Significance and Use 5.1 This practice determines the room temperature gasket constants Gb and a for initial seating and Gs for operating conditions as related to the tightness behavior of pressurized bolted flanged connections. These constants are used in determining the design bolt load for gasketed bolted joints. 5.2 This practice is suitable for all the types of gaskets and facings as are considered by the ASME Division 1 Code. This includes ASME B16.5 raised facings, nubbin-type facings, O-ring grooves, and a wide variety of gaskets including spiral wound, flat sheet, solid metal, jacketed, and other types of gaskets common to process and power industry pressurized equipment. 5.3 These constants are intended for direct use in determining ASME Code design calculations for bolted flanged joints. An appendix of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section VIII, Division 1 will refer to the gasket constants Gb, a, and Gs produced by this practice. The user and bolted joint designer are cautioned that gasket constants Gb, a, and Gs and any gasket design stresses calculated from these may not be conservative for design stresses below S1 or beyond S13 as indicated in Table 3. 5.4 When required, this practice evaluates both the mechanical and leakage resistance of gaskets to excessive compression to determine their maximum assembly stress, Sc. 5.5 This test procedure is a gasket tightness characterization test and is not considered as a gasket manufacturing quality control test.Scope 1.1 This practice determines room temperature gasket tightness design constants for pressurized bolted flanged connections such as those designed in accordance with the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code. 1.2 This practice applies mainly to all types of circular gasket products and facings typically used in process or power plant pressure vessels, heat exchangers, and piping including solid metal, jacketed, spiral wound, and sheet-type gaskets. As an optional extension of this practice, the maximum assembly stress for those gaskets may also be determined by this procedure. 1.3 Units—The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the standard, but other units may be included. 1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. 1.5 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
