IS 458:2003 - Specifications

for Precast Concrete Pipes

-Pratik Sharad Deogekar

110040010

Introduction
Precast concrete pipes are widely used for water

mains, sewers, culverts and irrigation.

IS 458:2003 lays down the requirements of quality
and dimensions for precast concrete pipes (both
reinforced and unreinforced).
However, prestressed pipes and pipes with noncircular sections are not covered by this standard.
This is the fifth revision of the code. It includes
provisions for pipes manufactured using vibrated
casting process absent in previous versions and
various modifications based on experience.

Non-pressure pipes
The standard classifies pipes into pressure(P) and non-

pressure(NP) pipes.
NP pipes are used to carry flow under gravity and must
be designed to withstand a test pressure of 0.07 Mpa.
Class

Description

Conditions of use

NP1

Unreinforced
pressure pipes

NP2

Reinforced concrete,
non-pressure pipes

NP3

Reinforced and also unreinforced Drainage and irrigation for

concrete,
medium-duty,
non- cross drains/ culverts with
pressure pipes
medium traffic

NP4

Reinforced and also unreinforced Drainage and irrigation for

concrete,
heavy-duty,
non- cross drains/ culverts with
pressure pipes
heavy traffic

concrete

non- Drainage and irrigation

use,
above
ground/
shallow trenches

light-duty, Drainage and irrigation for

culverts with light traffic

Pressure pipes
Pressure pipes are designed to carry fluid flow with non-

zero site test pressure. The following definitions are used

to define the terms related to design pressure:1. Working Pressure Maximum sustained internal
pressure excluding surge, to which each portion of the
pipeline may be subjected when installed.
2. Site Test pressure 1.5 times working pressure
pertaining to the section or 1.1 times static pressure,
whichever is more.
3. Hydrostatic Test pressure Maximum pressure which
the pipe can withstand without any leakage when tested
for hydrostatic pressure as per IS 3597.

Classification of Pressure
Pipes
Pressure pipes are classified as follows:Class

Description

Conditions of use

P1

Reinforced concrete pressure Gravity mains, the site test

pipes tested to hydrostatic pressure not exceeding 2/3
pressure of 0.2 Mpa
of hydrostatic test pressure

P2

Reinforced concrete pressure Pumping mains, the site test

pipes tested to hydrostatic pressure not exceeding 1/2
pressure of 0.4 Mpa
of hydrostatic test pressure

P3

Reinforced concrete pressure Pumping mains, the site test

pipes tested to hydrostatic pressure not exceeding 1/2
pressure of 0.6 Mpa
of hydrostatic test pressure

Materials
The following provisions apply to various constituents
used for mix design of concrete used in precast pipes.
Cement
The code specifies the standards a particular type of
cement must conform to. Ex:- If fly-ash based
cement is used it must conform to IS 1489 (Part 1).
Fly ash based cement is permitted only for nonpressure pipes with fly ash content restricted to
25%.
Sulphate resisting cement must be used where
sulphate is predominant.

Aggregates
Must conform to section 3 of IS 383.
For pipes above 250 mm internal diameter, maximum
aggregate size should be less than 1/3 * pipe thickness
or 20 mm, whichever is smaller.
For pipes with internal diameter between 80 and 250
mm, maximum aggregate size should be 10 mm.
Reinforcement
The following types of steel are allowed as reinforcement
1. Mild steel Grade 1 bars / Medium tensile steel bars
conforming to IS 432 (Part 1)
2. Hard-drawn steel wires conforming to IS 432 (Part 2)
3. Structural steel bars conforming to IS 2062

Concrete/Mortar
The concrete quality (concrete mix design, maximum watercement ratio, minimum cement content) must be as per IS 456
at least for very severe environment.
In case of spinning process, a higher water-cement ration,
higher cement content, more fines than specified in IS 456, may
be allowed, if necessary.
Non-pressure pipes minimum cement content of 450 kg/m 3,
minimum 28 day compressive strength of 35 Mpa.
Non-pressure pipes minimum cement content of 600 kg/m 3,
minimum 28 day compressive strength of 35 Mpa.
A conversion factor must be incorporated to account for
differences in strength of cube and pipe depending on
manufacturing process. For spun concrete, in absence of data,
pipe concrete strength = 1.25 * cube strength.
For pressure pipes, split tensile strength (tested as per IS 5816)
> 2.5 Mpa

Design
All Reinforced concrete pipes must be designed such

that maximum tensile stress in circumferential steel due

to specified hydrostatic pressure < 125 Mpa in case of
mild steel and < 140 Mpa in case of HYSD bars.
Barrel thickness must be such that, maximum tensile
stress in concrete (when considered as effective to take
stress with steel) < 2 Mpa (Pressure pipes) and <1.5 Mpa
(Non-pressure pipes)
Tables 1 to 11, indicate the minimum barrel thickness and
longitudinal reinforcement to be provided. The
longitudinal reinforcement (per metre) must be increased
by L2/32 times when length of pipe>3m.

Reinforcement
Minimum longitudinal and transverse reinforcement

requirements are specified in tables 1 to 11 for various

kinds of pipes.
For non-welded cages spiral reinforcement of same
diameter shall be closely spaced (spacing < 50 mm /
0.5*pitch, whichever is smaller) at the end of pipe for
150 mm length to minimize damage during handling.
The maximum pitch allowed for various pipe
diameters is enlisted below:Internal Diameter

Maximum Pitch allowed

80 - 150 mm

200 mm

200 350 mm

150 mm

> 400 mm

100 mm

Tables for Design and

Strength Requirements
After calculating the internal diameter of pipes (based on

flow) and deciding the type of pipe to be used, the

various dimensions and reinforcement requirements are
stated in Tables 1 to 11 for different pipe types.
These tables specify the minimum barrel thickness,
minimum longitudinal and spiral (transverse)
reinforcement, strength requirements for a particular
diameter of the pipe.
The reinforcement requirements are given for HYSD
steel and if mild steel is used, the reinforcement area
must be increased by 140/125 times.

Example of Strength Table

A part of Table 5 is reproduced here to explain the terms
Interna
l
Diamet
er
(mm)

Barrel
wall
thickne
ss
(mm)

Min
.
lon
g.
bar
s

Min.
long.
as
(kg/
m)

Min.
Spiral
s as
(kg/m)

Load for
25 mm
crack
(kN/m)

Ultimat
e Load
(kN/m)

100

25

0.59

0.18

10.05

15.08

150

25

0.59

0.24

10.79

16.19

For
of internal
200 mm,11.77
the minimum
200a pipe 25
6 diameter
0.59
0.38
17.66
barrel wall thickness must be 25 mm, the minimum
number of longitudinal bars must be 6 and their
diameter must be such that total weight > 0.59*(pipe
length cover), total weight of spiral reinforcement >
0.38 *(pipe length). For a crack width of 25mm the
load > 11.77 kN/m, failure load >17.66 kN/m.

Ends of Pipes
Spigot and socket ended pipes shall be used for water

mains, sewer, irrigation and culverts/cross drains.

Flush jointed (NP3 and NP4) and collar jointed (NP2
pipes) shall be used for culverts/cross drains only.
Spigot and socket ended pipes used for water mains,
sewer and irrigation can have either spigot and socket
joints/ roll on joints/ confined gasket joints.
Dimensions of Spigot and socket ended pipes are given
in Tables 12 to 19 for spigot and socket joint and rubber
ring roll on joint. The reinforcement in socket of rubber
ring jointed pipes shall follow values given in Table 20.
Dimensions of collar for NP1, NP2 pipes are given in
Table 1 and Table 21. Table 22 (Amendment No. 1)
contains collar dimensions for NP3 and NP4 pipes.

Flush and Collar joints

Details of flush joint (Fig 1)
(External flush for dia.<700 mm,
internal flush for dia.>700 mm)

Details of collar joint (Fig 2)

Spigot and Socket ended

pipes (reinforcement)
Typical arrangement of reinforcement Typical arrangement of reinforcement
in socket for double cage (Figure 4)
in socket for single cage (Figure 3)

Manufacture

The concrete shall be mixed in mechanical mixer till

mixture is uniform but duration should be at least 2 mins.

Pipes with barrel wall thickness 100 mm and above, shall
have double reinforcement cage and outer cage
reinforcement should be of inner cage reinforcement
For such pipes, mass of longitudinal reinforcement in
outer and inner cage must be equal.
Diagonal reinforcement should be provided in cages
which are not welded to help bind the cage securely. This
reinforcement would be assumed to resist no stress
Water curing must be done for at least 7 and 14 days in
Non-pressure and Pressure pipes respectively. Fly ash
based concrete must be cured for at least 14 days.

Workmanship and Finish

Concrete must be free from all cracks except craze

cracks and no opening between ends in contact shall

exceed 3 mm in pipes up to 600 mm diameter and 6 mm
for pipes larger than 600 mm diameter
The outside and inside surfaces of the pipe shall not be
coated with cement wash/ other preparation. The inside
surface of the pipe shall be smooth. For better bond,
inner surface of the collar may be finished rough.
Any local dents/ bulges shall be less than 3 mm in depth
and their length in any direction shall not exceed twice
the barrel wall thickness.
Deviation from straight in any pipe, tested as per IS 3597,
shall not exceed 3 mm for every metre run.

Tests
During manufacture, concrete test cubes shall be subject

to compressive strength test as per IS 516.

For pressure pipes splitting tensile strength test shall be
performed on concrete cylinders as per IS 5816.
Every pressure pipe shall be tested for the hydrostatic
test pressure it is designed to withstand while 2 percent
of the non-pressure pipes shall be tested for hydrostatic
test pressure as per IS 3597.
The three - edge bearing test shall be performed for all
pipes as per IS 3597 to find ultimate load and load
corresponding to crack width of 25 mm.
The permeability, obtained by following procedure in IS
3597, shall not exceed 0.3 cm3 .

Quality Control
The tolerances permitted in the design dimensions of the

pipe (overall length, internal diameter and barrel wall

thickness) during manufacture of pipes are enlisted in
clause 8.2 of the code.
The sample size from a lot and the number of pipes
which are allowed to be defective (not conforming to the
described standards) with respect to design dimensions,
finish, deviation from straight, hydrostatic test,
permeability test are mentioned in section 11 and Table
22 of IS 458.
However, no pipe must fail the ultimate load test.
If the established standards are met, the manufactured
pipe lot may be permitted for use in the field

Conclusion
IS 458 provides a comprehensive coverage of all the

various facets involved in the design, quality control

and manufacturing of precast concrete pipes.
It gives guidelines on characteristics of constituent
materials, pipe dimensions, reinforcement design,
manufacturing, tolerances, sampling in such a way
that adherence to these guidelines ensures that the
desired safety and durability is obtained.