
1 Floor drain * 2x 3 3
1 Bathtub 2 1.1/2- 2
1 W.C.s (flash Tank), 4 4
Total 8 F.U
DFU

Some references do not include F.D. in the

calculation. Others taken F.D. ,as 1 FU only.
Also A shower head over a bathtub does not increase
the F.U. 17
Number Fixtures DFU Diamet
er

1 Lavatory 1 1.1/2-
2

1.1/2- 2
1 Bidet 1

1 Floor drain * 3

1.1/2- 2
2 Bathtub 2*2

 1 W.C.s (flash 4 4
Tank),

Total 10
DFU F.U
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 Sizing Horizontal Branches

Let's talk about how you can size a horizontal branch. We're going to
use a sizing table because they're easy, fast, and accurate. Look at Fig
below (2). This table shows you the maximum number of fixture units
that may be placed on a single horizontal branch of a given size.

Stack Sizing

Stack sizing requires you to know the number of fixture units that will
discharge into the stack from a single branch and the total number of
fixture units that will be allowed on the stack. So, let's say that you
have a stack with two branches. There is a bathroom group on each
branch, and those two bathroom groups are all that will discharge into
the stack. What size pipe is the smallest allowable for use as the stack?
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To figure this, use the table in Fig. 2

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Table 2

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Table 2 is used for sizing drainage stacks provides different
permissible loading for stack of 3 stories or less in height and
for stacks more than 3 stories in height. Included in the table
are the maximum loads permitted on any horizontal fixture
Branch.
Horizontal fixture branch

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Example 1

The corresponding figure illustrates a bathroom with two

water closets (Public ,flash valve) and two lavatories to be
installed and roughing for a third water closet to be
installed at some future time. The branch must therefore
be sized as though all three water closets were to be
installed initially.

Wc Public flash valve = 8 F U

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Solution:

The total number of fixtures now installed are two public

water closets and two public lavatories with a fixture
rating of 8 + 8 + 2 + 2 = 20 fixture units. Table 2,
column 2, any horizontal fixture branch, and shows that a
3-inch diameter pipe is not satisfactory. (there is a
remark in the footnote telling you that Not over two
water closets). Therefore the branch must be 4 inches.

However, for the future water closet on this branch, the

total number of fixture units that must be figured are :
8 + 8 + 8 + 2 + 2 = 28 fixture units; therefore the
diameter of the branch must be 4 inches which is OK

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Example :

Calculate the total number of DFU , and size the horizontal

branch connecting the two adjacent bathrooms , knowing that,
The total fixture unit of each bathroom consists of (water
closet, bidet, lavatory and bathtub or shower) = 8 FUs

Total fixture unit of two adjacent bath rooms connected to

the same horizontal branch pipe is: 8 x 2 = 16 FUs.

As can be seen from table (2) for any horizontal branches,

the 3 can handle up to 20 DFU but not 2 WC on the same
branch , due to the presence of the W.C.s, it is always
recommended to use the 4 pipe diameter which can handle up
to 160 DFU is selected.
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Table 3
Mai Building
drains
& sewers
Maximum number of
FUs that may be
connected to any
portion of the building
drain or building sewer
& offset.

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Figure below illustrates an example of sizing the main branch which connected to the
basement floor where a flow from a sump pump is also connected to the same pipe.
The building has four soil stacks. The total fixture units for each stack are given.
1- Size each stack using Table 2.
2- Size the horizontal branches from the base of a stack to the building drain according
to its fall per foot (1/8) and (1/4) using (Table 3 next page).
N.B. The discharge from the sump is converted into fixture-unit values by
multiplying the number of gallons flow by 2. That is 100 gpm x 2 = 200 FUs

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1.04%
 Solution

1.04% 2.1%

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Table 2

Vertical for
Horizontal per
each floor
floor

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Riser Offsets on drainage piping

An offset in a vertical
stack, with a change of
direction of 45 degrees
or less from the vertical,
may be sized as a straight
vertical stack.

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Example :

The Following Figure shows the main soil stack of a 12-story

building where there is one offset between the fifth and
sixth floors and another offset below the street floor. It is
required to size the soil stack.

Step 1: Compute the total fixture units connected to the

entire stack. In this case, we assume there are 1200 fixture
units connected to the stack from the street floor through
the top floor.
Step 2: Size the portion of the stack above the fifth-floor
offset. Assuming that, there are 400 fixture units from the
top floor down through the sixth floor. According to Table 2,
column 6, the 400 fixture units require a 4-inch stack.
Step 3: Size the offset on the fifth floor. An offset is sized
like a building drain. According to Table 3, column 4, for 1/4
fall per foot , the 400 fixture units require a 5-inch offset31.
39
4

32
Ref [6]
Step 4:
Size the lower portion of the stack from the fifth floor down
through the street floor. The lower portion of the stack must
be large enough to serve all the fixture units connected to it,
from the top floor down, in this case, 1200 fixture units.
According to Table 2, 1,200 fixture units require a 6-inch
stack.
Step 5: Size the offset below the street floor the same as
for a building drain. The lower offset also has to be large
enough to serve all fixture units from the top floor down, in
this case, 1200 fixture units. According to Table 3, 1200
fixture units require an 8-inch offset. This 8-inch line is run
full size to the building drain.

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The offset on the fifth floor should be provided with a relief
vent. Sizing the offset larger than the stack and providing a
relief vent will prevent pressures from building up at the point
of offset and possibly siphoning or blowing nearby trap seals.
The critical point of a soil stack is at the base and where
an offset occurs.
 Review the sizing of sewage network

1- Each plumbing fixture has a minimum trap size and

is given a load designated in fixture unit See table 1-d.

2- To size horizontal pipe branch add all fixture units

on this branch and refer to table 2 column 2 to get the
required size. [where it is written Any horizontal fixture
branch]

To size vertical stack add all fixture units and refer to

table 2 column 4.[ for more than 3 stories in height ]

3- To size the main building drain refer to table 3 with

an acceptable slope and total fixture units.
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Class exercise

a) What is the minimum trap size of private : bidet ,

shower , lavatory,

b) What is the stack size of a building 3 story high with

5 Wc (private), 10 lavatories and 5 bidets.

c) What is the building drain pipe size if the slope is 1%

and 100 fixture units?

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Size the following restaurant toilet

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46
Table 3-b

For 4 pipe diameter, having a slope of 1.04%, the Max. DFU is 180 , However
if the slope is 4.2%, the DFU becomes 250
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48
 Two pipe system S.S. Vent pipe Vent pipe

For water treatment

reason

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 One pipe system

S.S.

( Most popular )
Vent pipe

50
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Ref [2]
 Sanitary Drainage
Similar to loading or demand units in water Materials
for sanitary pipework

Material Application Jointing

Cast iron 50 mm and above vent and discharge Lead caulking with molten or fibrous
stacks lead; cold compound caulking

Galvanised steel Waste pipe Screwed

Copper Waste pipes and traps

Compression, capillary, silver solder,
bronze weld or push-fit rings seal

Lead Waste pipes and discharge stacks Soldered or lead welded

ABS (acrylonitrile Up to 50 mm waste and vent pipes Solvent cement and push-fit ring seal
butadiene styrene)

High-density Up to 50 mm waste and ventilating pipes

polyethylene and traps Push-fit ring seal and compression fittings

Polypropylene
Up to 50 mm waste and ventilating pipes Push-fit ring seal and compression
and traps couplings

Modified PVC Up to 50 mm waste and vent pipes Solvent cement and push-fit ring seal

Unplasticized PVC Solvent cement and push-fit ring seal

Over 50 mm soil and vent stacks; vent
pipes under 50 mm

Pitch fibre Over 50 mm discharge and vent stacks Driven taper or polypropylene fitting
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with a push-fit ring seal

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Drainage for Basement

The manhole discharging to outside locates at G/F.

Water from basement floors (some at even basement 3,

about 10 meters below ground floor). How to discharge it?

By a sump pit and pumps installed at the lowest floor

Note the need of standby pump

Pump on/off control by level switch

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Drainage for grease/ oil generating area car park and
grease trap Petrol Interceptor

Water from carpark may contain oil (petrol)

Water from carpark could not be directly discharged to

public sewer

Water must pass a petrol interceptor before discharging out.

Grease trap

Kitchen from food court and restaurant contains large

quantity of grease that is not permitted to be discharged out to
the public sewer

Water must pass through a grease trap before discharging out

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 Food license needed before food court and restaurant starting
business. Provision of grease trap is a licensing requirement

Storm water Drainage

Typical rainfall intensities (for roofs)

75 mm/hr (5 minutes once in 4 years )
150 mm/hr (3 minutes once in 50 years )
Drain water flow rate
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 Q= (area drained, Ar, m2) x (rainfall intensity,
mm/hr) x impermeability factor
rainfall intensity, mm/hr taken as
75 mm/hr
Riser Drawings

Riser drawings are used when figuring out drainage

systems, just as they are used with vent systems. Before
we leave this chapter to learn about the use of combination
waste-and-vent systems, I want to give you some sample
riser diagrams to look over. The drawings will show you

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 what your drawings
might look like.
Drains are drawn
with solid lines,
while vents are
indicated by broken
lines.

Drainage
Riser diagram

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58