GENERAL

Codes relating to piping provide specific design criteria such as allowable materials, working stresses, seismic loads, thermal expansion, and other imposed internal or external loads as well as fabrication, installation, and testing for many aspects of a total piping system. Code compliance is mandated by various federal, state, and local agencies that have jurisdiction and enforcement authority. Each code has precisely defined limitations on its jurisdiction. Familiarity with these limitations can be obtained only after a thorough reading of the code.

These codes often refer to standards prepared by nationally recognized organizations. The term nationally recognized is defined as a group or organization composed of a nationwide membership representative of its members views. To achieve nationally recognized status, an association must have been in existence for a reasonable period of time, be active in research and other issues relating to its area of interest, and be generally regarded by its peers to be scientifically accurate.

Standards provide specific design criteria and rules for specific components or classes of components such as valves, joints, and fittings. Dimensional standards provide control for components to assure that components supplied by different manufacturers are physically interchangeable. Pressure integrity standards provide performance criteria so that components supplied by different manufacturers will function and be service rated (pressure and temperature) in a similar manner. Standards...