ASTM D3350-00

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or discontinued.
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Designation: D 3350 – 00
Standard Specification for
Polyethylene Plastics Pipe and Fittings Materials
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D 3350; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope * and Reinforced Plastics and Electrical Insulating Materi-
als
1.1 This specification covers the identification of polyeth-
D 792 Test Methods for Density and Specific Gravity (Rela-
ylene plastic pipe and fittings materials according to a cell
tive Density) of Plastics by Displacement
classification system. It is not the function of this specification
D 883 Terminology Relating to Plastics
to provide specific engineering data for design purposes, to
D 1238 Test Method for Flow Rates of Thermoplastics by
specify manufacturing tolerances, or to determine suitability
Extrusion Plastometer
for use for a specific application.
D 1248 Specification for Polyethylene Plastics Extrusion
1.2 Polyethylene plastic materials, being thermoplastic, are
Materials for Wire and Cable
reprocessable and recyclable (Note 2). This specification al-
D 1505 Test Method for Density of Plastics by the Density-
lows for the use of those polyethylene materials, provided that
Gradient Technique
all specific requirements of this specification are met.
D 1603 Test Method for Carbon Black in Olefin Plastics
NOTE 1—The notes in this specification are for information only and
D 1693 Test Method for Environmental Stress-Cracking of
shall not be considered part of this specification.
Ethylene Plastics
NOTE 2—See Guide D 5033 for information and definitions related to
D 1898 Practice for Sampling of Plastics
recycled plastics.
D 1928 Practice for Preparation of Compression-Molded
1.3 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the
Polyethylene Test Sheets and Test Specimens
standard.
D 2837 Test Method for Obtaining Hydrostatic Design
1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the
Basis for Thermoplastic Pipe Materials
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
D 3892 Practice for Packaging/Packing of Plastics
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
D 4976 Specification for Polyethylene Plastics Molding and
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica- 5
Extrusion Materials
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
D 5033 Guide for the Development of Standards Relating to
the Proper Use of Recycled Plastics
NOTE 3—There is no similar or equivalent ISO standard.
F 1473 Test Method for Notch Tensile Test to Measure the
1.5 For information regarding Molding and Extrusion Ma-
Resistance to Slow Crack Growth of Polyethylene Pipes
terials see D 4976 Specification for Polyethylene Plastics
and Resins
Molding and Extrusion Materials. For information regarding
Wire and Cable Materials see D 1248 Specification for Poly-
3. Terminology
ethylene Plastics Extrusion Materials for Wire and Cable.
3.1 Definitions—Terms as described in Terminology D 883
shall apply in this specification.
2. Referenced Documents
3.1.1 polyethylene plastics—as defined by this specification,
2.1 ASTM Standards:
2 plastics or resins prepared by the polymerization of no less than
D 618 Practice for Conditioning Plastics for Testing
85 % ethylene and no less than 95 % of total olefins with
D 638 M/[Metric] Test Method for Tensile Properties of
2 additional compounding ingredients.
Plastics
3.2 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:
D 746 Test Method for Brittleness Temperature of Plastics
2 3.2.1 materials—polyethylene (PE) resins with the added
and Elastomers by Impact
compounding ingredients.
D 790 Test Methods for Flexural Properties of Unreinforced
3.2.2 PE compounds—has the same meaning as PE plastics
materials, compounds, and plastics.
3.3 Historical usage and user group conventions have re-
This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D20 on sulted in inconsistent terminology used to categorize and
Plastics and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D20.15 on Thermoplastic
Materials.
Current edition approved Nov. 10, 2000. Published January 2001. Originally Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 08.04.
published as D 3350 – 74. Last previous edition D 3350 – 99. Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 08.02.
2 5
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 08.01. Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 08.03.
*A Summary of Changes section appears at the end of this standard.
Copyright © ASTM, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
D 3350
describe polyethylene resins and compounds. The following classified according to density, melt index, flexural modulus
terminology is in use in ASTM specifications pertaining to tensile strength at yield, environmental stress-crack resistance,
polyethylene:
and the hydrostatic design basis at 23°C in Table 1.
3.3.1 Specification D 1248:
NOTE 4—It has been a long-standing practice to use the following terms
3.3.1.1 Type (0, I, II, III, IV) = density ranges (same,
in describing polyethylene plastics:
respectively, as Class in Specification D 4976).
Type I (0.910 to 0.925) = Low Density
3.3.1.2 Class (A, B, C, D) = composition and use.
Type II (0.926 to 0.940) = Medium Density
3.3.1.3 Category (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) = melt index ranges (same as
Type III (0.941 to 0.965) = High Density
Grade in Specification D 4976).
NOTE 5—The manner in which materials are identified in the cell
3.3.1.4 Grade (E, J, D, or W followed by one or two digits)
classification is illustrated for Class PE233424B as follows (refer also to
= specific requirements from tables.
Table 1 and 6.2):
3.3.2 Specification D 3350:
3.3.2.1 Type (I, II, III) = density ranges (same as Types I, II,
and III in Specification D 1248 and Classes 1, 2, and 3 in
Specification D 4976).
3.3.2.2 Class = a line callout system consisting of “PE”
followed by six cell numbers from Table 1 plus a letter (A, B,
C, D, E) denoting color and UV stabilizer.
3.3.2.3 Grade = simplified line callout system using “PE”
followed by density and slow crack growth cell numbers from
Table 1.
3.3.3 Specification D 4976:
3.3.3.1 Group (1, 2) = branched or linear polyethylene.
3.3.3.2 Class (5, 1, 2, 3, 4) = density ranges (same,
respectively, as Type in Specification D 1248).
3.3.3.3 Grade (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) = melt index ranges (same as
Category in Specification D 1248). 4.2 Materials used in polyethylene plastic pipe and fittings
shall use a cell-type format for the identification, close char-
4. Classification
acterization, and specification of material properties. The
4.1 Polyethylene plastic pipe and fittings compounds are
TABLE 1 Primary Properties—Cell Classification Limits
Property Test Method 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
1 Density, g/cm D 1505 Unspecified 0.925 or >0.925 – >0.940 – >0.955 . . . . . . specify value
lower 0.940 0.955
A
2 Melt index D 1238 Unspecified >1.0 1.0 to 0.4 <0.4 to 0.15 <0.15 specify value
3 Flexural modulus, MPa D 790 Unspecified <138 138 – <276 276 – <552 552 – <758 758 – <1103 >1103 specify value
(psi) (<20 000) (20 000 to (40 000 to (80 000 to (110 000) to (>160 000)
<40 000) 80 000) 110 000) <160 000)
4 Tensile strength at yield, D 638 Unspecified <15 15 – <18 18 – <21 21 – <24 24 – <28 >28 specify value
MPa (psi) (<2200) (2200– (2600– (3000– (3500– (>4000)
<2600) <3000) <3500) <4000)
5 Slow Crack Growth
Resistance
I. ESCR D 1693 Unspecified
a. Test condition A B C C . . . . . . specify value
(100% Igepal.)
b. Test duration, h 48 24 192 600
c. Failure, max, % Unspecified 50 50 20 20 specify value
II. PENT (hours) F 1473
Molded plaque, 0.1 1 3 10 30 100
80°C, 2.4 MPa
Notch depth, F 1473, Unspecified specify value
Table 1
B
6 Hydrostatic design D 2837 NPR 5.52 6.89 8.62 11.03 . .
basis, MPa (psi), (800) (1000) (1250) (1600)
(23°C)
A
Refer to 10.1.4.1.
B
NPR = Not Pressure Rated.
D 3350
information from the format is to be used alone or in shall be 220°C when tested in accordance with 10.1.9.
combination. 6.4 Brittleness Temperature—The brittleness temperature
shall not be warmer than −60°C when tested in accordance
NOTE 6—This type format, however, is subject to possible misapplica-
with Test Method D 746.
tion since unobtainable property combinations can be selected if the user
6.5 Density—The density used to classify the material shall
is not familiar with commercially available materials. The manufacturer
should be consulted. be the density of the PE base resin (uncolored PE) determined
in accordance with 10.1.3. When the average density of any lot
4.3 Grade—A code for polyethylene pipe and fittings ma-
or shipment falls within 60.002 g/cm of the nominal value, it
terials that consists of the two letter abbreviation for polyeth-
shall be considered as conforming to the nominal value and to
ylene (PE) followed by two numbers that designate the density
all classifications based on the nominal value.
cell (Property 1) and the slow crack growth resistance cell
6.5.1 For black compounds, containing carbon black, deter-
(Property 5), as defined by either Test Method F 1473 or Test
mine the density, Dp, and calculate the resin density, Dr,as
Method D 1693, of the thermoplastic, as specified in Table 1.
follows:
For the requirements of Property 5 (slow crack growth resis-
tance), consult the materials section of the appropriate ASTM Dr5Dp20.0044C
standard specification for the end-use application.
where:
NOTE 7—Grade designations were adapted from Specification D 1248 -
C = weight percent of carbon black.
84 prior to the withdrawal of D 1248 - 84. Former Specification D 1248 -
6.5.2 For colored compounds, the nominal density of the
84 grades for PE pipe materials were P14, P23, P24, P33, and P34.
base resin shall be provided by the manufacturer, on request.
Equivalent Specification D 3350 grade designations for these materials are
6.6 Tensile Strength at Yield—The tensile strength at yield
PE11, PE20, PE23, PE30, and PE33, respectively.
used to classify the material shall be the tensile strength at yield
5. Materials and Manufacture
of the PE resin determined in accordance with 10.1.6. When
the average tensile strength at yield of any lot or shipment falls
5.1 The molding and extrusion material shall be polyethyl-
within 63.45 MPa (6500 psi) of the nominal value, it shall be
ene plastic in the form of powder, granules, or pellets.
considered as conforming to the nominal value and to all
5.2 The molding and extrusion materials shall be as uniform
classifications based on the nominal value.
in composition and size and as free of contamination as is
6.7 Elongation at Break—As tested per 10.1.6, all pressure
achieved by good manufacturing practice. If necessary, the
rated materials shall have a minimum extension at break of
level of contamination may be agreed upon between the
500 % as determined by grip separation.
manufacturer and the purchaser.
5.3 When specified, the color and translucence of molded or
7. Sampling
extruded pieces formed, under the conditions specified by the
7.1 A batch or lot shall be considered as a unit of manufac-
manufacturer of the materials, shall be comparable within
ture and shall consist of one production run or as a blend of two
commercial match tolerances to the color and translucence of
or more production runs of material.
standard samples supplied in advance by the manufacturer of
7.2 Unless otherwise agreed upon between the manufacturer
the material.
and the purchaser, the material shall be sampled in accordance
6. Physical Properties
with the procedure described in Sections 9 through 12 of
6.1 Cell Classification—Test values for specimens of the PE
Practice D 1898. Adequate statistical sampling prior to pack-
material prepared as specified in Section 9 and tested in
aging shall be considered an acceptable alternative.
accordance with Section 10 shall conform to the requirements
NOTE 8—A sample taken from finished product may not necessarily
given in Table 1. A typical property value for a PE material is
represent the original batch or lot.
to be the average value from testing numerous lots or batches
and determines the cell number (see Appendix X1). When, due 8. Number of Tests
to manufacturing tolerances and testing bias, individual lot or
8.1 The requirements identified by the material designation
batch values fall into the adjoining cell, the individual value
and otherwise specified in the purchase order shall be verified
shall not be considered acceptable unless the user, or both the
by tests made in accordance with 11.1. For routine inspection,
user and the producer, determine that the individual lot or batch
only those tests necessary to identify the material to the
is suitable for its intended purpose.
satisfaction of the purchaser shall be required. One sample
6.2 Color and Ultraviolet (UV) Stabilizer—The color and
shall be sufficient for testing each batch or lot provided that the
UV stabilization shall be indicated at the end of the cell
average values for all of the tests made on that batch or lot
classification by means of a letter designation in accordance
comply with the specified requirements.
with the following code:
9. Specimen Preparation
Code Letter Color and UV Stabilizer
A Natural
9.1 Unless otherwise specified in Section 10, the test speci-
B Colored
mens shall be molded in accordance with Procedure C of
C Black with 2 % minimum carbon black
D Natural with UV stabilizer
Practice D 1928.
E Colored with UV stabilizer
9.2 When pipe or fitting test specimens are required, they
6.3 Thermal Stability—The PE material shall contain suffi- shall be extruded or molded in accordance with the specifica-
cient antioxidant so that the minimum induction temperature tions of the material manufacturer.
D 3350
FIG. 1 Mounting Film Specimen in Cup
NOTE 9—Flow rate is the general term used for all results obtained with
10. Test Methods
Test Method D 1238. Although the flow rate of polyethylene plastics may
10.1 The properties enumerated in this specification shall be
be measured under any of the conditions listed for it under 7.2 of Test
determined in accordance with the following test methods:
Method D 1238, only measurements made at Condition 190/2.16 may be
10.1.1 Conditioning— Unless otherwise specified in the test
identified as “Melt Index.”
methods or in this specification, for those tests where condi-
10.1.5 Flexural Modulus— Test Methods D 790, using
tioning is required, condition the molded test specimens in
Method 1, Procedure B, and a 50-mm (2-in.) test span. Test five
accordance wit
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