Installation Guide
101
Trenching
The following trenching and burial procedures should be used 
to protect the piping system.
1 .  Excavate the trench in accordance with applicable codes 
and regulations, ensuring that the sides will be stable 
under all working conditions.
Underground Installation
INSTALLATION PROCEDURES
5. Apply  primer 
between the mark 
and pipe end on 
both pipe ends.
4
5
6
7
7.  Push the repair 
coupling toward 
the gap until you 
reach the mark on 
the other pipe end. 
A bead of cement 
will be present 
around the entire 
diameter of the 
pipe and coupling. 
6.  Apply heavy body 
cement between 
the mark and pipe 
end on both pipe 
ends.
4.  Place the repair 
coupling on the 
pipe with the 
larger pipe ID 
(inside diameter) 
end facing the gap 
between the pipe 
ends. (The larger 
pipe ID of the 
2.  The trench should be wide enough to provide adequate 
room for the following.
A. Joiningthepipeinthetrench;
B.  Snaking the pipe from side to side to compensate for 
expansionandcontraction,ifrequired;and
C.  Filling and compacting the side fills. 
The space between the pipe and trench wall must be wider 
than the compaction equipment used in the compaction 
of the backll.Minimum width shallbe not less than
the greater of either the pipe outside diameter plus 16 
inches or the pipe outside diameter times 1.25 plus 12 
inches. Trench width may be different if approved by the 
design engineer.
3.  Install foundation and bedding as required by the en-
gineer according to conditions in the trench bottom. 
Provide firm, stable and uniform bedding for the pipe 
barrel and any protruding feature of its joint. Provide a 
minimum of 4 inches of bedding unless rock or unyield-
ing material is encountered in the bottom of the trench, 
in which case a minimum of 6 inches of bedding shall 
be used. For more severe conditions the guidelines in 
ASTMD2321shouldbefollowed.Blockingshouldnot
be used to change pipe grade or to intermittently sup-
port pipe over low sections in the trench.
4.  To prevent damage to the pipe and disturbance to pipe 
embedment, a minimum depth of backfill above the pipe 
should be maintained before allowing vehicles or heavy 
construction equipment to traverse the pipe trench. 
Pipe should always be installed at least below the frost 
level. The minimum depth of cover should be established 
by the design engineer based upon an evaluation of spe-
cific project conditions. In the absence of an engineer-
ing evaluation, Charlotte Pipe recommends referring to 
Section7.6inASTMD2321“UndergroundInstallation
of Thermoplastic pipe for Sewers and Other Gravity-
FlowApplications.”
Bedding and Backfilling
1.  Even though sub-soil conditions vary widely from place 
to place, the pipe backfill should be stable and provide 
protection for the pipe.
2.  The pipe should be surrounded with an aggregate material 
which is easily worked around the sides of the pipe. 
Backfilling should be performed in layers of 6 inches 
witheachlayerbeingsufcientlycompactedto85%to
95%compaction.
coupling has raised quarter mark lines on the outside 
diameter of the coupling.)










