This document specifies requirements and test methods for pipes and fittings which are part of piping systems for the rehabilitation, by means of renovation and trenchless replacement, of underground gas supply networks.

It is applicable to polyethylene (PE) pipes, fittings and assemblies, as manufactured and as installed. It is not applicable to the existing pipeline.

This document is applicable to the following technique families for renovation, intended to be used at an operating temperature of 20 °C as a reference temperature:

• lining with continuous pipes;
• lining with close-fit pipes.

This document is applicable to the following technique families for trenchless replacement, intended to be used at an operating temperature of 20 °C as a reference temperature:

• pipe bursting and pipe extraction;
• horizontal directional drilling and impact moling.

This document is applicable to:

• PE solid wall single layered pipes (nominal outside diameter, dn), including any identification stripes;
• PE pipes with co-extruded layers on either or both the outside and inside of the pipe (total outside diameter, dn), as specified in Annex D, where all layers have the same minimum required strength (MRS) rating.

Furthermore, when used with lining with continuous pipes and trenchless replacement, this document is applicable to:

• PE coated pipes (outside diameter, dn) having a peelable, contiguous, thermoplastics additional layer on the outside of the pipe (“coated pipe”), as specified in Annex D.

NOTE            When used with lining with close-fit lining pipes, the lining pipe is reduced in the factory or on site to provide a close-fitting independent or interactive pressure pipe liner.

This document is applicable to jointing by means of butt fusion and electrofusion and to fabricated and injection-moulded fittings and mechanical connections of PE.

This document is not applicable to push-fit jointed discrete pipes assembled as part of the trenchless installation process.