ASTM F2786-16
Standard Practice for Field Leak Testing of Polyethylene (PE) Pressure Piping Systems Using Gaseous Testing Media Under Pressure (Pneumatic Leak Testing)

Standard No.

ASTM F2786-16

Release Date

2016

Published By

American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)

Status

Be replaced

Replace By

ASTM F2786-16(2021)

Latest

ASTM F2786-16(2021)

Scope

5.1 If required by the authority having jurisdiction, pressurized gaseous testing media leak testing is conducted after installation to discover and correct or repair leaks or faults in a newly constructed or modified polyethylene pressure piping system before placing the system in service. Leakage or faults usually occur at connections, joints, and mechanical seals where sealing under pressure is required.

5.2 Safety is of paramount importance when conducting pressurized gaseous testing media leak tests because testing results include no leaks, leaks, sudden violent rupture, or catastrophic failure.

5.3 Systems that contain lower pressure rated or non-pressure rated components that cannot be isolated or removed from exposure to test pressure, or where temporary caps or closures are not practical, are not suitable for testing in accordance with this practice.

5.4 Leakage Allowance—Leakage is not allowed for butt, socket and saddle fusion joints, electrofusion joints, and restrained gas-tight mechanical joints. See 7.6. Contact the joint, connection or component manufacturer for leakage correction information if leakage occurs at a joint, connection or component having a mechanical seal. See 9.8.

5.5 Poisson-Effect Expansion and Contraction—When test pressure is applied to plastic piping systems that have fully restrained joints such as heat fusion, electrofusion, bolted flanges, etc., either reduction of overall pipe length or an increase in longitudinal stress results from diametrical expansion of the pipe. Disjoining (pull-out) of partially restrained or non-restrained connections or joints such as bell-and-spigot joints having insufficient resistance to pull-out stress or length reduction is possible when partially restrained or unrestrained joints are in-line with the fully restrained test section. To prevent Poisson-effect disjoining of partially restrained or non-restrained joints take measures such as installing external joint restraints (diametrical clamps and tie-rods) on in-line partially restrained or non-restrained joints, installing in-line thrust anchors at the ends of fully restrained piping sections to prevent end movement of the fully restrained section, or isolating a fully restrained test section from piping with unrestrained or partially restrained joints.

Note 3: A tensile stress applied to a material will cause elongation in the direction of the applied stress, and will cause a decrease in dimension at right angles to the direction of the applied stress. The ratio of decrease to elongation is the Poisson ratio. Under test pressure, piping materials will expand slightly in diameter and contract in length slightly according to the Poisson ratio of the material.

1.1 This practice provides information on apparatus, safety, pre-test preparation and procedures for conducting field tests of polyethylene pressure piping systems after installation using gaseous testing media such as unodorized inert non-toxic gas or air, and applying pressure to determine if leaks exist in the system (pneumat......

ASTM F2786-16 Referenced Document

• ASTM D1600 Standard Terminology for Abbreviated Terms Relating to Plastics
• ASTM F1417 Standard Test Method for Installation Acceptance of Plastic Gravity Sewer Lines Using Low-Pressure Air
• ASTM F2164 Standard Practice for Field Leak Testing of Polyethylene (PE) and Crosslinked Polyethylene (PEX) Pressure Piping Systems Using Hydrostatic Pressure
• ASTM F412 Standard Terminology Relating to Plastic Piping Systems

ASTM F2786-16 history

• 2021 ASTM F2786-16(2021) Standard Practice for Field Leak Testing of Polyethylene (PE) Pressure Piping Systems Using Gaseous Testing Media Under Pressure (Pneumatic Leak Testing)
• 2016 ASTM F2786-16 Standard Practice for Field Leak Testing of Polyethylene (PE) Pressure Piping Systems Using Gaseous Testing Media Under Pressure (Pneumatic Leak Testing)
• 2010 ASTM F2786-10 Standard Practice for Field Leak Testing of Polyethylene (PE) Pressure Piping Systems Using Gaseous Media Under Pressure (Pneumatic Leak Testing)