Drainage concrete trays - how good they are

Currently, concrete trays for drainage are used everywhere. Any construction, starting from a country house and ending with the arrangement of entire microdistricts, industrial enterprises and airfields, cannot be considered complete without a drainage system.

At each plant there is a production line for the production of such products. Drainage ferro-concrete trays of different sizes and with different characteristics are produced. The price they have acceptable, but the popularity is due not only to this.

Concrete has always been associated with capital construction. In this article we consider the main types of these products, its classification and principles of installation.

What is a tray

This detail is almost the main component of a linear system designed for drainage and removal of groundwater, rainwater or melt water. The product is made in the form of a gutter, and successively connected trays form a system of channels directed to the sewage system or septic tank. (See also the article Cover for a concrete ring: features.)

Consider the most popular materials used for the manufacture of linear drainage structures.

1. The most common and popular is concrete.. The drainage reinforced concrete tray, differs in one of the highest characteristics. They are durable, reliable and durable.
2. Polymer-concrete drainage trays are already a product of high technology, they are much lighter than their reinforced concrete counterparts.. These products have incorporated most of the positive qualities of concrete and plastic. But they have the highest price, plus they are less resistant to high temperatures.
3. As for plastic products, their main advantages can be called low cost, ease and speed of assembly.. Other specifications on the order is lower than in concrete products. In winter, they can be squeezed out of the ground; they do not withstand hard mechanical stress and temperature drops.

Types and some specifications of products

Drainage reinforced concrete trays are classified according to GOST 21509-85. This technical document regulates the requirements for products mounted in the ground, and for the gutters placed on piles. Plus the sizes and technical requirements for the trays are determined.

Load classification

The design of the linear drainage system enclosed by gratings, by itself, provides for increased resistance to mechanical loads.

In order not to be mistaken with the model, below is the existing classification.

• A-15 - drainage concrete tray of this brand is considered the weakest, the maximum load does not exceed 1.5 tons. It is used for walkways, parks and sports grounds.
• B-125 - has a maximum limit of 12.5 tons. Suitable for parking lots, garage cooperatives, widely used in private construction.
• C-250 - can withstand a load in the range of 25 tons. It is mounted on auxiliary roads, gas stations and car-care centers.
• D-400 - have a tensile strength of 40 tons. They are widely used as drainage concrete road chutes on long-distance routes with high traffic intensity.
• E-600 - this product is able to withstand a load of 60 tons. Concrete drainage tray 1000x500x500 mm is the most common in this class. It is used for arrangement of the drainage system in ports and at industrial enterprises.
• F-900 - are considered the most powerful and stable, withstand a load of 90 tons. They are mounted on airfields or military bases with heavy equipment.

Important: in special conditions and at increased load, the instruction provides for the installation of concrete drainage trays using fasteners and covering nets of high-strength steel.

Types of products

The configuration of the product can be U-shaped, trapezoidal and parabolic.

Depending on the destination, products can be of several types.

1. Prikromochnye - this type of drainage structures is used to discharge wastewater along the edge of the road in places bordering the pavement or blind area. They are designed to protect the road tightly from leaching.
2. Telescopic - designed for mounting on slopes. They have the shape of a truncated cone, which makes it easy to assemble the gutter.
3. Linear - the range of these gutters can be called the widest. Most often they are U-shaped and are intended for the installation of a linear drainage or drainage system.

In addition, drainage reinforced concrete trays are divided according to the production method.

1. Vibrating casting is considered the cheapest and most outdated method. Its essence lies in the fact that the solution is poured into a certain form and installed on the vibrating table. Thus, the composition of concrete is compacted unevenly, mostly from the outside. The price is small, but the quality leaves much to be desired.
2. Now more common vibropresovanie. Concrete here is taken of a higher quality, except for vibration, the composition undergoes pressure testing under high pressure, as a result, the quality of the product increases several times.

Some installation rules

• Installation of concrete drainage trays is a matter of responsibility; in case you do not have sufficient skills in construction, we do not recommend installing them with your own hands.
• The capacity of the tray is selected depending on the average precipitation rate in the area, plus 25%.
• Linear slope, based on 1 linear meter, must be at least 10 mm.
• In the greater territory of our country, the ground freezes deep enough. The drainage concrete tray itself has a fairly large mass, but to install it, you still need to make a good blind area, because as a result of seasonal heaving of the soil, the chute can be squeezed out onto the surface.
• As is the case with the foundation blind area is better to do a comprehensive one. The depth of the bookmark should be at least 20 - 30 cm under the tray. The lower ball is filled with rubble, then comes sand, for gutters designed for heavy loads, a layer of liquid concrete can still be poured.
• At the exit of the system, a sand catcher is necessarily mounted; it is a trough of a similar configuration, but located below the installation line.

Important: vibropressed gutters are strong enough and for adjusting the size, cutting of reinforced concrete with diamond circles is used. For the drainage of nearby soil, diamond drilling of holes in the concrete is used, from the sides and along the bottom of the tray.

The video in this article shows the principle of installation of the system.

Conclusion

Concrete trays for drainage have been used for a long time, and there is practically no cheaper replacement without sacrificing quality. The life of such gutters reaches 50 - 70 years. Do they withstand temperatures from +350? C to -50? WITH.

And most importantly, this material is considered completely environmentally friendly. The video in this article shows one of the ways to clean the gutters.