ASTM D2737-21

Standard Specification for Polyethylene (PE) Plastic Tubing

ABSTRACT
This specification covers polyethylene (PE) tubing pressure-rated for water. Included here are criteria for classifying PE plastic tubing materials and PE plastic tubing, and requirements and test methods for materials, workmanship, dimensions, bond strength, carbon black, density,.sustained pressure, hydrostatic burst pressure, and environmental stress cracking. Quality-assurance-passed products shall be marked accordingly as specified.
SCOPE
1.1 This specification covers polyethylene (PE) plastic tubing in outside diameters and SDR’s that are pressure rated for water. Included are requirements for PE compounds, and requirements and test methods for PE plastic tubing workmanship, dimensions, elevated temperature sustained pressure, burst pressure and marking.  
1.2 The text of this specification references notes, footnotes, and appendixes which provide explanatory material. These notes and footnotes shall not be considered as requirements of the specification. Notes and footnotes in tables and figures, and Supplementary Requirements are requirements of the specification.  
1.3 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical conversions to SI units that are provided for information only and are not considered standard.
Note 1: Joining PE plastic tubing with fittings that require flaring the tubing is not recommended because Practice D3140, the technique used to make the flare has been withdrawn (discontinued).  
1.4 The following safety hazards caveat pertains only to the test methods portion, Section 7, of this specification:  This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.  
1.5 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

General Information

• Status: Historical
• Publication Date: 31-Jul-2021
• ICS: 23.040.20 - Plastics pipes
• Technical Committee: F17 - Plastic Piping Systems
• Drafting Committee: F17.26 - Olefin Based Pipe

Standards Content (Sample)

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information
Designation:D2737 −21 An American National Standard
Standard Specification for
1
Polyethylene (PE) Plastic Tubing
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D2737; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the U.S. Department of Defense.
1. Scope* 2. Referenced Documents
2
2.1 ASTM Standards:
1.1 This specification covers polyethylene (PE) plastic tub-
D618 Practice for Conditioning Plastics for Testing
ing in outside diameters and SDR’s that are pressure rated for
D638 Test Method for Tensile Properties of Plastics
water. Included are requirements for PE compounds, and
D1238 Test Method for Melt Flow Rates of Thermoplastics
requirements and test methods for PE plastic tubing
by Extrusion Plastometer
workmanship, dimensions, elevated temperature sustained
D1598 Test Method for Time-to-Failure of Plastic Pipe
pressure, burst pressure and marking.
Under Constant Internal Pressure
1.2 Thetextofthisspecificationreferencesnotes,footnotes,
D1599 Test Method for Resistance to Short-Time Hydraulic
and appendixes which provide explanatory material. These
Pressure of Plastic Pipe, Tubing, and Fittings
notes and footnotes shall not be considered as requirements of
D1600 Terminology forAbbreviatedTerms Relating to Plas-
the specification. Notes and footnotes in tables and figures, and
tics
Supplementary Requirements are requirements of the specifi-
D1603 Test Method for Carbon Black Content in Olefin
cation.
Plastics
D2122 Test Method for Determining Dimensions of Ther-
1.3 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded
moplastic Pipe and Fittings
as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical
D2565 Practice for Xenon-Arc Exposure of Plastics In-
conversions to SI units that are provided for information only
tended for Outdoor Applications
and are not considered standard.
D2837 Test Method for Obtaining Hydrostatic Design Basis
forThermoplasticPipeMaterialsorPressureDesignBasis
NOTE 1—Joining PE plastic tubing with fittings that require flaring the
tubing is not recommended because Practice D3140, the technique used to
for Thermoplastic Pipe Products
make the flare has been withdrawn (discontinued).
D3350 Specification for Polyethylene Plastics Pipe and Fit-
tings Materials
1.4 The following safety hazards caveat pertains only to the
D3140 Practice for Flaring Polyolefin Pipe and Tubing
test methods portion, Section 7, of this specification: This
3
(Withdrawn 1999)
standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns,
D4218 Test Method for Determination of Carbon Black
if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user
Content in Polyethylene Compounds by the Muffle-
of this standard to establish appropriate safety, health, and
Furnace Technique
environmental practices and determine the applicability of
F412 Terminology Relating to Plastic Piping Systems
regulatory limitations prior to use.
G154 Practice for Operating Fluorescent Ultraviolet (UV)
1.5 This international standard was developed in accor-
Lamp Apparatus for Exposure of Nonmetallic Materials
dance with internationally recognized principles on standard-
G155 Practice for Operating XenonArc LampApparatus for
ization established in the Decision on Principles for the
Exposure of Materials
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recom-
4
2.2 APWA Standard:
mendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical
APWA Uniform Color Code
Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
2
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
contact ASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of ASTM
1
This specification is under the jurisdiction ofASTM Committee F17 on Plastic Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
Piping Systems and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee F17.26 on Olefin the ASTM website.
3
Based Pipe. The last approved version of this historical standard is referenced on
Current edition approved Aug. 1, 2021. Published August 2021. Originally www.astm.org.
4
approved in 1968. Last previous edition approved in 2020 as D2737 – 12a(2020). Available from APWA, 1200 Main Street, Suite 1400 Kansas City, MO
DOI: 10.1520/D2737-21. 64105-2100, https://www.apwa.net/
*A Summary of Changes section appears at the end of this standard
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
1

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D2737−21
5
2.3 NSF Standards: dependent on the PE compound
...

This document is not an ASTM standard and is intended only to provide the user of an ASTM standard an indication of what changes have been made to the previous version. Because
it may not be technically possible to adequately depict all changes accurately, ASTM recommends that users consult prior editions as appropriate. In all cases only the current version
of the standard as published by ASTM is to be considered the official document.
Designation: D2737 − 12a (Reapproved 2020) D2737 − 21 An American National Standard
Standard Specification for
1
Polyethylene (PE) Plastic Tubing
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D2737; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the U.S. Department of Defense.
1. Scope*
1.1 This specification covers polyethylene (PE) plastic tubing in outside diameters and SDR’s that are pressure rated for water.
Included are requirements for PE compounds, and requirements and test methods for PE plastic tubing workmanship, dimensions,
elevated temperature sustained pressure, burst pressure and marking.
1.2 The text of this specification references notes, footnotes, and appendixes which provide explanatory material. These notes and
footnotes shall not be considered as requirements of the specification. Notes and footnotes in tables and figures, and Supplementary
Requirements are requirements of the specification.
1.3 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical
conversions to SI units that are provided for information only and are not considered standard.
NOTE 1—Joining PE plastic tubing with fittings that require flaring the tubing is not recommended because Practice D3140, the technique used to make
the flare has been withdrawn (discontinued).
NOTE 2—References and PE compound descriptions for PE2305, PE2406, PE3306, PE3406, and PE3408 have been removed due to changes in
Specification D3350 and PPI TR-3. For removed designations, refer to previous editions of Specification D2737, Specification D3350, PPI TR-3 and PPI
TR-4. The removal of these PE compounds does not affect pipelines that are in service. PE compounds and material designations resulting from changes
in Specification D3350 and PPI TR-3 are addressed in Section 5.
1.4 The following safety hazards caveat pertains only to the test methods portion, Section 7, of this specification: This standard
does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this
standard to establish appropriate safety, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory
limitations prior to use.
1.5 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization
established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued
by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
2. Referenced Documents
2
2.1 ASTM Standards:
D618 Practice for Conditioning Plastics for Testing
1
This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee F17 on Plastic Piping Systems and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee F17.26 on Olefin Based
Pipe.
Current edition approved Nov. 1, 2020Aug. 1, 2021. Published November 2020August 2021. Originally approved in 1968. Last previous edition approved in 20122020
as D2737 – 12a.D2737 – 12a(2020). DOI: 10.1520/D2737-12AR20.
2
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or contact ASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of ASTM Standards
volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on the ASTM website.
*A Summary of Changes section appears at the end of this standard
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
1

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D2737 − 21
D638 Test Method for Tensile Properties of Plastics
D1238 Test Method for Melt Flow Rates of Thermoplastics by Extrusion Plastometer
D1598 Test Method for Time-to-Failure of Plastic Pipe Under Constant Internal Pressure
D1599 Test Method for Resistance to Short-Time Hydraulic Pressure of Plastic Pipe, Tubing, and Fittings
D1600 Terminology for Abbreviated Terms Relating to Plastics
D1603 Test Method for Carbon Black Content in Olefin Plastics
D2122 Test Method for Determining Dimensions of Thermoplastic Pipe and Fittings
D2565 Practice for Xenon-Arc Exposure of Plastics Intended for Outdoor Applications
D2837 Test Method for Obtaining Hydrostatic Design Basis for Thermoplastic Pipe Material
...