12 DRAINAGE


New fabric tailored to reduce costs


A draining experience Daniel Debois, Head of


Marketing for Access Covers & Gratings at cast iron technology supplier Saint-Gobain PAM UK, looks at the changing role of the access cover and how leading manufacturers are responding to increased demands for enhanced performance and safety. A product that started life as


little more than a basic “plate of cast iron” or grating has over the years developed into a family of highly sophisticated products.The primary function of these products was originally to allow access to an underground water, sewer or telecom system, for either personnel or inspection devices and to drain surface water.The heavy flooding in some parts of the UK in recent years has


Project Manager Andrew ACO Stabilisation Fabric is


a non-woven separation membrane designed to work with the award-winning ACO GroundGuard


reinforcement system.


ground The


fabric improves the integrity and long-term drainage performance of the porous, high load bearing surface while reducing total installed cost. Manufactured from a UV- stabilised polypropylene geotextile, ACO Stabilisation Fabric is ideal for residential applications such as parking areas,


access routes and pathways. By installing the fabric


above and below the sub-base layer aggregate migration during settlement is virtually eliminated, lowering the total aggregate volume required by up to 25%, cutting installation time and improving the stability of the finished installation.


ACO Technologies Click here to request literature


Sparkes of Gartell & Son, Drainage Contractors and suppliers of recycled rubber has been working with the idea for the last twelve months of using that particular material for secondary drainage ie sand slits, sand banding,


and gravel


banding. He tells us here of the testing and extremely positive results. “Trials have taken place at a Shepton Mallet school where an area of 1,800m² of rubber banding was carried out successfully using recycled rubber instead of more traditional natural materials. The depth of the Rubber banding carried out into a clay soil structure was 150mm deep and the required material usage for the operation was found to be just 5½ tons. Two Wincanton football pitches measuring a total of 10,500m² have also been successfully renovated and top dressing trials are underway on playing fields, with excellent results to date, to establish product values where grass growth and stabilisation are concerned. The main benefits from use of recycled rubber are, firstly, the


in recent years started to adopt the hinged covers which are commonplace in many European countries. These allow any shape of manhole cover – circular, double triangular or rectangular - to be opened and closed by one operative. The high accuracy of hinging systems allows the covers to be lifted and closed manually without effort. In case of internal backflow pressure, the hinged covers will remain secured to their frames, there is no risk of an open hole on the road, and the cover will automatically close after expelling the discharge, making roads less hazardous after the event.


Enhanced surface water


highlighted the need for optimal surface water drainage. In order to meet health and safety legislation


and provide a safe working environment for water and sewage industry staff, the UK has


drainage is vital to keep roads open and traffic moving during periods of heavy rain and negate the health and safety risks posed by run-off water. The last few years have seen new,


high absorption capacity grating,


Trials prove benefits of use of recycled Rubber


the slits and the children could then use the field without the worry of cutting themselves if they fell. We now have a playing area that drains really well, is usable all the year round with no health and safety issues, no grit, to worry about and the grass grows over the rubber crumb in a short amount of time” Andrew Sparkes concludes “other benefits from use of recycled rubber in sports turf drainage include, no bulk delivery of materials with no material left over and the rubber does not hold moisture and spread when wet, unlike sand. Sports fields can be restored and become operational the same day and damage to ground care equipment is minimal”.


safety factor, obviating the need to use a sharp or even dense material for a back fill with associated health & safety issues. Rubber Granules also offer a viable alternative to conventional drainage materials such as sand, & grit as most natural materials are now subject to extraction taxes, and high haulage costs. Damp sand can also be very difficult to place effectively in sand bands whilst grit can cause injury if spilled


onto the playing surface. Both sand & grit can also cause damage to cylinder mowers. Jeff Mountjoy, Site Manager, Radstock,


Paulton School,


comments “We had a major problem at the school with the draining of the football field. It was so bad that it became unusable in the winter months so we talked to Gartell & Son to see what they could propose to eliminate the problem. Following consultation it was agreed that


drainage across the whole length of the playing field would be installed, involving 5 x 100mtr lengths of drainage pipe linked to the main surface water drains which ran across the field. We then had to link these drainage pipes across the width of the field but we were concerned about the use of grit in the slits as we have infant and junior children using the field. That particular issue was resolved with the use of rubber crumb in


Gartell & Son Click here to request literature


DECEMBER 2009


developed and tested in real conditions,


with both local


authorities and consultants welcoming this innovation. From their previous status as commodity products, manhole covers and gratings have developed into integral parts of modern water,


sewage and


telecommunications networks, offering far more than just a cover – a safe,


secure road


surface, ergonomically advanced and able to add real value by coping with anything the elements can offer.


St Gobain Click here to request literature


CLICK HERE TO REQUEST LITERATURE


CLICK HERE TO REQUEST LITERATURE


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