One of the most catastrophic corrosion disaster till date. Happened on Wednesday 22, April 1992 at 10:09 pm in Analco district of Guadalajara city, Mexico Led to a series of explosions for a duration of 4 hours. Followed by two more explosions on the next day at early morning. The explosions were occurred due to the ignition of accumulated gas in a 3.50 m diameter sewer drain that was buried 8m below the roadway.

1. 1
Prepared by:
Divine Sebastian
Lamar University
A CASE STUDY ON GUADALAJARA SEWER
EXPLOSION(1992)

2. INTRODUCTION
2
• One of the most catastrophic corrosion disaster till date.
• Happened on Wednesday 22, April 1992 at 10:09 pm in Analco district of
Guadalajara city, Mexico
• Led to a series of explosions for a duration of 4 hours.
• Followed by two more explosions on the next day at early morning.
• The explosions were occurred due to the ignition of accumulated gas in a
3.50 m diameter sewer drain that was buried 8m below the roadway.

3. FIRST IMPRESSION
3
Engineering
Failure
Administrative
failure
GUADALAJARA
SEWER
EXPLOSION

4. THE TIMELINE
4
• Residents report strong smell of gas and presence of white smokes from the
sewers.
• Workers from City Council and Protection Civil made revisions in Gante street.
• They announced that it is not necessary to evacuate the area even though they
found strong levels of gas among other hydrocarbons.
• GUADALAJARA GAS EXPLOSIONS
• Strong smell of gas was still present, residents of the neighborhoods were
instructed not to light any flames. Evacuation was undergoing.

5. HOW DID IT REALLY
HAPPENED?5
 Galvanic corrosion between galvanized iron(water pipeline) and reinforced
steel(gasoline pipeline).
 Followed by localized pitting on both materials.
 Diffusion of gas at higher pressure towards the sewage drain due to the
pressure and concentration gradient.
 Blocking of leaked gas at distinct sites within the sewage drain due to the
U-shaped sections in the sewage line.
 Pressure and temperature raised, flash point of gasoline was reached and
thus exploded.

6. THE ROOT CAUSE
6
 Galvanic corrosion between water pipeline made of galvanized iron and
gasoline pipeline made of reinforced steel.
 Diffusion of gasoline into the sewage line through porous soil.
 The gasoline was directed to the sewage lines owing to the gradients in
concentration and pressure.
 Explosions took place at 10 different locations due to the gas-lock occurred
inside the sewage line.(The sewage line has to take the U shaped sections in
order to accommodate the newly established suburban metro).

7. CORROSION ON GASOLINE
PIPELINE7

8. 8

9. GAS ACCUMULATION IN THE
SEWER LINE9

10. 10

11. DAMAGE AFTER THE
DISASTER11
HUMAN CONSEQUENCES:
 4500 disaster victims overall.
 252 deaths
 500 to 600 missing
 1800 injured.
 15000 people were left homeless.
MATERIAL CONSEQUENCES:
 13 km. of streets heavily destructed.
 1500 houses destroyed.
 1224 buildings damaged
 637 vehicles damaged
 Estimated monetary damage- $ 300 million to $ 1 billion.

12. HOW IT COULD HAVE BEEN
PREVENTED12
 Necessary consideration should have provided to the concern raised by
citizens.
 Effort had to be made in order to determine the cause and origin of the
gasoline leakage.
 Proper inspection and maintenance.
 Avoidance of interference between different fluid transportation systems with
different materials.

13. 13
SUGGESTIONS TO AVOID
SIMILAR ACCIDENTS
 Proper inspection and maintenance.
 Having detailed information about the geological features of the ground and
other pipeline systems already existing under ground before installation of a
new pipeline system.
 The labors involved in the actual installation process should at least have a
fundamental knowledge about materials susceptible to corrosion and
possibilities for material degradation.
 Proper guidelines and quality measures should be implemented.
 Use of safety alarms working with reference to variation in parameters such as
pressure.
 Insulation of individual pipelines throughout its external surface area.

14. CONCLUSION
14
• Significance of this incident.
• Impact on the normal engineering practices.
• Inference

15. REFERENCES
15
1. http://www.aria.developpementdurable.gouv.fr/wpcontent/files_mf/FD_3543_g
uadalajara_1992_ang.pdf
2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odefOwa8XQ8
3. http://ubersicht.blogspot.com/2009/01/1992-explosion-in-guadalajara.html
4. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/sewers-explode-in-guadalajara
5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1992_Guadalajara_explosions
6. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imxy-j1mlKw

16. 16
THANK
YOU!!!