FprEN 15189

• Abstract:

  This document specifies the requirements and test methods applicable to factory applied external polyurethane-based coatings for heavy duty (see EN 545:2010, Clause D.3) corrosion protection of buried ductile iron pipes in accordance with EN 545, EN 598 and EN 969 for use at operating temperatures up to 50 °C.; This document is not applicable to ductile iron pipes protected with zinc with a finishing layer of polyurethane.; This document is not applicable to special activities on site such as tapping, clamping, etc., which could affect the corrosion protection properties of the polyurethane coating.; NOTE These operations are usually specified in the laying instructions supplied by manufacturers of clamps, house connection saddles, etc. and any relevant user procedures.

• Status: Not Published
• Publication Date: 24-Mar-2027
• ICS: 23.040.01 - Pipeline components and pipelines in general
• ICS: 25.220.60 - Organic coatings
• Technical Committee: CEN/TC 203 - Cast iron pipes, fittings and their joints
• Drafting Committee: CEN/TC 203/WG 8 - Coatings for pipes, fittings and accessories
• Current Stage: 4599 - Dispatch of FV draft to CMC - Finalization for Vote
• Start Date: 17-Sep-2026
• Due Date: 27-Aug-2026
• Completion Date: 17-Sep-2026
• Ref Project: oSIST prEN 15189:2026 - Ductile iron pipes, fittings and accessories - External polyurethane coating for pipes - Requirements and test methods

• Revises: EN 15189:2006 - Ductile iron pipes, fittings and accessories - External polyurethane coating for pipes - Requirements and test methods
• Effective Date: 18-Jan-2023

FprEN 15189 is a CEN draft European Standard for factory applied external polyurethane-based coatings on buried ductile iron pipes. It specifies the requirements and test methods for heavy-duty corrosion protection on pipes used in EN 545, EN 598 and EN 969 systems at operating temperatures up to 50 °C. The document is for manufacturers, purchasers and laboratories that need to specify, verify or test the coating.

What does FprEN 15189 specify?

FprEN 15189 covers the external polyurethane coating on ductile iron pipes and sets out both product requirements and the test methods used to check them. It is organized into clauses on scope, normative references, terms and definitions, ordering information, technical requirements, performance requirements and test methods, followed by three informative annexes.

The scope is limited to factory applied coatings for buried pipes. It is not intended for ductile iron pipes protected with zinc and a finishing layer of polyurethane, and it is not intended for special on-site operations such as tapping or clamping that may affect the coating.

Annex	What it covers
Annex A	Quality assurance, including performance tests, routine tests and DN grouping
Annex B	Coating application process
Annex C	Packaging

What are the key requirements of FprEN 15189?

FprEN 15189 focuses on coating preparation, coating quality, integrity checks and performance verification. In practice, it tells a producer what the pipe surface must be like before coating, what the finished coating must look like, how the pipe ends may be treated, and which tests confirm that the coating will perform in service.

Surface preparation and coating condition

Clause 5.1 requires the pipe surface to be technically clean and free from rust, loose material, dirt, oil, grease and moisture before coating. If condensation is likely, the pipe must be warmed so that its temperature stays at least 5 °C above the dew point. That matters because trapped moisture or contamination can weaken bonding and shorten coating life.

Clause 5.2 requires the finished coating to be uniform, smooth and free from visible defects such as pinholes, bubbles, blisters, wrinkles, cracks or voids. The minimum coating thickness is set at 700 µm. For a buyer or inspector, this is the basic acceptance check for the coated pipe barrel.

Pipe ends, repairs and marking

Clause 5.3 allows the spigot end, socket face, socket entrance and gasket seat to be coated in different ways, using epoxy coating to EN 14901-1, polyurethane to this document, or synthetic resin paint. Where polyurethane or epoxy is used at the spigot end or socket entrance, the joint dimensions still have to allow assembly. This makes the end treatment part of the order specification, not an afterthought.

Clause 5.4 requires repairs to follow the manufacturer’s written instructions, and repaired areas must still meet the non-porosity test requirements. Clause 5.5 requires durable, legible marking in line with the pipe standards, together with reference to this document on the coating surface. In practice, this links repair control and traceability to the finished product.

Routine integrity checks

Clause 5.6 requires the coating to be free from porosity when tested by the specified high-voltage method. Clause 5.7 uses hardness as a production control indicator for cross-linking, and Clause 5.8 requires adhesion of at least 8 MPa. These checks tell the manufacturer whether the coating process is stable from pipe to pipe.

Performance testing of the coating system

Clause 6 checks how the coating behaves under service-like conditions. It covers chemical resistance, impact strength, indentation resistance, elongation at break, specific coating resistance, glass transition temperature and compatibility of materials that may contact water intended for human consumption.

The chemical resistance tests compare weight change after long immersion in deionised water and diluted sulphuric acid. Impact strength, indentation and elongation show whether the coating can survive handling, backfilling and deformation without cracking. Specific coating resistance is measured after immersion in 0.1 M NaCl, and glass transition temperature is checked by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) as part of the cross-linking assessment.

What terms does FprEN 15189 define?

FprEN 15189 defines the terms used to describe the coating, the tests and the control methods. These definitions matter because they set the meaning of the acceptance checks and prevent confusion between process control and qualification testing.

• Ductile iron - cast iron used for pipes, fittings and accessories in which graphite is mainly spheroidal; this is the substrate the coating protects.
• Adhesion - the force per unit area needed to separate the coating from its substrate; it shows how firmly the coating is bonded.
• Impact strength - the impact energy a coating can withstand without damage under defined test conditions; it relates to handling and installation damage.
• Hardness - the resistance of the coating to penetration by a ball under defined test conditions; it is used here as a control of cross-linking.
• Non-porosity - the absence of gaps detected in the high-voltage test under defined conditions; it indicates whether the coating is continuous.
• Polyurethane coating - a factory applied coating made of polyurethane, polyurea or their mixtures on the pipe barrel and external socket.
• Specific coating resistance - the surface-related electrical resistance of the coating perpendicular to the pipe wall; it is used to assess corrosion protection behaviour.
• Routine test - a test carried out to control the manufacturing process at a frequency defined by the manufacturer; it supports ongoing production control.

Who uses FprEN 15189?

FprEN 15189 is used by manufacturers of ductile iron pipes, fittings and accessories, coating applicators, quality control teams and test laboratories. Purchasers and project specifiers use it when they need external polyurethane coating on pipes ordered to EN 545, EN 598 or EN 969.

It is relevant in water supply, sewerage and gas pipeline work because those are the pipe systems named in the scope. It also helps decide pipe-end coating, repair practice, marking and the test regime that should appear in purchasing documents and factory control plans.

What changed in FprEN 15189 from the previous edition?

FprEN 15189 will supersede EN 15189:2006. The European foreword states three significant technical changes.

• Clause 5.3 replaces the former bituminous paint option for pipe ends with synthetic resin paint.
• Clause 6.6 adds glass transition temperature measured by DSC as a way to determine polymer cross-linking and to calibrate the routine hardness test.
• Clause 6.7 adds requirements for materials in contact with water intended for human consumption.

Which standards are used with FprEN 15189?

FprEN 15189 relies on several other standards for the base pipe product and for the test methods used on the coating.

• EN 545:2010 - the pipe standard for water pipelines that defines the ductile iron pipe product to which this coating can be applied.
• EN 598 - the pipe standard for sewerage application.
• EN 969 - the pipe standard for gas pipelines.
• EN 14901-1 - gives the epoxy coating option used for pipe ends.
• EN ISO 62 - provides the water absorption method used after the immersion tests.
• EN ISO 527-3 - provides the tensile test method used for elongation at break.
• EN ISO 868 - provides the Shore hardness method used for routine hardness control.
• EN ISO 4624 - provides the pull-off adhesion test used on the pipe barrel.
• EN ISO 8501-1 - provides the visual assessment of surface cleanliness before coating.
• EN ISO 11357-2 - provides the DSC method used for glass transition temperature.

What does the FprEN 15189 document contain?

FprEN 15189 contains a compact requirements-and-tests structure supported by annexes for quality control and application practice. Clause 5 covers surface preparation, coating appearance and thickness, pipe ends, repairs, marking, porosity, hardness and adhesion, while Clause 6 covers the main performance properties of the coating system.

Clause 7 describes the test methods used for routine control and for performance testing. These include visual inspection, non-destructive thickness measurement, high-voltage porosity testing, hardness measurement, pull-off adhesion, immersion testing, impact testing, indentation testing, elongation testing and electrical resistance testing.

The document also includes Figure 1 showing the pipe areas that are treated differently, and a formula for calculating specific coating resistance. Annex A links requirements to test methods and frequencies, Annex B outlines the coating application process, and Annex C gives packaging guidance to avoid coating damage.

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-april-2026
Cevi, fitingi in pribor iz duktilne železove litine - Poliuretanska zunanja prevleka
cevi - Zahteve in preskusne metode
Ductile iron pipes, fittings and accessories - External polyurethane coating for pipes -
Requirements and test methods
Rohre, Formstücke und Zubehör aus duktilem Gusseisen - Polyurethanumhüllung von
Rohren - Anforderungen und Prüfverfahren
Tuyaux, raccords et accessoires en fonte ductile - Revêtement extérieur en polyuréthane
des tuyaux - Exigences et méthodes d’essais
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: prEN 15189
ICS:
23.040.01 Deli cevovodov in cevovodi Pipeline components and
na splošno pipelines in general
25.220.60 Organske prevleke Organic coatings
77.140.75 Jeklene cevi in cevni profili Steel pipes and tubes for
za posebne namene specific use
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

DRAFT
EUROPEAN STANDARD
prEN 15189
NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
February 2026
ICS 25.220.60 Will supersede EN 15189:2006
English Version
Ductile iron pipes, fittings and accessories - External
polyurethane coating for pipes - Requirements and test
methods
Tuyaux, raccords et accessoires en fonte ductile - Rohre, Formstücke und Zubehör aus duktilem
Revêtement extérieur en polyuréthane des tuyaux - Gusseisen - Polyurethanumhüllung von Rohren -
Exigences et méthodes d'essais Anforderungen und Prüfverfahren
This draft European Standard is submitted to CEN members for enquiry. It has been drawn up by the Technical Committee
CEN/TC 203.
If this draft becomes a European Standard, CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations
which stipulate the conditions for giving this European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration.

This draft European Standard was established by CEN in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other
language made by translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC
Management Centre has the same status as the official versions.

CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and
United Kingdom.
Recipients of this draft are invited to submit, with their comments, notification of any relevant patent rights of which they are
aware and to provide supporting documentation.

Warning : This document is not a European Standard. It is distributed for review and comments. It is subject to change without
notice and shall not be referred to as a European Standard.

EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION

EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG

CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2026 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. prEN 15189:2026 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.

prEN 15189:2026 (E)
Contents Page
European foreword . 4
Introduction . 5
1 Scope . 6
2 Normative references . 6
3 Terms and definitions . 7
4 Ordering information . 8
5 Technical requirements . 9
5.1 Surface preparation . 9
5.2 Finished polyurethane coating . 9
5.2.1 Appearance and continuity . 9
5.2.2 Minimum coating thickness . 9
5.3 Pipe ends . 9
5.4 Repairs . 10
5.5 Marking . 10
5.6 Non-porosity . 10
5.7 Hardness . 10
5.8 Adhesion . 10
6 Performance requirements . 10
6.1 Chemical resistance . 10
6.2 Impact strength . 10
6.3 Indentation resistance . 11
6.4 Elongation at break . 11
6.5 Specific coating resistance . 11
6.6 Glass transition temperature . 11
6.7 Materials in contact with water intended for human consumption . 11
7 Test methods . 11
7.1 Routine tests . 11
7.1.1 General. 11
7.1.2 Surface preparation . 11
7.1.3 Appearance and continuity . 11
7.1.4 Coating thickness . 12
7.1.5 Pipe ends . 12
7.1.6 Repairs . 12
7.1.7 Marking . 12
7.1.8 Non-porosity . 12
7.1.9 Cross linkage. 12
7.1.10 Adhesion . 12
7.2 Performance tests . 12
7.2.1 General. 12
7.2.2 Chemical resistance . 12
7.2.3 Impact strength . 13
7.2.4 Indentation resistance . 13
7.2.5 Elongation at break . 13
prEN 15189:2026 (E)
7.2.6 Specific coating resistance . 13
7.2.7 Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) test . 14
Annex A (informative) Quality assurance . 15
Annex B (informative) Coating application process . 18
Annex C (informative) Packaging . 19
Bibliography . 20

prEN 15189:2026 (E)
European foreword
This document (prEN 15189:2026) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 203 “Cast iron
pipes, fittings and their joints”, the secretariat of which is held by AFNOR.
This document is currently submitted to the CEN Enquiry.
This document will supersede EN 15189:2006.
This document includes the following significant technical changes with respect to EN 15189:2006:
— 5.3 Bituminous paint on pipe ends deleted and replaced by synthetic resin paint;
— 6.6 Introduction of glass transition temperature measured by differential scanning calorimetry as
determination of the cross linkage of the polymer and calibration of the routine hardness test;
— 6.7 Introduction of materials in contact with water intended for human consumption.
prEN 15189:2026 (E)
Introduction
This document is in accordance with the general requirements already established by CEN/TC 164 in the
field of water supply (e.g. potable water) and CEN/TC 165 in the field of waste water.
In respect of potential adverse effects on the quality of water intended for human consumption caused
by the product covered by this document:
a) this document provides no information as to whether the product may be used without restriction in
any of the member states of the EU or EFTA;
b) it should be noted that, while awaiting the adoption of verifiable European criteria, existing national
regulations concerning the use and/or the characteristics of this product remain in force.
prEN 15189:2026 (E)
1 Scope
This document specifies the requirements and test methods applicable to factory applied external
polyurethane based coatings for heavy duty (see EN 545:2010, Clause D.3) corrosion protection of buried
ductile iron pipes in accordance with EN 545, EN 598 and EN 969 for use at operating temperatures up
to 50 °C.
This document is not applicable to ductile iron pipes protected with zinc with a finishing layer of
polyurethane.
This document is not applicable to special activities on site such as tapping, clamping, etc., which could
affect the corrosion protection properties of the polyurethane coating.
NOTE These operations are usually specified in the laying instructions supplied by manufacturers of clamps,
house connection saddles, etc. and any relevant user procedures.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
EN 545:2010, Ductile iron pipes, fittings, accessories and their joints for water pipelines — Requirements
and test methods
EN 598, Ductile iron pipes, fittings, accessories and their joints for sewerage application — Requirements
and test methods
EN 969, Ductile iron pipes, fittings, accessories and their joints for gas pipelines — Requirements and test
methods
EN 14901-1, Ductile iron pipes, fittings and accessories — Requirements and test methods for organic
coatings of ductile iron fittings and accessories — Part 1: Epoxy coating (heavy duty)
EN ISO 62, Plastics — Determination of water absorption (ISO 62)
EN ISO 527-3, Plastics — Determination of tensile properties — Part 3: Test conditions for films and sheets
(ISO 527-3)
EN ISO 868, Plastics and ebonite — Determination of indentation hardness by means of a durometer (Shore
hardness) (ISO 868)
EN ISO 4624, Paints and varnishes — Pull-off test for adhesion (ISO 4624)
EN ISO 8501-1, Preparation of steel substrates before application of paints and related products — Visual
assessment of surface cleanliness — Part 1: Rust grades and preparation grades of uncoated steel substrates
and of steel substrates after overall removal of previous coatings (ISO 8501-1)
EN ISO 11357-2, Plastics — Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) — Part 2: Determination of glass
transition temperature and step height (ISO 11357-2)
prEN 15189:2026 (E)
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminology databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https://www.iso.org/obp/
— IEC Electropedia: available at https://www.electropedia.org/
3.1
ductile iron
cast iron used for pipes, fittings and accessories in which graphite is present; substantially in spheroidal
form
3.2
adhesion
force per unit area, applied perpendicularly to the surface, which is necessary to separate the coating
from its substrate
3.3
impact strength
impact energy which a coating can withstand without damage under defined test conditions
3.4
hardness
resistance of the coating to penetration of a ball under defined test conditions
3.5
non-porosity
absence of gaps in a high voltage test under defined test conditions
3.6
polyurethane coating
factory applied coating which consists of polyurethane, polyurea and their mixtures on the outside of the
pipe barrel and external socket
Note 1 to entry: Pipe ends such as the spigot end, the socket face, the socket entrance and gasket seat may be coated
differently (see 5.3 and Figure 1)
prEN 15189:2026 (E)
Key
1 gasket seat
2 socket entrance
3 socket face
4 external socket
5 pipe barrel
6 spigot end
Figure 1 — Location of the defined pipe areas
3.7
specific coating resistance
R
s
surface related electric resistance of the coating perpendicular to the pipe wall
3.8
performance test
test which is done once and is repeated according to a schedule or after a relevant change of coating
material and/or coating supplier or change in process application
3.9
routine test
test carried out to control the manufacturing process with a frequency defined by the manufacturer
3.10
test specimen
free films of coating prepared from the same coating material with the same mixing ratio approx. 1 mm
in thickness, produced and cured in a similar way to the pipe coating
4 Ordering information
Ductile iron pipes according to EN 545, EN 598 or EN 969, but externally coated in accordance with this
document, shall be specified in the purchaser enquiry and order by reference to this document.
EXAMPLE
—   5 000 m of ductile iron pipe DN 300 according to EN 545;
—   external polyurethane coating according to EN 15189.
The type of coating to be used for pipe ends shall be as agreed at the time of order (see 5.3).
prEN 15189:2026 (E)
5 Technical requirements
5.1 Surface preparation
Prior to application of the polyurethane coating, the surface of the pipes shall be technically clean, free of
rust, loose constituent materials, dirt, oil, grease and moisture.
NOTE 1 For guidance on the coating application process, see Annex B.
NOTE 2 For recommendations on packaging to avoid damage to the coating, see Annex C.
In cold weather, or anytime when moisture tends to condense on the surface of the pipe, the pipe shall be
uniformly warmed for a sufficient time to dry the pipe prior to cleaning. The pipe temperature shall be
maintained at least 5 °C above the dew point.
Surface preparation shall be designed in order to reach the required performances specified in this
document.
NOTE 3 It is normally the responsibility of the manufacturer to demonstrate the fitness for purpose of surface
preparation technology and to put in place a quality control procedure to ensure the stability of those performances
(see 7.1.2).
5.2 Finished polyurethane coating
5.2.1 Appearance and continuity
The polyurethane coating shall be:
— uniform in colour, except the spigot and the socket which may be of a different colour for permitted
marking;
— uniform appearance and smoothness except for admissible repairs;
— free of visible defects (pinholes, bubbles, blisters, wrinkles, cracks or voids).
Slight superficial variations of colour or brilliance, due to repairs or prolonged exposure to sunlight or
contact with other pipes are permissible.
5.2.2 Minimum coating thickness
When measured in accordance with 7.1.3, the minimum coating thickness (x − 2σ) shall be 700 µm.
5.3 Pipe ends
Spigot end, socket face, socket entrance and gasket seat shall be coated with one of the following:
a) epoxy coating in accordance with EN 14901-1;
b) polyurethane in accordance with this document except gasket seat, socket face and socket entrance
with a minimum coating thickness of 100 µm;
c) synthetic resin paint; in this case these designated zones shall be protected after laying using
appropriate measures, e.g. heat shrinkable sleeves, which are not within the scope of this document.
When the spigot end and socket entrance are coated with polyurethane or epoxy, the corresponding
diameters shall be such that the joint can be assembled.
oSIST pr
...