Building Code Glossary
ASTM D 2855: Building Code Definition
How the IPC 2009 define astm d 2855, where the wording differs, and which chapters depend on the term.
On this page
Last updated September 7, 2026 · Definitions quoted from the 2009 International Codes as transcribed in this site's building-codes collection, with the source chapter linked for each quotation. Usage counts are computed over the chapters hosted here, one copy per code. The [ICC code library](https://codes.iccsafe.org/codes) publishes the current model text and the [ICC adoption maps](https://www.iccsafe.org/advocacy/code-adoption-maps/) show which edition a jurisdiction has adopted; those sources control.
Direct answer
ASTM D 2855 is a defined term in the International Plumbing Code (IPC) 2009, in Water Supply and Distribution. The code's own words are: “Solvent-cement joints shall be permitted above or below ground.” No other I-Code in this corpus defines it, so the IPC 2009 definition is the one to work from. The term is used in 4 chapters of this corpus, most often in Materials (IPC 2009), Sanitary Drainage (IPC 2009), Sanitary Drainage (IRC 2009). These pages transcribe the 2009 model text; verify the definition against the edition and amendments your authority having jurisdiction has adopted. Record the jurisdiction, the adopted edition, the application date and any local amendment that rewrites the definition before you use it on a live project, because a term redefined by amendment changes every requirement that depends on it.
Content and cited inputs reviewed by Scott Barrington, Harth founder and architectural technology specialist · Published 2026-09-07 · Updated 2026-09-07.
What does this term mean?
ASTM D 2855 — IPC 2009, Water Supply and Distribution:
Solvent-cement joints shall be permitted above or below ground.
What must be verified before using this guidance?
ASTM D 2855 is defined once in this corpus, in the Water Supply and Distribution chapter of the International Plumbing Code (IPC) 2009:
Solvent-cement joints shall be permitted above or below ground.
Where astm d 2855 is used in the code
The term appears in 4 chapters of the 2009 I-Codes hosted here. The chapters that lean on it hardest are the ones to read next.
| Chapter | Code | Mentions |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | IPC 2009 | 4 |
| Sanitary Drainage | IPC 2009 | 4 |
| Sanitary Drainage | IRC 2009 | 4 |
| Water Supply and Distribution | IPC 2009 | 2 |
The term in use
How the code actually writes about astm d 2855, quoted from the 2009 text hosted here:
The joint shall be made while the cement is wet, and shall be in accordance with ASTM D 2855.
The terms ASTM D 2855 is built out of
The definition above leans on 1 other defined term. Each carries its own code definition, and a local amendment to any of them changes what ASTM D 2855 covers:
- Shall — IRC 2009: The term, when used in the code, is construed as mandatory.
ASTM D 2855: what to open, and in what order
Every row is a document this term depends on. The ICC code library and the ICC adoption maps cover the middle rows.
| Check | Where | Confirmed |
|---|---|---|
| Read the definition in the adopted IPC | Water Supply and Distribution | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Materials (IPC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Sanitary Drainage (IPC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Sanitary Drainage (IRC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Water Supply and Distribution (IPC 2009) | |
| Confirm the dependent definition | Shall | |
| Local amendment to any of the above | Jurisdiction's amendment list |
A research aid, not a code determination. The authority having jurisdiction decides which edition and which amendments apply.
Where can you explore related guidance?
- Explore all glossary guidance
- Drainage System: Building Code Definition
- Private: Building Code Definition
- Structure: Building Code Definition
- Ready Access: Building Code Definition
Sources and method
Definitions quoted from the 2009 International Codes as transcribed in this site's building-codes collection, with the source chapter linked for each quotation. Usage counts are computed over the chapters hosted here, one copy per code. The ICC code library publishes the current model text and the ICC adoption maps show which edition a jurisdiction has adopted; those sources control.
Source links
Frequently asked questions
What is the code definition of astm d 2855?
The International Plumbing Code (IPC) 2009 defines it in Water Supply and Distribution as: “Solvent-cement joints shall be permitted above or below ground.” The 2009 model text is reproduced here; the definition that binds your project is the one in the edition your jurisdiction has adopted, as amended locally.
Which parts of the code depend on astm d 2855?
In this corpus the term is used across 4 chapters, led by Materials in the IPC 2009. Those are the sections whose scope moves if the definition is amended locally, so read them together with Chapter 2 rather than on their own.
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