Combating Traffic Impact with HDPE Manhole Rings

There’s a major problem with the traditional concrete rings used to build manhole chimneys — they have a short life expectancy. As a result of point load failures, heavy traffic impact, crumbling mortar, and dissolving concrete caused by hydrogen sulfide (H2S), municipalities may only get 3 years out of their rings and 25 if they are extremely lucky.

Over the years, traffic volume has steadily increased. The impact and vibration from traffic cause the mortar in manholes to crumble and the concrete to disintegrate into powder. If the manholes aren’t rehabilitated or replaced, they will fail.

The replacement of concrete manhole rings creates other issues. First, the installation process isn’t easy or quick. Traffic may need to be rerouted overnight, which inconveniences drivers and shifts strain to other roads. In addition, frequent manhole work means hefty expenses.

So, what options do city officials or consulting engineers have when it comes to combating traffic impact? Consider the benefits of building manhole chimneys with plastic instead of concrete.

HDPE Manhole Rings: A Solution that Lasts

 Concrete doesn’t hold up when impacted by heavy traffic, but plastic does. That’s why Ladtech’s HDPE manhole adjusting rings are a smart alternative.

The HDPE manhole rings have a 100-year life expectancy and are built to withstand heavy traffic impact. The rings are H25 traffic rated, meaning they can withstand the load applied by some of the heaviest trucks on the road. To view Ladtech’s compliance testing data, click here.

Weighing just 6 pounds, Ladtech rings are easy to install and can be easily adjusted for any grade. Installation can be completed in a matter of hours, which greatly reduces labor costs and traffic disruption.

To put it simply, the durability, ease of installation, and cost-effectiveness make HDPE manhole rings a better solution for rehabilitating manholes than any other option on the market.

Eliminating Frequent Manhole Rehab Once and For All

 For more than 25 years, Ladtech HDPE manhole adjusting rings have been placed in some of the toughest traffic areas in North America and have withstood the test of time.

The rings were installed in Windsor, Ontario in 1997 on a bustling 4-lane road that connects the city to Detroit, Michigan. Before installation, the previously used concrete rings needed to be replaced every 3-4 years because of damaged mortar and concrete. That problem is now a thing of the past.

“We installed Ladtech HDPE adjustable rings 23 years ago and there has been absolutely no deterioration of the rings to date,” said Pete Matheson, Sewer Superintendent for IPEX Pipeline, in 2001.

And in Apple Valley, Minnesota in 1998, HDPE rings were installed in the municipality that has a traffic volume that includes between 28,000 and 32,000 trucks per day. Since then, there has been no rehab work necessary.

“We installed Ladtech rings more than 22 years ago, and they look exactly the same today,” said former Apple Valley city engineering construction coordinator Jim Fruechtl.

To contact Ladtech and request more information, click here.