ISO 4981:2023

INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 4981
First edition
2023-06
Plastics piping systems for non-
pressure underground conveyance
and storage of non-potable water —
Boxes used for retention, detention,
storage and transportation systems —
Specifications for storm water boxes
made of PE, PP and PVC-U
Systèmes de canalisations en plastique pour le transport et le
stockage souterrains sans pression de l'eau non potable — Structures
alvéolaires ultra-légères utilisées pour les systèmes de rétention, de
stockage et de transport — Spécifications relatives aux structures
alvéolaires ultra-légères pour eaux pluviales fabriquées à partir de
PE, PP et de PVC-U
Reference number
© ISO 2023
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Published in Switzerland
ii
Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 2
4 Symbols and abbreviated terms.4
4.1 Symbols . 4
4.2 Abbreviated terms . 4
5 Material. 4
5.1 General . 4
5.2 Polypropylene (PP) material . 5
5.2.1 General . 5
5.2.2 Polypropylene (PP) virgin material . 5
5.2.3 Polypropylene (PP) modified with minerals . 5
5.2.4 Polypropylene (PP) non-virgin material . 5
5.3 Polyethylene (PE) material. 5
5.3.1 General . 5
5.3.2 Polyethylene (PE) virgin material . 5
5.3.3 Polyethylene (PE) modified with minerals . 6
5.3.4 Polyethylene (PE) non-virgin material . . 6
5.4 Unplasticized polyvinylchloride (PVC-U) material . 6
5.4.1 General . 6
5.4.2 Unplasticized polyvinylchloride (PVC-U) virgin material . 6
5.4.3 Unplasticized polyvinylchloride (PVC-U) non-virgin material . 6
5.5 Box and integral components material characteristics . 6
6 General characteristics . 8
6.1 Appearance . 8
6.2 Colour . 8
6.3 Box covered by this document . 8
7 Geometrical characteristics . 8
7.1 Shape . 8
7.2 Dimensions . 9
7.3 Total volume . 9
7.4 Material volume . 9
7.5 Weight . . 9
7.6 Porosity . 9
8 Physical characteristics of boxes .10
8.1 Physical characteristics of injection moulded PP boxes . 10
8.2 Physical characteristics of injection moulded PE boxes . 10
8.3 Physical characteristics of injection moulded PVC-U boxes . 10
9 Mechanical characteristics of boxes including integral components .11
10 Marking . .12
10.1 General .12
10.2 Minimum required marking of boxes .12
Annex A (normative) Characteristics of materials used in boxes and integral components
for PP, PE and PVC-U . .13
Bibliography .16
iii
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
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electrotechnical standardization.
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www.iso.org/iso/foreword.html.
This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 138, Plastics pipes, fittings and valves for
the transport of fluids, Subcommittee SC 1, Plastics pipes and fittings for soil, waste and drainage (including
land drainage).
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A
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iv
Introduction
This document specifies systems comprised of boxes made of PE, PP or PVC-U and used for retention,
detention, storage and transportation of storm water.
This document is based on EN 17152-1, additionally including PE materials.
[1]
Guidance for installation can be found in CEN/TR 17179.
v
INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 4981:2023(E)
Plastics piping systems for non-pressure underground
conveyance and storage of non-potable water — Boxes
used for retention, detention, storage and transportation
systems — Specifications for storm water boxes made of
PE, PP and PVC-U
1 Scope
This document gives the definitions and specifies the minimum requirements for injection moulded,
extruded, compression moulded and thermoformed thermoplastics cuboid shaped boxes, including
integral components, used in underground systems for retention, detention, storage and transportation
of non-potable water (e.g. storm water) and manufactured from polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP)
or unplasticized polyvinylchloride (PVC-U).
The boxes are intended for buried underground use, e.g. in landscape, pedestrian or vehicular traffic
areas.
In the case of retention and detention systems, the main purpose of the boxes is to retain water, for
later infiltration in the ground or for later use in non-potable applications (irrigation, cleaning, sanitary
facilities, etc.) or to retain water during a storm, transferring it in a controlled way to the public storm
water network.
Applications include commercial, residential, agricultural and highway drainage, including installation
under parking lots and roadways.
Product performance is determined by a combination of material specification, product design and
manufacturing process.
A box can either be factory-assembled or site-assembled from different components.
The boxes are intended to be used as elements in a modular system where the manufacturer has
provided a clearly documented method specifying how the components are assembled to create a
complete retention, detention, storage
...