ASTM F3535-21 PDF

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE 5.1 If required by the authority having jurisdiction, pressurized gaseous testing media leak testing is conducted after installation to discover and correct or repair leaks or faults in a newly constructed or modified PA12 pressure piping system before placing the system in service. Leakage or faults most commonly occur at connections, joints, and mechanical seals where sealing under pressure is required. 5.2 Safety is of paramount importance when conducting pressurized gaseous testing media leak tests because testing results include no leaks, leaks, sudden violent rupture, or catastrophic failure. 5.3 Systems that contain lower pressure rated or non-pressure rated components that cannot be isolated or removed from exposure to test pressure, or where temporary caps or closures are not practical, are not suitable for testing in accordance with this practice. 5.4 Leakage Allowance—Leakage is not allowed for butt and electrofusion joints, and restrained gas-tight mechanical joints. See 7.6. Contact the joint, connection or component manufacturer for leakage correction information if leakage occurs at a joint, connection or component having a mechanical seal. 5.5 Poisson-Effect Expansion and Contraction—When test pressure is applied to plastic piping systems that have fully restrained joints such as heat fusion, electrofusion, bolted flanges, etc., either reduction of overall pipe length or an increase in longitudinal stress results from diametrical expansion of the pipe. Disjoining (pull-out) of partially restrained or non-restrained connections or joints, such as some in-line mechanical connectors having insufficient resistance to pull-out stress or length reduction, is possible when partially restrained or unrestrained joints are in-line with the fully restrained test section. To prevent Poisson-effect disjoining of partially restrained or non-restrained joints take measures such as installing external joint restraints (diametrical clamps and tie-rods) on... SCOPE 1.1 This practice provides information on apparatus, safety, pre-test preparation, and procedures for conducting field tests of polyamide-12 (PA12) pressure piping systems after installation using gaseous testing media such as un-odorized inert non-toxic gas or air, and applying pressure to determine if leaks exist in the system (pneumatic leak testing). This practice applies only to testing to discover leakage. Testing for other purposes such as testing to establish operating pressure is beyond the scope of this practice. 1.2 Leak testing with pressurized gaseous testing media shall be used only if one or both of the following conditions exists: 1.2.1 The piping system is so designed that it cannot be filled with a liquid, or 1.2.2 The piping system service cannot tolerate traces of liquid testing media. 1.3 Where hydrostatic testing is specified in contract documents or by the authority having jurisdiction, testing using pressurized gaseous testing media (pneumatic) testing shall not be substituted without the express consent and authorization of the authority having jurisdiction. 1.4 Some manufacturers prohibit or restrict testing of their products with pressurized gaseous testing media. Contact component manufacturers for information. Where the manufacturer of a test section component prohibits or restricts testing with pressurized gaseous testing media testing in accordance with this practice shall not be used without the express consent and authorization of the authority having jurisdiction and the component manufacturer. Note 1: Components that are not suitable for testing with gaseous testing media may not be suitable for service with pressurized gas. 1.5 This practice does not address leak testing using pressurized liquids (hydrostatic testing). For field leak testing using pressurized liquids, consult the manufacturer for guidance. 1.6 This practice does not apply to leak testing of non-p...