Municipal castings
The Issues faced
The repeated failure of ironwork within a busy commuter and bus route was resulting in Kent County Council facing higher than budgeted maintenance costs, increasing complaints from local residents and the disruption caused by streetworks at peak times.
Findings
A detailed inspection and survey resulted in a greater understanding of the different failure mechanisms that had been accelerated by the severe stresses transmitted by passing traffic leading to the failure of the ironwork and breakdown of the installation materials.
The supporting structure and chamber were in poor condition, it was also evident that the bedding materials used had failed.
Closer inspection determined a lack of support under the ironwork in critical functional areas. Evidence of the incorrect type and amount of material needed to ensure a durable installation.
Solution
Working alongside the client the Saint-Gobain PAM UK team identified the need to combine the adoption of high performance products installed using best practice right first time installation techniques all governed by a robust, definitive specification. Pivotal to this was the use of the innovative Pamrex D400 access cover which features an integral elastomer gasket between the cover section and the frame. The gasket ensures silence in operation while also absorbing >60% of the shock and dynamic forces generated by traffic that would usually be transmitted into the bedding material and sub-structure thus increasing the durability and longevity of the overall installation. Pamrex is a versatile solution and offers many other benefits in relation to operator safety, security and the ability to minimise the ingress of surface water and control the egress of water in surcharge conditions.
The Value
By adopting a holistic approach to product specification, selection and installation Kent County Council have seen
tangible savings. This approach has significantly increased the longevity of the installation, reduced whole life costs and ensured road users suffer no inconvenience. Avoiding the need to replace failed assets has reduced potential replacement and reinstatement costs by more than 60%.
