ASTM F2164-02

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An American National Standard
Designation:F2164–02
Standard Practice for
Field Leak Testing of Polyethylene (PE) Pressure Piping
Systems Using Hydrostatic Pressure
This standard is issued under the fixed designation F 2164; 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 2.2 Other Documents:
PPI TR-4-PPI Listing of Hydrostatic Design Basis (HDB),
1.1 This practice provides information on apparatus, safety,
Pressure Design Bases (PDB) and Minimum Required
pre-test preparation, and procedures for conducting field tests
Strength (MRS) Ratings for Thermoplastic Piping Mate-
of polyethylene pressure piping systems by filling with a liquid
rials
and applying pressure to determine if leaks exist in the system.
1.2 This practice does not address leak testing using a
3. Terminology
pressurized gas (pneumatic testing). For safety reasons, some
3.1 Abbreviations and terms are in accordance with Termi-
manufacturers prohibit or restrict pneumatic pressure testing of
nology D 1600 and Terminology F 412 unless otherwise indi-
their products. Failure during a pressure leak test can be
cated.
explosive, violent, and dangerous, especially if a compressed
3.2 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:
gas is used. In a compressed gas test, both the pressure stress
3.2.1 authority having jurisdiction, n—the organization,
on the system and the energy used to compress the gas are
office, or individual responsible for “approving” equipment
released at a failure. Contact component manufacturers for
and installation, or a procedure.
information about testing with gas under pressure.
3.2.1.1 Discussion—The term “authority having jurisdic-
1.3 This practice does not apply to leak testing of non-
tion” is used in this practice in a broad manner since jurisdic-
pressure, gravity-flow, negative pressure (vacuum), or non-
tions and “approval” agencies vary, as do their responsibilities.
thermoplastic piping systems. For field-testing of plastic grav-
Where public safety is concerned, the “authority having
ity flow sewer lines, see Test Method F 1417.
jurisdiction” may be a federal, state, local, or other regional
1.4 Values and information in parentheses are for informa-
department or individual such as a Fire Chief, Fire Marshall,
tional purposes only.
chief of a fire prevention bureau, labor department, building
1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of the
official, or others having statutory authority. For insurance
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
purposes,aninsuranceinspectiondepartment,ratingbureau,or
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
other insurance company representative may be the “authority
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
having jurisdiction.” In many circumstances, the property
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use. Additional safety
owner or his authorized engineer or agent assumes the role of
information is presented in Section 7 and throughout this
the“authorityhavingjurisdiction”;atgovernmentinstallations,
standard.
the commanding officer or departmental official may be the
2. Referenced Documents “authority having jurisdiction.”
3.2.2 approved, vt—acceptable to the authority having ju-
2.1 ASTM Standards:
risdiction.
D 1600 Terminology for Abbreviated Terms Relating to
3.2.3 pressure piping system, n—a piping system where all
Plastics
components in the system are pressure rated and intended for
F 412 Terminology Relating to Plastic Piping Systems
conveying a fluid under continuous internal pressure. (See also
F 1417 Test Method for Installation Acceptance of Plastic
Terminology F 412, pressure pipe and non-pressure pipe.) To
Gravity Sewer Lines Using Low-Pressure Air
verify suitability for pressure service, consult the component
manufacturer.
This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee F17 on Plastic
NOTE 1—PPI TR-4 provides information about stress ratings for some
Piping Systems and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee F17.40 on Test
Methods.
Current edition approved Jan. 10, 2002. Published April 2002.
2 4
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 08.01. Plastic Pipe Institute (PPI), 1825 ConnecticutAve. NW, Suite 680,Washington,
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 08.04 DC 20009.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
F2164–02
plastic materials and products.
5.3 Systems that are not suitable for pressure testing should
not be pressure tested. Such systems may contain lower
3.2.4 restraint, n—temporary or permanent structural mea-
pressure rated or non-pressure rated components that cannot be
sures or devices which restrict, guide, prevent, or safely limit
isolated from test pressure, or temporary caps or closures may
disjoining or movement of piping system components while
not be practical. In these systems, leak inspections should be
the system is under pressure during testing or service condi-
conducted during and after installation. Inspections typically
tions. Restraint may include backfill, anchors, thrust blocks,
include visual examination of joint appearance, mechanical
external clamps and tie rods (joint restraints), pipe guides, and
checks of bolt or joint tightness, and other relevant examina-
so forth. Restraint means that if violent separation or failure
tions. See also Test Method F 1417.
occursduringthetest,anymovementofcomponentsorpartsis
5.4 Leakage Allowance—There is no leakage allowance for
sufficiently constrained such that damage or injury is pre-
a section of heat-fusion joined polyethylene piping, because
vented.
properly made heat fusion joints do not leak. See 7.6.1.
3.2.5 system design pressure, n—the limiting continuous
internal pressure specified by the piping system designer. 5.4.1 Other types of joints or connections in the system may
Systemdesignpressuremaybelessthanthepressureratingsof have a leakage allowance. Contact the joint or connection
components in the system. System design pressure may be
manufacturer for information.
limited by component pressure ratings, by code or application
5.5 Expansion Allowance—When test pressure is applied,
requirements, or by other restrictions.
polyethylene pipe will expand slightly due to elasticity and
3.2.6 visible leakage, n—the visible escape (drip, spray,
Poisson effects. To compensate for expansion, make-up water
stream, flow, and so forth.) of test liquid from the test section
is added during the initial expansion phase. The amount of
through components, joints, connections, appurtenances, and
make-up water (expansion allowance) will vary because ex-
the like in the test section.
pansion is not linear. This procedure compensates for expan-
sion with an initial expansion phase, followed by a test phase.
4. Summary of Practice
In the test phase, expansion is suspended by slightly reducing
4.1 The section of the piping system to be tested is isolated
test pressure. See 9.6.
fromotherpartsofthesystemandrestrainedagainstmovement
5.6 Poisson Effect—When test pressure is applied to plastic
to prevent catastrophic failure. Components that are not to be
piping systems that have fully restrained joints (joints such as
subjected to test pressure or could be damaged by test pressure
heat fusion, electrofusion, bolted flanges, and so forth.),
are isolated or removed as necessary. Isolated components are
diametricalexpansionofthepipemayreducetheoveralllength
vented to atmosphere. The test section is filled with the testing
of the fully restrained section. Poisson-effect length reduction
liquid, raised to the test pressure, and allowed to stabilize. The
may affect or cause disjoining in other contiguous sections that
system is inspected or monitored for leakage, and then test
have partially restrained or non-restrained joints, such as
pressureisrelieved.Ifrepairsorcorrectionsarenecessary,they
bell-and-spigot joints, when such joints are in-line with the test
are performed only when the test section is depressurized. If
section. To prevent Poisson-effect disjoining, take measures
necessary, a retest is performed after a relaxation period.At the
such as the installation of external joint restraints (diametrical
conclusion of an acceptable test, the test section may be placed
clamps and tie-rods) on in-line non-restrained joints, installing
in service. Purging and disposal of the test liquid from the test
in-line thrust anchors at the ends of the fully restrained section,
section may be necessary.
or isolating the fully restrained test section from piping with
4.2 Acceptance is determined by the approval of the author-
non-restrained or partially restrained joints.
ity having jurisdiction.
4.3 The authority having jurisdiction may specify proce- NOTE 2—When a tensile stress is applied to a material, it will elongate
in the direction of the applied stress, and will decrease in dimension at
dures or requirements for test liquid disposal or erosion
right angles to the direction of the applied stress. The ratio of decrease to
control.
elongation is the Poisson ratio. Under test pressure, piping materials will
expandslightlyindiameterandcontractinlengthslightlyaccordingtothe
5. Significance and Use
Poisson ratio of the material.
5.1 If required by the authority having jurisdiction, hydro-
static pressure leak testing may be conducted to discover and
6. Apparatus and Equipment for Hydrostatic Procedures
correct leaks or faults in a newly constructed or modified
6.1 General—Components such as caps, valves, blind
polyethylene pressure piping system before placing the system
flanges, manual or automatic air release devices, vents, and
in service. Leakage or faults usually occur at connections,
other devices that are used to isolate the test section from other
joints, and mechanical seals where sealing under pressure is
parts of the system, to purge air from the system, and to isolate
required. (Warning—Safety is of paramount importance when
components that are not to be subjected to test pressure are
conducting hydrostatic pressure leak tests because testing
generally needed.
under pressure may cause sudden violent rupture or failure.)
6.1.1 Test section isolation and closure components are to
5.2 This practice uses a pressurized liquid to test for leaks.
be rated for pressures equal to or greater than the test pressure
It does not verify if a piping material or a piping system design
applied to the test section.
is suitable for pressure service. The suitability of a piping
system for pressure service and its pressure rating or operating 6.1.2 Although section isolation and closure components
pressure is determined solely by its design and its installed mayonlybeconnectedtothetestsectionforthedurationofthe
components. test, the joint between the test section and a closure or isolation
F2164–02
component should be at least as strong as joints in the test 6.4.1 Locate the test pressure gage or sensor to monitor test
section. Additional restraint may be required. pressure at the lowest point in the test section. Pressure may be
monitored at other points in the test section as well.
6.1.3 Air release devices should be located at all high points
along the test section.
NOTE 3—Test pressure is a combination of pump pressure and the
6.1.4 Excessivelywornordeterioratedequipmentisunsuit- height (head) of liquid in the pipeline. Therefore, test pressure is always
monitored at the lowest elevation point in the section where pressure is
able and is not to be used.
highest. Test pressure will be lower at higher points in the section. If a
6.2 Test Liquid—An adequate supply of a safe test liquid,
minimum test pressure at higher elevations must also be met, select test
such as water, is necessary. The test liquid should be of
sections so that the minimum test pressure is met at the higher elevation,
appropriate safety and quality so that the environment, system,
but do not increase test pressure at the lowest point. Excessive test
pressure can cause damage or pipeline failure.
test equipment, and disposal (if necessary) are not adversely
affected.
6.5 Other equipment to connect the pump(s) to the test
6.2.1 Where an existing water supply is used to supply test
sectionandthetestliquidsupply,controltheflowoftestliquid,
water, protect the existing water supply from backflow con-
powerthepump(s),connectthepressuregage(s)orsensor(s)to
tamination in accordance with local codes or as required by the
the test section, monitor pressure, and drain or purge the test
authority having jurisdiction. Remove backflow protection and
liquid from the test section may also be necessary.
isolate the test section from the existing water supply before
testing. 7. Specific Safety Precautions
6.2.2 To estimate the quantity of test liquid needed to
7.1 This specific safety information is in addition to the
conduct the test, estimate the quantity of liquid needed to fill
safety information in other sections of this practice.
the test section, then add an appropriate excess quantity to
7.2 Always take precautions to eliminate hazards to persons
account for pipe expansion and the possibility or leakage or
nearlinesbeingtested.Fortheentiredurationoftheprocedure,
retesting. Up to 40 % additional test liquid may be needed to
including filling, initial pressurization, time at test pressure,
account for the possibility of leakage or retesting.
and depressurization, only persons conducting the test or
6.2.3 The quantity of liquid needed to fill the internal inspecting the system being tested should be allowed near the
volume of the pipe test section may be estimated using: section under test. These persons should be fully informed of
the hazards of field pressure testing. All other persons should
V 5 0.04 3 ID 3 L (1)
gal in. ft
be kept a safe distance away.
26 2
V 5 0.785 3 10 3 ID 3 L
m mm m
7.3 The test section is to be supervised at all times during
pressure testing.
where:
7.4 Failure may result in sudden, violent, uncontrolled, and
V = pipe section volume, U.S. gal,
gal
dangerousmovementofsystempiping,orcomponents,orparts
ID = pipe inside diameter, in.,
in.
of components.
L = test section length, ft,
ft
V = pipe section volume, m , 7.5 Restraint Against Movement—Take measures to ensure
m
ID = pipe inside diameter, mm, and
that all parts of the section under test are restrained against
mm
L = test section length, m.
m movement if failure occurs. Such measures may include
backfilling, an
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