ASTM standard for HDPE conduit updated

Irving, Texas — The Plastics Pipe Institute, Inc. (PPI) commented on the updating of ASTM F2160 standard saying that, among other changes, the scope of the standard has now been expanded to include more SDR sizes and applications of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) conduit.  It is now available at the ASTM website — www.astm.org. PPI is a North American trade association representing all segments of the plastic pipe industry.

ASTM F2160 Standard Specification for Solid Wall High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) Conduit Based on Controlled Outside Diameter (OD) is applicable to coilable HDPE conduit, duct and innerduct for the protection of fiber optic and power cables.  It applies to HDPE conduit in IPS types SDR 9, SDR 11, SDR 13.5, DR 15.5, Schedule 40, Schedule 80, “True-sized” and SIDR dimensions.  Typical applications include telecom, highway lighting, Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition Systems (SCADA) command and control, Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) and underground utilities, including wind power and solar energy farms.

“This is a significant update to the controlling ASTM standard used for HDPE conduit,” stated Lance MacNevin, P. Eng., director of engineering for the Power and Communications Division (PCD) of PPI explained.  “Originally published in 2001, the effort to make these December 2016 revisions to F2160 was led by PPI’s Power & Communications Division.  This resulted in significant improvements to the standard such as the addition of SDR sizes and new applications, eleven dimensional tables are now consolidated into four for ease of use, the cell classification descriptions now harmonized with ASTM D3350, improved slow crack growth resistance (ESCR) is required and there is also the addition of pipe stiffness, compression and recovery requirements.”

According to PPI, the use of conduit and especially cable in conduit is growing.  Its data shows that sales of HDPE underground cable increased in 2016 due to more fiber optic networks, additional utilities putting power lines underground and the increase in solar and wind farms.

“Today’s conduit must be able to stand up to aggressive installation methods such as horizontal directional drilling (HDD) and provide years of underground life,” MacNevin explained.  “Working with ASTM is one part of our division’s goal to establish consistent, high-quality performance of polyethylene pipe for all these growing conduit applications.”

Additional information can be found at the PPI website, www.plasticpipe.org and in the PPI publication, TN-50 Guide to Specifying HDPE Conduit, which is available at https://plasticpipe.org/pdf/tn-50-guide-to-specifying-hdpe-conduit.pdf.