Bridge Drainage
PDS has built upon years of experience to come up with the optimum solution for effective bridge drainage. We have also been able to draw upon best practise from across the UK's long-running bridge refurbishment programme, which sets the country's bridge infrastructure several years ahead of many other European countries.
The problem
A successful and efficient bridge drainage system has to take into account both surface and sub-surface drainage. If there is no sub-surface drainage, water absorbed into the asphalt layer sits on the waterproof membrane of the bridge deck. The impact of vehicles driving on the saturated asphalt can then cause weakening of the road surface and eventually the entire bridge structure.
The solution
In the UK there has been a move away from intermediate outlet points and carrier pipes below the bridge deck. Instead continuous combined kerb units are now the preferred system for bridge drainage as they provide continuous water collection and easy maintenance. These deck mounted systems drain at both the surface level with a series of slots along the kerb, and the sub-surface level via a series of slots along the deck.
Our products
For many years PDS has been the leading supplier of Hydrodeck, a ductile iron combined bridge drainage system, which has been successfully installed in dozens of major projects around the UK and abroad.
More recently growing environmental concerns and the advantages of lightweight products has led to the introduction of the Envirodeck - a composite, lightweight, combined bridge drainage solution. Envirodeck has the additional advantage of being non-oxidising, so the completed bridge looks better for longer. There are multiple other benefits associated with the Envirodeck, including high hydraulic efficiencies and low maintenance demands.
Where an additional level of sub-surface drainage is necessary, PDS also manufacture the Dri-deck range, to be used in conjunction with our Hydrodeck or Envirodeck combined drainage system.
Finally our innovate Envirokerb combined kerb drainage product is now available in a shallow version which is suitable for bridges and can maintain continuity with carriageway Envirokerb installations.
Enviro Range >