When designing shower hoses, it is essential to take tensile strength into account. This property can be evaluated by subjecting a test specimen to a tensile pull at a speed of 10 mm/min; by measuring the load generated at the point of fracture and dividing it by the minimum cross-sectional area of the specimen, the tensile strength value can be determined.
The specific tensile strength of a shower hose is closely correlated with temperature fluctuations. Generally, the tensile strength of the hose decreases as the temperature rises, and conversely, increases as the temperature falls.
However, when temperatures drop below freezing (0°C), the material tends to become brittle. Therefore, during the design phase, careful consideration must be given to the temperature variations characteristic of the intended operating environment.
Typically, the tensile strength of a shower hose is at its highest when the ambient temperature is around 20°C.
Furthermore, as the duration of use increases, the tensile strength of the shower hose gradually diminishes, while its elongation rate tends to increase. Consequently, during the operational phase, it is necessary to anticipate and account for the reduction in strength resulting from prolonged use.
The rate of strength reduction in shower hoses also decreases over time; according to calculations, after approximately 1,000 hours of use, the rate of further strength reduction effectively levels off.
In general design practice, shower hoses are engineered for a relatively long service life-theoretically reaching up to five years-though, naturally, the actual service life is subject to the influence of numerous other factors.
