Effects of Heat on Piping Systems The BorderTransportationSystem crosses some of the hottest desert in the nation and in the summer it can get to over 117 degrees in many sections.  This may require some cooling of the oil and water pipelines in certain areas of the system, and this cooling should be generated by the system's electric. The piping system will have to be designed so that lengths are coupled with flexible areas that allow for expansion and contraction of the pipe without causing cracking or splitting of the pipe. Index of ... Expansion Joint Manual Hyspan Industrial Piping Metallic Pipe Expansion Joints