This document is the TN 5.10_C Integral Bell Transition for HDPE Pipe. Overview, connections and vent tube sealing provided with figures and descriptors.

ADS offers a variety of joints to the market place. Corrugated HDPE pipe can be cut at any corrugation allowing a great degree of flexibility in making field cuts. Plain end pipe can be connected using split couplers, cleated bell-bell couplers, or bell end couplers and gaskets. The standard pipe joint ADS offers is the Integral Bell (IB) joint which requires field cuts when transitioning to plain end pipe, fittings or other materials.

ADS N-12® IB pipe has an integral bell which maintains a constant pipe outside diameter (OD). This constant OD eliminates the need for bell holes and makes it easier to maintain line and grade during installation. The gasketed bell and spigot design, with an elastomeric rubber gasket meeting ASTM F477, is intended for soil-tight (ST) or watertight (WT), gravity-flow storm sewer applications, as defined in CSA B182.8, BNQ3624-120, and ASTM F 2306 and ASTM D 3212.

With the variety of couplers available, connecting to existing pipe runs or to fabricated fittings may necessitate a transition to other ADS joints. ADS fittings come as either plain end or bell end; which makes it necessary to transition from an IB joint to either a plain end connection or a bell end connection. Figures for integral bell pipe to plain end pipe connection, welded bell connection and integral bell pipe to bell-bell coupler connection provided.

The manufacturing process of corrugated plastic pipe requires the release of hot air from inside the corrugations in order to properly form the corrugations. This hot air is allowed to escape from the corrugations during the extrusion process via vent tubes that run the length of the pipe. Vent tubes become exposed when the pipe is cut in the field to install a fitting, connect to a manhole, or otherwise adjust the length of a pipe run. Exposed vent tubes may result in a leak path, and therefore is recommended that they be sealed. It is important that these vent tubes be sealed whenever the pipe is cut in the field.