PE 100+ Association qualifies PE 100-RC+ (Resistant to Crack) materials

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PE 100-RC+ materials have become an essential and well established sub-family of PE 100 compounds. They have a higher stress crack resistance and hence less risk of failure due to damage during installation or due to point loads after installation. This in turn has facilitated the greater use of trenchless technology installation methods, which have a reduced environmental impact.

In order to classify and monitor the performance of these PE 100-RC+ compounds the pipe industry, with the support of the PE 100+ Association, has identified four test methods that thoroughly describe the performance of these materials with regards to their stress crack resistance

Strain Hardening test according to ISO 18488
Cracked Round Bar test according to ISO 18489
Accelerated Notched Pipe Test - ANPT - following ISO 13479, using currently a 2%Nonyl-Phenyl-Ethoxylate solution
Accelerated Full Notched Creep Test – AFNCT – using a 6,67 % solution of a Lauramine-Oxide

All of the above tests have been additionally implemented in the recently revised European standard EN 1555 for gaseous fuels published in 2021. Implementation of similar requirements is in progress in EN 12201 for water applications. Furthermore, these tests will be taken up in the corresponding ISO standards ISO 4437 and ISO 4427, when these are updated.

In order to ensure the high quality level of PE 100+ materials, the PE 100+ Association has established an extra quality list for the PE 100-RC compounds.

In order to get a PE 100-RC candidate material listed the requirements summarized in Table 1 must be fulfilled. For PE 100-RC materials that are already listed as PE 100, the pressure test and RCP test, do not have to be executed again for the initial listing. Moreover, for these types of material the standard Notched Pipe Test in water is replaced by the Accelerated Notched Pipe Test.

Table 1 – Summary of requirements for candidate PE 100-RC+ materials

Property	Test method	Requirement	Test method
Creep Rupture Strength	Pressure test at 20 °C and 12,0 MPa	≥ 200 h	ISO 1167
Resistance to Rapid Crack Propagation	Pc S4 at 0 °C	≥ 10 bar	ISO 13477

Stress Crack resistance	Accelerated Notch Pipe test ANPT in 2% Nonyl-Phenol-Ethoxylate solution¹⁾ 80 °C – 9,2 bar	≥ 300 h	ISO 13479
Stress Crack resistance	Cracked Round Bar Test CRB	≥ 1,5 x 10⁶ cycles	ISO 18489
Stress Crack resistance	Accelerated FNCT test (AFNCT) In 2% Lauramine-Oxide solution 90 °C – 4,0 MPa alternatively 90 °C – 5,0 MPa	≥ 550 h ≥ 300 h	ISO 16770
Stress Crack resistance	Strain Hardening Test (SH) from regrinded pipe	≥ 50,0 MPa	ISO 18488

Currently the test is carried out in a 2% Nonyl-Phenol Ethoxylate solution (e.g. Arkopal®N100). It is expected to carry out the test in 2% Lauramine-Oxide solution (e.g. Dehyton PL®) as from 2024 with new specification.

Like for the standard PE 100 materials listing, PE 100-RC candidate has to pass the tests successfully two times in a row for initial listing and must pass the tests of the consecutive annual test rounds as provided in the Table 2 hereunder.

Table 2 – Initial qualification and annual check test programs for PE 100-RC materials

Test method	Test method	Initial qualification	Annual check	Specimens
Pressure test 20 °C – 12,0 MPa	ISO 1167	2 successful test rounds in a row	1/year	Pipe 110 mm SDR 11
RCP Test PcS4 at 0 °C	ISO 13477	2 successful test rounds in a row	1/year	Pipe 110 mm SDR 11

Accelerated Notch Pipe test ANPT ¹⁾	ISO 13479	2 successful test rounds in a row	1/year	Pipe 110 mm SDR 11
Cracked Round Bar Test CRB	ISO 18489	2 successful test rounds in a row	-	Granules
Accelerated FNCT test (AFNCT)	ISO 16770	2 successful test rounds in a row	-	Granules
Strain Hardening Test (SH) from regrinded pipe	ISO 18488	2 successful test rounds in a row	1/year	Regrind Pipe 110 mm SDR 11

Currently the test is carried out in a 2% Nonyl-Phenol Ethoxylate solution (e.g. Arkopal®N100). It is expected to carry out the test in 2% Lauramine-Oxide solution (e.g. Dehyton PL®) as from 2024 with new specification.

In this respect, PE 100+ uncompromisingly follows the strict quality and listing rules that have been established for PE 100+ compounds.

2024 PE100-RC+ Quality Materials list

Last update Wednesday 13 November 2024

PE 100+ Association qualifies PE 100-RC+ (Resistant to Crack) materials

Table 1 – Summary of requirements for candidate PE 100-RC+ materials

Table 2 – Initial qualification and annual check test programs for PE 100-RC materials

Members of the Association