BS ISO 4437-1:2024 - Plastics piping systems for the supply of gaseous fuels. Polyethylene (PE)

Standard No.: BS ISO 4437-1:2024
Release Date: 2024
Published By: British Standards Institution (BSI) GB / BSI
Latest: BS ISO 4437-1:2024

Introduction

Material Specifications for PE Gas Piping Systems

The BS ISO 4437-1:2024 standard defines critical requirements for polyethylene (PE) compounds used in gaseous fuel supply systems. Key material classifications include:

Material Type	MRS (MPa)	Design Stress (MPa)	Color Code
PE 80	8	≤4.0	Yellow
PE 100	10	≤5.0	Orange/Black
PE 100-RC	10	≤5.0	Orange/Black

Enhanced PE100-RC Material Performance

The 2024 revision introduces PE100-RC materials with superior resistance to slow crack growth (SCG). Key advancements include:

Strain Hardening Modulus: Minimum ≥53.0 MPa (ISO 18488)
Cracked Round Bar Test: ≥1.5×10⁶ cycles at 12.5 MPa stress (ISO 18489)
Accelerated FNCT: ≥550h at 4MPa or ≥300h at 5MPa (ISO 16770)

These enhancements enable trenchless installation methods and extended service life in demanding conditions.

Critical Testing Protocols

Rapid Crack Propagation (RCP) Resistance

Mandatory testing per ISO 13477 (S4 test) requires:

Test pressure (p_c) ≥1.5×MOP
250mm SDR11 pipe at 0°C
Critical pressure calculation: p_c = 3.6p_c,s4 + 2.6

Fusion Compatibility Verification

Butt fusion joints must demonstrate:

Ductile failure mode (ISO 13953)
MFR compatibility within ±20% of nominal value
Special validation for low-MFR (0.15-0.20 g/10min) compounds

Implementation Considerations

The standard mandates:

Design coefficient (C): Minimum 2.0 for natural gas (increased to 2.2 for LPG)
Operating conditions: -20°C to 40°C with derating above 20°C
Compound changes: Require requalification per CEN/TS 1555-7

Annex A provides specific guidance for PE100-RC applications in horizontal directional drilling and pipe bursting installations.

BS ISO 4437-1:2024 Referenced Document

EN 12099 Plastics piping systems - Polyethylene piping materials and components - Determination of volatile content
ISO 1043-1 Plastics — Symbols and abbreviated terms — Part 1: Basic polymers and their special characteristics AMENDMENT 1: New symbol ST for syndiotactic
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 11357-6 Plastics - Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) - Part 6: Determination of oxidation induction time (isothermal OIT) and oxidation induction temperature (dynamic OIT)*， 2025-06-01 Update
ISO 11413:2019 Plastics pipes and fittings — Preparation of test piece assemblies between a polyethylene (PE) pipe and an electrofusion fitting
ISO 11414:2009 Plastics pipes and fittings - Preparation of polyethylene (PE) pipe/pipe or pipe/fitting test piece assemblies by butt fusion
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 1183-1 Plastics — Methods for determining the density of non-cellular plastics — Part 1: Immersion method, liquid pycnometer method and titration method*， 2025-06-19 Update
ISO 1183-2 Plastics — Methods for determining the density of non-cellular plastics — Part 2: Density gradient column method*， 2026-03-26 Update
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 13479:2022 Polyolefin pipes for the conveyance of fluids — Determination of resistance to crack propagation — Test method for slow crack growth on notched pipes
ISO 13953 Polyethylene (PE) pipes and fittings — Determination of the tensile strength and failure mode of test pieces from a butt-fused joint — Amendment 1
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*， 2025-11-19 Update
ISO 15512 Plastics — Determination of water content
ISO 16770 Plastics — Determination of environmental stress cracking (ESC) of polyethylene — Full-notch creep test (FNCT)
ISO 16871 Plastics piping and ducting systems - Plastics pipes and fittings - Method for exposure to direct (natural) weathering
ISO 18488 Polyethylene (PE) materials for piping systems — Determination of strain hardening modulus in relation to slow crack growth — Test method*， 2025-10-14 Update
ISO 18489 Polyethylene (PE) materials for piping systems — Determination of resistance to slow crack growth under cyclic loading — Cracked Round Bar test method
ISO 18553 Method for the assessment of the degree of pigment or carbon black dispersion in polyolefin pipes, fittings and compounds*， 2025-03-18 Update
ISO 4437-2:2024 Plastics piping systems for the supply of gaseous fuels
ISO 4437-3:2024 Plastics piping systems for the supply of gaseous fuels
ISO 4437-4 Plastics piping systems for the supply of gaseous fuels - Polyethylene (PE) - Part 4: Valves
ISO 472 Plastics — Vocabulary — Amendment 1: Additional items
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

BS ISO 4437-1:2024 history

2024 BS ISO 4437-1:2024 Plastics piping systems for the supply of gaseous fuels. Polyethylene (PE) - General
2014 BS ISO 4437-2:2014 Plastics piping systems for the supply of gaseous fuels. Polyethylene (PE). Pipes
2007 BS ISO 4437:2007 Buried polyethylene (PE) pipes for the supply of gaseous fuels. Metric series. Specifications
2007 BS ISO 8085-3:2001 Polyethylene fittings for use with polyethylene pipes for the supply of gaseous fuels. Metric series. Specifications-Electrofusion fittings

Plastics piping systems for the supply of gaseous fuels. Polyethylene (PE) - General

BS ISO 4437-1:2024Plastics piping systems for the supply of gaseous fuels. Polyethylene (PE) - General