A two-dissipative mechanisms model, associating a Maxwell and an elastoplastic model in parallel, is discussed in order to account for the non-linear viscoelasticity of bulk medium-density polyethylene. On the one hand, the experimental determination of the constitutive equations coefficients is described from a tensile specimen machined from gas pipes. On the other hand, finite-element simulation of the stress relaxation experiment, proposed by Sweeney and Ward, is achieved, which yields a complete analysis of the dissipative mechanisms interaction during the test. The finite-element code built upon this modelling is finally used in a tentative simulation of a cyclic pressure test on a pipe specimen.