What is ISO 8639 - Leak-tightness of GRP pipes and fittings about?
ISO 8639 is the international standard on glass-reinforced thermosetting plastics piping for pressure applications that is a highly durable material, ideally suited for a wide range of applications in various industries where very long lifetime expectancy is required.
ISO 8639 specifies test methods for flexible non-thrust resistant socket-and-spigot joints with elastomeric sealing elements for buried and above ground glass-reinforced thermosetting plastics (GRP) pipeline applications.
ISO 8639 is applicable to joints for either pressure or non-pressure applications.
These test procedures are applicable to joints for pipes and fittings of all nominal sizes. The tests are suitable for the evaluation of joints intended for applications in which the liquids are conveyed at temperatures specified in the referring standards.
The test procedures in ISO 8639 are damaging to the test piece which will not be suitable for reuse after these tests. The test procedure shall be applied for type testing purposes.
Note 1: ISO 8639 covers methods of test for the leak-tightness and resistance to damage of the joint only, when subject to specified combinations of longitudinal extension (draw), angular movement (angular deflection), compression (deformation) perpendicular to the pipe axis and internal pressure.
Note 2: The joints tested in accordance with ISO 8639 are subjected to conditions that measure their ability to function and thereby prove the design of the joint, especially for type test purposes.
Who is ISO 8639 - Leak-tightness of GRP pipes and fittings for?
ISO 8639 on plastics pipes and fittings is relevant to:
- Mechanical engineers
- Manufacturers and suppliers of plastic pipes
- Designers of plastic pipes fitting components
- Manufacturers of thermosetting polymers
- Fibre glass pipe industry
Why should you use ISO 8639 - Leak-tightness of GRP pipes and fittings?
GRP pipes are made from a composite of glass fibre and polyester resin and are an inert substance with superb corrosion resistance, chemical resistance, and weathering resistance.
ISO 8639 provides test apparatus requirements for testing GRP pipelines that include end-sealing devices, supports and restraints, vacuum pumps, pressure gauges, etc.
ISO 8639 specifies the test arrangement for the total draw, for angular deflection and draw and for deformation and draw.
ISO 8639 comprises an assembly to test the test piece of two pieces of pipe of the same nominal size and pressure class jointed by the socket/spigot, or double socket.
The preparation, number, conditioning, temperature and test procedure of the test specimen are all determined by ISO 8639 to evaluate the pressure and leak-tightness of the joint during each test of pipelines.
Moreover, ISO 8639 assist you in designing GRP pipes ensuring corrosion resistance, weather resistance, visual inspection friendliness, and durability. GRP pipes can be customized to be fire-retardant in order to reduce the possibility of the pipes themselves catching fire at the same time getting desired pressure in the system without fear of leakage due to corrosion which is the most common phenomenon in mild steel pipes.
As a result, you can create and utilise GRP pipes for commercial and industrial purposes ensuring quality, reliability and performance in the toughest environments.
What’s changed since the last update?
BS ISO 8639:2016 supersedes BS ISO 8639:2000. BS ISO 8639:2016 includes some technical changes with respect to BS ISO 8639:2000. These include:
- Changed title and scope to cover the proof of structural design of flexible joints
- Changed scope to mention that the test procedure is a destructive test
- Changed testing sequences from mandatory to suggested
- Changed wording from misalignment to deformation
- Clarified support conditions
- Additional test sequence for the proof of the structural design.
