ISO 23648:2026

• Abstract:

  This document specifies a test method for assessing the fire performance of water-filled plastic pipes and fibre reinforced plastic (FRP) pipes.

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 30-Sep-2026
• ICS: 13.220.40 - Ignitability and burning behaviour of materials and products
• ICS: 23.040.20 - Plastics pipes
• Technical Committee: ISO/TC 61/SC 4 - Burning behaviour
• Drafting Committee: ISO/TC 61/SC 4 - Burning behaviour
• Current Stage: 6060 - International Standard published
• Start Date: 01-Oct-2026
• Due Date: 28-Nov-2026
• Completion Date: 01-Oct-2026

Overview

ISO 23648:2026 is an ISO standard for the impinging flame test on water-filled plastic pipes. It specifies a test method for assessing the fire performance of water-filled plastic pipes and fibre reinforced plastic (FRP) pipes. The document is especially relevant where plastic piping systems must demonstrate resistance to flame exposure while retaining water containment and pressure integrity.

This standard supports consistent fire testing by defining the test principle, apparatus, specimen preparation, test conditions, acceptance criteria, and reporting requirements. It is designed to help manufacturers, testing laboratories, and specifiers evaluate piping products in a repeatable and internationally recognized way.

Key Topics

The standard focuses on practical fire performance assessment under controlled conditions. Key elements include:

• Water-filled pipe specimens tested under stagnant water pressure
• Impinging flame exposure using specified burners and fuel gas conditions
• Test apparatus requirements, including heat source, water supply system, thermocouple, and heat flux meter
• Specimen setup with defined dimensions, supports, and conditioning
• Acceptance criteria based on leakage behavior during and after flame exposure
• Test report content to document results in a structured way

ISO 23648:2026 also references important related standards such as ISO 13943 for fire safety vocabulary and ISO 14934-3 for calibration and use of heat flux meters. This helps align fire testing terminology and measurement practices with broader ISO fire test methods.

Applications

ISO 23648:2026 is particularly useful for industries and organizations that need to evaluate plastic pipe fire resistance in demanding environments. Common application areas include:

• Marine and shipboard piping systems
• Fresh water, sanitary, and drain piping
• Sea-water piping
• Liquid cargo piping
• FRP piping systems used where fire performance is a concern

The standard is valuable for product development, quality assurance, conformity assessment, and supplier qualification. It provides a recognized method for comparing pipe performance under flame exposure and for documenting whether a product can maintain pressure and avoid leakage during the test.

For organizations involved in maritime safety or plastic piping standards, ISO 23648:2026 offers a clear framework for evaluating fire behavior in water-filled systems.

Related Standards

Relevant related references include:

• ISO 13943 - Fire safety vocabulary
• ISO 14934-3 - Fire tests - Calibration and use of heat flux meters - Part 3: Secondary calibration method
• IMO A.753(18) - Guidelines for the application of plastic pipes on ships

These related standards support the broader ecosystem of fire testing standards, plastic pipe testing, and marine piping fire safety. Together, they help ensure that test results are credible, comparable, and useful for regulatory and engineering applications.

International
Standard
ISO 23648
First edition
Plastics — Impinging flame test on
2026-10
water-filled plastic pipes
Plastiques — Essai de flamme incidente sur des canalisations
plastiques remplies d'eau
Reference number
ISO 23648:2026(en)
© ISO 2026
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no part of this publication may
be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or posting on
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or ISO’s member body in the country of the requester.
ISO copyright office
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CH-1214 Vernier, Geneva
Phone: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]
Website: www.iso.org
Published in Switzerland
ii
ISO 23648:2026(en)
Contents  Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1  Scope . 1
2  Normative references . 1
3  Terms and definitions . 1
4  Principle . 1
5  Apparatus . 1
5.1 Heat source .1
5.2 Fuel gas supply system .2
5.3 Test specimen support . .3
5.4 Water supplying system .3
5.5 Timing device .3
5.6 Heat flux meter .3
5.7 Thermocouple .3
5.8 Closing devices of specimen .4
6  Test specimen . 4
6.1 Dimensions .4
6.2 Joints .4
6.3 Insulation .4
7  Conditioning of specimen . 4
8  Test method . 4
8.1 Test conditions .4
8.2 Heat flux measurement .4
8.3 Preparation .4
8.4 Test procedure .5
9  Acceptance criteria . 5
10  Test report . 5
11  Precision of the test . 6
Annex A (informative)  Examples of view of the test, measurement of water temperature and
pressure during the test . 7
Bibliography . 9

iii
ISO 23648:2026(en)
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out through
ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical committee
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The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are described
in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for the different types
of ISO document should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the editorial rules of the
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ISO draws attention to the possibility that the implementation of this document may involve the use of (a)
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This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 61, Plastics, Subcommittee SC 4, Burning
behaviour.
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A
complete listing of these bodies can be found at www.iso.org/members.html.

iv
ISO 23648:2026(en)
Introduction
Plastic pipes and fibre reinforced plastics pipes (FRP pipes) exhibit corrosion resistance against water,
including sea water and liquid chemicals. These pipes have been used on ships in various applications, such
as piping for supplying fresh water, sanitary and drain piping, sea-water piping and liquid cargo piping.
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopted guidelines on use of plastic pipes (IMO Assembly
[1]
resolution A.753(18) as amended ). These guidelines contain requirements on the fire performance of
plastic pipes and of FRP pipes to be used on-board ships. These guidelines also contain a brief explanation
of the test procedures on a fire performance test for liquid-filled plastic pipes in the Appendix 2 of IMO
A.753(18). However, the description of the fire test in the current guideline is very short and insufficient to
conduct the test in a uniform and consistent manner.
[1]
This document was developed based on the IMO A.753(18) and provides detailed descriptions of the fire
test methods applicable to plastic pipes and FRP pipes used on ships.

v
International Standard ISO 23648:2026(en)
Plastics — Impinging flame test on water-filled plastic pipes
1  Scope
This document specifies a test method for assessing the fire performance of water-filled plastic pipes and
fibre reinforced plastic (FRP) pipes.
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.
ISO 13943, Fire safety — Vocabulary
ISO 14934-3, Fire t
...