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Nothing is more annoying than a height difference between road surface and manhole edge. Besides being irritating and even dangerous for the road user, the associated noise is often a source of annoyance for local residents. With the O-linq manhole edge system, van den Broek Heteren proves that things can be done differently. This system is also being used on a large scale on the N395, where the road authority is guaranteed a 100 percent flat transition between asphalt and manhole edge. The system also offers great advantages for the main contractor.
Potholes in the road surface are unavoidable in order to be able to perform maintenance and inspections of the underlying sewer system. "Traditional manhole edges are in many cases a source of annoyance because they no longer line up with the road profile due to subsidence," knows Coen van de Craats, company manager at van den Broek Heteren. "We have dissected the traditional manhole edge, as it were. Indeed, the O-linq system consists of a concrete transition plate for placement on the manhole shaft into which a metal plate is temporarily inserted. The placement and setting of the manhole edge is done only after the asphalt is applied. This ensures unparalleled flatness."
The O-linq manhole edge system requires thorough preparation. "The main contractor, in this case BAM, placed the transition plates itself on the approximately 30 well shafts with a Poltec setting mortar," says Van de Craats. After applying the temporary metal cover plate and a layer of sand, the heart can then be measured using GPS. After applying the asphalt, BAM is assured of a flat, uninterrupted layer of asphalt. There are no obstacles such as 'annoying' manhole edges, which means less delay for the main contractor. And then it's our turn. With our specially and uniquely developed equipment, we make a core drilling in the heart of the pit right up to the cover plate. That way we can determine the exact position for centered drilling of the well edge. Then it is a matter of setting the pit edge exactly at the right height and in the right cant of the road surface. In this way, a 100 percent flat transition between pit edge and asphalt is guaranteed."
O-linq was developed in-house by van den Broek Heteren. "Realizing the 'perfect pit edge' is cake for us and we do this daily with several crews," says Van de Craats. "We attach great value to good preparation. We are keen on giving sound advice and like to think along in both the tender process and the execution process. Despite the fact that we are often the final piece of a project, good preparation is crucial. That worked out well on the N395. Thanks to the good cooperation with main contractor BAM, we were able to install the 30 manhole edges in a short period of time without any problems."
