ASTM_F_2136_-_08_2015.pdf

Designation:F213608(Reapproved 2015)An American National StandardStandard Test Method forNotched,Constant Ligament-Stress(NCLS)Test toDetermine Slow-Crack-Growth Resistance of HDPE Resinsor HDPE Corrugated Pipe1This standard is issued under the fixed designation F2136;the number immediately following the designation indicates the year oforiginal adoption or,in the case of revision,the year of last revision.A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.Asuperscript epsilon()indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.1.Scope1.1 This test method is used to determine the susceptibilityof high-density polyethylene(HDPE)resins or corrugated pipeto slow-crack-growth under a constant ligament-stress in anaccelerating environment.This test method is intended to applyonly to HDPE of a limited melt index and density range asdefined in AASHTO Standard Specification M 294.This testmethod may be applicable for other materials,but data are notavailable for other materials at this time.1.2 This test method measures the failure time associatedwith a given test specimen at a constant,specified,ligament-stress level.1.3 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regardedas standard.The values given in parentheses are mathematicalconversions to SI units that are provided for information onlyand are not considered standard.1.4 Definitions are in accordance with TerminologyAASHTO Standard Specification M 294,and abbreviations arein accordance with Terminology D1600,unless otherwisespecified.1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of thesafety concerns,if any,associated with its use.It is theresponsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.2.Referenced Documents2.1 ASTM Standards:2D1600 Terminology forAbbreviated Terms Relating to Plas-ticsD1822 Test Method for Tensile-Impact Energy to BreakPlastics and Electrical Insulating MaterialsD4703 Practice for Compression Molding ThermoplasticMaterials into Test Specimens,Plaques,or SheetsD5397 Test Method for Evaluation of Stress Crack Resis-tance of Polyolefin Geomembranes Using Notched Con-stant Tensile Load TestE4 Practices for Force Verification of Testing MachinesE691 Practice for Conducting an Interlaboratory Study toDetermine the Precision of a Test MethodF412 Terminology Relating to Plastic Piping Systems2.2 Other Document:AASHTO Standard Specification M 29433.Summary of Test Method3.1 This test method subjects a dumbbell-shaped,notchedtest-specimen(Fig.1)to a constant ligament-stress in thepresence of a surface-active agent at an elevated temperature.It differs from Test Method D5397 in that a constant ligamentstress is used instead of a constant tensile load.4.Significance and Use4.1 This test method does not purport to interpret the datagenerated.4.2 This test method is intended to compare slow-crack-growth(SCG)resistance for a limited set of HDPE resins.4.3 This test method may be used on virgin HDPE resincompression-molded into a plaque or on extruded HDPEcorrugated pipe that is chopped and compression-molded intoa plaque(see 7.1.1 for details).5.Apparatus5.1 Blanking DieA die suitable for cutting test specimens.Acceptable dies are:the type L die per Test Method D1822,with holes drilled or punched in the tab areas after die cutting;a die with the dimensions and tolerances specified in Fig.2.1This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee F17 on PlasticPiping Systems and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee F17.40 on TestMethods.Current edition approved Dec.1,2015.Published December 2015.Originallyapproved in 2001.Last previous edition approved in 2008 as F213608 DOI:10.1520/F2136-08R15.2For referenced ASTM standards,visit the ASTM website,www.astm.org,orcontact ASTM Customer Service at serviceastm.org.For Annual Book of ASTMStandards volume information,refer to the standards Document Summary page onthe ASTM website.3Available from American Association of State Highway and TransportationOfficials(AASHTO),444 N.Capitol St.,NW,Suite 249,Washington,DC 20001,http:/www.transportation.org.Copyright ASTM International,100 Barr Harbor Drive,PO Box C700,West Conshohocken,PA 19428-2959.United States1 5.2 Stress-Crack Testing ApparatusA lever loadingmachine,with a lever arm ratio of 2:1 to 5:1 similar to thatdescribed in Test Method D5397.Alternatively,the tensile loadmay be applied directly using dead weights or any othermethod for producing a constant ligament stress.Determine thezero-load offset and lever-arm ratio for each test station,usinga force standard that complies with Practices E4.The load onthe specimen shall be accurate to 0.5%of the calculated orapplied load.The bath solution temperature shall be set at 1226 2F(50 6 1C).5.3 Notching DeviceNotch depth is an important variablethat must be controlled.Paragraph 7.2.1 describes the notchingprocedure and type of apparatus used.The