Materials System Specification

01-SAMSS-049 21 September 2017

Reinforced Thermoset Resin (RTR) Pipe, Fittings and
Adhesive Packing, Handling, Transportation, and Storage
Document Responsibility: Non-metallic Standards Committee

Contents
1 Scope ..................................................................... 2
2 Conflicts and Deviations ......................................... 2
3 References ............................................................. 2
4 Modifications of AWWA M-45, Chapter 10,
Fiberglass Pipe Design- Shipping, Handling,
Storage, and Repair ............................................... 3
Revision Summary ........................................................ 7
Appendix A - Visual Inspection Acceptance Criteria ..... 8

Previous Issue: 16 February 2016 Next Planned Update: 21 September 2020

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Contact: Badghaish, Adel A. (badaghaa) on phone +966-13-8809604

©Saudi Aramco 2017. All rights reserved.

Document Responsibility: Non-metallic Standards Committee 01-SAMSS-049
Issue Date: 21 September 2017 Reinforced Thermoset Resin (RTR) Pipe, Fittings and
Next Planned Update: 21 September 2020 Adhesive Packing, Handling, Transportation, and Storage

1 Scope

This specification defines minimum mandatory requirements governing the packing,

handling and storage of Reinforced Thermoset Resin (RTR) line pipe, fittings, and
associated components.

This specification is a supplement to AWWA M-45, Chapter 10, “Fiberglass Pipe

Design-Shipping, Handling, Storage, and Repair.”

2 Conflicts and Deviations

2.1 This specification shall be considered supplementary to government rules and

regulations that are or will become effective with respect to the transportation of
line pipe by truck, railroad or ship. If any conflict arises between such
mandatory rules or regulations and the requirements of this specification, the
former shall prevail and the Vendor shall notify the Buyer of all exceptions to
this specification before shipment.

2.2 Any conflicts between this document and other applicable Mandatory Saudi
Aramco Engineering Requirements (MSAERs) shall be addressed to the
EK&RD Coordinator.

2.3 Any deviation from the requirements herein shall follow internal company
procedure SAEP-302.

3 References

The vendor and purchaser of material covered by this specification shall comply with the
latest edition (as per the purchase order date) of the references listed below, as noted.

3.1 Saudi Aramco References

Saudi Aramco Engineering Procedure

SAEP-302 Instructions for Obtaining a Waiver of a Mandatory
Saudi Aramco Engineering Requirement

3.2 Industry Codes and Standards

American Petroleum Institute

API 15TL4 Recommended Practice for Care and Use of
Fiberglass Tubulars
API 15HR High-pressure Fiberglass Line Pipe
API 15LR Specification for Low Pressure Fiberglass Line Pipe

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Document Responsibility: Non-metallic Standards Committee 01-SAMSS-049
Issue Date: 21 September 2017 Reinforced Thermoset Resin (RTR) Pipe, Fittings and
Next Planned Update: 21 September 2020 Adhesive Packing, Handling, Transportation, and Storage

American Waterworks Association

AWWA-45 M Fiberglass Pipe Design

International Standards Organization

ISO/TS 10465-1 Underground Installation of Flexible Glass-
Reinforced Thermosetting Resin (GRP) Pipes --
Part 1: Installation Procedures
ISO/TS 14692-4 Petroleum and Natural Gas Industries Glass
Reinforced Plastic (GRP) Pipes -
Part 4: Fabrication, Installation, and Operation

4 Modifications of AWWA M-45, Chapter 10, Fiberglass Pipe Design-

Shipping, Handling, Storage, and Repair

The following paragraph numbers refer to AWWA M-45, Chapter 10, which is part of
this specification. The text in each paragraph below is an addition, exception,
modification, or deletion to AWWA M-45, Chapter 10 as noted. Paragraph numbers
not appearing in AWWA M-45, Chapter 10 are new addition to the document.

Summary of Modifications of AWWA M-45, Chapter 10, “Fiberglass Pipe

Design/Shipping, Handling, Storage, and Repair.”

Paragraph
Title Remarks Page No
Number

10.1 Introduction……………………. No change 135

10.2 Shipping………………………... Addition 135

10.3 Handling……………………….. Addition 136

10.4 Storage…………………………. Addition 139

10.5 Repair………………………….. Addition 140

10.2 Shipping

[Addition]

The vendor shall provide written procedures and practices for all phases of
the shipping operation. Also, the vendor shall provide adequate training and
supervision to the concerned parties to ensure that all the practices, included
in this specification, are properly followed.

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Document Responsibility: Non-metallic Standards Committee 01-SAMSS-049
Issue Date: 21 September 2017 Reinforced Thermoset Resin (RTR) Pipe, Fittings and
Next Planned Update: 21 September 2020 Adhesive Packing, Handling, Transportation, and Storage

10.2.1 End Protectors

10.2.1.1 The vendor shall apply external and internal protectors of such design,
material, and mechanical strength to protect the threads and/or ends of the
pipe, connectors and fittings from damage under normal handling and
transportation.

10.2.1.2 The external protectors used in threaded connections shall extend through
the full thread length. In case of bonded connections it shall cover the full
length of the bonding area on the pin side.

10.2.1.3 The internal protectors threaded connections shall extend through the full
box thread length. In case of bonded connections it shall cover the full
length of the inside area to be bonded.

10.2.1.4 Protectors shall be clean and free of any foreign matter such as dirt, dust,
solids, etc. The pipe threads or bonded area shall be also free of any foreign
materials.

10.2.1.5 If any compound is used on the protectors, it shall not react, cause abrasion
or promote adherence with the pipe threads or bonded area surfaces.

10.2.1.6 The RTR pipe and fitting ends shall be sealed to prevent damage and
penetration of dirt, water, or contaminants.

10.2.2 Receiving

[Addition]

Discovery of any mechanical damage beyond surface scratches is grounds

for rejection of the entire load or subject for re-assessment in accordance
with Appendix A.

10.3 Handling

[Addition]

10.3.1 Pipe shall be loaded on the trailer in layers with each pipe box/pin placed at
alternate ends.

10.3.2 Ensure that wooden wedges are provided to maintain stability and separation.

10.3.3 Side post of the trailer must be wrapped with rubber sheet to avoid contact of
pipes with the metal parts of the vehicle.

10.3.5 After loading, pipes shall be fastened tightly with straps in every 3 meters.

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Document Responsibility: Non-metallic Standards Committee 01-SAMSS-049
Issue Date: 21 September 2017 Reinforced Thermoset Resin (RTR) Pipe, Fittings and
Next Planned Update: 21 September 2020 Adhesive Packing, Handling, Transportation, and Storage

10.3.6 Prior to unloading, make sure that the protectors are tightly in place.
Inspect the body for delamination (bruises), crazing, indentations,
contaminations or tears. Forklift forks shall be protected with rubber pads to
avoid direct contact with pipes and prevent damages.

10.3.7 During transport, the maximum pipe deflection in the diameter direction
shall not exceed the value of 2.5% for pipes with stiffness up to 2,500 N/m2
and 1.5% for pipes with stiffness greater than 2,500 and up to 10,000 N/m2.

10.3.8 Pipe spools shall be lifted by at least two straps to evenly support the weight
and prevent overturning or fall.

10.4 Storage

[Modification]

10.4.1 The maximum number of stacked pipe layers shall be limited by pipe weight
and diameter. Excessive weight on the lower pipe layer can create
diametrical deflection and ovalization during storage. Pipe vendor shall
provide datasheets with recommendations for the maximum number of
stacked pipe layers for each product. In all cases, the stacked height shall
not exceed more than 2.4 meters.

[Addition]

10.4.1 RTR pipe threads (both male and female) shall not be subjected to direct
Ultraviolet (UV) rays. They shall be covered by thread protectors at all
times until installation.

10.4.2 Fittings shall be stored separately in wooden boxes or equivalent according

to their class, type, and bend degree. All fittings in the box shall be
separated with corrugated sheet to prevent damage or abrasion. The bottom
of the boxes shall support the entire load during lifting and shall allow
handling by a forklift.

10.4.3 If RTR products will be stored outdoors for long periods (more than 1 month),
they must be covered with tarpaulins or UV resistance sheets as shown in
Figure 1.

10.4.4 Thread sealant, epoxy thread paste kit, amine hardener, thread lubricant and
elastomeric seals shall be stored in temperature controlled containers or
warehouse at a temperature below 80°F (26°C). Shelf life shall be clearly
labeled on the product. Product with expired shelf life shall be discarded.

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Document Responsibility: Non-metallic Standards Committee 01-SAMSS-049
Issue Date: 21 September 2017 Reinforced Thermoset Resin (RTR) Pipe, Fittings and
Next Planned Update: 21 September 2020 Adhesive Packing, Handling, Transportation, and Storage

Figure 1 – End Protectors and Covers of RTR Pipes during Storage

10.5 Repair

[Addition]

10.5.1 The visual acceptance or rejection of pipe and fittings shall be in accordance
with Appendix A.

10.5.2 Any damaged RTR pipe or fittings shall be isolated to avoid installing
damaged materials.

10.5.3 All damaged sections must be evaluated to decide whether replacement or

repair is required. All repair procedures shall be reviewed and approved by
CSD/SCC.

10.5.4 No repairs are permitted on threads or sealing surfaces.

10.6 Records

[Addition]

The following shall be available at all times with products:

 Packing list.
 Shipping documents.
 Material test certificate (MTC).
 Material safety data sheet (MSDS)

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Document Responsibility: Non-metallic Standards Committee 01-SAMSS-049
Issue Date: 21 September 2017 Reinforced Thermoset Resin (RTR) Pipe, Fittings and
Next Planned Update: 21 September 2020 Adhesive Packing, Handling, Transportation, and Storage

Revision Summary
21 February 2012 New Saudi Aramco Materials System Specification.
16 February 2016 Editorial revision to change document responsibility from Piping to Non-metallic Standards
Committee based approved workflow.
21 September 2017 Major revision to align with international standards and best practices.

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Document Responsibility: Non-metallic Standards Committee 01-SAMSS-049
Issue Date: 21 September 2017 Reinforced Thermoset Resin (RTR) Pipe, Fittings and
Next Planned Update: 21 September 2020 Adhesive Packing, Handling, Transportation, and Storage

Appendix A - Visual Inspection Acceptance Criteria

Defect Description Criterion Disposition

Distortion/discoloration of the
Burn None permitted. Reject
surface.
If there are undamaged, fibers
exposed over any area; or no fibers
Minor repair
Small piece broken from edge or are exposed but an area greater
surface. If reinforcement fibers are than 10 mm x 10 mm lacks resin.
Chip
broken, the damage is considered a If there are no fibers exposed, and
crack. the area lacking resin is less than Accept
10 mm x 10 mm.
If more severe than the above. Reject
Sharp cut that reaches the
Crack None permitted. Reject
reinforcing fibers.
Fine hairline cracks at or under the Crack lengths greater than 25.0 mm. Minor repair
Crazing
surface of the component. Crack lengths less than 25.0 mm. Accept
Area of incomplete surface film
Dry spot where the reinforcement has not None permitted. Reject
been wetted by resin.
Foreign matter molded into the
Inclusion None permitted. Reject
component.
Superficial, does not penetrate the
Pin hole Small round pit or porosity reinforcement, less than 1 mm Accept
depth, and less than 1 per m².
Rupture of the component with
complete penetration of the
Fracture laminate. Majority of fibers broken. None permitted. Reject
Visible as lighter colored area of
inter-laminar separation.
Discoloration and possible bubble
reaching the reinforcement.
Impact mark None permitted Reject
Impact a spare sample with a
hammer for reference.
UV induced Discoloration and increased None permitted on UV-protected
Reject
fiber blooming roughness of the pipe surface pipe.
Superficial and less than 2 mm
diameter and 0.5 mm deep, and Accept
Void Air bubble
less than 4 voids per m²
If more severe than the above. Reject
If there are undamaged, fibers
exposed over any area; or no fibers
Shallow mark caused by improper Minor repair
are exposed but an area greater
handling, storage and/or
than 10 mm x 10 mm lacks resin.
Wear scratch transportation. If reinforcement
If there are no fibers exposed, and
fibers are broken, the damage is
the area lacking resin is less than Accept
considered a crack.
10 mm x 10 mm
If more severe than the above. Reject
Note: The acceptance criteria above apply to the pipe and fitting body, away from threads or sealing surfaces.

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