Polymer pipe, a pipe joint insert device, a pipe joint assembly, and methods of forming same

A method of assembling a pipe joint, the method comprising:

• providing a first pipe having a spigot end;
• providing a second pipe having a belled end, the belled end of the second pipe sized to receive therein the spigot end of the first pipe, wherein a mating spline groove is provided on an outside diameter (OD) of the first pipe;
• installing an insert device seated in and retained within the belled end, the insert device including an annular body defining a spline groove facing radially inward;
• inserting the spigot end of the first pipe into the belled end of the second pipe such that the mating spline groove is axially aligned with the spline groove in the annular body;
• and
• inserting a spline into the spline groove and the mating spline groove to axially retain the first and second pipes joined to one another,
• wherein the spline groove is a dual-depth groove with a first groove section having a shallower radial depth and a second groove section having a deeper radial depth,
• wherein the first groove section and the second groove section each have a surface arranged parallel to an axis of the pipe joint such that the spline groove has a stepped configuration whereby spline can selectively reside in the first groove section or the second groove section of the spline groove, and
• wherein a void is provided in the annular body facing radially inward in the same direction as the spline groove, the void extending circumferentially around the insert device and disposed axially between a tapered face of the annular body and the spline groove.