October 2004
PIP CVS02700
Underground Gravity Sewers Specification
PURPOSE AND USE OF PROCESS INDUSTRY PRACTICES
In an effort to minimize the cost of process industry facilities, this Practice has
been prepared from the technical requirements in the existing standards of major
industrial users, contractors, or standards organizations. By harmonizing these
technical requirements into a single set of Practices, administrative, application, and
engineering costs to both the purchaser and the manufacturer should be reduced. While
this Practice is expected to incorporate the majority of requirements of most users,
individual applications may involve requirements that will be appended to and take
precedence over this Practice. Determinations concerning fitness for purpose and
particular matters or application of the Practice to particular project or engineering
situations should not be made solely on information contained in these materials. The
use of trade names from time to time should not be viewed as an expression of
preference but rather recognized as normal usage in the trade. Other brands having the
same specifications are equally correct and may be substituted for those named. All
Practices or guidelines are intended to be consistent with applicable laws and
regulations including OSHA requirements. To the extent these Practices or guidelines
should conflict with OSHA or other applicable laws or regulations, such laws or
regulations must be followed. Consult an appropriate professional before applying or
acting on any material contained in or suggested by the Practice.
This Practice is subject to revision at any time by the responsible Function Team and
will be reviewed every 5 years. This Practice will be revised, reaffirmed, or withdrawn.
Information on whether this Practice has been revised may be found at www.pip.org.
PIP will not consider requests for interpretations (inquiries) for this Practice.
PRINTING HISTORY
April 1995 Issued October 2004 Complete Revision
August 2000 Complete Revision
PIP CVS02700
Underground Gravity Sewers Specification
Table of Contents
1. Introduction .................................. 2
1.1 Purpose ............................................. 2
1.2 Scope................................................. 2
2. References.................................... 2
2.1 Process Industry Practices ................ 2
2.2 Industry Codes and Standards .......... 2
2.3 Government Regulations ................... 3
3. Definitions .................................... 3
4. Requirements ............................... 4
4.1 General .............................................. 4
4.2 Materials ............................................ 5
4.3 Construction....................................... 8
4.4 Exfiltration Test ................................ 14
4.5 Considerations for
Existing Facilities ............................. 14
1. Introduction
1.1 Purpose
This Practice provides requirements for the installation contractor for fabricating and
installing underground gravity sewers.
1.2 Scope
This Practice describes the requirements for materials, installation, and testing of
underground gravity sewers. Requirements for pipe, inlet structures, manholes, and
appurtenances for sanitary, storm, and industrial process sewers are included.
Requirements for pressurized pipe, double-contained, and emission-controlled
industrial process sewers in environmental applications are not included.
2. References
Applicable parts of the following Practices, industry codes and standards, and references
shall be considered an integral part of this Practice. The edition in effect on the date of
contract award shall be used, except as otherwise noted. Short titles will be used herein
where appropriate.
ASTM C700 - Standard Specification for Vitrified Clay Pipe, Extra Strength,
Standard Strength, and Perforated
ASTM C969 - Standard Practice for Infiltration and Exfiltration Acceptance
Testing of Installed Precast Concrete Pipe Sewer Lines
ASTM C1433 - Standard Specification for Precast Reinforced Concrete Box
Sections for Culverts, Storm Drains, and Sewers
ASTM D422 - Standard Test Method for Particle - Size Analysis of Soils
ASTM D1248 - Standard Specification for Polyethylene Plastics Molding and
Extrusion Materials
ASTM D2321 - Standard Practice for Underground Installation of
Thermoplastic Pipe for Sewers and Other Gravity Flow Applications
ASTM D1785 - Standard Specification for Poly(Vinyl Chloride) (PVC) Plastic
Pipe, Schedules 40, 80, and 120
ASTM D2564 - Standard Specification for Solvent Cements for Poly(Vinyl
Chloride) (PVC) Plastic Piping Systems
ASTM D2855 - Standard Practice for Making Solvent-Cemented Joints with
Poly(Vinyl Chloride) (PVC) Pipe and Fittings
ASTM D3212 - Standard Specification for Joints for Drain and Sewer Plastic
Pipes Using Flexible Elastomeric Seals
ASTM D3350 - Standard Specification for Polyethylene Plastics Pipe and
Fittings Materials
ASTM F477 - Standard Specification for Elastomeric Seals (Gaskets) for
Joining Plastic Pipe
American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)
AASHTO M 36 - Interim Specification for Corrugated Steel Pipe, Metallic
Coated for Sewers and Drains
AASHTO M 294 - Standard Specification for Corrugated Polyethylene Pipe,
300- to 1200-mm Diameter (for Storm Sewers and Culverts)
3. Definitions
contract documents: Any and all documents, including design drawings, that purchaser has
transmitted or otherwise communicated, either by incorporation or by reference, and made
part of the legal contract or purchase order agreement between purchaser and supplier
supplier: The party responsible for performing excavation, backfill, and pipe installation,
including work executed through the use of sub-contractors
owner: The party who owns the facility wherein the underground gravity sewer will be
installed
purchaser: The party who awards the contract to the supplier. The purchaser may be the
owner or the owners authorized agent.
standard dimension ratio (SDR): The ratio of the pipe outside diameter (inches) to the
minimum wall thickness (inches)
4. Requirements
4.1 General
4.1.1 Quality Control
4.1.1.1 Sewers shall be fabricated, installed, and tested in accordance with
this Practice; with codes, standards, and procedures specified in this
Practice; and with all applicable codes and regulations of the
controlling federal, state, and local jurisdictions.
4.1.1.2 Purchaser shall have the right to inspect, at purchasers expense, all
materials and workmanship and shall have unrestricted entry to the
fabrication shop at all times work is being performed.
4.1.1.3 Purchaser can reject improper, inferior, or defective materials and
workmanship at any stage of production.
4.1.1.4 All defective materials and workmanship shall be repaired or
replaced at no additional cost to purchaser.
4.1.15 Purchaser inspection shall not replace the suppliers quality control
procedures and responsibility for compliance with all applicable
requirements for the material, fabrication, and installation.
4.1.1.6 Unless directed otherwise by purchaser, if at any time during
installation and testing, weather or any other factor causes the
degradation of the pipe foundation, pipe and/or fitting installation,
bedding, or backfill, all affected materials shall be removed and the
work shall be reinstalled in accordance with this Practice.
4.1.2 Submittals
4.1.2.1 The following documentation shall be submitted to the purchaser
2 weeks before installation:
a. Fabrication drawings and instructions for the installation of
pipe and appurtenances
b. Certification that an OSHA-defined excavation-competent
person (ECP) shall oversee all excavation
4.2 Materials
4.2.1 Pipe and Joints
4.2.1.1 Specifications for materials other than those listed in the following
section (such as welded, coated, and wrapped carbon steel) that are
4.3 Construction
4.3.1 Receiving and Handling
4.3.1.1 Care shall be taken during handling and storage so as not to damage
or to cause stresses or deformation in pipe materials.
4.3.1.2 Pipe materials shall be inspected before installation. Any damaged
materials that are not acceptable to purchaser shall be rejected and
replaced at no cost to purchaser.
4.3.2 Trench Excavation
4.3.2.1 All excavation and trenching shall be made in accordance with
PIP CVS02100, OSHA standards, and owners local requirements
and guidelines (as applicable) for the following:
a. Shoring, bracing, and/or sloping wall construction
b. Marking and flagging open excavations
c. Permitting and confined space entry requirements
d. Employing excavation-competent person (ECP)
e. Handling and storing excavated materials
4.3.2.2 Proper care and protection shall be provided to prevent damage to all
existing facilities (e.g., foundations, services, pipelines, etc.) on,
4.3.4.2 Bedding material shall be placed under and equally along both sides
of the pipe in uniform layers not exceeding 6 inches (150 mm) loose
depth to a height of the centerline of the pipe and compacted by
hand, pneumatic tamper, or other owner-approved means.
4.3.4.3 Bedding material shall be compacted to a density approximately that
of the undisturbed site soil materials or as specified in the contract
documents.
4.3.4.4 If compacted, the pipe bed shall provide uniform bearing for the
bottom of the pipe (see trenching requirements specified in this
Practice).
4.3.4.5 Localized loading and differential settlement shall be minimized
where the pipe crosses other utilities or subsurface structures or in
areas having special foundations such as pile caps or sheeting. A
cushion of bedding shall be provided between the pipe and any such
point of localized loading.
4.3.4.6 Bedding shall conform to one of the following classes. Class C
bedding shall be used if no class is specified in the contract
documents. See Figure A for details.
a. Class A - concrete cradle bedding - requires embedment of the
lower part of the pipe in plain or reinforced concrete of suitable
thickness and extending up to the sides of the pipe a distance
not less than 25% of the pipe outside diameter.
b. Class B - first class bedding - requires the pipe to be placed on
the fine granular materials foundation extending up to the
center line of the pipe. The trench shall then be filled to 1 ft
(300 mm) over the top of the pipe with granular material in
6-inch (150-mm) layers and compacted to fill all the space
around the pipe.
c. Class C - ordinary bedding - requires placing the pipe on fine
granular material cradle extending up to the sides of the pipe a
distance not less than 1/6 of the pipe outside diameter. The
trench shall then be filled to 6 inches (150 mm) over the top of
the pipe with granular material placed and compacted to fill all
space around the pipe.
d. Class D - impermissible bedding - allows the pipe to be placed
on the bottom of the trench with no effort to shape the trench to
fit the pipe. Fill shall be placed around the pipe.
4.3.4.7 Bedding for box culverts shall conform to one of the following
classes. Class C bedding shall be used if no class is specified in the
contract documents.
a. Class B bedding shall be obtained by installing the box section
on a minimum thickness of fine granular material of at least
2 inches (50 mm). Compacted granular material shall be placed
12 inch 12 inch
(300 mm) min. (300 mm) min.
Compacted
Bc Bc
granular
1/4 Bc material
1/4 D max. d
Concrete
CONCRETE CRADLE GRANULAR FOUNDATION
H 6 inch H 6 inch
(150 mm) min. (150 mm) min.
Compacted
Bc granular material
Bc
1/6 B c
d Loose backfill
Legend
Depth of bedding
material below pipe
Bc = outside diameter
H = backfill cover above top of pipe D d (min.)
D = inside diameter
d = depth of bedding material below pipe 27 inches (690 mm) 3 inches (75 mm)
As = area of transverse steel in the & smaller
cradle or arch expressed as a 30 inches (760 mm 4 inches (100 mm)
percent of area of concrete at invert to 60 inch (1.53 m)
or crown. 66 inches (1.68 m) 6 inches (150 mm)
L f = bedding factor & larger