3/4" RMC U Bend

[mdneely]

Table 344.24
Would the radius of a U bend be 5" or two times the full shoe?

[mdshunk]

The radius of any bend in 3/4, whether it be a quarter bend (90 degrees) or half bend ("U" bend) may not be any less than 4-1/2" to the centerline of the bend if using a full shoe bender or 5" if using a segment bender or hickey. You do not double the minimum radius just because you're doing a back to back U bend. The radius is still the radius, regardless of how big an arc segment you have to reference. I would add that this would be nearly impossible to do with typical equipment. In reality, if the bend was manufactured in the field, the radius may be much greater. This is another one of those crazy test questions that doesn't actually happen too often in the field. While we do make back to back bends occasionally, it's quite rare to make back to back bends so close that it would be a U bend. About the only time I can think of would be the "U" you'd make when making a gooseneck bend instead of using an LB fitting.