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Standards

HDPE Pipe technical guidance (High quality Polyethylene Pipes)
 

Introduction

The plastics pipes industry revolves around specifications and standards for the products and test methods to verify performance. Pipe systems are one of the most critical applications for thermoplastics materials with a design base of 50 years and expected lifetime in excess of 100 years. Products must be fit for purpose and the end user needs confidence in the product in order to specify them. Specifications and dimensions must be universal and methods of test need to be standardised. The industry has put in a great deal of effort over many years to develop reliable methods.

There is an extensive range of ISO (international) and EN (European) Standards covering PE pipes. Technical Committees ISO/TC138 and CEN/TC155 are responsible for ISO and EN Standards respectively for plastics piping systems. All Standards are reviewed every 3 to 5 years and revised and updated if required.

Water & gas pipe renovation or rehabilitation

All rehabilitation works for water mains using polyethylene liner pipes should now be carried out in accordance with the relevant ISO Standards.

There are four general System Standards for renovation using plastics piping systems:

  • ISO 11296: Plastics piping systems for renovation of underground non-pressure drainage and sewerage networks.
  • ISO 11297: Plastics piping systems for renovation of underground drainage and sewerage networks under pressure.
  • ISO 11298: Plastics piping systems for renovation of underground water supply networks.
  • ISO 11299: Plastics piping systems for renovation of underground gas supply networks.

These System Standards are distinguished from those for conventionally installed plastics piping systems by the requirement to verify certain characteristics in the as-installed condition, after site processing. This is in addition to specifying requirements for plastics piping systems components as manufactured.

This System Standard comprises a:

  • — Part 1: General

and all applicable renovation technique family-related parts from the following:

  • — Part 2: Lining with continuous pipes
  • — Part 3: Lining with close-fit pipes
  • — Part 4: Lining with cured-in-place pipes
  • — Part 6: Lining with adhesive-backed hoses
  • — Part 7: Lining with spirally-wound pipes

The requirements for any given renovation technique family are given in part 1, applied in conjunction with the relevant other part. For example, ISO 11298-1 and this part of ISO 11298 together specify the requirements relating to lining with close-fit pipes. For complementary information, see ISO 11295. Not all technique families are pertinent to every area of application and this is reflected in the part numbers included in each System Standard.

A consistent structure of clause headings has been adopted for all parts of ISO 11298, in order to facilitate direct comparisons across renovation technique families.

Figure 1 shows the common part and clause structure and the relationship between ISO 11298 and the System Standards for other application areas.


Figure 1 - Format of the renovation System Standards

In addition ISO 11295: Classification and Information on design of plastics piping systems used for renovation applies to all the systems covered by the systems standards: water supply, gas supply, non-pressure drainage and sewerage, and drainage and sewerage under pressure.

A similar suite of Standards is under development for trenchless Replacement, in which the pipe is replaced rather than renovated. This is ISO 21225 and its structure is shown below alongside that for renovation. To date Part 1 has been published (2018).




National Guidance

Codes of Practice are generally specific to individual countries, industry sectors or utilities. Most asset owners be they national, network or other owners will have their own Codes, Manuals or Guidelines to cover the correct installation practice which must be followed. In addition national Safety and Government legislation exists in most countries and must be followed.

Examples are given below of national guidance that must be followed in the United Kingdom. Similar guidance is applicable in most other countries. Gas works especially are governed by strict safety regulation which applies to all installation and rehabilitation operations. Water works are governed by regulations to protect potable water quality and public health.

Health & Safety Executive

  • HSG 47 - Avoiding danger from underground services
  • INDG258 - Confined spaces - A brief guide to working safely
  • NRSWA - New Roads and Streetworks Act

Institution of Gas Engineers

  • IGEM/TD/3 edition 4 – Steel and PE pipelines for Gas distribution

Gas Networks

  • T/PR/ML/1 to ML/4 – Work Procedures for pipe system construction
  • T/PM/MSL/1 - Management procedure for main laying and service laying
  • T/PR/SL/1 - Work procedure for service laying Up to and including 63mm diameter at pressures up to and including 2bar
  • GIS/PL2-2: Polyethylene gas pipes & fittings for transport of natural gas and suitable manufactured gas – Part 2: Pipes for use at pressures up to 5.5 bar
  • GIS/PL2-4: Polyethylene gas pipes & fittings for transport of natural gas and suitable manufactured gas – Part 4: Fusion fittings with integral heating element(s)
  • GIS/PL2-8: Polyethylene gas pipes & fittings for transport of natural gas and suitable manufactured gas – Part 8: Pipes for use at pressures up to 7 bar 


Water

  • WIS 4-32-08.- Fusion jointing of polyethylene pressure pipeline systems using PE80 and PE100 materials
  • The (Water) Regulators Specification & The Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999



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Product standards for PE pressure piping systems

ISO 4427-1

Plastics piping systems for water supply, and for drainage and sewerage under pressure – Polyethylene (PE) – Part 1: General

ISO 4427-2

Plastics piping systems for water supply, and for drainage and sewerage under pressure – Polyethylene (PE) – Part 2: Pipes

ISO 4427-3

Plastics piping systems for water supply, and for drainage and sewerage under pressure – Polyethylene (PE) – Part 3: Fittings

ISO 4427-5

Plastics piping systems for water supply, and for drainage and sewerage under pressure – Polyethylene (PE) – Part 5: Fitness for purpose of the system

ISO 4437-1

Plastics piping systems for the supply of gaseous fuels – Polyethylene (PE) – Part 1: General

ISO 4437-2

Plastics piping systems for the supply of gaseous fuels – Polyethylene (PE) – Part 2: Pipes

ISO 4437-3

Plastics piping systems for the supply of gaseous fuels – Polyethylene (PE) – Part 3: Fittings

ISO 4437-4

Plastics piping systems for the supply of gaseous fuels – Polyethylene (PE) – Part 4: Valves

ISO 4437-5

Plastics piping systems for the supply of gaseous fuels – Polyethylene (PE) – Part 5: Fitness for purpose of the system

EN 1555-1

Plastics piping systems for the supply of gaseous fuels –Polyethylene (PE) – Part 1: General

EN 1555-2

Plastics piping systems for the supply of gaseous fuels –Polyethylene (PE) – Part 2: Pipes

EN 1555-3

Plastics piping systems for the supply of gaseous fuels –Polyethylene (PE) – Part 3: Fittings

EN 1555-4

Plastics piping systems for the supply of gaseous fuels –Polyethylene (PE) – Part 4: Valves

EN 1555-5

Plastics piping systems for the supply of gaseous fuels –Polyethylene (PE) – Part 5: Fitness for purpose of the system

CEN/TS 1555-7

Plastics piping systems for the supply of gaseous fuels –Polyethylene (PE) – Part 7: Guidance for assessment of conformity

EN 12201-1

Plastics piping systems for water supply, and for drainage and sewerage under pressure – Polyethylene (PE) – Part 1: General

EN 12201-2

Plastics piping systems for water supply, and for drainage and sewerage under pressure – Polyethylene (PE) – Part 2: Pipes

EN 12201-3

Plastics piping systems for water supply, and for drainage and sewerage under pressure – Polyethylene (PE) – Part 3: Fittings

EN 12201-4

Plastics piping systems for water supply, and for drainage and sewerage under pressure – Polyethylene (PE) – Part 4: Valves

EN 12201-5

Plastics piping systems for water supply, and for drainage and sewerage under pressure – Polyethylene (PE) – Part 5: Fitness for purpose of the system

CEN/TS 12201-7

Plastics piping systems for water supply, and for drainage and sewerage under pressure – Polyethylene (PE) – Part 7: Guidance for assessment of conformity

ISO 9623

PE/metal and PP/metal adapter fittings for pipes for fluids under pressure – Design lengths and size of threads – Metric series

ISO 9624

Thermoplastics piping systems for fluids under pressure – Flange adapters and loose backing flanges – Mating dimensions

ISO 15494

Plastics piping systems for industrial applications – Polybutene (PB), polyethylene (PE), polyethylene of raised temperature resistance (PE-RT), crosslinked polyethylene (PE-X), polypropylene (PP) – Metric series for specifications for components and the system

ISO 17885

Plastics piping systems – Mechanical fittings for pressure piping systems – Specifications

ISO 11295Plastics piping systems used for renovation of pipelines - Classification & overview of strategic, tactical and operational activities
ISO 11296-1Plastics piping systems for renovation of underground non-pressure drainage and sewerage networks. Part 1 General
ISO 11296-2 Plastics piping systems for renovation of underground non-pressure drainage and sewerage networks. Part 2 Lining with continuous pipes
ISO 11296-3Plastics piping systems for renovation of underground non-pressure drainage and sewerage networks. Part 3 Lining with close-fit pipes
ISO 11297-1Plastics piping systems for renovation of underground  drainage and sewerage networks under pressure. Part 1 General
ISO 11297-2Plastics piping systems for renovation of underground  drainage and sewerage networks under pressure. Part 2 Lining with continuous pipes
ISO 11297-3Plastics piping systems for renovation of underground  drainage and sewerage networks under pressure. Part 3 Lining with close-fit pipes
ISO 11298-1Plastics piping systems for renovation of underground  water supply networks. Part 1 General
ISO 11298-2Plastics piping systems for renovation of underground  water supply networks. Part 2 Lining with continuous pipes
ISO 11298-3Plastics piping systems for renovation of underground  water supply networks. Part 3 Lining with close-fit pipes
ISO 11299-1Plastics piping systems for renovation of underground  gas supply networks. Part 1 General
ISO 11299-2Plastics piping systems for renovation of underground  gas supply networks. Part 2 Lining with continuous pipes
ISO 11299-3Plastics piping systems for renovation of underground  gas supply networks. Part 3 Lining with close-fit pipes


Standards for jointing and installation of PE piping systems

ISO 12176-1

Plastics pipes and fittings – Equipment for fusion jointing polyethylene systems – Part 1: Butt fusion

ISO 12176-2

Plastics pipes and fittings – Equipment for fusion jointing polyethylene systems – Part 2: Electrofusion

ISO 12176-3

Plastics pipes and fittings – Equipment for fusion jointing polyethylene systems – Part 3: Operator's badge

ISO 12176-4

Plastics pipes and fittings – Equipment for fusion jointing polyethylene systems – Part 4: Traceability coding

ISO 13761

Plastics pipes and fittings – Pressure reduction factors for polyethylene pipeline systems for use at temperatures above 20°C

ISO 13950

Plastics pipes and fittings – Automatic recognition systems for electrofusion joints

ISO 21307

Plastics pipes and fittings – Butt fusion jointing procedures for polyethylene (PE) piping systems

ISO/TS 10839

Polyethylene pipes and fittings for the supply of gaseous fuels – Code of practice for design, handling and installation

EN 12007-2

Gas infrastructure - Pipelines for maximum operating pressure up to and including 16 bar – Part 2: Specific functional requirements for polyethylene (MOP up to and including 10 bar)

ISO 21225-1
Plastics piping systems for the trenchless replacement of underground pipeline networks Part 1: Replacement on the line by pipe bursting and pipe extraction


Test standards for PE piping systems
NOTE: Most of these test standards are also published as EN ISO versions

ISO 1133-1

Plastics – Determination of the melt mass-flow rate (MFR) and melt volume-flow rate (MVR) of thermoplastics – Part 1: Standard method

ISO 1167-1

Thermoplastics pipes, fittings and assemblies for the conveyance of fluids – Determination of the resistance to internal pressure – Part 1: General method

ISO 1167-2

Thermoplastics pipes, fittings and assemblies for the conveyance of fluids – Determination of the resistance to internal pressure – Part 2: Preparation of pipe test pieces

ISO 1167-3

Thermoplastics pipes, fittings and assemblies for the conveyance of fluids – Determination of the resistance to internal pressure – Part 3: Preparation of components

ISO 1167-4

Thermoplastics pipes, fittings and assemblies for the conveyance of fluids – Determination of the resistance to internal pressure – Part 4: Preparation of assemblies

ISO 1183-1

Plastics – Methods for determining the density of non-cellular plastics – Part 1: Immersion method, liquid pyknometer method and titration method

ISO 1183-2

Plastics – Methods for determining the density of non-cellular plastics – Part 2: Density gradient column method

ISO 2505

Thermoplastics pipes – Longitudinal reversion – Test method and parameters

ISO 3126

Plastics piping systems – Plastics components – Determination of dimensions

ISO 4433-1

Thermoplastics pipes – Resistance to liquid chemicals – Classification – Part 1: Immersion test method

ISO 4433-2

Thermoplastics pipes – Resistance to liquid chemicals – Classification – Part 2: Polyolefin pipes

ISO 6259-1

Thermoplastics pipes – Determination of tensile properties – Part 1: General test method

ISO 6259-3

Thermoplastics pipes – Determination of tensile properties – Part 3: Polyolefin pipes

ISO 6964

Polyolefin pipes and fittings – Determination of carbon black content by calcination and pyrolysis – Test method

ISO 9080

Plastics piping and ducting systems – Determination of the long-term hydrostatic strength of thermoplastics materials in pipe form by extrapolation

ISO 9969

Thermoplastics pipes – Determination of ring stiffness

ISO 11357-6

Plastics – Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) – Part 6: Determination of oxidation induction time (isothermal OIT) and oxidation induction temperature (dynamic OIT)

ISO 11413

Plastics pipes and fittings – Preparation of test piece assemblies between a polyethylene (PE) pipe and an electrofusion fitting

ISO 11414

Plastics pipes and fittings – Preparation of polyethylene (PE) pipe/pipe or pipe/fitting test piece assemblies by butt fusion

ISO 12162

Thermoplastics materials for pipes and fittings for pressure applications – Classification, designation and design coefficient

 
 

ISO 13477

Thermoplastics pipes for the conveyance of fluids – Determination of resistance to rapid crack propagation (RCP) – Small-scale steady-state test (S4 test)

ISO 13478

Thermoplastics pipes for the conveyance of fluids – Determination of resistance to rapid crack propagation (RCP) – Full-scale test (FST)

ISO 13479

Polyolefin pipes for the conveyance of fluids – Determination of resistance to crack propagation – Test method for slow crack growth on notched pipes

ISO 13480

Polyethylene pipes – Resistance to slow crack growth – Cone test method

ISO 13951

Plastics piping systems – Test method for the resistance of plastic pipe/pipe or pipe/fitting assemblies to tensile loading

ISO 13953

Polyethylene (PE) pipes and fittings – Determination of the tensile strength and failure mode of test pieces from a butt-fused joint

ISO 13954

Plastics pipes and fittings – Peel decohesion test for polyethylene (PE) electrofusion assemblies of nominal outside diameter greater than or equal to 90 mm

ISO 13955

Plastics pipes and fittings – Crushing decohesion test for polyethylene (PE) electrofusion assemblies

ISO 13956

Plastics pipes and fittings – Decohesion test of polyethylene (PE) saddle fusion joints – Evaluation of ductility of fusion joint interface by tear test

ISO 13957

Plastics pipes and fittings – Polyethylene (PE) tapping tees – Test method for impact resistance

ISO 13968

Plastics piping and ducting systems – Thermoplastics pipes – Determination of ring flexibility

ISO 15512

Plastics – Determination of water content

ISO 16871

Plastics piping and ducting systems – Plastics pipes and fittings – Method for exposure to direct (natural) weathering

ISO 17778

Plastics piping systems – Fittings, valves and ancillaries – Determination of gaseous flow rate/pressure drop relationships

ISO 18553

Method for the assessment of the degree of pigment or carbon black dispersion in polyolefin pipes, fittings and compounds

 
 

ISO 21751

Plastics pipes and fittings – Decohesion test of electrofusion assemblies – Strip-bend test

EN 12099

Plastics piping systems – Polyethylene piping materials and components – Determination of volatile content

EN 12106

Plastics piping systems – Polyethylene (PE) pipes – Test method for the resistance to internal pressure after application of squeeze-off

ISO 16770Accelerated Full Notch Creep test for environmental stress cracking (ESC)
ISO 18488Strain hardening modulus for slow crack growth (SCG)
ISO 18489Cracked round bar test for slow crack growth

Other useful reference standards for PE

ISO 3

Preferred numbers – Series of preferred numbers

ISO 472

Plastics – Vocabulary

ISO 1043-1

Plastics – Symbols and abbreviated terms – Part 1: Basic polymers and their special characteristics

ISO 4065

Thermoplastics pipes – Universal wall thickness table

ISO 11922-1

Thermoplastics pipes for the conveyance of fluids – Dimensions and tolerances – Part 1: Metric series

ISO 14040

Environmental management – Life cycle assessment – Principles and framework

ISO/TR 10358

Plastics pipes and fittings – Combined chemical resistance classification table

BS 9295Guide to the structural design of buried pipes

Standards referred to in the PE Pipe Model

The plastics pipes industry revolves around specifications and standards for the products and test methods to verify performance.  Pipe systems are one of the most critical applications for thermoplastics materials with a design lifetime of 50 years and expected lifetime in excess of 100 years.   Products must be fit for purpose and the end user needs confidence in the product in order to specify them.   Specifications and dimensions must be universal and methods of test need to be...


Members of the Association

BOREALISBOROUGEFormosa Plastics CorporationHanwha TotalEnergiesINEOS O&PIRPCKorea Petrochemical IND. Co., LTD (KPIC)LyondellBasellORLEN UnipetrolPetroChina Dushanzi Petrochemical CompanyPRIME POLYMERSABICSCG Chemicals & Thai PolyethyleneSinopecTASNEE

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