The following information is intended to assist our customers with current standards and regulations. All information should be verified and checked that it is up to date, before being relied on.

PACKAGING, HANDLING AND STORAGE OF POLYETHYLENE PIPES AND FITTINGS (POP005):

This document provides guidance how to best handle and store Polyethylene Pipes and Fittings.

“Polyethylene pipes and fittings are light in weight and easy to handle compared to many other materials. They have considerable resilience, flexibility and resistance to impact. However PE pipes and fittings can be scored by sharp edges and can be distorted under load, particularly at higher temperatures. Therefore, in general, PE pipes and fittings should not be dropped, indented, crushed or impacted and should not be subjected to rough handling during loading and unloading operations. Pipes and fittings must not be stored or transported adjacent to heat sources, such as engine exhausts, boilers, naked flames or hot water or steam lines. While PE is very resistant to low temperatures, as the temperature drops below 0⁰C the impact resistance will slowly reduce, and therefore more care should be taken to avoid damage by impact.”

HDPE PIPE JOINTING | ELECTROFUSION JOINTING OF PE PIPES AND FITTINGS FOR PRESSURE APPLICATIONS (POP001):

This document sets out the principal requirements for equipment, jointing procedures, maintenance, servicing and calibration of equipment, records and training for jointing by socket electrofusion, and saddle electrofusion. It is recommended to refer to the supplier or manufacturer of electrofusion fittings, in case the installation instructions specify different hdpe pipe jointing methods.

“Electrofusion fittings are currently available in the size range DN16 to DN1200. Larger sizes are under development. The key to consistently making satisfactory joints is to follow the jointing procedure with particular emphasis on pipe surface preparation, avoidance of contamination, machine calibration, as well as temperature monitoring and control. Pipes and fittings of different SDR can be joined together by the electrofusion process, e.g. DN250 SDR11 and SDR17 pipe can be successfully electrofused using a DN250 SDR17 fitting. Some manufacturers supply electrofusion fittings for thinner pipes, down to SDR33 whereas others limit the use of some saddle type fittings to SDR11 or thicker. These limitations are usually detailed on the fitting body or on the packaging. If in doubt, check with the supplier or manufacturer, as unsatisfactory joints are likely to occur if the fitting/pipe combination is incorrect. Pipes manufactured from different grades of PE materials- (for example PE80 and PE100) can be jointed successfully using electrofusion. Before welding it is important to confirm that all components have adequate nominal pressure rating for the operating conditions and the PE materials comply with AS/NZS 4131.”

BUTT FUSION JOINTING OF PE PIPES AND FITTINGS – RECOMMENDED PARAMETERS (POP003):

This document is a guide to butt fusion of polyethylene (PE) Pipe using AS/NZS 4130 material as a basis.

“Butt welding involves the heating of two pipe ends to fusion temperature and then subsequently joining the two ends by the application of force. However, a successful butt weld requires the correct combination and sequence of the welding parameters time, temperature and pressure. Various proven butt fusion methods with minor differences have been in use in different countries for many years. ISO 21307 contains three distinct fusion methods described below for pipe and fittings. It is essential that the parameters specified for a given method are followed. Do not mix and match parameters from each method.”

METAL BACKING FLANGES FOR USE WITH POLYETHYLENE (PE) PIPE FLANGE ADAPTORS (POP007):

This document provides guidance relating to the geometric specification of metal backing flanges suitable for the use with PE flange adaptors in the sizes DN20 through to DN100 and flanges in accordance with Australian Standards.

“Where there is a need to join polyethylene pipe to pipe of another material or ancillary equipment such as valves and pumps then mechanical flanges may be used. They provide not only a means of transition but a fully end load resistant joint that can also be disassembled for maintenance purposes. As the thicknesses of these flanges differ, and therefore the pressure rating of the flange, care should be taken to ensure the pressure rating of the flange used is suitable for the system which it is being used on. Since polyethylene pipe systems are end load bearing, care must be taken where connection is made to pipe of another material, to prevent pull-out of any non-end-load bearing joints.”

SURFACE PREPARATION – PAGE 11 OF HDPE PIPE JOINTING METHODS AND FITTINGS FOR PRESSURE APPLICATIONS (POP001):

2.1.2 Surface Preparation – Cleaning
The surfaces to be EF welded must be completely clean and free of contaminants. It is essential to clean the peeled surface with unused approved alcohol wipes to remove traces of dirt, mud and other contamination. Do not under any circumstances use methylated spirits, acetone, methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) or other solvents to clean the fusion area. Rags of any kind with or without any alcohol solvent are not to be used to clean the fusion area given the possibility of introducing dye, dirt, detergent, fabric conditioner or other contaminants into the fusion zone.
Other important factors relating to the use of alcohol wipes:

• Ensure wipes are saturated with alcohol i.e. have not dried out.
• When using the wipe work from the prepared (peeled) surface towards the unprepared area and discard the wipe after it has come in contact with any unprepared areas. Wiping from unprepared areas towards the prepared surface can contaminate the fusion surface and similarly using a wipe which has been used on an unprepared surface can also introduce contaminants.
• Only use the wipe once.
• Do not wipe over the witness mark.
• Do not touch the prepared pipe surface with bare or contaminated hands – sweat, sunscreen, barrier cream, soap, detergent, dirt and skin oils are all potential sources of contamination. Disposable latex or nitrile powder free gloves are recommended when handling the wipes for preparation of the surface.
• Ensure alcohol left by the wipe on the cleaned surface has evaporated and the prepared surfaces are completely dry before assembling the joint.
• Ensure that any part of the wipe that is in contact with your hand does not make contact with the joint surface
• Refer to the electrofusion fitting supplier for the correct selection of alcohol wipes – Kitchen/bathroom and/or personal cleaning wipes may contain lanolin and/or detergent which will contaminate the pipe surface and therefore cannot be used in electrofusion jointing procedures.
• For larger diameter pipes use multiple alcohol wipes.

Cleaning of the prepared surface is a critical step and one that has the potential to introduce contaminates if not done correctly – remember this is the surface that is about to be welded and the presence of contaminates can readily result in a poorly welded joint.

Australian Standards that apply to HDPE Pipe Installation:

• AS/NZS 2566 “Australian Standard Plastics Pipelaying Design.”
• AS/NZS 2129 “Flanges for pipes, valves and fittings.”
• AS/NZS 4087 “Metallic flanges for waterworks purposes.”
• AS/NZS 2033 “Installation of polyethylene pipe systems.”
• AS/NZS 4130, “Polyethylene (PE) pipes for pressure applications.”
• AS/NZS 5065 “Polyethylene and polypropylene pipes and fittings for drainage and sewerage applications.”
• AS/NZS 3500.1, “Plumbing and drainage water services.”
• AS/NZS 4129 “Fittings for polyethylene (PE) pipes for pressure applications.”
• AS/NZS 4020 “Testing of products for use in contact with drinking water.”
• AS/NZS 4158 “Thermal-bonded polymeric coatings on valves and fittings for water industry purposes.”
• AS/NZS 4331.1 “Metallic flanges Part 1: Steel flanges” (identical to ISO 7005-1).
• AS/NZS 4680 “Hot-dip galvanized (zinc) coatings on fabricated ferrous articles.“
• AS/NZS 4131, “Polyethylene (PE) compounds for pressure pipes and fittings.”

International Standards that apply to HDPE Pipe Installation:

• ASME B31.1 “Power Piping.”
• ASME B31.3 “Process Piping Design.”
• ASTM F1055 “Standard Specification for Electrofusion Type Polyethylene Fittings for Outside Diameter Controlled Polyethylene and Crosslinked Polyethylene (PEX) Pipe and Tubing.”
• ASTM F2620 “Standard Practice for Heat Fusion Joining of Polyethylene Pipe and Fittings.”
• ANSI B16.5 “Pipe Fittings and Flanged Fittings.”
• ANSI/ASTM B16.5 “Pipe Flanges and Flanged Fittings.”
• ISO 9624 “Thermoplastics pipes for fluids under pressure – Mating dimensions of flange adaptors and loose backing flanges.”
• ISO 4437 “Plastic Piping Systems for the Supply of Gaseous Fuels – Polyethylene (PE)” – Australian Standard 4130.
• ISO 4427 “Plastics Piping Systems – Polyethylene (PE) Pipes and Fittings for Water Supply.”
• ISO 12176 “Plastics Pipes and Fittings – Equipment for Fusion Jointing Polyethylene Systems.”
• 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 21138-1 “Plastics piping systems for non-pressure underground drainage and sewerage – Structured-wall piping systems PVC-U, Polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE).”
• ISO 16770 “Determination of enviro nmental stress cracking (ESC) of polyethylene – Full-notch creep test (FNCT).”
• ISO 9080 “Plastics Piping and Ducting Systems – Determination of the long-term hydrostatic strength of thermoplastics materials in pipe form by extrapolation.”
• EN 12814-3 “Testing of welded joints in thermoplastics semi-finished products. Tensile creep test.”
• DIN PAS 1075 “Pipes Made From Polyethylene For Alternative Installation Techniques – Dimensions, Technical Requirements And Testing.”
• CEN TR 1295-2 “Structural design of buried pipelines under various conditions of loading – Part 2: Summary of nationally established methods of design.”