IS 1626 (Part 1) : 2000Asbestos cement building pipes and pipe fittings, gutters and gutter fittings and roofing fittings, Part 1: Pipe and pipe fittings
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IS 1626:2000 (Part 1) is the Indian Standard (BIS) for asbestos cement building pipes and pipe fittings, gutters and gutter fittings and roofing fittings, part 1: pipe and pipe fittings. This standard covers the requirements for dimensions, manufacturing, and testing of asbestos cement pipes and pipe fittings used for building drainage, waste, ventilation, and rainwater systems.
Asbestos cement building pipes and pipe fittings, gutters and gutter fittings and roofing fittings, Part 1: Pipe and pipe fittings
! Due to the severe health hazards and carcinogenic nature of asbestos fibers, these products are banned or heavily restricted in many jurisdictions. Verify local laws before specifying or handling.
! Modern construction overwhelmingly uses UPVC, CPVC, or Cast Iron pipes instead of asbestos cement.
! If maintenance, removal, or repair of existing AC pipes is required, strict asbestos abatement protocols and safety gear (as per IS 12059) must be used to prevent fiber inhalation.
ISO 393:1993ISO (International Organization for Standardization)
HighWithdrawn
Products in fibre-reinforced cement — Asbestos-cement pipes, joints and fittings for sewerage and drainage
Specifies requirements for asbestos-cement pipes for non-pressure sewerage and drainage, a direct historical parallel.
BS 569:1973BSI (British Standards Institution), UK
HighWithdrawn
Specification for asbestos-cement pipes and fittings for sewerage and drainage
Covers asbestos-cement pipes for drainage, very similar in scope and vintage to the Indian Standard.
EN 588-1:2002CEN (European Committee for Standardization), Europe
MediumCurrent
Fibre-cement pipes for drains and sewers - Part 1: Pipes, joints and fittings for gravity systems
Modern equivalent covering the same application (gravity drainage) but for non-asbestos fibre-cement.
ASTM C428/C428M-00ASTM International, USA
HighWithdrawn
Standard Specification for Asbestos-Cement Pipe
US standard for asbestos-cement pipes used in non-pressure applications like sewer and drainage systems.
Key Differences
≠The most significant difference is that IS 1626:2000 is still a listed standard in India (though use is heavily restricted), while its direct international asbestos-cement counterparts (ISO 393, BS 569, ASTM C428) have been withdrawn for health and safety reasons.
≠Modern international equivalents like EN 588-1 explicitly prohibit the use of asbestos fibres and are designed for alternative materials like PVA or cellulose (fibre-cement), whereas IS 1626 is specific to asbestos-cement.
≠Pipe classification systems differ. IS 1626 specifies Class L (Light) and Class M (Medium) for building applications, whereas standards like BS 569 had Classes 1, 2, and 3, which covered a broader range of applications including heavier-duty municipal sewers with significantly higher crushing strength requirements.
≠While general test principles are similar, specific parameters such as load application rates in mechanical tests or conditioning requirements for samples can vary between the Indian and international standards.
Key Similarities
≈The fundamental material composition, being a composite of Portland cement and asbestos fibres, is identical between IS 1626 and its historical international equivalents (ISO 393, BS 569).
≈The core performance tests are consistent across all standards, including requirements for transverse crushing strength, longitudinal bending strength, water absorption, and watertightness.
≈The primary intended application for non-pressure gravity drainage and sewerage in building systems is a common scope for IS 1626 and the withdrawn international standards.
≈The manufacturing principle, typically the Hatschek process, which results in a laminated pipe structure, is common to the products specified under all these historical standards.
Parameter Comparison
Parameter
IS Value
International
Source
Longitudinal Bending Stress
Minimum 16 MPa
Minimum modulus of rupture of 19.6 MPa
ISO 881:1980 (Asbestos-cement pipes for building)
Water Absorption
Not to exceed 28% by mass
Typically specified in a similar range, e.g., not to exceed 28% increase over dry mass
ISO 393:1993
Straightness Deviation
Maximum 3 mm/m length
Maximum deviation not to exceed 3 mm/m length (specified as 0.3% of length)
ISO 393:1993
Watertightness Test Pressure
0.05 MPa (0.5 bar) for 30 minutes with no leakage
0.5 bar (5m head of water) with no leakage
BS 569:1973
Crushing Strength (100mm pipe)
Class L: 2.5 kN/m; Class M: 4.0 kN/m
Class 1: 13.1 kN/m; Class 2: 19.7 kN/m (Note: Classes are for heavier duty and not directly comparable)
BS 569:1973
Chemical Resistance (Acid)
Acid soluble material not to exceed 1% after 24 hours in 0.1N H₂SO₄
Acid soluble content not to exceed 0.8% after 48 hours in a similar acid test solution
ISO 393:1993
⚠ Verify details from original standards before use
Key Values3
Quick Reference Values
Common nominal diameters50 mm, 75 mm, 100 mm, 150 mm
Standard pipe lengths1.5 m, 2.0 m, 3.0 m
Minimum hydraulic test pressure0.05 MPa (for building gravity pipes)
Tables & Referenced Sections
Key Tables
Table 1 - Nominal Diameters and Dimensions of Pipes