BRITISH STANDARD

BS EN
637:1995
BS 2782-12:
Method 1205A:
1995
Plastics piping
systems
Glass-reinforced
plastics components
Determination of the
amounts of
constituents using the
gravimetric method
The European Standard EN 637:1994 has the status of a
British Standard
UDC 621.643.2-0.36:620.1:543.21
BS EN 637:1995
This British Standard, having
been prepared under the
direction of the Sector Board
for Materials and Chemicals,
was published under the
authority of the Standards
Board and comes
into effect on
15 July 1995
BSI 01-2000
The following BSI references
relate to the work on this
standard:
Committee reference PRI/61
Draft for comment 92/37652 DC
ISBN 0 580 24132 7
Committees responsible for this
British Standard
The preparation of this British Standard was entrusted to Technical
Committee PRI/61, Plastics piping systems and components, upon which the
following bodies were represented:
British Gas plc
British Plastics Federation
British Plumbing Fittings Manufacturers Association
British Valve and Actuator Manufacturers Association
Department of the Environment (British Board of Agrment)
Department of the Environment (Building Research Establishment)
Department of the Environment (Property and Buildings Directorate)
Department of Transport
Electricity Association
Federation of Civil Engineering Contractors
Health and Safety Executive
Institute of Building Control
Institute of Materials
Institution of Civil Engineers
Institution of Gas Engineers
Institution of Water and Environmental Management
National Association of Plumbing, Heating and Mechanical Services
Contractors
Pipeline Industries Guild
Plastics Land Drainage Manufacturers Association
Society of British Gas Industries
Society of British Water Industries
Water Companies Association
Water Services Association of England and Wales
The following bodies were also represented in the drafting of the standard,
through subcommittees and panels:
Association of Consulting Engineers
Engineering Equipment and Materials Users Association
Institution of Civil Engineers
RAPRA Technology Ltd.
Water Research Centre
Amendments issued since publication
Amd. No. Date Comments
BS EN 637:1995
BSI 01-2000 i
Contents
Page
Committees responsible Inside front cover
National foreword ii
Foreword 2
1 Scope 3
2 Principle 3
3 Apparatus 3
4 Test piece 3
5 Procedure 3
6 Calculation and expression of results 4
7 Test report 4
BS EN 637:1995
ii
BSI 01-2000
National foreword
This British Standard has been prepared under the direction of the Sector Board
for Materials and Chemicals and is the English language version of EN 637:1994
Plastics piping systems Glass-reinforced plastics components Determination
of the amounts of constituents using the gravimetric method, published by the
European Committee for Standardization (CEN).
It is incorporated into BS 2782 Methods of testing plastics Part 12 Reinforced
plastics pipes, fittings and valves, as Method 1205A:1995, for association with
related test methods for plastics materials and plastics piping components.
This test method has been prepared for reference by other standards under
preparation by CEN for specification of reinforced plastics piping systems and
components. It has been implemented to enable experience of the method to be
gained and for use for other fresh applications.
It is also for use for the revision or amendment of other national standards as
practicable, but it should not be presumed to apply to any existing standard or
specification which contains or makes reference to a different test method until
that standard/specification has been amended or revised to make reference to this
method and adjust any requirements as appropriate.
A British Standard does not purport to include all the necessary provisions of a
contract. Users of British Standards are responsible for their correct application.
Compliance with a British Standard does not of itself confer immunity
from legal obligations.
Summary of pages
This document comprises a front cover, an inside front cover, pages i and ii,
the EN title page, pages 2 to 5 and a back cover.
This standard has been updated (see copyright date) and may have had
amendments incorporated. This will be indicated in the amendment table on the
inside front cover.
EUROPEAN STANDARD
NORME EUROPENNE
EUROPISCHE NORM
EN 637
April 1994
UDC 621.643.2-036:620.1:543.21 Incorporates corrigendum January 1995
Descriptors: Pipelines, piping, plastic tubes, thermosetting resin, reinforced plastics, glass, components, determination of content,
gravimetric analysis
English version
Plastics piping systems Glass-reinforced plastics
components Determination of the amounts of
constituents using the gravimetric method
Systmes de canalisations en plastique
Composants plastiques renforcs de verre
Dtermination des teneurs des constituants
par la mthode gravimtrique
Kunststoff-Rohrleitungssysteme Teile aus
glasfaserverstrkten Kunststoffen
Ermittlung der Gehalte von Bestandteilen mit
Hilfe des gravimetrischen Verfahrens
This European Standard was approved by CEN on 1994-04-27. 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.
Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references concerning such national
standards may be obtained on application to the Central Secretariat or to any
CEN member.
This European Standard exists 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
Central Secretariat has the same status as the official versions.
CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium,
Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy,
Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and
United Kingdom.
CEN
European Committee for Standardization
Comit Europen de Normalisation
Europisches Komitee fr Normung
Central Secretariat: rue de Stassart 36, B-1050 Brussels
1994 Copyright reserved to CEN members
Ref. No. EN 637:1994 E
EN 637:1994
BSI 01-2000
2
Foreword
This standard was prepared by CEN/TC 155,
Plastics piping systems and ducting systems.
This standard is a modification of the Draft
International Standard ISO/DIS 7510 Pipes and
fittings of glass-fibre reinforced thermosetting
plastics (GRP) Analysis of constituents
Gravimetric method, prepared by the International
Organization for Standardization (ISO).
The modifications are of an editorial nature.
The material-dependent parameters and
requirements are incorporated in the referring
standard(s).
No existing European Standard is superseded by
this standard.
This standard is one of a series of standards on test
methods which support system standards for
plastics piping systems and ducting systems.
This standard shall be given the status of a national
standard, either by publication of an identical text
or by endorsement, at the latest by October 1994,
and conflicting national standards shall be
withdrawn at the latest by October 1994.
According to the CEN/CENELEC Internal
Regulations, the following countries are bound to
implement this standard: Austria, Belgium,
Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece,
Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway,
Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
United Kingdom.
EN 637:1994
BSI 01-2000 3
1 Scope
This standard specifies a method for the
determination of constituent materials of a test
sample cut from a glass-reinforced plastics (GRP)
component intended for use in a piping system. It
includes determination of resin, glass, aggregate
and filler contents, and determination of the type
and arrangement of the constituent glass layers.
Two burning temperatures are given, related to the
stability of the glass reinforcement at elevated
temperatures.
Application to other composite components should
be considered in the referring standard.
2 Principle
A test piece of known size and mass is heated to
burn off the resin, and the residue is analysed by
separating and weighing the constituents.
NOTE 1 In the case of filled laminates, especially those
containing fillers of small particle size (including thixotropic
agents), accurate analysis of the constituents may prove difficult.
This is because of the difficulty in separating such fillers from the
other constituents and the risk of some filler being lost during
combustion.
NOTE 2 It is assumed that the following test parameters are
set by the standard making reference to this standard:
a) whether or not the types of glass reinforcement are to be
separated [see item c) of 5.6 and item h) of clause 7];
b) details of the grammage and/or presence of synthetic fibre
veil, if known (see 5.8 and 6.6);
c) whether or not the glass content of each layer is to be
determined (see 6.2);
d) whether or not the filler content is to be determined
(see 6.5).
3 Apparatus
3.1 Crucible, of a suitable material and dimensions
(see 4.1).
3.2 Oven, capable of maintaining a temperature
of 105 C to 110 C.
3.3 Electric muffle furnace, or microwave furnace,
capable of maintaining a temperature
between 450 C and 650 C with an accuracy
of 20 C.
3.4 Bunsen burner
3.5 Desiccator
3.6 Balance, accurate to 1 mg.
3.7 Sieves, of suitable mesh [see 5.6 b)].
4 Test piece
4.1 Dimensions
The dimensions of the test piece shall be in
accordance with the manufacturers
recommendations but not less than 60 mm
by 40 mm in area and shall be the full thickness of
the component from which the test piece was taken.
It shall be cut square, have smooth edges and be free
from dust.
4.2 Number
The number of test pieces shall be as specified in the
referring standard.
5 Procedure
NOTE Conditioning of the test piece is not required.
5.1 Measure the axial and circumferential
dimensions of the test piece to the nearest 0,1 mm.
Calculate and record the area A, in square metres.
5.2 Heat the crucible in the furnace to (625 20) C
for 15 min. Cool in the desiccator and weigh to the
nearest 10 mg. Record the mass, in grams, as m
1
.
5.3 If a test piece is derived from a component
within 36 h of manufacture, the following drying
procedure may be omitted (in which case proceed
to 5.4), otherwise dry the test piece as follows.
Heat the crucible and test piece in the oven to
between 105 C to 110 C for 2 h. Cool the crucible
and test piece in the desiccator and weigh to the
nearest 10 mg.
Repeat the heating for periods of 30 min until the
mass is constant to within 10 mg. Record this total
mass, m
2
, in grams.
5.4 Heat the crucible and test piece in a bunsen
flame, a muffle or microwave furnace until the
contents ignite. Maintain the temperature so that
the test piece burns uniformly.
Take care to prevent the combustion proceeding so
rapidly that there is a loss of non-combustible
residue, such as filler.
CAUTION. Avoid breathing the potentially noxious
vapours.
5.5 Heat the crucible and residue in the muffle or
microwave furnace at (625 20) C, or, if the
reinforcement is unstable at 625 C,
at (550 20) C until all carbonaceous material has
disappeared. Cool the crucible and residue in the
desiccator and weigh these to the nearest 10 mg.
Repeat these operations until a mass constant to
within 10 mg is obtained. Record the total mass m
3
,
in grams.
NOTE The time taken for the carbonaceous residue to
disappear is largely dependent on the test piece shape. It can
be 6 h or more, but is usually much less.
EN 637:1994
4
BSI 01-2000
5.6 Separate off the residue m
3
into its constituents
as follows:
a) separate the layers using tweezers or a
spatula, noting the number of layers and their
layout;
b) for each layer, separate its constituents by
scraping, shaking, brushing and/or sieving;
NOTE If the quantity of filler is to be determined then
suitable analytical techniques should be employed to separate
the filler from the other residue.
c) if required, separate the various types of glass
reinforcement.
5.7 Determine the masses of the constituents as
follows:
a) weigh the aggregate to the nearest 10 mg and
record the mass m
4
, in grams;
b) to the nearest 10 mg, weigh and record the
total mass of glass, m
5t
, in grams, and, if
required, weigh to the nearest 10 mg the various
types of glass and record the corresponding
masses as m
5a
, m
5b
, etc., in grams;
c) weigh the filler to the nearest 10 mg and record
the mass m
6
, in grams.
5.8 If the presence and grammage of any synthetic
fibre veil included in the construction of the
laminate is known or can be determined, estimate
its mass, in grams, from the area of the test piece
and the mass per unit area of the veil used. Record
the estimated mass m
7
, in grams.
6 Calculation and expression of results
6.1 Calculate the total glass content,
G,t
, expressed
as a percentage by mass, using the following
equation:
6.2 If required, calculate the glass content of each
individual layer,
G,a
,
G,b
,
G,c
, ..., expressed as a
percentage by mass, using the applicable equation
from the following series:
6.3 Calculate the resin content,
R
, expressed as a
percentage by mass, using the following equation:
NOTE The determined mass of resin will include any glass
sizing removed during combustion.
6.4 Calculate the aggregate content,
A
, expressed
as a percentage by mass, using the following
equation:
6.5 If required, calculate the filler content,
F
,
expressed as a percentage by mass, using the
following equation:
6.6 Calculate the estimated synthetic veil content
(see 5.8),
v
, expressed as a percentage by mass,
using the following equation:
6.7 Calculate the total mass of glass, m
G,t
, in grams
per square metre, of the laminate using the
following equation:
6.8 If required, calculate the individual masses of
glass, m
G,a
, m
G,b
, m
G,c
, ..., in grams per square metre,
of each individual layer of the laminate using the
applicable equation from the following series:
7 Test report
The test report shall include the following
information:
a) a reference to this standard and the referring
standard;
b) the identification of the component tested;
c) the dimensions of each test piece;
d) the test temperatures (see 5.5);
e) whether preliminary drying (see 5.2) was
carried out;
f) the percentage by mass of the constituents of
the laminate;
g) the total mass of glass, m
G,t
, of the laminate,
in grams per square metre;
h) if required, the number of layers, and the type,
disposition, layout and individual percentage by
mass of each individual glass layer;
EN 637:1994
BSI 01-2000 5
i) observations with regard to any irregularities
noted during the test such as excessively rapid
combustion (see 5.4) or glass instability (see 5.5);
j) any factors which may have affected the
results, such as any incidents or any operating
details not specified in this standard;
k) the date of test.
BS EN
637:1995
BS 2782-12:
Method 1205A:
1995
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